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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13636, 17 March 1915, Page 9

A well known .Auckland citizen H.M.S., writes from London: The war has produced many now organisations, especially military ones, and tho Opti^ mists' National Corps of Volunteers is one of the earliest and best organised, comprising 1500 members, and including ai- transport corps of over 80 members.^ The work undertaken by. the corps, apart from its usual drill "and marching, has been of a very useful* character, and among other activities comprises on the part of the transport section, the pleasuro afforded Jto convalescent soldiers from tho /various Red Cross hospitals m the suburbs, m taking them for country drives,- as they are able to make . the effort. Some half-dozen cars are engaged m this work evory , while every day . the corps supplies the. War Office with cars' for the use of ..the .officers m conynand of the various metvopolitan recruiting districts.

B|jeaking of (he need for 'optimism ;:'. a social, Mr J. Poynton, S.M., drew a, very brig-ht ])icluvc of New Zealand its' (iomp.tred with other countries of the world. Ho pointed, out hOw our climate was undoubtedly the best m tho world, even better thnn that of Italy. There wjxs an absence of big eruptions which sometimes ravaged other, places. -. The ,<leath-rato was- exceedingly 'low,- and one year a- world's record for they lowest death-rate had been established. . Mr Poyntoii also" pointed out that, New Zealand had a picked community, 95 per <ont. being British. The country . was richly endowed with minerals, and there was a wonderful future .ahead m respect <>f water power. New Zealand had also' ■ institutions: -which ij'io other- country possessed,, such as State Fire Insurance and :m Advances Office, and it had experimented with practical Socialism with wonderful success. The public debt, though big. was not a burden, as much of the money bprrowed was reproductive. Tho - borrowed money' had not been spent on wasting wars, but on works that were benefiting the country. New Zealand's educationul system was excellent, and even the child of the poorest man,; if it, had the talent,^cotild rise to" the highest position m the" land. There was an absence of that class dis--1 motion experienced m other countries. T'lie criminal records, Mr Poin'ton also pointed out, wore tho lowest m the world. New Zealand had not had a faili'i l e m its crops for something liko 50 years. Looking at all thoso things, said Mr Poynton, one should certainly be thankful.