THE PREMIER'S STATMENT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14593, 1 May 1918, Page 7

THE PREMIER'S STATMENT.

(P< j r Press Association)

WELLINGTON, last night. Mr-'Masesy states that the occurrences m Christchurch (were greatly to be deplored, and he is confident* will bo regretted by the loyal and right-thinking peopue from one end of Iv'ew Zealand to the other, ile adds :

"I feel glad 1 to think that the sentiments expressed m the motion carried on Monday . evening liave been repudiated by the president, of the Second Division) League and several of thie OaAteroury members. From communications that readied me this morning" I know that many of the second division reservists are thoroughly and heartily ashamed of what, some of their members are reported to have been associated with. I know that there is a small but noisy section of the community who right from the commencement have been opposed to New Zealand doing its full share m tho war. But surely if they look for a moment at what is happening on the Western front they will see where., the duty of every loyal citizen lies. As an Empire wo are m. death grips with the most powerful and at the same time the most cruel and most unscrupulous mi litany power the world has ever known. We are lighting for our national existence — perhaps our lives — and to prevent the possibility of this fair country of ours experiencing what France and Belgium have experienced. Surely no patriotic citizen would suggest" that we should hide behind America and Britain or any part of the British dominions? What we have done is sma'.l compared •with what the citizens of several European countries or even Britain itself has been called upon to do. As loyal citizens there is only one course open to us, and that is to make the winning of the war the supreme object of our livies, and to place m the scales every ounce of effort that it is possib'e to bring to bear. Our law* of compulsory military service \a no respecter of persons, high or low, rich or. poor. All must obey it. As for the provision intended to be made for the dependants of soldiers, it may not satisfy the whole of our people, but m spite of 'anything that may bo said to the contrary there is no other country m the world that has made such liberal provision m the way of pensions and allowances for its lighting men and dependants as has been made by New Zealand. Additional evidence of this has. •been given m that IQ,OOO i married *taien have already responded to the Ehnpire's call,, and from them no word of complaint has come. » For the fair name of New Zealand, for the sake of Empire and race, for the sake of those who liave already given their lives m the grteat cause for "which \v© are fighting, for everything that makes life worth Jiving, 1 appeal to the citizens of the dominion who can help m the war to assist tine men who are fighting for us to carry on until the war cloud passes' away and peace comes once more to the civilised world."