LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2781, 27 May 1916, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

YOUNG OFFICERS. Sir,—Wlitlo «t Traitham to-day I could JlOt help noticing the extreme youth of a. great number of the commissioned officers, a number of them not more than 19 or 20 years of age. Surely this is a great mistake, sending boys like this in charge of tho pick of our manhood to tho front. Tho same thing applies to the company. sergeant-majors, a position requiring a man of experience and sound judgment. A boy who has had territorial training, even though well up in his drill, is of no us© when handling men at tho more serious game of war. I have two sous going to the front, and I do not Hke the thought of than going under such youthful commanders—X am, N J. J. CATITRO. May 22. [Tho Defence Minister states that it is not correct to say that our officers are youths of 19 and iiO years of age. All of thorn aro older than this, and most of thorn much older. He says, also, that General Godley has several times expressed great satisfaction with the officers now being sent forward. The same applies to non-commissioned men.] WAR BONUS FOP. CIVIL SERVANTS. Sir,—ls it not a. fair thing for those Civil Servants whose salaries iiavo not been increased during the last three years to participate 111 the war bonus? It does not quite s«m fnir out certain members and leave others. - Have not all Civil Servants' contributed towards war funds, and paying the same as others in increased cost of living? Then a war bonus' should .apply to those whose salaries are below ,£2OO, and io those who have not received increases during and before the war period.—l am, etc.. PATER. THE RECRUITING PROBLEM. HARRIED JlEi\ T OR SINGLE? Sir,—lt seems to bo universally believed that an unmarried man shoui-.l go to the trenches oil behalf of bis country bclore a married man, but is not this open to question? To with, the State nt the present time is anxious for more children; is anxious that its citizens should increase and multiply. Herein lies the crux of the matter. Aow, it is common experience that a married couple who have not had a birth in the family for some considerable period (say, five years) will ir. all probability not liavo children in the future—this being true especially' of couples who have no children at all or only one, two, or three. Such couples are clearly useless to the State as child-producers.' Now. every single young man who goes to the front and falls in battle, means not only an old maid, but also no children. Sucli young mail was the potential father of —three or four children, who have in consequence been lost to the State. Had, however, cne of the above-mentioned married men gone in the siuglo man's stead, as it maybo contended lie. should have, then the, State would ultimately bo better off by several children. Further, the average . girl would much prefer to. bo a ,wi'low rather than an old maid. By sending married men (only of tho above class) we would create widows instead of old maids. There arc other considerations' (for instance, the married man has wife and children to fight for), but perhaps enough lias been said to show that the 'whole question is an open one, and 0110 that calls for serious consideration. Doubtless the pension question will be urged in opposition to the above, but oil I can say (quite apart, from the fact that the extra children gained by the State Kre worth money) is that if a man gives his life for his country it is the duty of those who stay safely at h-onie v inereasin<; 'their worldly "possessions to provide, and nrovida well, for the denendants ho leaves behind him.—l am. etc.. PHILOSOPHUS,

New Plymouth, May 24. SANITARY UNDERCLOTHING. A HINT FOR SOLDIERS AND THEIR FRIENDS. ' Sir,—As some inquiries have been made regarding butterclot'bj underclothing treated with disinfectant,' I should esteem" it •a favour. if you would publish the fol- : lowing extract from a soltlier's letter: — "I have put on tho first of those X-ray suits, u-nd il. fet-ln lovely. Wc have all been feeling itchy, with heat and insects. These suits arc splendid —feel so clean, and the disinfectant makes them smell clean." The suits referred to alxive were made of ordinary buttercloth at three pence a yard, trousers out from pyjaina pattern, wide'ill'waist and vest from large undeiflannel pattern, wide at neck, and with long sleeves. It' neck and waist are cut wide no openings will be required, Just make a hem, and run in narrow tape. I used a disinfectant called "Euseptpl." It contains eucalyptus oil, which gives a smooth, soft feeling to tho cloth. Saturate in this oi' any disinfectant preferred, and dry twice iuduors, if possible. Rui'i up very tightly in oiled or parchment paper, "gum e<£ges carefully to keep out air, and write on outside what it is, or it may be opened before,it is required. —I aw, etc., 1 ONE OF THE MOTHERS. A CORRECTION. Sir,—l wish to correct a statement in ydar issue of to-day ill 1 regard to men with German blood being discharged fram. the Expeditionary Forces. I am credited with having told- Colonel Adams that "I was recruited by the Hastings Patriotic Society aud that they said 1 was quite right in enlisting for service." What 1 did say was that "I was informed by an official of thaty society that a certain leaguo was; malting, efforts to have, me discharged, but'i he himself had mado .him-' self responsible to them for my lcyalty, and that I would hear no more of it."

