MISCFLLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1918, Page 3

MISCFLLANEOUS ITEMS

ANOTHER VICTORIA CROSS. FOR A BRAVE MAQRILANDER. (Received this day at 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, October 22, The Victoria Cross has been awarded Sorgt. gamuel Forsyth of the New Zealand Engineers, for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in an attack nearing an objective. Forsyth’s company came under heavy machine gun fire. Through his dashing leadership and a total disregard of danger, three machine gun positions were rushed, and the crews taken prisoners before they could inflict many casualties. He divided his men into sections and led them to a position where the machine gunners could be outflanked. He was always under fire. He brought about the retirement of the machine-gun and enabled the British advance to continue. At this moment a sniper killed Forsyth. Throughout his courage, coolness, great power and initiative proved to be of an invaluable incentive to nil and he saved many casualties.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. COPYRIGHT.] r ——— r A MAORI CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, This Day. , A conference of representatives of - Maori tribes of the North Island was hold at Wellington at the invitation of Hon. Heulieu Tukeno to discuss the position of native lands throughout the Dominion. The main purpose was to protest against the power vested in tho Native Minister, to acquire native lands by proclamation for the settlement of returned soldiers. A certain block in Taupo district, principally on the southern side of tho lake has l boon proclaimed by Government, and the Maoris are refusing to give up possession. A; cording to their own statement- the Conference decided to approach Government through the Maori member of the Party with a protest against. this acquisition bv proclamation, and to ask Government that assistance be given the natives in order that- they may make the lands reproductive . Matters in connection with tlu\ war were also touched upon and the conference resolved to ask Government to allow Maoris who left in the early stages of the war to return to their homes; also to ask that not more than five hundred natives he recruited from Waikato district under the Military Service Act, and that the Act be inoperative in the matter of compulsory service for Maoris after five hundred were obtained further recruiting to he on a voluntary basis . \ The conference also decided to ask Government to take steps to prevent the undue exploitation of prices of foodstuffs.