HOME AGAIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12711, 5 August 1919, Page 6

HOME AGAIN.

RECEPTION ON LANDING.

MIXED SENTIMENTS.

(Continued from Page 5.) [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 5. When the Ministers left the ship for the hotel shortly after eight o clock there was a fair crowd of onlookers outside the barrier, and a certain amount of badinage passed among the people as the Ministerial cars went by. A section of . the assemblage went so far as to show a certain amount of hostility, “boo-hooing” and laughter greeting the Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward as they left the wharf. The cordial part of the crowd 1 promptly returned an answer to the demonstrators by heartily cheering the envoys', while _ such remarks as “ Angels wouldn’t please some New Zealanders P and “These are not New Zealanders, but imports!” proved That there were plenty of friends to welcome the royagers besides the noisier elements.

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

HOPE OF THE FUTURE.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 6. / Sir Joseph Ward, in an interview, said that one of the memorable features of the Peace Conference would unquestionably be the creation of the League of Nations- It should certainly be a , powerful deterrent from war, and if ' it were extended in the future by the inclusion of other great Powers it would certainly prevent the sudden plunging of any countries into war Without their having ample time to consider fully what war would mean to them. It was conceivable that within a comparatively short period there might he a combination of some of the great countries that at present were outside the walls ’of the league, and until all the countries now excluded came in the league could not be as effective as its well-wishers desired. The loci, that Germany had already expressed a wish to (become a member of ' the league indicated that she recognised the power centred in it. Later on when the tidal wave bf -Bolshevism and chaos associated with it in Russia had suosided and that country was divided, as he believed it would he. into a number of Russian States or republics, it was more Than probable that they would come into tip League of • Nations and these States, in addition , to the Great Powers alreadv included, should enable the machinery of the league to be worked effectively for the principal object for which it was established. In attempting to judge what will bo the future power of the league to maintain the world’s peace, we have to Consider the effect .of the Pence Treaty in another material respect. The' military spirit that has hitherto existed in Continental countries has in my opinion, . received its death blow by one of the conditions to which Germany Las agreed, namely, the reducTibu of her armed forces first to 200,000 and later on to 100,000 men. This means the complete abolition of human conscription in a nation that at the beginning of this war. under its system of Prussian militarism, was the best organised and the most lufly equipped fighting people in the This is the forerunner of tho abolition of conscription in all countries and ot the disappearance of other elements that for the forty years or more prior to 1914 enabled Germany to build up scientifically her great war machine. • it is hardly possible that the present generation of children in that country will ha\ e inculcated under peace conditions a warlike spirit similar to that of toe youths under the old regime who were trained, in, all the arts of warThe generation ndjv growing up will in to? n^, "^ Te toars from now, be in a different atmosphere from that which their predecessors lived in. And so Hs years go by, though the League ot Nations may not be able to stop war altogether, it should exercise a great pou er in that direction, because any country wishing to go to war would be faced with, the certainty that it would have all the forces under the League arrayed against it. . Moreover, the setting up of a blockade against a belligerent country would be an easy and more effective operation in the future tnan was the case during the recent w;ir, as it could be put into motion immediately.. It seems to me that our outy, pidiyidually and collectively, is to assist to mould public opinion inour own country with a view to helping to make this great experimental ■ organisation of nations an effective means to prevent the occurrence of the atrocities and horrors that have been so appalling- during the last four and a half years. ,

FUTURE OF S»ft,

NEW ZEALAND’S MANDATE. [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 5. • We have come back after doing our duty in Europe,” said the Prime Minister, ‘ ‘ and are now prepared to share the difficulties that unfortunately exist in New Zealand, and do the best under the circumstances for our fellowcitizens of the Dominion.” Replying to questions concerning the Samoan mandate, Mr Massey said:— “ S° far as the financial aspect is concerned the revenue of Samoa for a good number of years past has exceeded tho expenditure- I hare no doubt, after things settle down again to normal, that the benefit of the mandate will b© appreciated by both New Zealand and Samoa. There can be no two opinions that the change of control from Germany to Britain will he good for tho group. Unfortunately the influenza epidemic, coming on the top of a certain amount of disorganisation due to the change of control* will affect matters for a little while. Still there is no question that the islands will flourish under our control and that the transfer will be of mutual advantage. So far as the general question applies there could be no middle course. It was our duty to accept this responsibility, especially on account of the important strategic position which Samoa occupies as one of our outposts in the Pacific. It is just a simple matter or taking no risks.” i The Prime Minister was reminded that a certain amount of criticism had been levelled at New Zealand’s administration of the Cook Islands, and the argument against taking on additional island responsibility. “Yes,” replied Mr Massey, “there has been a good deal of adverse comment but let us look at the report of the Australian Inter-State Commission on the subject of New Zealand’s administration of the Cook Islands. That report, which can be regarded as an nnbiapred one, is yery favourable indeed in its comment on what has taken place m the Cook Islands, under New Zealand control. Respecting the hostility m some quarters to the Samoan mandate, I can Pnly point to the fact that in the past New Zealand statesmen have been very anxious indeed to see Samoa, become an integral mart of the New Zealand Commonwealth; All Lean add is that it would have been sheer folly not to take advantage of this opportunity to obtain for New Zealand the main voice in the control of Samoa.”