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Maori troops bound for Egypt

The Dunedin City electric tramways contingent with the Expeditionary Force. From left: Trooper P....
The Dunedin City electric tramways contingent with the Expeditionary Force. From left: Trooper P. Torrie, Privates S. Clancy and Fruish, Trooper A Moir. - Otago Witness, 16.9.1914.
The interesting announcement was made in the House of Representatives last night by the Prime Minister that, as the outcome of communications that have passed between the Governments at Home and in the dominion, the Imperial authorities are prepared to accept the services of 200 Maoris for utilisation in Egypt.

In terms of this intimation steps will be taken without delay to enrol and equip a Native contingent of the dimensions indicated.

There is little reason to doubt that Maoris will eagerly embrace the opportunity that is to be offered to them of manifesting their loyalty to their King and of shouldering their responsibilities as citizens of the Empire by the performance of the service that is open to them.

It is not a large contingent of Maoris that is to be formed, but the principle involved in the acceptance by the Imperial Government of the services of members of the Native race in New Zealand for duty in the war is distinctly important, for it represents in the clearest manner their association with the white subjects of the Crown in a liability to the obligations that are imposed upon the people of the Empire in a time of national emergency such as the present.

The army of occupation in Egypt is not a considerable one, numbering little more than 6000 men of all ranks and all branches of the military service.

It may be part of the Imperial Government's design to release practically all these men for active service in Europe by the establishment of a temporary garrison composed of coloured troops from different parts of the Empire.

Such a step as this would furnish a very useful object lesson of the variety of the resources at the command of the Imperial authorities.

The proposal to build several Government workers' dwellings in Dunedin, and the necessity for going on with the work at once in order to relieve the unemployment prevalent in the painting and carpentering trades, was referred to in the House of Representatives last evening (says our Wellington correspondent).

Mr Sidey said he had received from the secretary of the Dunedin Carpenters' Union a letter enclosing a list of 60 carpenters now out of work.

The secretary stated also that he understood that some months ago application had been made to the Government for the erection of 10 workers' homes in the Windle Settlement.

Mr Sidey asked whether it was true that these applications were made, and, if so, whether the Government would push on the work as rapidly as possible.

Mr Massey said that his information was that only seven applications for workers' homes had been received.

Some time ago he had made a statement that the Government had decided to erect 100 workers' homes in different centres in New Zealand.

The work was going on satisfactorily, but the arrangement was that it should be spread over the whole of the current year.

Plans had been prepared for the Windle Settlement, and tenders would be invited, but it would be some weeks before work could be commenced on the buildings.

His wish was to expedite things as much as possible.

Lieutenant Tryggve Gran, who was a member of the Scott Antarctic expedition, successfully accomplished his flight by airship from Scotland to Norway.

He left Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, at 1.9 p.m., and arrived at Klep, near Stavenger, four hours and 10 minutes later, covering the distance of 320 miles at an average speed of just over 76 miles per hour.

This is the longest flight out of sight of land. - ODT, 17.9.1914.

 


COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

 

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