NOT TOO OLD AT 45!

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 9155, 1 June 1915, Page 2

NOT TOO OLD AT 45!

TO THE EltiTOa " GCABDIAN."

Sir, —With the pressure of tho need for more men to uphold the Empire's existence in the present crisis, may 1 make a suggestion which, from my point of view, is reasonable, and one likely to meet with the support of many in like circumstances to myself? I am 45, and therefore over age, and slightly physically unfit, though still able to do a day's hard work. I have been rejected as unsuitable to serve our country at tho front. I know that I ora physically more fit to carry out the duties necessary than many of the youths of 20 years, taken from offices, who are .being accepted for service. We read in the' meagre news forwarded about the landing in the Dardanelles that the troops landed, and pushed forward, under exceptionally hazardous conditions and that many valuable lives were lost in the first few hours' fighting. Why . should young and trained men be sacrificed for two or three or 36 hours' sharp work, when there are many men, who are supposedly unfit to outlast n campaign, able and willing to volunteer for these duties? With the necessary military training, many mon now rejected by the authorities would be quite suitable to carry out the initial hazardous work. I am "sure that n regiment eou'd bo secured on the 'un.dorsta.Tidinff that they were accented puvelv for tho purpose of preventing the loss of lives more valuable than their own to thrc nation. >

All this talk of t,nlcms morriod men is nonsense?, until every singio man

without family ties is representing Ms country at the front. If my suggestion is feasible enougTi to be adopted, I am sure that there would bo such an increase in applications as would ease the minds of the authorities in respect to getting sufficient men for the front. REJECTED.