NEW ZEALAND MINISTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16964, 28 March 1917, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND MINISTERS

VISIT TO BROCKENHURST.

SOME NOTABLE SPEECHES.

(From Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, January 20. Mr Mussey (Primo Minister) and Sir Joseph Ward (Finance Minister), supported by Mr W. i>\ I'e.rkins (M.i\ for the Now Forest Division), Lord Piunket, M. F. \Y aldegravo, and a large company, wero present at tho opening ot the Kia <Jra Club at Brockenhurst. '±he largo recreation hut has been erected by the New Zealand War Contingent Association, and is similar to the ono recently opened at Horncliureli. Colonel Wylie, N.Z.M.C. (officer commanding tlie hospital) presided over the gathering.

Sir Joseph Ward formally declared the club open. In doing so he warmly acknowledged the good work done by those responsible for the formation of tho club, congratulating the association on tho manner in which the duties reposed in it by tho subscribers in New Zealand had been carried out, both in England and wlu jr the soldiers from the dominion were found. It was a very valuable one, and one for which the acknowledgments of their country were due. He also paid a tribute, to the oliorts of tlie Y.M.C.A. on behalf of the i ° W u ca ' a nd soldiers, and emphasised tho depth of gratitude which was owing to Mrs Firth and her committee in that district, and expressed the hope that these- two valuable institutions, which would bo used for the comfort of the men, would work sido by side for the good cause they had shown sych deep interest in. Sir Joseph referred in appreciatory terms of the medical and nursing service in connection w.th tho N.Z.E.F., and especially that of the women. He believed that after the war they would see a great transformation all over the British Empire, as well as in other J3arts of the world, in the position women would occupy as compared with their positjon before hostilities began. The war had snowii clearly that without the co-operation of the women many hundreds of men could not have been liberated to fight in this battle for freedom. ENEMY NOT COMFORTABLE.

Sir Joseph said there were signs at tho moment that the enemy was not quite comfortable. There was tho strongest evidence of a feverish desire on the part of enemy countries to force a premature peace at a'time most favourable, in some respects, to themselves. 'Ihe enemy recognised that not only economic pressure, but the indomitable spirit characteristic of the British raco throughout tho ages, was telling on them. The enemy saw that Britain and her Allies had definitely refused their wordy proposals °i. peace, and that ail the overseas dominions were voicing tho same insistent statement that there should be no premature peace, but that pcace, when it came, should last for generations. -a.c this juncture, when the enemy was screeching for peace in their own interests, the Motherland and her dominion, standing shoulder to shoulder, were not going to lose all that was represented by the blood of our sons and tho treasure spent.

BRITAIN'S DECISION. " The deeis.on of Britain and her Allies is to figiit until we have tne victory.— (Cheers). I, for ono," added Sir Joseph, ' speaKing as tne rcpresauLuiive oi a ous part of the British dominions, say that though wo hate war, thougn horrible war is repugnant to our leeiings, we believe that this is a war ot just.ee, and now when tho enemy countries are trying to wriggle out oi tuo consequences, we believe oui people will say that we took the wisest course m refus.ng to give way under pressure lrorn whatever quarter it may have oomo, to any proposal wn.ca would have been unsatisfactory to the British people all over the worid.—(Cheers.) When you see the eiiuiny proclaiming that he is going to do ail sorts of tilings to Britain and her Allies, you can believe that he .s very uncertain where he is lt is humanly impossible lor any frightfulnoss to oxcoed the barbarous methods which have been employed in the a.r and on tho seas against innocent men and women, or t-ho barbarity ot the murder of Nurso Cavell and Capt-a.il Fryatt. When we remember these things the threat ol other frigntfulness causes no fear to our brave soldiers and our fearless sailors, ready to do their duty when the enemy gives them a chance.—(Cheers.) Wo will continue to rely upon them and ail our other forces, which are now superior to tnose ol the enemy, to fignt this war rigiu out until victory lor us is proclaimed from the housetops all over tho civilised , world." THE KNOCK-OUT BLOW.

