GET INTO IT.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2483, 9 June 1915, Page 6

GET INTO IT.

(To the■ Editor.) Sir, —Your correspondent "Inasmuch" draws a fine red herring to cloud tho issue! (I'm rather proud of that genuine bull, so please let it stand.) There is no need to argue tho fitness or otherwise of eighteen-year-old hoys whilst there remain something between 50,000 and 80,000 single men of military age unregistered. As a side-issue, she writes a good deal of nonsonse about the evils of camp life. Any drink consumed b,v soldiers has to be chased outside tho camp; and surely the evil influence of a few undesirables is more than merely counteracted by the good home influence of all the preceding years, and by the splendid military discipline. Indeed, I have first-hand knowledge of a young fellow of whom a near relative said: "'Whatever his fate may be, the need of the hour, the hard lifo and discipline, have helped him to conquer his inward foe.". And, sir, despite the a-ssertion of the Hon. the Minister of Defence, recruiting is not truly satisfactory until every available man whose circumstances will permit has registered. The authorities will not unnecessarily deplete the country of workers, but the decision should be left with the authorities, and then perhaps we should not see any more sad families from whom every son has gone, whilst others have all their sons remaining. Further, let me say there are families in this land who owe "all they are, and all they have" to publio services rendered to New Zealand by their forebears. Some such families are still unrepresented directly in any section of the Empire's' Army; which gives one much to think. Is it that the virility of the stock was exhausted in the preceding generation, or is it a certain difficulty in prising themselves apart from the fleshpots ? —I am, etc., GET TNTO IT.