SIDELIGHTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2632, 30 November 1915, Page 8

SIDELIGHTS

WAR QUESTIONS & THE PUBLIC

NEEDS & SUGGESTIONS

OUR READERS' OPINIONS

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l have just read your article (November,2s) on "Medical Tests." It deals with "doubtful cases which may arise, after tho men go into camp." But there are also doubtful cases which arise before men go into camp. And except in dental cases, the "Recruits' Hand Book" (p. 5, last paragraph) seems to deal with them' in a singularly unenlightening way—particularly so if local medical meii are "snubbed" for giving their opinions. What is tho light course, e.g., for a man to pursue who is fit save for some trouble which a short medical treatment. or a minor operation may remedy, and who has no means of subsistence outside his daily earnings? He wants to go to tho.front. Ho cannot undergo ' the operation for want of money, .and his employer cannot bo expected to bear the cost. Has the Government any plan for meeting such a case? Should tho local patriotic body provide the means for bridging over the difficulty, or should tho local medical- authority be obliged to return him as unfit?—l am etc., A. B. C. TWe have made inquiries at the headquarters of the. Medical Department here as to our correspondent's questions. Unfortunately General Henderson is away, but Colonel Purdy states that tho course to follow ! is ;to enlist and ascertain at the medical examination, if there is a chance of being passed as fit when certain specific defects are remedied. The State does not provide for medical or surgical treatment to remedy the defects unless they are of tho teeth, but tho usual course is to approach tho patriotic, society, who will m<ist_ likely see tho recruit through. This is the official reply. Practically it throws the onus on the individual concerned, and the patriotic societies.]

WAR PENSIONS. , Sir, —Can you explain why the application for a pension for the aged, crippled, and widowed mother of the lato Lieutenant Harry Palmer, of Palmerston North, should' be turned down wheii she is entitled to it? She has neither home nor friends, Lieutenant Harry Palmer being an only child. At his wish an application "was made for the old age pension for her, but it was refused on the ground that she had been absent in Australia for a number of years, and could not get it for three years, her son having sent for her two years' before the war broke out. Lieutenant Harry Palmer 'gave many years of service in the volunteering for the land of his birth; at last giving his life for King and country, and for this his mother is denied justice, arid'is left destitute. _ \ 'Can nieri' be expected to recruit with these .sad cases in front of'them?—l am,' etc., 1 A FRIEND. ["Upon inquiry wo aro pleased to .be able to state that Mrs. Palmer has now been granted a pension, though at the fcimo the above letter was written she may not have received official word to that effect. The notification'has now left the office or is about to be posted.] THE PEACE PERIL. . Sir, —There is now little or no doubt that Germany is making use of her apparent, successes .in the Balkans and Russia for the purpose of inducing considerations pf peace on a compromise. There may be more danger in her efforts in this direction than most people suppose. There is. always a fairly strong peace-at-any-price party in Britain, and one has to add to that party a number of persons whose commercial interests are bound up with German interests. There are also -the Germans in Britain and their connections and friends. It is true that wo have the assurance of those in power in Britain that no terms of peace will be made short of extin-. guishing militarism in Germany. To support this assurance and to encourage the Home Government and our Allies' in such a determination jtre .we not called upon to do something? 'The Prima Minister and Sir .Joseph .Ward aTe going to London at an. early :.d'ate;- -I-.sug-gest for consideration the propriety of holding a publio 'meeting'in Wellington, comprising representatives of every district in the Dominion, and the carrying of an appropriate resolution, with a request that it be conveyed by "the Primo Slinister and Sir Joseph Ward to the Imperial Government.—l am, etc.,

, . ' . P.S.M. Napier, November 26, 1915. [This subject was discussed in our issue of yesterday. It is gratifying to note that Mr. Massey in a brief inter-' view which we publish this morning expresses himself in very clear and emphatic terms on the question.] THE "DAILY MAIL." Sir, —I have read a letter a few days ago in The Dominion signed James G. Wilson, Bulls, denouncing' the London "Daily Mail," also another letter denouncing the Northcliffe Press. Now, Mr; Editor, seeing that the daily circulation, of the "Daily Mail" runs into millions,: and that amongst the best classes in the Old Country, does it not strike any honest-minded colonial that there is not. much the, matter with the "Daily Mail"? The "Daily Mail" has 'always been loyal to the King and Constitution. The "Daily Mail" exposed the shell muddle which has cost England thousands of valuable lives. ■ I shall always thank- the "Mail" .and the London "Times" for that. I happen to know- a good deal about the Press in the Old Country. I know th'ere are papers published there which publish .falsehoods, knowing them to be falsehoods, for political ends. By such means did the late Asquith log-rolling Government Temain in power so . long. It makes me ! almost disgusted to come to this country and find the Press and leaders in the Old Country who have always worked hand iri hand to build up the Empire denounced as they are. If this game is not. stopped it mil react badly on New Zealand. "■ The Imperialists built up New Zealand, not the Radicals. I hereby challenge'those who denounce the Northcliffe Press to publish a list of statements that these writers say aro untrue in, connection with the war, and whioli they allege have been made by the "Daily Mail" or the ''Times.',' I have no -axe'to grind. Truth and the right is my motive. I know there are influences, at work at Home to .prevent the. truth about certain matters .Teaching New. Zealand, and you have influences here working to their hand,, and I am disappointed to find the average colonial so fcasilj, fooled. —I am, etc., ■' LOYAL BRITISHER. Wellington, 27t.h November, 1915. '