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Enclosure. Sir,— Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 19th July, 1918. As this year the anniversary of the war (4th August) falls on a Sunday, I have the honour, on behalf of the Government of this Dominion, to suggest to you that special reference to the occasion be made in your churches. The British Empire entered this war knowing the righteousness of its cause, knowing, too, that in its essence the struggle was not for world empire or the control of the trade and commerce of the world, but for very existence between two ideals of civilization. Therefore, while the question of holding special services is left to your discretion, it is felt that it is fitting the day should be made one of intercession to Almighty God that we and those with whom we are associated in this great conflict may be found acceptable in His sight as the instruments by means of which complete and early victory may be secured to the Allies, and the cause of justice, freedom, and righteousness vindicated. I may mention that, as in previous years, Mayors of boroughs and Chairmen of other local bodies are being requested to convene meetings of the citizens in their districts to be held on Monday, sth August. 1 enclose herewith copy of the resolution to be submitted to such public meetings, and should you deem it appropriate that this resolution be put to your congregations a sufficient number of copies thereof will on request be supplied to you by my colleague the Minister of Internal Affairs. ' I have, &c, J. Allen, Acting Prime Minister. Resolution to be submitted to Public Meetings throughout the Dominion, Monday, the sth August, 1918, in connection with the Fourth Anniversary of the Declaration of the War with Germany. "That, on this the fourth anniversary of the declaration of a righteous war, this meeting of the citizens of records its inflexible determination to continue to a victorious end the struggle in maintenance of those ideals of liberty and justice which are the common and sacred cause of the Allies." Sir,— Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 19th Jul)-, 1918. On behalf of the Government of this Dominion, I have the honour to request that on Monday, the sth August next, being the day following the fourth anniversary of the declaration of war with Germany, you will call a meeting of the citizens of your and submit the attached resolution of determination to continue the war to a victorious end. The same resolution will be submitted to public meetings throughout the rest of the Empire. The British Empire entered upon this war knowing the righteousness of its cause, knowing, too, that in its essence the struggle was not one for world empire or the control of the trade and commerce of the world, but a struggle for very existence between two ideals of civilization. For four years we have recognized that the maintenance of the ideal for which the Empire stands necessitates our prosecution of the war to a victorious conclusion. A year ago, when the Central Powers were being at least held in check, the Allies recognized that peace by negotiation would have meant nothing more or less than a German)' victory. To-day the internal condition of Russia is chaotic. A series of German military successes on the west front has been achieved, and the Central Powers' position on the map is apparently stronger than at any time since the Battle of the Marne. Under these conditions, therefore, is it not all the more necessary that we should again declare our determination to win through to victory on the field of battle, inspired by the same spirit which moved Lincoln to utter these words in the dark days of 1864?— " We accepted this war for a worthy object, and the war will end when that object is attained. Under God, I hope it will not end until that time." Should our determination fall short of that, the sacrifices our own men have made in Europe, in Asia, and in Africa, and on all the seas of the world, will have been in vain. In such a case the hardships endured to-day will be but so mjich preparation for the horror and slaughter that an undefeated, arrogant Germany will again—maybe in our own lifetime—inflict on a world then perhaps too weary of war to resist successfully the doctrine of force we are now combatting. I shall be glad if on the 6th August you will telegraph to me the fact of the meeting having been held and of the resolution having been carried. I have, &c, J. Allen, Acting Prime Minister.

No. 11. New Zealand, No. 192. Sir, — Government House, Wellington, 24th September, 1918. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, Dominions No. 368, of the 9th July, in which you state that His Majesty's Government have now decided that it is in the interests of shipping generally that the facilities for changing merchant ships' names should, as a war emergency, be suspended.

A.-2, 1918, No. 29.