OUR DUTY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16750, 4 January 1915, Page 8

OUR DUTY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—lt was with feelings of regret that I read the letter of reply bv your correspondent Conway Matson in* today's issue of the "Times." He seems unfortunately (in my opinion) to be under the impression that the gallant young New Zealanders who are shouldering the rifle to uphold the integrity of the greatest nation upon which the sun "ho* ever set are doing so,because the able-bodied men of the Old Country, English, Welsh, Scotch and' Irish, are shirkers—in plain language, too cowardly to fight. Conway Matson has not yet produced any figures ' to substantiate his grave assertion. To me one of the most astounding features of this great war is the spontaneous and magnificent manner in which the common working man of the Old Country has voluntarily sacrificed his livelihood, his domestic happiness and all that is dear to most men, to take up arms for his country. " Why should we send more of our sons to face the battle and take the place of the shirkers of the Old Country?" your correspondent asks, and, further, says we want a. boy or two to earn a living for their mothers and sisters. Surely Conway Matson does not imagine that New Zealand is the only part of the Empire that is badly in need of a boy or two to work for a mother or sister? "What, after all, may I ask, constitutes a shirker? Almost as difficult to define as what constitutes a gentleman. Anyhow, who wants the man that does not want to fightP A personal friend of mine, now an officer attached to a famous Highland regiment, said to me many years ago, " Give me one man that wants to fight and I know what to do with him." It is my earnest hope that upon reflection Conway Matson may feel that he ba,s done the working man of the Old Country _ a distinot injustice. Whatever feeling we, as representing the British nation, may have against our common and' dangerous enemy, the Germans, let us be fair amongst' ourselves. Canada is contributing far more fighting men oer capita of population than New Zealand, and I am not aware she is making any song about it.

Your correspondent says he has on© boy in Egyptj one of the first to volunteer for active service. Good luok to the lad. May he uphold the honour of his regiment and country, and may he and the comrades who are accompanying him be a credit to the gallant old regiment to which they are affiliated'. Thanking you for the courtesy with which you have lent your columns for this discussion, —I am, etc., A. S. GOVAN. Deccmb,«w,lp 1914,