A COWARD'S LETTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1915, Page 6

A COWARD'S LETTER.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In perusing your valuable paper j to-day I was greatly taken 'back by a ( letter from Stratford signed "Subscrib- i er." A more selfish, mean-spirited letter 1 I never read in my life. God help our 1 country, our women and children if there < were any more like the same gentleman 1 in New Zealand! I feel sure he stands i alone. Poor fellow, he is to be left in luxury while his poorer neighbor goes ] and fights and dies so that he might be i spared the trial and hardships of sol- < diering. Does he think that the Ger- 1 mans would respect him as his property, i even if he only gave sparingly to their 1 enemies? Have they respected property ' or persons in Belgium or France or any i other country they have occupied? Have ' they respected women, children and ' young girls? He says: "Let those who iave nothing to lose go and fight." Certainly, he has nothing to lose, not even j manliness. For goodness sake, MK Edi- , tor, prick him up a bit more and get him off your conscience. Such a subscriber must only be a worry to your mind, one who can write such a letter and is ashamed to sign his name. Poor fellow; he might get hurt! What a calamity that would be! Especially so far away from mother and daddy and only nurses to soothe him! If he is sent the Government had better pack a bottle with a long tube and a teat in his pack handy for use in case of an accident.— I am, etc., FRANK AKOA. Koxu, September 27. [The letter really was a potent indictment of the stay-at-home young man who is oblivious to the call of duty and a sense of his responsibility in this time of supreme crisis. Our correspondent should read the letter again, and he will then probably fathom its subtlety.—Ed.]