Thanking you ill anticipation of your, correcting this matter, \ as it might create, a lot of misunderstanding. I might also sfate that I am willing to servo in any capacity whetever if my services can possiblybe accepted.—l urn. etc., E. YOGTHEIUI. Hastings, May 22. rihe statement T'eferretl to by our correspondent is the official reply made in the House of Representatives to the allegations of Mr. Payne. Our correspondent was one of the persons attacked, and in the course of the reply to this attack .the statement <;uote<l was made.] - RETURNED SOLDIERS AND AN ' -APPOINTMENT. Sir, —In these days, when we hear so much about "work for returned soldiers," it conies as a shock to read of the local Hospital Board appointing to the position of dispenser at a salary of ,£2OO per annum' anil JMO hcuse allowance, a young woman, who, it is stated, already holds a. similar position elsewhere, ll'ore especially does it come as a shock when at least one of tho applicants for the position- is a young married man who has received an honourable discharge from tho military forces, as being unfit for further military service. This vouiig roan has iiad 12" years' experience in some of the best chemist shops in the Dominion, and holds testimonials as to character and ability signed by business men of repute. I have no complaint against the young ladv who was successful in getting tho position—rather I would congratulate her upon her ,success. ,I3ut does it not. seem wrong that the Hospital authorities should appoint a voung lady to tho position in question when that young lady already holds a good position, and when a voung man who has done his best to serve his country, and is quite competent to .-arry out the dutios. applies for the position. I do not know that anything moro disheartening to our returned soldiers could be perpetrated.—l am. etc., A. K. DONALDSON. WASTED MATERIAL. A SUGGESTION FOB TEE DEFENCE. MINISTER. Sir, —Mr. Holmes, the Engiueer-in-Chief of the New Zealand Public Works Department, a short time ago at Christchurch pointed out that of ,S2 officers of his Department who had enlisted only nine received commissions, and those only in a special Tunnelling Corps. If one thing more than another has been demonstrated in this war, it is'the absolute necessity for thorough organisation, and the utilisation "of 'Our resources' to :,; thebest advantage. No ono can say that the

skilled services o£ 20 civil engineers who have volunteered for the war have been, so utilised, when we find them serving as privates or at host non-commissioned officers. It is not as if there was a surplus of skilled engineers in the serviceit is far from being so. Jlr. -Holmes las pointed out that two engineers of the Canadian Public Works Department who offered their services to the British Government were promptly awarded commissions—this, too, at the commencement of ' the war before any appreciable wastage of officers had taken place. The same arguments apply equally to licensed surveyors who have volunteered/ They possess practical knowledge useful ill actual warfare, such as the laying out and construction of roads and bridges, skill in constructing and reading mape, and a trained eye for terrace. Resourcefulness under difficulties, and initiative is also a sine qua null in these two yrofe&i sior.s, qualities on which much "stress has been laid by our Army chiefs. Why then wastfe all this valuable material by only utilising it 111 positions that any ordinary day labourer could fill? I do not contend that every civil engineer and licensed'surveyor should be commissioned solely on account of his professional skill •'--bu't, other things being equal, such as temperament, character, etc., I think in the matter of commissions . they should 'have tho preference. I know' that our able Defence Minister has his hands more than -full with bis Departmental and other duties, and a small matter like this may well have escaped his notice, but surely it must bo patent to his military staff that in this particular matter, and perhaps also in others, the fullest use of material available has not been made. I have had the honour to hold Her Majesty's (Queen Victoria) commission, and since retirement from the' service have practised the profession of licensed surveyor. Under these circumstances-I feel myself qualified to express an opinion "oh tli© subject.—X am, etc., KENT.