Mr Massey, addreas.ng the. assembly, added ii.s congratulations and coiaruuiiuat.ons in connection witn tho work ot tiie New Zealand War Contingent Association, and the i.ivi.C.A., and spoKe of tno appreciation in wrncn the metiieaL men, tno nurses, and tho gallant soldiers were held not only in New Zealand, but all througn the JLmpire. The end ot the war, lie said, was not in sight, although he believed that they could have peacc almost at once if it su.ted them to allow Germany to arrange it on her own terms, iiut triey were not gomg to do that. Tho people of New Zealand were delignted with tne position taken up by Britain and her Allies. it he knew the iirit.sh people, as he believed ho did, they were not going to allow the crimes perpetrated by Germany during the last two and a naif years to go uupujusiiuu. During that t.me the Allies had simply been getting' ready They had ra.sed an enormous army qnd produced the guns and ammunition, and to suggest that they should give away the advantage was folly. That was not the idea wuich brougnt Bncisn e.tizcns from other parts of the world to take part 111 the war. The idea ot the soldiers from overseas was that .they should not leave the job unfinished. The war iiad to bo carried 011 until the final knockout blow, and until a repetition' of its horrors was niaao imposs.blo lor centuries to come. He believed the spirit which had brought the boys from overseas was .going to see the thing to the bitter end, however bitter the end might be. He believed that was the sp.rit of tho army and navy and the Allies, whose one thought was to go on until they were able to dictate the terms of peacc, and not submit to those tho Central Powers would d ctate to us.

Reforring to tho impending Imperial Conference, Jar Massey said tins was tne lirst time tho representatives of the dominions had taken part in such important couno.ls of the country, and he was perfectly certain it would only be the forerunner of more important things; and he liopcd that never again would the councils of the Empire be without the councils of the overseas dominions. Ho looked forward to this growing union with the dominions and the Empire. He paid a splendid tribute to the gallantry of tho New Zealand soldiers, and concluded by saying that, though they did not know when tho war would end, they looked forward to the time when peace would bo declared with an honour upon which the British Empire would be ablo to look back with pride and satisfaction. Mr Perkins, M.P., welcomed the two New Zealand statesmen to his const.tucncy. With regard to their references concerning the inflexible determination of their people to carry tho war to a victorious issue, he could assure them that that determination was equally inflexible in this country. They were united as he had never known a nation united before, and determined to pursue tho war till thev wore able to command a lasting poace—and such a peace that their children and gTand-ehildren would bless their forefathers for the magnificent fight put up for them. t NO PREMATURE PEACE.

Commenting on these speeches, the Bristol Times and Mirror says: "Dominion sentiment is fully as pronounced as British against anything like an inconclusive; peace. Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward voiced the feelings of their countrymen, and especially of soldiers of tho southern dominion. They see as clearly as British statesmen do that Germany by her 'peace' manosuvres and her lying Notes in pretended justification of her own barbarities, is simply 'trying to wriggle out of the consequences of her crimes.' 'A premature peace,' said Mr Massey, 'is not what the soldiers from the dominions came to fight for. Their idea is not to leave the job unfinished until Germany has received a knock-out blow.' Happily, that is tho idea of all the Allies." HONOURS FOR WOMEN.

The Gentlewoman contains the following :—"Mr Massey has, with tine colonial d'rectness. crystallised in a few sentences the strong claims which women possess to Vie included in those lists of honours which are from timo to time issued by his Majesty the King. It appears that an Empire Order has been created during the past week, which is to be conferred upon those subjects of the King who have rendered Vgnal service to the Imperial cause. On the subject of the inclusion of women in this order, Mr Massey says: 'I certainly think that if this now honour is given to Empire men it would be right and proper to extend it to Empire women. In this way tlie Empire could recognise tho splond'd work women have, done throughout the war. In New Zealand women of every rank have come forward, and have not fa-led in any task that could bo performed. I am strongly of opinion that the work of tho women should bo recognised.' "