A SOLDIER'S LETTER.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 12 April 1917, Page 5

A SOLDIER'S LETTER.

The following letter has been received from 'Pto E. Lcnihan, late of Taihape, who writes entertainingly of various matters which have come under Lis notice during his enforced stay in' the New Zealand Convalescent Canvp rt Hornchurch, in Essex. (Continued from Yesterday.) The war appears ro be nearing tho sritical stage for all the combatants. Germany and Austria arc faced w ith starvation, and Britain is nearing the

stage when food tickets will have to be issued. The Daily Chronicle recently stated that the enemy submarines had destroyed in the past throe months as much British shipping as British shipyards had turned out in 1913 (the record year.) In November and December, a total of nearly 800,000 tons shipping went under, and the month of January is likely to bo a record as tho raiding cruiser has assisted the submarines by' sinking at least eight big vessels. As Britain only grows one ton of wheat out of every five con-

i sumed the outlook is serious. Big events are expected erg long,, and the Germans will probably be force d into making a bid for victory very soon, as it docs not appear to be likely that the enemy can hold out beyond June or July unless he overwhelms, the Allies in the meantime. The latter contin--g.ency is not even likely, as the armament of the Allies is now greatly superior to that of the Central Powers. Even Russia is now superior, and great things are due to happen on the East- ! ern Front? The prospects of an earJy j termination of the war were., never ; brighter, and it will probably end in a gr&tt and glorious decisive battle hi favo&ii of the Allies. The Central Powers will either be crashed by

famine or in a series of desperate battles due to an attempt to ttlliviato the famine. '■

5 The IST. Z. War Contingent tion and the Y.M.C.A. arc no| on the best of terms at present, and both organisations are competing against each, other in regard to canteens. It is a nidiculous rivalry, as the Y.M.C.A. was first in the field. That organisation has been with the boys everywhere. It gave us canteens in Egyptb'did the best it could for us on the Peninsula, and provided good canteens inside the danger zone in France. Even in the support trenches the Y.M.C.A. has established coffee stalls. At Brockcnhurst the Y.M.C.A. built a big, canteen, dining-hall, billiard-noom, reading-room, writing-room,, and concert hall complete This canteen met all requirements, and there was no need for another; but the War Contingent Association spent about £ISOO, and opened a conteen in opposition to. the one already established. There has been a similar clashing of intenests here as well, and this

camp will soon have two big canteens. One would meet all requirements. It the people of New Zealand arc contributing cash to the funds of the Yar

Contingent Association they may as well know that some of that cash has been wasted in providing canteens where they were absolutely unnecessary All the boys recognise the Y.M.C.A. as the body which is most entitled to their support, and they are all of opinion that the Wan Contingent Association could spend their money to far better advantage than by entering competition with the Y.M.C.A. I fell sura that the people who subscribe to the funds of the War Contingent Association are not aware of the nnnccessary rivalry which exists between the two organisations. If they did know the truth, perhaps they would demand that the funds be spent more wisely than by providing the boys with what the Y.M.C.A. has already provided in plenty.

The weather has been very cold for several days. It is the driest cold I have ever experienced. The ground is hard and dry, with an absence of frost, but the cold is so intense that dripping i was converted into water days ago. I Every pond is frozen over, and in some j cases running water has been frozen, j The English kid loves skating, and 1 many of them have recently been fished out of ponds in a dying condition. Many older people have been too venturesome on thin ice, and paid the penalty. I received a parcel recently from the Taihape Women’s Working Club. It is very good of them to remember the old boys.