NEW ZEALAND'S PART IN THE WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND'S PART IN THE WAR.

A PROUD RECORD:

The ,part which New Zealand, the most distant portion of tho Empire, has'played in the present war, as one of which that email community may be justly proud (states a recent article in the London Times). , . New Zealand ha 3 sent to the fighting front 99,650 troops of all ranks; another 10,080 are in camp in New Zealand. With the military organisations necessary within her own shores, and the garrison which she maintains at Samoa, together with the men engaged upon work of military importance at home, this army ranks in very high proportion to her population of only I,lso,ooo—nearly one-tenth. All the troopships engaged in transporting this force have been drawn from the New Zealand mercantile marine. y The dominion bears the whole expense of her army, its equipment and maintenance in and out of the field. ' It does not cost the Motherland a penny. Up to the end of August the expenditure had amounted to over £44,000,000. Of this sum £40,000,000 had been raised in local loans and by war bonds in the dominion, which, in round figures, is a direct investment in war indebtedness of £4O per head of the population. ■ '•-

Up to the latter period of 1916 volunteer application supplied all the troops required, but in 1916 a system of compulsion was instituted. There has never been any demonstration against the compulsory principle by any section of the community. The South Sea Islanders have enthusiastically contributed their quotas. ■ Without being called upon the Niue Islanders have enthusiastically sent away with the NeAV Zealand forces 148 men, Rarotonga 308, the Gilbert Islands 25, and Fiji a platoon. She New Zealand Maoris maintain a full battalion at the front out of their population of 49,000. Shortage of shipping has prevented New Zealand supplying foodstuffs to her fullest capacity, hut she has given Great Britain the complete control of her output of meat, wool, butter, cheese, and tungsten metals. From March 3, 1915, to June 30, 1918, she supplied meat to the value of £24,306,000; cheese (November 4, 1915, to June 30, 1918), valued at £9,000,000; butter (November 20, 1916, to June 30, 1918), £2,800,000; and wool (December 1 1916, to June 30, 1918), £29,000,000. New Zealand has contributed to the British Red Cross £258,000, and to other Red Cross purposes £115,900. For other charitable purposes in connection with the war the total raised in .voluntary subscriptions is over £5,000,000 —more than £5 per head of the population. She supplies and maintains her own Y.M.C.A., Salvation Army, Church Army, and other kindred organisations. The dominion has manufactured the whole of the military clothing, boots, blankets, etc., issued to her troops before the v leave her shores.

The casualties in the New Zealand Forces have amounted to 52,674, and 14,463 of her sons have been killed or died. Only 371 New Zealanders have been taken prisoners in all theatres since the outbreak of war, a percentage of .7 of the number of casualties. Twenty-two thousand men have been returned to the dominion incapacitated. Of this number. 750 have been placed on land and provided with financial assistance. Half a million acres, partly of Stat© land and partly of acquired areas, have been set aside for soldiers who will return. This area is being added to from time to time by compulsory purchase. Of incapacitated men, 11,499 have notified the authorities that they do not require assistance. New Zealand's war pension list is already £1,136,143 annually—equal to £1 per head of her population. The State assists to the extent of £2 12s a week any soldier called upon who has current financial obligations undertaken prior to the date of his calling up. , , In France ti?e division has had constant service in the line, and has taken a prominent part ; n most of the big engagements since its transference to the western theatre in April, 1915. The fighting qualities of the troops are well known. _ In Palestine the dominion maintains a brigade of mounted In the New Zealand Forces (apart from New Zealanders in Imperial and Australian units and in the navy, of whom there aro many) seven Victoria Crosses have been awarded, 108 D.SO. m' rials, 370 Military Crosses, 256 D.P-M.'s, 1532 Military Medals, 51 bars to medals. Other decorations awarded in the forces ere: —K.C.B.'s, 2, C.B.'s, 7; K.C.M.G.'s, 2; C.M.P.'s, 35; C.B.E.'s, 2; 0.8.E.'5. 9; M.B.E.'s, 3; Royal Red Cross (First Order), 7; Second Order, 41; Meritorious Service Medals, 114; mentions in despatches, 1090. Foreign decorations: —French, 52; Russian, 7» Serbian, 29; Montenegrin, 3j Belgian, 54; Italian, 6. Outside the division, Victoria Crosses

have been won by five other New Zealanrier.s. The dominion has a compulsory education system operating throughout her forces, employing 130 instructors. She supplies her camp and hospital requirements in England in vegetable?, eggs, etc., from her own cultivated areas.