WAR'S STERN REALITY

SHOALS OF LETTERS. THE PUBLIC AND REGENT HAPPENINGS. In the last few days the stern reality of war has been borne in upon the people of Wellington as it has never been before, and such must bo the case in every other part of New _ Zealand. From early morning till evening large numbers of people quietly await tho posting of casualty lists at the newspaper offices. Tho avenue leading to The Dominion office, froni which special bulletins are issued very shortly after tho casualty lists are made available by the Defence authorities, is thronged at various hours of the day by crowds of men and women, eager to scan the lists.

Defence Headquarters is besieged with letters and telegrams from relatives and friends of the wounded and others. Since the _ notification of tho first casualty list, anxious inquiries have reached headquarters in shoals, and as these all need to be dealt with a staff of officials is working practically day and night on nothing else than tbis task.

Ever since the war commenced tho Headquarters Staff has been working exceptionally long hours at high pressure. In fact, never since August last have their offices been closed—someone or other has been there all tho time, and the round of the clock has been worked day in and day put. The arrival of the casualty lists has created a great volume of extra work, and, as the Departments already in existence had their hands completely full, a special ' Department for the work connected with the receipt_ of the casualty lists and the undertakings arising out of them is being created. So heavy has the work become, apparently, that the following official notice has been issued by the Telegraph Office:—"A large number of requests arc being made by relatives of members of tho Expeditionary Force to the Defence and this Department for further information regarding the nature of injuries or to convey messages of sympathy to troopers. The military records office at the Alexandria. Barracks is working at high pressure, and will no doubt furnish details at the earliest possible moment.- In the circumstances it is regretted that it is impracticable for the Defence authorities to reply to inquiries of any kind except in cases reported of exceptionally serious or dangerously wounded soldiers. Persons presenting telegrams seeking information of, or conveying good wishes, etc., to. soldiers reported as wounded or slightly wounded should be requested to take advantage of tho special low cable rates provided for such telegrams in soldiers' week-end-messages."

A sale of unclaimed dogs will be held in the Corporation Yards, Clyde Quay, at 2.in o'clock this afternoon.

Mr. J. Rcrell, the i Nurseries. Kllhntn, has jiotirs! in (his issue cpnccj'uiiiE Ujf 1010 plaaliug season,