NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1568, 24 June 1916, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

A breezy description of the New Zen land Forces in France is given by R. H. Dnlhonsie, who will be remembered ns at one time prominent in the Labour movement and Flaxmills Employees’ Union. “Then Marseilles,” be writes to a friend, “and now our present local habitation. Airy and commodious situation, within easy distance of battle ; artillery pass the door every live minutes ; in short, every modern convenience. The system of billeting is capital.- True, wo sleep (when we do) in a barn ,but the situation has its advantages. Beer is Id per glass, coffee (and other things) for the asking. A truly wonderful country, this France. All the way from Marseilles up to here the cultivation goes on as usual. True, only old men and women appear in the fields, but the goods are delivered. There are no colours worn in France today; hardly a house that has not lost someone or other, but the spirit of the people is splendid. However, taking into consideration the size of the front that they have held one didn't expect anything else; but in this case the realisation is far beyond the expectations. We don’t know to a week or a month or so when we’ll be into it. The Army is a hit like the Almighty —a thousand years in their sight is but as a day — but everyone is pretty keen on getting there as soon as possible. Personally, I was pretty casual about the whole turnout till I came here. I’d never seen a proper war and I wanted to learn; but I really believe that.after a few days here I’ll put up a presentable sort of scrap. Anyhow, this country’s too good and the women and kids too nice to risk any ‘kulture* school being started around here.”