COME ON!

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1917, Page 5

COME ON!

A CALL TO NEW ZEALANDERS. The late Captain Atkinson felt deepl* thy, obligation resting <tojXw ftmlana to play i! full part in the s 'war.* Some \\ months ago; After experiences in England .r----and France He cabled a Wnijj to Z newspapeii qttuwstly urging,that the people . \ of tlie to dp .< moi'e than thty Were dwJraSfwe great - * struggle. On the advance in which: he week. Ijo sent the following^2able to Jils , * countrymen in New ZealWiflfr-% I '' "To the Editor, Dominion, Wellington. - "In the Field.—The war is still raging, and i'a» qy'freedom as well at yours is at stake, dSid Von' fellows a* a whctle, without realising .it, are not doing any* ■ thing like your snare, I desire to quietly say a word # two, Until New Zealand doefr as 'France has flone, putting into theifleld every fit man except the minimum required for the essential, industries, and putting into the AlHca' common pot her wealth anil the united work of her people, for so long will Now Zealand continue to play with her freedom c. and sponge on others for her defense.; There are a hundred good reasons wjiy :,:f New Zealand has not yet done more; Vjjf but if wo mean to keep our freedom and ,; I self-respect wo must overcome eaeh 'ot ~-.7u these reasons, which, obviously, aro use-i less for defeating the enemy. You don't realiso that putting men and guns here 4s the sole privilege and duty of mankind at present. For that action Sew Zealand as-a whole haß no nwtl v; support whatever, for the number i«f Vor * men in the field is in striking and n*'t.lietio contrast to France and Britain ; Please don't think lam not fully alive ,' to my own shortcomings, and to the privilege of being here, and to your 4K- ' '[■ fleultie*. Come oal—Cajtfcin Atkinion."