The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1915. THE ROLL OF HONOUR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 207, 12 May 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1915. THE ROLL OF HONOUR.

(With which is incorporated The Taihape Post ana Waimarlno News.)

The actuality of war has been brought into the closest contact with us New Zealanders as it never before has been. The grief for loved ones lost in the desper- : ate, inhuman struggle taking place thousands of miles away, is great and intense in every *proof our land a sorrowing that js not lessened in poignancy Jby distance. Some mothers are weeping to-day, but who will say that anguish of expectancy is not almost m hard to bear as the actual loss? For, let us not deceive ourselves in our estimate of what is to happen ;~ihe -time of bitterest sorrow is yet to pome for many. It is easy to offer sympathy and •counsel fortitude at thS .supreme moment of bereave uncut,

deed, it is few who should be privileged to offer such counsel; hearts will be too deeply scored for casual sympathy, however deeply felt, to assuage such wounds. We, who have not suffered, have our duty in connection with this unprecedented life and death war in which our Empire is involved, and it is pleasing to notice that the incumbent of St. Margaret’s has given the warning. Our town has had its losses of life by this war, and there is no cause to think we have yet seen the end, or that it is appreciably near; there may, and probably will, be many bereavements that will entail privations of a more or less severe nature in addition to the loss of blood and breadwinners. The .glories of war will not help these people; fortitude and resignation: they may display, but want and privation it is our duty to prevent, and we can show how we sympathise in no better or tangible way than by taking, up the invitation Mr Stent has humanely offered. A fund, however small, should be in readiness to meet temporary difficulties if nothing else, and it is to be hoped that one or more of the leading and wealthiest men in the district will accept the suggestion so timely made. The entire public sympathy will go out to those mothers and wives who have already contributed their priceless toll to this war for national existence ; the time for feeling pride in their sacrifice, however, is not vet. That New Zealand has her Spartan women is beyond question. An incident that has come under public notice within the last few days clearly indicates that Spartan dames valued their national life no more than our women value there’s to-day. The Spartan woman, when told that her son had fallen, said: “Bury him, and let his brother take his place.” A New Zealand mother, when asked by her son, who had been a few years studying in England, whether he should come home or enlist, replied: “If you do not enlist there is no occasion to come home.” It is almost too terrible to think of the agony and anguish that has been broadcasted over the earth by that inhuman, arrogant, power-loving monster, the Emperor of Germany, and, although we are not so deeply in the swirl of war as our brothers and other relatives in England, we are so overwhelmed by its saddening consequences that we scarcely see the path it is our duty to follow, so that the least possible "stiff cring may fall upon those of oit women who haw felt the whole force of the wrench. Mingled witht public sorrow and sympathy ther; must be a strong leavening of pride at the behaviour, prowess, gal l .an try, bravery, and• heediessnessof death that has characterised the part our troops have played, and when the history of this war is written, the landing at the Dardanelles will figure as one of the greatest military feats and aehievements in the world’s history—this is the opinion of some of England’s greatest statesmen. But : n our pride and sorrow }«t irs inn; forget tO S'"-'"* t~ "I it'll! ‘h 'S' f. ■wpipp be -et r.t as w ‘h •

XP T n «;; o r ;-;s

TT’o ff.ii/>,.-'---!- information lias been by the Defence Department for the convenience of those people having /'.•lends or relatives at Lho front: Three free telegrams may bo sent to the headqnarters of tlie Expeditionary Forces if addressed to the Secretary of the General Post Office, Wellington, about any member of the forces reported seriously wounded or dangerously wounded. The inquiry must be briefly worded and must be confined to asking about the condition of the wounded person. It must contain full information for the identification of that person, including rank, name, regimental number, and name of unit. In the case of the navy, the Christian name and surname of the person, his rank or rating, his official or divisional number, and the name of the ship or etablishraent. Inquiries concerning persons at the seat of war in France or Belgium arc made through .the .High Commissioner, who will have to write from Lon- : r don by post. The foregoing does not : i refer to soldiers reported wounded or , [ slightly wounded. Anyone' may send a ; week-end message or a'fully paid message or a fully paid message on the ! subject of a wounded soldier, or on i any other subject, addressed to the j soldier himself, or fr. a private person, ! addressed to Egypt. V week-end message must be about a.soldier. Week-end messages inquiring after the health of wounded soldiers nr i-oiivoyiug svmpathetie messages for them are free from the requirements'"of a minimum rate. The actual message sent Is chnrged for by the word us follows; To Egypt at lUd rmr word. r 0 Malta at 9d, to Great Britain at yd.