CORRESPONDENCE

Horowhenua Chronicle, 10 July 1915, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

+ [Our correspondents' opinions are their own; the responsibility of editorial <snes makes sufficient ballast for the editor's shoulders.] FIGHTING EQUIPMENT. (To the Editor). Sir,—l feel that you would do a great service to the community if yoin would take up the question of fighting equipment for the troops. It is a question which virtually concerns the men about to rink their lives for us. Of my own knowledge many commissioned and very many non-conimlissioned officers have loft our shores without complete lighting accessories. They lacked especially field glasses. Now it is absolutely sure that the use of one pair of binocuars saves the lives of several men. An officer with experience states that in the hands of a sergeant a pair ■will result in the saving -of four men's lives. Suppose we bring it home to ourselves in this way: Let ua picture the unending remorse if "a relative shot in the spine, were paralysed for life for want of one's own gift of this absolutely necessary adjunct to a "life-and-deatii struggle. Take this in proof. One lUair in the hands of a New Zealand Officer caused thirty Turks to be put out of action on the banks of the Suez Canal. Inferentially this saved a corresponding loss to our hearth -1 and homes. We promptly! 'reject shortsighted men, but many of our men leave us without •any of what may bo called "military eyes" at all. The Wellington Patriotic Society has done a little for officers who have gone to the front, but only a fraction of what .was needed. Great aud successful efforts are now boing made in Wellington, Du-nedin and Auckland", by means of patriotic carnivals, to secure funds to palliate the sufferings of the won tided. It is quite easy for donors to tho carnival funds to earmark their contributions "for equipment for the prevention of death and wounds." Beside field glasses, which are vitally necessary, prism compasses for officers commanding and ordinary compasses and revolvers should be supplied. I d.» earnestly hope that this suggestion wi! 1 be acted upon by contributors to rite funds, or that each town sending men to the front will see that their repre- J sentatiyes are given these essentials to i preserving their lives when most they are threatened, i.e., in the thick of the fight.—lam, etc., i H.O.D. .