MUST HAVE RESERVES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1676, 17 February 1917, Page 4

MUST HAVE RESERVES.

HOW OUR BOYS SUFFER,

“STRIKES AND LOAFERS AT

HOME.”

Miss Mary Beale, a daughter of Mr 0. C. Beale, of Sydney, writing from London to friends, says :

Mr Baker, father, and I set out yesterday to visit the Chatham, Rochester, and Gravesend. Hospitals, where our Australians are being sent. The hospital at Chatham is the one where all the men are sent first before being drafted to the other less important ones. The hospital is on a hill, and is very dreary, but every man said how good the nurses and doctors are to them. I was greatly struck by the men’s faces. These arc mostly men who have been at the game from the very start. One, a dear lad of IS, had enlisted at l(i, fought in Egypt and Gallipoli, and on the Somme for two solid years with never a day’s leave, and, worse luck, he is only one instance of many. All the men are glad, but it upsets some of the poor chaps who are still weak, and very often the tears stand in their eyes; yet they love to talk of home. And every one I spoke to was disgusted with the result of the Referendum. They know that it means the death of many men who are worn out (what about “sending* another mother's son to Ids death?”) and whom the doctors say should be sent home at least for a change; but what can the authorities do? They must have the reserves. The men in the trenches, if sick with dysentery or the like, are not allowed to leave till they can no longer stand. I have talked to scores of them, and know it to be true, but what do the I.WAV. care so long as they can live in luxury and get as much blood money as possible from (he Government for as little work as possible? I almost feel ashamed to admit I’m an Australian when I read of the strikes of the loafers at home. Yesterday and to-day, after going through nine hospitals and seeing hundreds of wounded men knocked out, it is a ;-!:.»ck to pick up the Australian papers and sec about men striking for more money, and to see the photos of actresses side by side with accounts of the Somme.

COMPLIMENT TO AUSTRALIAN S .

The Germans have paid our hoys the compliment of putting their picked men and crack regiments against them on the Somme. Stanley was telling ns about the Germans’ clothing, hoots and food. Being a doctor he sees hundreds of German prisoners, and examines their clothes and accoutrements. He says their overcoats are very light and flimsy, and that if a Tommy gets one he throws it away very soon, hut their tunics are very finely woven of wool and cotton, simply cut, and made with no brass buttons or straps to gather dirt. The result is that if a Boehe gels a wound it is invariably much cleaner, and heals better because his clothes are (dean. The English Tommy’s coal is shoddy and loosely woven, lets in the wind, and rapidly becomes dust soaked, so that when he gets wounded (he missile —bullets or shrapnel —takes quite considerable pieces into the wound, fills it with dust and dirt, and makes it a had job. The German food, 100, is excellent, at least at Ihe Somme, and if the British capture any, which is not infrequent, the Tommies live on it for quite a time, showing that there is no scarcity for Fritz at the front, whatever his frau may he suffering.

We visited one beautiful house owned by Lord Brassey, and lent by him for the term of the war. It is built in French fashion in three wings, making three sides of a court, in which there is a pretty lawn and fountain. From the windows there is a view over the park, all gay with autumn leaves, over a, terrace and flower gardens to the lovely hills. The drawing-room, all white hand-carved marble mantelpieces and pretly mirrors, is the ward kept for the very sick men, as it is so bright and has such a lovely view. The other wards are all planned to suit every sort of need. There is plenty of hustle and laughter, and the men say it is a real home to them, they fairly love it. So do the matron and nurses and the 0.C., and they ask for many more Australians.

THE GERMS OF CEREBRI)-SPI-NAL MENINGITIS

Are stated by the Director of the Bacteriological Laboratory of the University of Melbourne to be quickly destroyed by eucalvptus. SANDER’S EUCALYPTI “ EXTRACT was proved at the Supreme Court of Victoria to possess far greater antiseptic power than the common eucalyptus. Therefore, if you are not particular about jour health you use any eucalyptus; if you are —you use only SANDER’S EXTRACT. It protects not only from meningitis, but frqm all infectious diseases —scarlet fever, measles, typhoid, influenza, diphtheria, etc. SANDER’S EXTRACT is the strongest and safest antiseptic, and its curative qualities have been demonstrated to be genuine and lasting—it not only disinfects, but stimulates, and gives new vigour to diseased parts. Ulcers, poisoned wounds, chilblains, inflamed skin, are quickly cured by SANDER’S EXTRACT.