For The Front

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 314, 14 June 1915, Page 4

For The Front

TARANAKI MEN FAREWELLED. SPEECH BY THE MAYOR. THE DUTY OF YOUNG MEN. HELPING THE WOUNDED. There was a large attendance at th» Coronation Hall cm Saturday even W when the members of the 7Ui Rei„3 ments, who are leaving by the mail tnL for Trentham this morning, were oi™ a public farewell. Of the j£wfS men from this district, some do«n a* sembled on tho gallery of thTCtoS. uation Hall. It was not an ideal X». tion for the farewell, as there was eon. Siderablc bustle in the build/bur th. aide show and houp la men betae an*ious to make hay while the crowd was present. At first, Mr. J. E Wilson (Mayor), who made the address had Considerable difficulty in making Mm! self heard, but after one or two foroeful appeals he succeeded in silencing even the most persistent loud-voiced in. dividuals. w

| Stepping from the front of the gallery, after the band, under Bandmaster Ctanmings, had played a selection, the Mayor said that on Monday some thirty or forty men were leaving for Trentham to prepare to go to the war to fight lor ua—for us who are now in the building, not for the people in Europe, for it they did not go to help in this great struggle we would stand every chance of coming under the dominion of the German people. The men who had volunteered, were entitled to the greatest honor that we could give them. A few months ago, when the first expeditionary force went away, we all hoped that the war would not be a long one, and that in a few months the men would come back, and take their accustomed place with us. The people we were fighting had been pre. paring for years. They had made up their minds to rule the world and to humiliate Great Britain. We must therefore do nil in our power to prevent the German nation from carrying out that plan. He wanted every man in the building between tlie ages of twenty and forty, who were unmarried and physically fit, to aßk themselves the question: "Have I volunteered to help the Dominion in this war or not? If not, why not?" It was the solemn duty of every man who was fit to offer to do what he could for the British Empire and humanity. Humanity was up against a dishonorable foe. We knew when the war started that they were dishonorable, but we did not know that we were fighting a race which, ins tea a of being the most enlightened race on the earth, as they would have us believe, was worthy only of contempt and fit to he stamped off the face of the earth. Every man that was able to give any help was in duty bound to give that help. Many men were quite willing to go, but from physical unfitness oi\ other reasons, were unable to go. He knew of men that had undergone operations to fit themselves, and that was the proper spirit, the spirit that he would like every man of fighting age to feel. He wanted every man caipable of rendering service to feel that the time hod come when every man able to serve who did not do so would he a marked man. He referred to the letter sent by a trooper from the Dardanelles, which stated: "After this war there will be a great brotherhood of all men and women participating, and any family which cannot show a scar ot some kind will be sure to be outside the circle." And the speaker added, the man who does not take his part will feel miserably out of it. He made a strong appeal to the men in the buildPing not to allow the married men and men over the age to do the work they ought to do. He referred to the fact that two members of Parliament had volunteered to go as privates; they did not want commissions. That was the Bpirit he wanted to see. Mr. Wilson also referred at length to the (provision being made for the dependents of men who might he killed> or for men who might be wounded and unable to follow their usual occupations. These men should know that they will not be turned out as paupers, but will be the objects of tho people's gratitude. They must see to it that if any of them lose their lives—and no man can die better than fighting for his country and humanity—their dependents will be looked after. New Plymouth had, he added, £I2OO kept back from the patriotic funds, as a nucleus for a fund for the disabled. They were going to insist on making that a big fund for all needs. Whether it would be a local or a national fund had not yet been decided, but they would do what they felt best under the circumstances, and, if necessary, hcl)p, hot only their own men, but those of other parts of New Zealand. He acknowledged with gratitude the work done by the Women of the district since the war started. No one except those who came in direct contact with them knew the amount of self-sacrifice the women had made. They had sent forward enough. to more than equip the hospital ship. In conclusion, he wished the men Godspeed, and a safe return. He announced that the members of the Rifle Club and the Citizens' Band would parade at 0.30 this morning in order to farewell the men at the station.

Three cheers were then given for the King, niter which the National Anthem was played hy the band. Three «heer« for the Mayor were also given. Each man was ' then presented with a "liussiff" hy the Ladies' Committee.