"SEND MEN, NOT BOYS"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2547, 23 August 1915, Page 7

"SEND MEN, NOT BOYS"

YOUNGSTERS FIRST TO BJREAK UP V WHITE FEATBER NONSENSE COL; MACKESY'S STRIKING LETTER • The following letter from Lieutenant" Colonel O. E. R'. Maokosy, Officer Commanding the Auckland 1 Mounted Battalion at the Dardanelles, lias been received by Mr. D. ~Wv Jack, Mayor of iWhangarei:— / . . "Camp, ZJeituu, 11/7/15. —My dear Mr. Jack,—l'hear you' are doing splendid work ati home. We are all proud and grateful. .Whangarei has indeed donei remarkably well, but there 'is 'ono .thing I should like to point out, not of Whangarei or any other, place in particular, and I speak as one having authority ' from experience. The selection of those offering has not been as careful as it should have-been. Many a one who comes realises suddenly that his old trouble has found him out —men who in the football field had put their knee outj;men who strained their backs or limbs; others who had suffered from rheumatism, somo with weak hearts, or others- whir w-er'e troubled witfh, one thing or. another laid by in hospital suffering" from their old complaints,, and being now forced to' return to New Zealand without ever having . seen - the; enemy. • Then again, tJh© youngsters round about' 20 years of age are the first to, break lip! Doctors can give you reasons—l merely state .facts. ®hey, say an old dog for a hard road'. This' certainly' applies to warfare. The fully-grown and elderly man is the one we cam depend on to keep fit'in preference to the young-one. You will readly ! see tihat a sick man as above is worse than no man, for it takes a fit one to, take care of him, while he also occupies the plac.e, time and attention whidi would be better applied elsewhere.

"We Have no Cowards. 1 ? "I ajso; gather from the lads coming out that,there las;.been a lot of nonsense with, white feathers.' .Several of, tlie reinforcements' officers who had offered right at tile start, but 'who had to wait their. chances,, with a later lot (some -are still waiting), had. been 'Singled out by some well-meaning, but certainly. misguided, persons, andwhito feathers • were sent, -with . the word 'cowards.' We have no cowardsj and I am sorry people should bo so ignorant about our lads. ' There is no finer and braver lot of men than our New Zealand lads have proved themselves to bo, end .I, do hope sftch white feather episodes are few and, far between. The.y can only causo .pain, and are degrading amd ' demoralising to those who engage in. such, tactics; These people are doing harm- l»y, driving our young boys away.

"Ours is a young country, and it is not right that any of our lads should be wasted: I consider it a .wasto to send a- 1 ' man out here who, unable to stand' the test of climate and rigour of the active service, has to be'returned to New Zealand without having enemy. Had he stayed in New Zealand Mid carried on. the country's work instead of being an expense and care all the time, 'ho would liave been a producer and a real helper. .. Let us not forget that some must remain at homel and whether you assist_ me by .your work at home to do my little bit at the front, or Whether I stay to assist you to go, it's; all one—we are both on the job. I will assure you of this— the'man at the front has less anxiety, and,jnore. .excitement, .. which latter is : t3io' very- spice of life. ' "