"THE DINKUMS."

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2836, 29 July 1916, Page 11

"THE DINKUMS."

BY AN OFFICER IN EGYPT (London "Daily Hail;") Tit great camp world that has eomo into v sin* along tho Suez Canal and is shelte -ed l>y tho new canal defences presents 'within its sun-baked area of Kind all tlio contrasts of war. To say that here, between Suez and Port Raid, East and West meet is to say too little. "Tommy" is here, tho Australians and New Zealanders aro here, and the Indians. Everybody calls them "Tho Dinkums." It is a term of respect, as well as of endoaimcnt, for they aro as fine and keen a body of young mon as-, any in our armies. Wheti they pay a visit to England, which they all intend to do beforo they go home, everybody will call them "The Dinkums," too,.ami.everybody will come very soon to mean by the word just tho samcaffection and respect that wo mean.

'Tlio Dinkums" are the New Zealand Riflo Brigade. .Some of them have been in Egypt for the past thrad'months or so, and have seen brisk service on tho western frontier. The others aro new ar-. rivals, and are hard at work completing their training, and getting thoroughly acclimatised. Now Zealand worked out for herself a singularly happy social arrangement for her units. The wealthier young men and thoso from tlio leisured class aro largely in the mounted brigade —tho Canterbury, Wellingtons, and so forth—who formed part of tho first Now Zealand oojitingent and joining up with the Australians ■ became tho immortal Anzacs. Tho New Zealand infantry, the first contingent, were largely, farmers and men: from, country, districts. _ 'Tho Dinkums," on the other hand, hail mostly from the towns. Tlioy come from law offices and business houses; they are accountants, students, young men in merchant adventures of 'thoir own, journalists, Civil Servants, clerks. They represent the younger -industrial generation of New Zealand. Shrewd, common sense, well balanced, tenacious of purpose, firm in 6peeoh and bearing, "Tho Dinkums" carry no-stamp of office or counting-house upon them. They are lithe and strong; every man of them plays games. In bearing they do not differ from Englishmen. An Australian you oan tell at a glance from build and manner;'a certain freedom of bearing, a certain assurance, a 6parseness of figure''reveal him. But until you talk. to • a

"Dinkuin" you would not think him other than a young Englishman who has passed from public sctool into business along customary roads,' is keen on his work and'on his games too. "The Dinlcuni" is only revealed to you as a New Zcalander in his talk, which lias the freshness and buoyant unconventionality of a young country combined with shrewd foresightcdness. He is widely curious, boyishly interested in the life of the East

The Anzacs, of imperishable memory, have expanded into an army which in physique and zeal can hardly have its equal in the world, to-diiy. But "Tho Dinkums" do not- "swank"; they are proud of their fellow-countrymen in the mounted units—"good men with horses, " v said ono to me tlio other day. And tho older Now Zealanders think a great deal of tho keen young ."DinMims." ■ It is a pleasure to talk to a "Dinknm" about the war. Ho shows, with- tho Australian, a far-sighted and practical patriotism. . To liim, from a lartd with high hopes for the future, the war is as much a war of markets as of weapons. Australia 'and New Zealand are working with relentless' method and in countless ways to stamp out German trade, .60 that after tho war they may benefit '.by tho new markets. In victory thoy se'o a great opportunity. For them the war is to open a now era. They are working for that. Thoy will get it.. "The Dinkum" has no false sen,timentalisni about these things. To him, in economics, as in tho trenches, war is war. Some in England might learn a> lesson from "The Dinkums." ' ' ' '