WELLINGTON NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1915, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

PERILS IN EGYPT. RECRUITS WANTED. UNPLEASANT PICTURES. (Frbtn Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Dec. 3. Captain D. Munro, an officer who went away with the Third Reinforcements and is now here on furlough, was tho guest of honor at a luncheon of the New Zealand Club to-day and he made a remarkably outspoken statement regarding the dangers that the troops have to meet in the Egyptian cities. The captain was Adjutant at Alexandria for some time, and one of his duties was to conduct an, inquiry regarding a riot in which New Zealanders took part under circumstances that doubtless are familiar to a great many people in this country. His remarks can hardly be presented for general reading in the columns of newspapers, but it seems a pity that Captain Munro or some other ofticer returned from Egypt eannot be employed to tell "the boys" frankly and fearlessly what are the perils that they will be called upon to avoid when they get to the base camps. Captain Munro mentioned, by the way, that the position is considerably better than it was a year ago, since every body of reinforcements that reaches Alexandria has now the benefit of the advice and warnings of'the New Zealanders already on the spot. The Defence authorities are demanding additional recruits in very strong terms and undoubtedly it is a fact that they are threatened with a shortage of infantrymen for the Eleventh Reinforcements on December 14, the date fixed for the force to go into camp. But there is just a danger that the Department's statements on this point will create a wrong impression in some quarters, especially beyond New Zealand. The trouble is not the shortage of recruits; it is the disinclination of the young men to spend their Christmas in camp. New Zealand has to send away about 2300 men in January and a similar draft every fourth week afterwards. There are some 0000 men in camp at the present time and this month's recruits are to bring the number up to Over 11,000. Naturally the Department wants each draft of recruits to go into camp in full strength and on the proper date, and all the recruiting organisations will work very hard to secure the necessary number of men by the 14th of this month. But we need not give anybody abroad an impression that the Dominion is failing to meet its obligations in the matter of reinforcements for the men at the front. "There is a growing disregard for the duties of the married state in New Zealand," said Mrs. Atkinson when addressing the Minister for Internal Affairs on tho subject of film censorship. "Young people hurry into marriage and then do not make the least attempt to 'make a do of it'.' They have no sense of responsibility, no "feeling that it is their duty to put up with disappointments and overcome difficulties. Many of those who are engaged in social work in this country are of that a large part of the trouble is caused by the lax tone of kinematograph pictures imported from America, where the marriage ties are regarded very lightly and divorce is frequent and easy. The films make our people familiar with a state of things entirely opposed to the finer traditions of our race." ■ "The people who say that there is nothing wrong with the picture shows are not attending them regularly," said another speaker. "The films are persistently presenting the ugly, stained side of life to the clean, wholesome minds of our children. If I want to teach a boy to love sweet savors I do not take him to the drainage outlet at Lvall Bay. How can it be good for the beys and girls to be made familiar with scenes of depravity, with robbery and murder,' with unhappy homes, with dishonest lovers and unfaithful wives? I am not exaggerating. Let any father or mother go to the pictures and examine the plots of the dramas that form a large part of the weekly programmes. Let them try to see those pictures with the innocent eyes of childhood and imagine the lessons that are being impressed upon the young minds."