A MACHINE-GUN WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2536, 10 August 1915, Page 6

A MACHINE-GUN WAR

WHAT OUR TROOPS WANT . A GUN FUND STARTED Cape Town, August 7. "A movement which lias been started to purchase machine-guns for the contingent is spreading with enthusiasm. One hundred and forty wore subscribed in livo days. Tlio Rand miners, including the natives, are subscribing freely. "A women's meeting on the Rand donated six machine-guns." "Molbourne, August 7. "In the Federal Senate, Senator Pearce, ill reply to a question, said that the supplying of more machine guns to Australian troops was being considered. Tlio difficulty was that all the English and American factories were working at the highest pressure for tlio Allies. "Tho Munitions Committee is considering local manufacture."

The above arc extracts from yesterday's Dominion, and indicate that tho same idea has been at work in other parts of the Empire as in New Zealand. The movement in Wellington towards equipping our men more soundly with machine suns was initiated by Mr. Arthur I'. Hopkins, manager of the Belfast Freezing Works, Canterbury, who stated that about four days ago the notion struck him that our men wcro not being' adequately equipped with machine guns, and that 80 per cent. of the wounds our men have sus•tained in the Dardanelles have been from machine-gun fire. "I've four sons in uniform," said Mr. Hoplcina, "and ono has been killed. They write nie that the.v laugh at tho shrapnel—it is the machine gun that does tho damage. Now, I'm not too sure of my figures, but I am given to understand that tho Trentham liegimcnt ("Earl of Liverpool's Own"), consisting of 2400 men, is going forward \vitli_ only seven, machine guns of the heavier make. One report recently stated that tho Germans had one light machine gun for every twelve men—a machine so light that it was packed on tlio men's backs —it took three men only to carry tho gun and its ammunition, and yet it was just as effective as the heavy guns that wo upo." "This is a war of machinery, and if we are not going to be as well equipped as tho enemy we are going to suffer. 1 believe the iiglifc machine guns can be turned out for from £S0 to £100 each, whilst the heavy ones cost something liko £400."

"We've got it going clown south, and there the employees of the meat ivories and other firms are combining their subscriptions for tho purpose of presenting our boys with machine-guns, so that they will at least bo on a level with tho" enemy as far as equipment is concerned. Tho Mayor of Christchureh (Mr. H. Holland) is enthusiastic, and is circularising all the commercial houses and trades with a view of supplementing the armament of our forces in the field. Tho guns cannot bo made here, so we contemplate forwarding the money through some agent in London to Lord Kitchener, with tho request that it bo spent at once on machineguns for tho New Zealand troops at Gallipoli." The Mayor Approves. During yesterday Mr. Hopkins waited on tho Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), explained what was in his mind, and asked his assistance for the project in Wellington. Mr. Luke gave a ready acquiescence to the proposal, and said he would bo only too glad to receivo and acknowledge any funds for tho purchase of ma-chine-guns. He expressed the opinion that lio thought tho object would mako a big appeal to the public of New Zealand, and that groups of employees in shops, factories, and workshops could readily combine in tho purchase of a gun without inflicting any hardship 011 the individual. Any subscriptions sent to The Dominion will be acknowledged, and at suitable intervals the money will be handed over to the Mayor for transmission to the Old Coimtix