NEW ZEALAND REINFORCEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1918, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND REINFORCEMENTS.

To the Editor. Sir, —Some newspapers urge the necessity of reducing the drain on the manhood of New Zealand hy further reducing the reinforcements. One writer .gives the Otago Daily Times as his authority in the matter of examining (lie military position with a view to delaying the mobilisation of drafts, and reducing the number of men engaged in camps in the Dominion, and speaks of the economic waste involved in sending men from New Zealand, in the face of America's closer proximity to Kurope and her inexhaustible supply of men. The writer decides that so long as Mow Zealand keeps up a fighting force of, say, 25,000 men at the front, it is a mistake to comb out the country for more men. What about our promise to supply "the last man and the last shilling?" Why this seemingly fall to zero in the loyally to the Mother Country and the TCmpir*. and in our boasted patriotism'' All seriously-thinking citizens recognise that, the call for men was never more urgent, and that it is not the time for sheltering behind America. Let us take Britain herself, France and Canada, as our patterns, or even America, seeing the way that she is sacrificing: and to sacrifice; but not to follow in the steps of Australia and Ireland. All the fit men of the Empire will be wanted; •Quite Cat Fhuhk, Mfi Wm** Ss^

kails, Italy and Russia. It is childish to consider the worst over, becuse the Allies are at present meeting with grand success in France. Sir James Allen's latest statement says: "It is nonsense to talk of straining businesses to breaking point, and, that during the year up to the end of last June, we sent away 18,000 men, but in that period 11,000 men returned to New Zealand; that is nearly 1,000 per month. The number of men returning from now on is not likely to grow less, and yet it is suggested that we must cut down the present 1,000 per month to even less." No! A thousand times no, say all really loyal people- Let the Second Division prove themselves men like the boys have done. Even now, boys of 10 years are volunteering; and the youths who come to military age, some six hundred or so monthly, are no doubt, forming a large proportion of the reinforecments. One reads or hears little about them; and, with all the mention of reduced reinforcements, and tke "manhood" of N.Z. being taken away, also the "tearing away of husbands from home," etc., there is never a plea for the boys and families wholly depleted of sons of military age. The boys as they become eligible are quietly "raked in." One gets sick and tired of Second Division appeals, essential workers, last man on tjie farm, etc. It is time that our Dominion representatives returned to New Zealand and started legislation whereby all eligible men, including school teachers and other essentials, over which so much fuss is made, can be released for active service. The rest of our popution, the ineligibles, can well afford to "pay the piper" if our Government is game to go about things in the right way. New Zealand is "rolling" in money.—l am, etc., ! WIN THE WAR.