Notes of the Day

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3780, 15 March 1913, Page 4

Notes of the Day

THE OPPOSITION AGAIN AT SEA

The recent cable message which announced that Hen. Jas. Allen in London referred in an interview to the possibility of New Zealand providing an expeditionary force for service outside New Zealand was seized on by the Opposition newspapers as an opportunity to attack the Government, through "Mr Allen, for having made a definite offer to ship forced men. The London papers of January 31, to hand by yesterday’s mail, contain the text of the interview, which was given to a representative of Reuter's and published in most of the papers on the morning after Mr Allen’s arrival in London. We quote in full from the “Morning Post”: —“Speaking to Reuter’s representative on the subject of co-operation for defence between New Zealand and Australia, the Minister said: “The various portions of the Empire ill the Pacific must work together. Unity is essential there for effective defence, and there must lie close relation for this purpose. Ail important question I have to discuss is the organisation of a New Zealand expeditionary force for Empire service. We want to be in a position to say to the Mother Country that we have always at her disposal a permanent organisation by which to any part of our Empire where their services may be needed, provided the sea-way is open for them to- go. These men will, of course, be volunteers. Without naval supremacy we cannot send them. If we help the Mother ■Country she must keep the sea-way open. If the Empire is to hold together it will be necessary for those in Great Britain to utilise the only means that will keep it together, that is, to guide the local movements that represent local patriotism and thought, and by this means keep them constantly in touch with Empire organisation.’ ” It will lie noted that Mr Allen made no “definite offer” and emphasised the fact that “these men will, of course, be volunteers.”