THAT TRIP HOME.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14743, 23 October 1915, Page 4

THAT TRIP HOME.

With Defence matters -n New Zealand in. such an unsatisfactory state, and with the. prospects of Mr Allen lea ving additions I burdens put upon him again, there is still talk about Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward going Home. Writing on the matter when it was first mooted, we could, not conceive that any good purpose could be served by the Ministers mentioned attending any Conference in London just now, when their services were so urgently required in dealing with the many big problems we in New Zealand have to face as a result of the war, Our politicians have no surplus energy to spare just now to discuss abstruse problems affecting the Empire. It now transpires that there is no particular call from Home for Mr Massey or Sir Joseph Ward: simply Australasian residents in London desire the presence of the Premiers of Australia and New Zealand “in view of important questions that have arisen in connection with the Dardanelles.” We make bold 1 to say that there is no generally expressed desire amongst colonials at Home for a Conference at the present juncture. The whole thing is being manoeuvred by The Times, Daily Mail, and other Harmsworth papers. For many months past we have noticed occasional references in the cables to opinions' expressed by The Times about the desirability of holding a Conference at Home and of dissatisfaction in the colonies, but we have never observed any suggestion about a Conference from the Home Government or any member of it, nor from any colonial statesman other than Mr Fisher, who seems most anxious to go Home for some reason or other. The Times, too, has had a lot to say in condemnation of--,tli o Dardanelles campaign,which criticism when considered in the light of theft Thunderer 's advocacy of ah' Imperial Conference, forces one to the view that the Harmsworth papers -have some ulterior, motive to serve. ;