A SOLDIER'S LETTER.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 7 March 1917, Page 4

A SOLDIER'S LETTER.

Private E. Lenihan, continuing his letter, says:—Lloyd George is getting to work in earnest now, and his leadership will mean a lot more than we think. The food shortage is getting serious; the American crops have failed, and the submarines have greatly reduced shipping. There are thousands of acres of waste land here, and Britain could feed herself from within if all the laud was utilised, as it is in France. Lloyd George mentioned this fact recently, and land everywhere is being prepared for cultivation. Characteristically, this wise man of the people also hinted that golf courses should be treated as waste land, and forced into productiveness. If anyone squeals now, he is regarded as one who has no real interest in helping to win the war. It is strange how some of Lloyd George's bitterest opponents in his famous Budget days are now his keenest supporters. His views have not changed in the least, but his onetime enemies have been converted. Spare Lloyd George for one decade and Britain will be the power she should have been when this war started.

Yesterday I met Dave Jolly who used to be at the Taihape Times office in my time. He was buried by a shell at Armenticres after going through every attack on the Somme. The Times is well represented on active service, and I have met the following exmembers of the staff: —J. Dawson, F. Mulgrove, J. Livingstone, E. Oulton, D. Jolly, C. Bitoski, Ken Lachland, and an old hand whose name I cannot remember, Bill O 'Connor is in Samoa, P Martini is on home service, Frank Bealing was killed on Gallipoli, George Wrack has arrived, and I am hors de combat. That is thirteen I know of, but there may be others. (Since Mr Lenihan left New Zealand there have been four additional members of the Times staff to go on active service, viz., Privates C. Jeaycs, W. Chuck, E. Jarrett, and S. Clark—Ed.) That is thirteen that I know of, but there may be others. Frank Dowling may be with the Australians. Not a bad record for a small office.