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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 110, 2 October 1914, Page 7

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WAY. ! Earl Kitchener's methods arc illustrated by a characteristic incident which occurred soon after his acceptance of the War .Secretaryship, wrote a London correspondent on August 20. ITe sent to the Post Oflice authorities a requisition for 30 experienced telegraphists for the army or active service. The Department's staff had already been seriously depleted by the demands of the war and a liigh l'ost Office ollicial informed Lord Kitchener that the men could not be spared. "Tell him that if the men ;ire not sent in half-an-hour I'll come and take them myself," was the War Secretary's curt ultimatum. A messenger was immediately sent round the staff at work, and the 30 selected men were on the way to their new duties before the half-hour expired. TIIE BRITISH NAVAL RESERVE. "It is," said the London Daily Chronicle early in August, "of more than passing interest to know that at a certain important British naval .base, not too far from London, 25,000 naval reservists turned up in a few hours after receiving their notification papers. These men found on arrival that the most minute and perfect arrangements had been made •for their reception. There was no Hurry and no excitement. Hammocks were ready strung, and meals waiting for every man as he arrived. In fact the splendid manner in which the needs of the reservists were most generously provided for surprised many men who had fully 25 years' service in the navy lo their credit. It seemed, it was said, that the whole great business must have been rehearsed many times, otherwise its marvellous elliciency would have been impossible."

THE SLAUGHTER AT VERDUN

The attack on Verdun indicates a r<Rimption of the German plan of campaign—to divide the Allied front, and follow with a flanking movement on the right, The reports as to the terrible (daughter in front of Verdun are probably accurate enough. Kucli an established expert as Lieutenant-Colonel Allager Pollock declares that the frontier forfa of France are armed by giv,>i guns, "which cannot miss." These guns lire operated from a control station, and by merely pressing a button the commandant releases a storm of missiles on the enemy. According to tho commentator mentioned, for quite 300'J yard-, the glacis of one fort he inspected" was us smooth as if it had been a billiard table, set up at an angle of about f. degrees. Not even a rabbit could have found cover anywhere. Lieutenant-Col-onel Pollock adiU: the French fort, I halted my motor-car at a 'distance of about two and a-half miles, and looked back to see what the place wa» like in

could not find it, . . .1 failed to distinguish the smallest sign, so J bad the works been Wended in tile landscape. Yet I was looking through an excellent Hold-glass.'' Oii>vhms>y, Uie vaunted and undoubtedly terrific i><-J guns of the Germans will be faced with a more exacting task in reduwng l inFrench forts than was the case at Liege and Namur. What Liege did, Vi r.iii'i. Toul and the sister fortresses can be expected to improve on imrneamir ;bv. and if Liege has taught the Germans a lesson, there will be few i.tU'inpl,; u> rush Verdun in tlose formation.

ODDFELLOWS AND SOLDIERS. Tihe Independent Order of Oddfellows of New Zealand (American Order) baa made arrangements, that all their meri hers joining the Expeditionary Forces will have their contributions paid during their absence, so that their sick and funeral benefits may be secured to tlicm. In addition to this, a central fund has lieen established out of wh.ch will be paid relief to all deserving members suffering from distress occasioned by unemployment arising from the war. From tlie same fund all dependents of those members will receive relief siinn..'l their circumstance*; require it. Should •the central fund prove inadequate- to tho strain thereby imposed on it, the i-xceutive have taken power (and in thi.have hcen" fortified by tho expressed opinion of the district and subordinate lodges) to draw upon their reserves for any additional funds that may be required. They recognise that they owe a duty to their gallant members and to those left behind them, a duty that must be fulfilled to the utmost limit of the resources of the society. Members of the 1.0.0. F. have joined in largo numbers from every lodge of the Order from Hokianga to the Bluff.