EAST NIGHT'S FAREWELL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 280, 24 August 1915, Page 4

EAST NIGHT'S FAREWELL.

The community has cause for utmost satisfaction in what the Taihape Patriotic Committee accomplished in organising the gathering which took place last night for the purpose of giving a farewell and God-speed to the brave lads who are going from us voluntarily to help in saving our Empire and our civilisation from destruction. And the Acting-Mayor, in his brief address; kept.weD.. within appropriate limits in expressing to the huge gathering and to the volunteers the wishes and sentiments of the whole community. Ho pointed out the exceptional circumstances enveloping the present struggle; that the British Empire was face to face with conditions that it had never in its history been face to face with before —to put it colloqually, the British Empire was "right up against it.''" Everyday we were getting news from the front that was causing us to look deep and deeper, and it was such as to cause us to wonder whether the Allies could really win the war or not. It wouJd be a. catastrophe for the whole world even if it ended in the semblance of defeat —and this left us with only the one thing to do and that was to win. He was glad to see that in Xew Zealand most things were being subordinated to winning: a National Cabinet had been formed, combining the best brains of the House, that would pursue the war to its bitterest end so far as this country could assist. If the Government could set aside all contention and rise to the importance of the occasion, how much more cause was there for the people of the country to realise the deadliness of the conflict. Mr. Bennett pointed out that this was a fight involving the wholte of the resources of the British Empire, of money as well as of men. We should not only find all the men we can, all the money we can, but we should produce and grow all we can and otherwise do everything else we can with the one object in view. New Zealand is better off, so far as the war is' concerned, than most other parts of the Empire; for that reason its responsibilities are greater: it could at least be made a great source of suppl'ies. In tendering the community's congratulations to the men leaving, the ActingMayor remarked that it was an open secret that some fond parents would not allow their sons to go to the front. But history will disclose that when home and country has been threatened in all periods of the world's development, it was the young braves, led by their experienced elders, that were expected to do the fighting, and it were •better that a young man wdio wouh" not take his place in defending the home of his people had not been born. It cannot be presumed that while war is permissible conditions will change; it will always be the young and strong on whom the defence of the home must rest. Realising the fearful pangs that

must accompany the Riving up of a young and beautiful life to defeating the Gorman Moloch, it is still borne home to us that slavery would be the only other alternative. Our boys are going to fight for the life and freedom of their parents, their people, their homes, and their country, to avert destruction, death, or what is worse shivery. The instincts of our young men urge thorn on, and, as Mr. Bennett remarked, no ties will eventually hold them back. It is a law of nature that is Operating and it .wilt triumph in the end over all ; sontimant. !Wecan ill afford to give up suck..'a body of men as was .before us laafc night, and when we s!ee peoplfe-making use of the Empire**; necessities to gmw montm*

ately rich, we are inclined to begrudge them; but when the only alternative is realised all regret and selfishness disappears and we, with the volunteering men, become enthusiastic in our sacrifices.