WOMEN AND THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1917, Page 8

WOMEN AND THE WAR.

I Sir,—Having read "Young -Mother's" letter of the iUli, I feel sorry she lias mu-.li a poor opinion of Captain Walker, who is doing swell good work for his King and country. Xow, ''Young Motlicr," I do not for one moment think Captain Walker means the farmers' wives must do more work on the farms, as he knows quite well they are doing their share. The women I think lie means must certainly he some of tlie town women. There are no others to mean, as in our town here alone there are still dozens of idle girls and women who are doing absolutely nothing to help in this cruel war, and if the example of our -worthy 'Mayoress and all who are assisting ncr will not give :i lead to the town girls and women, then I am afraid nothing or no one will. (Jap- : tain Walker has made a noble sacrifice I by giving up his profession to undertake the unpleasant duty he is now engaged in. Having enlisted and been rejected ho offered his services in the thankless billet that has caused your correspondent to imagine he does not know what he Ts talking about, but be quite • satisfied to learn that he docs know what ho is talking about, and J sincerely hope if women arc conscripted the same Captain Walker will be on tlie Military Service Hoard. The men he has had to deal with are single men who have known for months they would be called on to serve the country. They should have been ready. We all know there are hundreds of single men who, like Captain Walker, volunteered time and again and were rejected, then balloted and have gone, hut. there are dozens who have never volunteered, and some have married months after the war was declared, and since have been disabled. Others have neither married nor offered to go. but appealed and found all sorts of excuses to try and stay at home, and I feel sure if your husband is wanted—and he will not he called unless he is wanted—that "Young Mother" will try and make it as easy for him to get away as she possibly can. You need only to look through the papers to see by the Roll of Honor the number of married men .who have gone and are now some missing, some prisoners, others wounded and suffering agonies of torture and all to protect us women and little children. A lot more work will make us realise there is a war, as some are apt to forget, and as lonL' as we have our health nothing is too' much for us to do at such an awful time as this. I can safely say I am working harder now than T have ever done in niv life, and I am thankful to be able to and often wish T conW do more, but unless the women of Xew Zealand do more on the farms, 1 am -ure some of the married men will go, and 1 have the greatest faith in the members of the Second Division lif,»eue who are doing good work by trying to obtain sufficient support for wives and children and dependents. With good allowances, homes, and plenty of .work, no woman will feel she is shirking the part that must he played till the war is over I feel I cannot do enough tor the brave fellows who. like my own dear husband, have willin»!v -men their lives lor Kiiur and country and us all Every male relative 1 have in Xe* Zealand who was of military age volunteered, two have made the supremo sacrifice, two

are now iis-'litins. two are in camp, one a returned soldier going acain and three wounded, one a third time. I Ice' •nv sad loss of husband and father of mv little ones. I then think of the poor l;l'l«iiiii women and children and feel determined to help all T possibly ean to carry on the noble ufforts of those Leroes who have die,] to try and save them. All I believe that is wanted to win the war are men. nmn'n ion- and fond. ami I liope to grow a good potato patch and as many vegetal.', s as T ean to be pblc to send some to the Red Cross Mart for the benefit of our soldiers. I am quite an amateur a! gardening, but hope to make a succe-s of same, as of my last performance I am very proud, mimelv (lipping my trap all over with the hand, clippers. I milk my own cows have -2(H) fowls to attend to. and until the war 1 never killed a bird of any .kind, but last vear I had orders for 20 pairs ducks and fowls and killed the lot myself, so 1 know women can do lots extra' if they only try. and T think tliey will, as it is coming home to many this Vear How grateful we must be to mothers .who have given four, five, and fix sons, and many the only son. It is Bad to see boys just '2O go, but their country needs them if they are fit and well. ' Who is going to do their utmost to earrv on their work here during their absence? I bope the women of New Zealand. iSo. oung Mother, when von read of (lie cruel lertures o; innoeei'.t Belgian children and women, don't think more work will hurt us. It won't, and onlv men who are strong and fit will be expected to fro. Hundreds ot poor fellows have volunteered again and again bu„ are not fit, and it is those men we must feel sorry for. They have offered to do anything to help the war and ma.iv have had to be refused. Then. a«ain, aged parents who air sending their last son. where lot, have sent none, and in many instances an only son, and onlv child voluntarily goes, those are the'sad sides of war. So try ami think as 1 do that. Captain Walker and his staff are doing h"ne-t. good work, the same as our worthy Mayoress and ladies of the Red Cross and patriotic societies Thev are .doing Hieir duty noblv, and it gives them pleasure, and when we wonwn of Xew Zealand are doing half as much as the English women then we will know we are he-iping as .we should do. 1 know for a fact at home ladies of title are working bard on farms. It is hard on them, not being used to it. but we who are farmers' daughters ought to consider it a pleasure." At any rate I hope to keep my little farm, pay rates and interest and have a little to give to the Red Cross and others—l am, etc., "A MOTHER 01' SIX AXD A SOLDIER'S WIDOW."