A WAY TO ASSIST.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1915, Page 6

A WAY TO ASSIST.

To the Editor. Sir,—The Daily News' columns are too valuable to be "filled with temperance twaddle, tout, as this is finality for me, kindly allow me to say that no one was ! better pleased than myself at a'bsinthe (an arsenical decoction) and vodka being counted out. An analysis of the latter, which probably Mr. Maunder never heard of, shows 11 per cent, pure sulphuric acid (vitriol), but the mistake the Russians made was in not supplying a pure spirit in its place. Nowadays everything is judged by results, and as the Russians could not even muster up "Dutch" courage they are, pro tem., down and out. Every commander agrees that men exposed to continuous wet and cold must have alcohol (Kitchener knew what he was about when he sent those 150,000 gallons of rum), but it must not be a vile spirit to drive men mad. I think that Mr. Maunder, no doubt unintentionally, throws a slur on the Okey (not Oakey) family by giving us the impression that they would not send the correct version of the rum ration business, but in any ease the unauthorised introduction of private names into a discussion is inexecrable taste, and ought to be apologised for without taking up a column of newspaper spafie in doing so, However, let us return to "practical pontics." The papers very properly growl at tne increased rates for telegrams. Well, don't print any, and. the public pressure will soon compel a reduction, but in view of the enormous charges for cables don't you think it is too much to ask you to pay for such improbable rot as this item in to-day's News? One typical example is this. "The Germans were entrenched at Height 66 by means of trenches along a series of terraces up the slopes of the hill, all well furnished with machine-guns. The Russians, however, rushed the hill at the point of the bayonet, killing the majority of the defenders." These yarns were very twelve months ago when they used to cable (and you had to pay for it) about chauffeurs' dogs, etc., but they are too stale now. The next cutting is self-explan-atory (it is taken from the Dominion): "It is stated that every German noncommissioned officer is supplied with Held glasses, and that many privates also possess them.' British non-coms, are , similarly equipped by the Government, The New Zealand practice is for commissioned and non-commissioned officers to buy glasses out of their private funds, or to have them presented, or to go without. It is estimated that three hundred non-commissioned officers in the last Expeditionary Force and a number of commissioned officers left without a pair. Senior officers with active service experience agree that the lack of field glasses in an officer's outfit will result in ten casualties, and in the ease of a non-com. four casualties at least, in this war. The cost to New Zealand of this lack of foresight in the case of the last contingent is estimated at £20,000 yearly in pensions. By the generosity of a nuniber of donors of glasses anfl cash, the National Reserve and the Patriotic Society were enabled to hand to officers of the'last Reinforcements between forty and fifty pairs of prism and other fieldglasses."—l am, etc., j W. R. WRIGHT. Rahotu, October 21. I | j | I I

I To the [Editor, gir,—l read with interest "Factory Manager's" letter in Thursday's "News." His letter seems to me full of sound sense. j There are many men employed not only I in Taranaki, and in cheese and butter factories, but throughout New Zealand, and in many of the branches of industry, whose place iu the present juncture is assuredly at the front. I have I my doubts, too, if many of these men feel that they are doing air they should at the crisis. In the majority of case 3, so far as the butter and chesse is concerned, the labor is mostly unskilled and could easily be filled from the ranks of the rejected, middle-aged, and those with dependents. Industry must be disorganised only to a minimum extent. It is inevitable that war on such a scale as we now have it must disorganise nearly every institution and industry in the country. Nevertheless it is the imperative duty of every single man at the present juncture, in any position without exception, to offer his services: Some new system, as "Factory Manager" suggests, should be availed of, and the places of those who should go filled from the sources indicated. It can be done and must be done, even if conscription is tlie means to attain it.— I am, etc., MARRIED MAN WAITING FOR THE SINGLE TO r,6.