WAR NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 218, 21 October 1916, Page 5

WAR NEWS.

SAVeA MANY LIVES. CONSCRIPTION IN AFRICA. HOW BOTHA DOUBLED HIS FORCE. “Undoubtedly many lives were saved by the adoption of conscription in certain pants of South Africa, and it had the effect of greatly shortening the struggle against the German in West Africa, ’ ’ said Mr D. W. Drew, a member of the South African Union Parliament.

“Soon after the declaration of war,’’ said Mr Drew, “30,000 volunteers, mostly from the towns, came forward, but General Botha, knowing that they were insufficent, especially as then? were few horsemen amongst them, applied the commando law. This doubled the force, supplying it Avith hardy countrymen, who formed their squadrons, outflanked the Germans, and began a vigorous enry into their country. No doubt avo would haA T e captured German West Africa anyhow, but without conscription the way would have been long and bloody. The conscripted men were drawn mostly from the Transvaal. The commando law was not applied to the Orange Free State, Avhich was the centre of the revolution although a number of men liA'ing there A'olunteered for actiA r e serA T ice. Under the commando laAv every man is liable to serve, but an official knoAva as the. veldt kornet, who summonses the men to the colours, holds his own ex emption count, and allows those to remain at home avlio haA'o good reason for doing so The machinery of the laAv is very simple, and it was put into operation without trouble except in the case of some who had rebel sympathies. If a man refused to fight when called upon he was compelled to serve in a non-combatant capacity It generally entailed hard manual labour, and many of these men subsequenly volunteered for active service at the front. Conscription can only be successful if backed by a majority of the people.” HEALTH OF TROOPS. RESULTS. OF NEW INHALING TREATMENT. A further statement on the subject of the health of the men in the training camps was made yesterday by Sun-geon-General Henderson, K.H.P., Direc-tor-General of Medical Services General Henderson stated that at Trdntham two cases of cenebro-spinal meningitis on the serious list avcto somewhat, better, and there were no cases of pneumonia on the serious list. At Featherston there were three cases of c.s.m,, which were somewhat better; also ipne case of pneumonia and one of -pe-yer# measles, whose condition was unchanged. Othgnyjsc the health of the troops in boUp camps was satisfactory.

General Hendenson added that the new system of faking swabs of men’s throats to detect e.s.m. carriers, and of treating all such men and others with sore throats in the inhaling chamber was proving satisfactory. Five or six e.s.m. carriers had been detected among the Eighteenth Reinforcements, and also one suspicions case from Auckland in the Motor Boat Patrol who had never been in camp. These men were now unden treatment at Trcntham. During the week ended October 13, 312 men—2s e.s.m. carriers and 287 with sore throats —had been treated at Temtham. As a result of four days’ treatment in the inhalation chamber the whole of the e.s.m. caliens had been found to be free from the germ and had been returned to duty. Of the 257 men with sore throats. 275 had been discharged as' well, five were much improved, and four were improved, and in three cases here had been no change. The results were thus most encouraging. Similar provision had been made at Featherston camp, where the inhalation treatment was now in full operation.

“THE BRUTE MAD MULLAH.” STRIKING BATTLE STORY FROM NATIVE CHIEFS. An interesting letter has been received by the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society from the Sul tan of Lascoray, the head man of the tribes of Warsangalies, and Haji Aden Ali, the head man of the Somalis at Aden, expressing appreciation of the assistance of a British naval force in repelling a recent hostile attack. They say;— “It was when Mad Mullah attacked and captured Lascoray, and he was about to destroy the place and was killing the inhabitants and all that he came across, that the timely and brilliant help came from H.M.S. —. The commander opened fire from the naval guns on both sides, which w T as so accurate that 300 out of the Mad Mullah’s forces were killed, and several wounded. Thus the enemies were dislodged and the continuance of fire was most effective, and so terriblethat the brute Mad Mullah -had to run we believe he will no more try to come away from his fortified position, and back to the place. Surely we ’have found la the -commander a saviour ef

our place and people. May God S^ e him long life and prosperity to enhance such heroic v orks. M e tak this opportunity of expressing that we are under the greatest obligations to the British rule and receive its boons. Mav God keep the British flag for ever over us; under its shelter we are happy Jind thriving in content. Also we wish the British and the Allies sue cess and thorough victory in the great European fight for freedom and justice.’ ’ THOSE LANDSHIPS. The new armoured motor cars the tanks—have been officially designated His Majesty’s Landships. The title “tanks” originated owing to tl necessity of naming the department specially created for their secret construction. The names given them by the Tommies include “snark,” “ juni,” “whale,” “creme de “dreadnought,” “slug,” and “Willie.” It is believed that considerable numbers of the new machines have been built. Their principal utility, is that of advancing before the infantry, causing the Germans to keep their beads down and preventing the foe from emerging from the trenches or dug-outs with his machine-guns. While pro . ceding over shell-boles or trenches the enormous weight of the mammoth shatters all obstacles. The Paris newspaper, “L>a Liberte,” describes them as having ramming fronts, that crash through anything that stands in their way. They crawl over broken ground, leap across trenches, and burst through barbed wire, spitting bullets all the time. A PARISH POO-BAH. Before the Appeal Tribunal at Carlisle, Walter Morley, of Stapleton, a lonely fell-side district of Cumberland was stated to act as auxiliary postman shoemaker, caretaker, sexton, bellringer, joiners’ help, and coffinmaker. A farmer who appeared for him said Morley also helped in the hayfield, while he looked after school, rang the ■church bell, and went for a doctor when anyone was ill. He was the only shoemaker within a radius of six miles, and the one man in the parish they could not do without. Morley was exempted till September 20. WOUNDED SAILORS HOOTED. i Nothing (writes Mr. Jas. Douglas) has ever hurt me more than the statement made by the Duke of Rutland in the House of Lords, that many of our wounded sailors were hooted and groaned at after the Battle of Jutland as they were being landed at Queensferry and other naval ports, and as they were being taken to hospital. The thing seems unthinkable, incredible, inconceivable. The stupid report issued by the Admiralty may explain, but it does not palliate malignity of those hoots and groans. I am only a scribbler, but I feel I must say my say. We all ought to go down on our knees before the Navy. We ought to kick both Houses of Par liament till they thank our sailors in the name of the nation for their valour. Parliament ought not to be allowed to rise until it has thanked both the Army and the Navy for their glorious services and sacrifices du*’ ing two years of war. And the munition workers ought also to be thanked at the same time.