The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1917. CALLOUS TREATMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 December 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1917. CALLOUS TREATMENT.

The way 9 of the Government pass understanding. The Thirty-third Reinforcements were told that they could not lie given leave for Christmas, as the transports programme bad to be adhered to, so that relatives and friends were obliged to rush off to Wellington last iveek to bid them farewell. On Friday, owing to the earnest representations of the men themselves, the Defence Minister reluctantly granted leave for a few days that the men might spend a short time with their relatives and friends. Now, what we would like to know is, why did not the Defence Minister show a little consideration in the first instance for the men and their relatives and grant, holiday leave? Surely a point could have been stretched at Christmas time, when relatives like to be together, and when so many of the lads arc unlikely to again meet around the festive board. A W days' is neither here nor there in the sending away of the drafts. The Minister only the other day stated we had large reinforcements still ih England, whilst the original divisions could be strengthened from the reserves stationed at Etaples, in France This callous treatment of our men is peculiarly military. The bigwigs treat the men as so many units and automata, and not as men with feelings and hearts. The trouble ig that they always find a ready champion in the Defence Minister, who is as autocratic as the greatest military martinet, and will always turn his ear to them in preference to the public, his masters. This treatment, the Defence Minister and those associate witji liim must be told in plain terms, will not do in New Zealand, even if it does in military-ridden countries. The success of the system of supplying reinforcements depends upon the retention of the goodwill and patriotism of the public, and nothing should be done that is calculated to affect or alienate these qualities, The public want the lads who are setting out to fight their battles to receive the fullest consideration and kindness, feeling that nothing that can be done iB too piuch or too good for them, and they look to their representative, the Defence Minister, to have their wishes carried out, and not ignored or ■flouted, as in this case, Hundreds of people were put to the expense of visiting Wellington to see the last of their 'dear ones, who now—with no thanks to the Minister—have been able to visit their homes. At least some of them have, for quite a number were unable to get berths on the steamer for the south or seats in the trains. All of this could have been avoided had the Minister done the right thing at the beginning. Contrast the callous treatment of our lads with the indulgence granted the war prisoners at Motuihi, where they were treated like fighting cocks and honored guests, doing practically as they liked. Nothing is too good in the eyes of the authorities for eucmy subjects, but as for our own men, who have to face the horrors of the battlefield, and risk life and limb, they are not entitled to any consideration, even at Christmas time. It is, idle to blame the military authorities for this disregard of the feelings of the men and their relatives. The blame rests entirely with Sir James Allen, who should be made to understand that the temper of the public will not stand any more of it.