UNITY IS STRENGTH.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 28, 12 April 1918, Page 4

UNITY IS STRENGTH.

GREAT EMPIRE EMERGENCY. Interviewed at Invercargill the ether day, Sir Joseph Ward said had received a telegram'from Mr Massey, conveying the one sent by the Prime Minister of England, making an appeal for additional reinforcements. Sir Joseph said he was not taken by surprise at the request from Mr Lloyd George in this great Empire emergency. Nothing could emphasise more clearly than the message did the urgent necessity for the continued active cooperation of the oversea Dominions with the Motherland in the hour of need, when it was absolutely essential to show a determined front. It had to be recognised that the effort of the enemy at the present time was colossal, and was being carried out with a reckless disregard of life, with the idea of smashing through the British and allied front, and with the object of Germany placing itself in a position to be able to dictate conditions of peace to suit itself.

It was the first time in the history of the British Empre that such an appeal had boen made by any English Prime Minister, and it was unthinkable to the men and women of this country that the warning should go unheeded. In providing troops and in the quality of the men sent, New Zealand had up to the present done her duty nobly, ;and he was convinced that the appeal for a still greater effort owing to the present crisis would be enthusiastically responded to. The gigantic operations, unparalleled in the history of the world, now taking, place in Europe, should show the people here now necessary it was to provide the necessary finance to enable New Zealand to do her part. There should be no stronger incentive than the telegram of the British "Prime Minister. Sir Joseph said he was looking to everybody, men of small means', and men of large means, with the greatest confidence to show the .enemy that, in addition to our men,-our personal resources were available until we attained that superiority on the field 'that would give Great Britain and -her Allies the right to dictate terms, and thus bring about the perpetuation of peace upon a solid basis which would last for centuries to come. On the other hand, if by any chance we failed to attain our well-recognised objective, we would become slaves of Germany—a nation that had shown itself baseless-

ly cruel and heartless in all its war methods.'

"Unity is strength," added Sir Joseph, "and there has been no time in th,e history of the British Empire when it was of such vital importance to show unity in every direction." New Zealand troops at the front were doing their part magnificently, and our hearts beat in, union for their safety. Their bravery and self-sacrifice in action, fighting for their freedom, was so inspiriting that it filled us all with the admiration and buoyed us up with the knowledge that they were doing their part in, the most titanic struggle that had yet taken place for the freedom*of the. world. "Those of us who remain," concluded Sir Joseph, "living in comparative comfort, will not hesitate to do everything in our power to support the men who have gone to the fighting line.''