LEFT IN THE LURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 November 1915, Page 8

LEFT IN THE LURCH.

SOLDIERS' WIVES AND FAMILIES. Christchureh. Nov. 10 The statements made at the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board's meeting regarding the men enlisting and leaving their wives destitute are largely borne out by local experience. Witli the departure of every draft of reinforcements from this city instances have occurred of a wife and family being left, with little or no warning, in the lurch by the husband and father who has gone away to Trentham eamp without leaving any money for the upkeep of his dependents. One case yesterday is a good example. A young woman called at the Defence Office and stated that it was not until an hour or two before his departure on Wednesday that she knew tier husband was leaving that evening with the Tenth Reinforcements. All she had to keep tht wolf from the door was a couple ot shillings. Her husband had informed her that he had been persuaded by a man in the street to join. Another case of recent occurrence was of a man with a wife and eleven children who enlisted. His wife did not object to his going away, but other parties did. A classic ease was that of a husband who informed his wife that he was going to the coronation of the Carnival Queen at the Colosseum, and it was not until next day, when she saw his name in the list of men who had gone to Trentham, that she knew what he had done. There have been several cases of men saying they were going out for the evening, and taking their shaving gear with them, and their wives only discovering hours, if not days, after that they had joined the reinforcements and gone into camp.