LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2649, 21 December 1915, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE BOMBARDMENT OF HAIFA. t Sir,—l was at Haifa in 1878. Tlicro a was then a flourishing German village jj there, with burgomaster, bicr-gardcn, a and hotel, built of concrete. No doubt a the settlement' .lias grown much' since. c Would not the settlement being tliero t account for the munition factory?—l o am, ctc., ' A o HENRY 11. ELDER. ■ t Waikanae, Deoembor 20. ' v [Our correspondent throws light on a d cable message published' yesterday, t stating that French cruisersj? had de- c stroyed a German munition factory at d Haifa, on tho Syrian coast.] c — h BANDS FOR OUR TROOPSHIPS. C —. _ t Sir,—May I claim a small space in c your valuable paper for a few remarks v on the subject of a band on the troop- c ships to cheer tho spirits of our brave I boys on their way to and from the 1; front. I say there is nothing that wo s can supply them with that will give a them so much pleasure as a good bond, { Since I have been hero, I have heard 1 many a returned soldier recount stories t of tho infinite pleasure that a little J music has given, them. Evon a mouth- c organ or a tin whistle is a God-send at v the front, and cheers the men in a i remarkable manner. We are sending V away the "best and bravest of our manhood." Many, alas, to the "bourne t from which no traveller returns," and i shall we deny tliem that "crumb of i comfort" which they get from the j strains of a good band? I say, ( No—a c thousand times, No. I was present ( when the Marama left the wharf, and i it was a matter of groat grief to me to } see that there was no band on tho ship, c aud not even one on the wharf. If I ( had had the means, I would willingly t have given them a full set of instru- i ments, but I gave them a bugle, which j was all I could afford. I hope when f the next ship goes off we shall have j t'he pleasure of Scaring the band from ( her decks. Just imagine the effect on v the spirits of the boys at the front j wlian tho troopsln'n comes to lier an- r chorage playing "Rule Britannia" or i "God Save the King." AATiv, it. would f bo worth the price of. ten bands. I "j am afraid our authorities do not' fullv } appreciate the value of a band. 'It f will do more in the onuse'of recruiting than .the best orator that ever mounted a platform. I will give £1 towards a hand for the next troopship, and os. a week towards a fund for those to follow, .and I feel sure that the matter has onlv to be mentioned to be carried out.—l am, ctc., THOS. LASKEW Soldiers' Club, Wellington. [Possibly those who are interesting themselves in the question of music for tho troons will take this matter up, or some independent organisation might be formed to_ collect'funds and buy the necessary instruments'.] : -. 1 "ACTION V. TALK." Sir,—ln the issue of your paper dated December 16, appears a letter headed | "Action v. Talk," signed J. Morrison'. As one_ of the delegates attending the meeting in the Town Hall on' Tuesday, i December 6, to consider the amalgamation of all organisations working on hospital comforts, with the British i Red Cross, may I be permitted to make i seme remarks in reference -to that let- c .ter? I quito agree that .'no time should .< bo lost by inaction. Speaking for the t military Hospital Guild, AVanganni, t which has been working systematically 1 for the past six mouths, sending away i to Egypt regular supplies of clothing, 1 and comforts to our wounded New Zea- s land soldiers in hospital—all the cutting ,i out of garments (with a, very small 1 exception done by tho committee from f the samo patterns) has been under- s taken-by three, and sometimes fonr, t professional cutters, to whom we are c much. indebted for their voluntary ser- a "■•ices. Once or twice each week the t work has been cut in folds 6f foil? to a eight, according to material, everything t proving most satisfactory. ' ■ r The only qualification needed in our b guild' is good workmanship. We t meet once a week f& five hours, c and under the -direction of a a sub-committee very good results are r attained. Large quantities, of work s are placed ready with neoessary equipment, and taken homo, and our cutters c are quite. satisfied we get the l best re- a suits possible from our volunteer work- f ers. With regard to the spending of s funds, which I may horc say aro made { ■up entirely by contributions from those 1 interested, and t'he result of various ef- j forts by displays of work, etc.—for we t have no' entrance or members' fee — j these moneys are laid out ,by a buying ; committee amongst the various drapers, j giving eacli in the town as fair a share s as possible, and in return we receivo f f.air.trcatmont; in many instances prices -t at bare cost. Perhaps this may ex- v ,plain why we, as an organisation, <■ wish, to retain our individuality, know- ( ing our Guild has been worked on busi- j ness lines, and provejJ successful, I j fool that Ift work with an amalgam a- , tioii ot funds _ and management would diminish the interest and emulation t'hat have been the life of our work in the past. At the Bame time lam fully in sympathy with the matter of having lists of . requirements issued by a Central Committee to save overlapping, and I may add our Guild' has passed a resolu- ' tlonja-favour of ihe imalgamation scheme on certain conditions, which has been handed in to the proper authorities. With r egard to the Wellington Committees not accepting the offer of professional cutting, all I can Bay is. if they have not already done so, accept offers wherever available, thus drawing in all willing to assist, this very necessary work without delay. Thanking you for this space, —I am, etc., E. H. OTISTED. , Hon. Secretary Military Hospital Guild. iWanjjami, Deoember 18.