SEA DELIVERS A MESSAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1486, 16 December 1915, Page 2

SEA DELIVERS A MESSAGE.

FROM SOLDIERS ON TRANSPORT.

A barnacle coated bottle containing the following messages was picked up by Mr R. Hart on the local sea beach yesterday afternoon. The messages are written with indelible ink on one sheet of paper and are presumably in the handwriting of the men ; “Ka mahara tomi taku ngakau ki a kae :!: . LS/2/15. Thrown overboard from Transport No. 17 (s.s. Maunganui) six (o) days out from Wellington, N.Z. Hoping this message finds you as well as it leaves us. Please write Private W. Diamond, Waipapakauri, Far North, N.Z. “Please write to Driver T. Everest, Howitzer Battery. “Please write to Private J. W. Johnston, C. Company, Canterbury infantry. “We are glad to say we are going away, We are going away to fight ; Yes, we are going to Egypt To receive some Turkish delight. Kia Ora.” (Then follows a drawing of a fern leaf, upon which is written the letters, N.Z.) :;: The Maori quotation above referred to practically means, “ I have you continuously in remembrance.”) The Maunganui conveyed the third reinforcements and presumably the writers have tasted of the sweets or bitters of Turkish Delight long ere this. We hope some of our readers will, however, acknowledge the messages. It is a pity that the men did not attach their official numbers to signatures, but probably the Defence authorities will fix this detail up if some Foxton people will acknowledge the messages which the sea has given up to them.