FOR THE FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1917, Page 7

FOR THE FRONT.

THE T^TRTY-FOUiRnrS.

NEW PLYMOUTH MEN (FAKE. 'WELLED.

'A large crowd, including many ladies, assembled on tho New Plymouth railway platform yesterday morning to bid farewell to the local men of the ThirtyFourth Reinforcements. Among those present were the Mayor (Mr C. H. Burgess I. Mr W. J. Chaney (hon secretary of the Patriotic League)' the Eev. W. A. Sinclair, several members of the boroueh Council and other public bodies and a representative number of prominent citizens. A section of the Citizens' Band was in attendance, and played a number of airs suitable to the occasion.

The men of the draft, having bwn regaled with light refreshments at the Women's Patrioic Rooms and provided with the customary gifts of holdalls, cigarettes, etc., mingled with the crowd at the railway station, exchanging greetings, farewells, and good wishes with their numerous relatives and friends. Shortly before the appointed time for the departure of the train they assembled in front of one of the carriages and were briefly addressed by the Rev. W. A. Sinclair, the Mayor adding a few parting words. The Rev. W,. A. Sinclair said:—l am here this morning at the call of His Worship the Mayor to speak a few words of farewell on behalf of the citizens of New Plymouth, I am not here to lecture or to preach to you, for you will be in no mood for that this morning. A soldier, fresh from the trenches, entered a railway carriage in England and apologised to the other passengers for the muddy state of his boots and clothing, saying that he felt a bit ashamed of himself. One of the passengers replied: "Don't apologise; it is not for you to be ashamed but for those who are able to go tout who remain behind." And so it is that those of lis in the Dominion who are not in khaki or otherwise doing our best to help are beginning to feel a bit ashamed. We honor you men who are going; we honor the men who have gone: and we specially honor the women of New Plymouth and of the Dominion for the noble work they are doing and have done in this great struggle—the greatest the world has ever known and possibly ever will know —to forever break down the evil forces arrayed against freedom, the rights of men and the civilisation of the world. President Wilson said recently that America has' come into the war to uphold the democracy of the world, and when a man like the President of t.li» .TVJted States said that it will be realised that the fight is one for human liberty. I need not urge you to uphold the honor of tiie Dominion. You have a very high standard to live up to; the men who have already gone have covered this Dominion, with honor and glory, and we are certain that you will uphold their traditions and emulate their deeds. But we who remain behind have our duty to perform. Over a century ago the great missionary, Carey, when leaving England for India said: "I will go down into the pit if you will hold the rope." And so ft is with us to-day. You are going down into the pit; it is our duty to hold the rope and we are going to demand that suitable provision is made for you and the men of the Second Division who may soon have to follow you. Qura is a wealthy country, and it is our duty to see that out of our abundance proper provision* isSnade for those who have fought and are fighting for us and for their families and dependents. On behalf of the citizens, I can say that we follow you with our best wishes and that we hope soon to welcome you back to take part in the greatest demonstration the Dominion will ever have held—when peace is declared. (Applause). The Mayor said he had only to add to what the Rev. W. A. Sinclair had said that on behalf of the town he wished the departing soldiers farewell and a sjeedy return. His Worship then called for three cheerß for the'men of the Thirty-fourths, ar.d these having been most heartily given, the train steamed away from the platform while the band played an apj propriate air and the cheers were re--1 peated again and again. The playing of I the National Anthem closed the enthusiastic proceedings.

THE DRAFT'S PERSONNEL. The following were the men w4io entrained at New Plymouth, the only name missing from the .previously published list of those called upon to go being that of C. Leighton, who is in Auckland and goes to camp from that city:— S. Adlam R. A. Luxon J. Aylward A. G. Martin L. A. Bailey A. E. Magon G. H. W. Swing P. O'Sullivan A. F. Graham J. O'Grady A. R. Hawke G. L. C. Patterson H. W. S. Hamilton F. J. Stephens G. W. Hawcs A. Smith E. M. Jones W. T. Thompson F. P. Jones R- Trimble , R. D. Kirkpatrick C. H. Turnbull W. A. Wilson