OUR IDEAS OF MEN

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1918, Page 2

OUR IDEAS OF MEN

CHANGED BY THE WAR Surgeon-Captain H. A. Good, who returned to Whangarei after over two years' service with the t&ops jn France, was last week entertained by the citizens of that town. Dr. Good wa» formerly in practice at Manaia. fhe Rev. Father Bowen, iv proposing the toast of tho guest, said they were honoring the- mast popular man in Whangarei, one who had brought joy and comfort to many a home. He need not have gone to war as he was a married man with a family. But he felt the call, and went to France. Dr. Good said he had been away a long time; he thought he knew a lot, but he had learned a lot. This war had taught some, of U9 many things. One of the principal things it had taught was the good existent m. everyone. Two of the finest fellows he had met at the front were a Roman Catholii- Padre and a Salvatioi. Army captain. Before the war he (Dr Good) was, he supposed, as intolerant as most people Thousands of these brave meu, both in and out of the trenches, were, daily doing deeds worthy of the Victoria Cros?, but they were never heard of. What amazed him was the marvellous pluck of our race. No doubt there were instances of cruelty in the heat of battle, out it should be our hope that after the war, and the guilty were punished, that ths innocent would be able to live. (Applau&e). It was no good to decry our enemy, because if we said he was not a good fighter we ?hould belittle our own men lie was in a position to say. without bragging, that the New Zealand division as fighters was second to none It was classed as the second besi division ftghtir.g in the world at the present time. The Guards division—all picked men—came first, but they included, many New Zealanders and Australians in the ranks. Peaet time and scrapping time, our boys were second only to these picked men of the whole Empire; but when it came to scrapping the Now Zealanders were a? good as any men that went to fight in this war. The newspapers at Home, had spread themselves in glowing accounts over their doings. No doubt this had led to » certain amount oi" jealousy where the Imperial troops thought they were overlooked. Referring to the latest published Australian casualty list, which gave tin total as practically a quartet- of a million, with 40,000 dead, the doctor said; "My God! they fought, and they fought shoulder to shoulder with New Zealand." The war brought us and Australia closer together. No mar. went from Australia but what had a lot of time for New Zealanders, and vice versa. The Australian is a hard citizen, and when- you hear of his lack of disciplinepersonally, 1 have not seea it. What they say about his magnificent pluck cannot be exaggerated. The war had changed our ideas of most men. We used to picture the Frenchman »s a volatile individual, who would go like hell in a charge and run in a retreat. All is changed, and the reality is that their doggedness under war is" equal to that of a Scotsman. It might be invidious to make comparisons, but tviir boys- got on best with the Jocks. It was certain, that the New Zealand troops Were most popular at Home. They wt-.re all looked on as good 'sports,' and as such welcomed by their confreres in England. I could have told you six months ago that the New Zealanders were never given an objective to take but what they took it, and that un to time. (Applause). Speaking to those who were about fo go to the war, thev would find they bad a lot to live lip to. Not to fear death, but to fear showing any fear The spirit was so great that one took heart.