GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1843, 22 June 1918, Page 1

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

THE IDEAL OFFICER, A private, writing in the Spectator on the relationship between young oflieers and their men, says justice, patience, endurance, and courage are the qualities the men

admire most in their officers. “Dash and daring are admired for what they are worth, but the brave officer who is not also just never wins the hearts of his men. They despise weakness —especially the kind of weakness that is afraid to punish when wrong has been committed. They hate an officer with a truculent manner, no matter what great qualities this manner may in part conceal. They despise affectation and ‘swank.’ And the unforgivable sin is for an officer to be overheard grousing. They themselves grouse: all of us grouse; but we do not mean, half we say. But if an officer grouses we lose heart; our faith in him diminishees, and we begin to distrust ourselves.” LINEN FROM OLD PLANS. In November, 1017, an appeal was issued by' Sir Francis Fox, for old plans, drawings, and cloth tracings, from which to manufacture brown holland, linen, calico, muslin and (from the cloth tracings) nainsook for hospitals. There was an immediate response from the railway companies and various firms and private individuals. The large quantity of material recovered has been of great value to the hospitals. It has been used to make bandages, splints,- slings, cotton wool, sheets for operating tables, pocket-handkerchiefs, vests, sheets and pillow-cases. Over 10,000 pieces of material of various kinds and lengths are included in this record. Many of the plans date back 55 years, and their fabric is of much higher quality than can be obtained to-day. The drawings are immediately effaced so that secrecy is secured.