A MAYOR AND "THE CALL"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2859, 25 August 1916, Page 6

A MAYOR AND "THE CALL"

AUCKLAND MAYOR AND ANONY

MOUS LETTER-WRITERS

By Telegraph—Press Association,

Aucliland, August 24. The position of tho Mayor of Auckland has been assailed' frequently of late"% pei sous who, hiding their identity under anonymity, have addressed several letters to him, suggesting that ho ought to enlist. Tho matter having come uuder thoi notico of the City Council, tho whole of tho members attached their signatures to a memorandum of protest and sj'nipathy. This document was read to the Mayor at tomeeting of tho council.- It was couched in the following terms: "Wo learn with deep regret that, you have been subjected to much annoyance by tho receipt of anonymous letters, and otherwiso suggesting that your duty at tho present crisis in the Empire's affairs is_ to enlist and go to tho front. We are quite sure that' ,to give such statements their wost charitable explanation is to say that tEey can only come from very unbalanced minds. If those who nave been guilty of such conduct would take a largo view of Empire affairs at tho present time they must come to the conclusion that there are thousands, of men who are doing tho, Empire greater service by_ continuing in their prosent positions than by exchanging . theso for the firing-line. We know that in Britain thousands of men were Tjrought back from tho trenches to do more important ... work at the base. To-day, our Government will not allow miners ,to enlist; those engaged in.muni-tion-making, coal mining, snip repairing, ship buildingi and producers of food and clothing for our troops are doing then; 'bit' equally as well as those who shoulder tho rifle. We who know tho time you are devoting to civic affairs, as well as to tho administration of patriotic funds, to the work of recruiting, and the services you are rendering to returned men, are very well assured'that you are in your right place, carrying on your present duties',, and .we desire to convey. to'you our unabated confidence, and to assure you of our cordial support."