A SOLDIER ON SHRIKERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 17, 20 January 1916, Page 7

A SOLDIER ON SHRIKERS.

I (To the Editor.) Sir,—l returned to Auckland from the front a short time ago, and from pres- j lent indications will soon bo on my way ; i back to the front, ac, thanke to the ex- ! j cellent treatment on the way home, ac | J well ac here, I am feeling nearly ac well as ever. I am not going to complain «t having to return, but etill one cannot help but think it a little unjust thateo'i many young men who.axe -fit lor service ! and have no reasonable excuse for failing! to 'enlist, who are allowed rto stay at'l home whilst others have ;to give up;' everything and fight their battles for: them. Sunday is a good day to form an-j kiea as to the number of these men inj Auckland. I was sitting in one of our ■ !p&rke, and waa astounded by the con-' istant stream of these effeminately atI tired individuals, in most cases accom- • panied by a young lady. To jny way of j thinking, the ladiee who appear in public I with these "coektaile" are ac much to i blame as the others. If the girls •shunned the "shirker," perhaps it would' ; kindle one spark of the man in them, land we would no longer need to be: ashamed of a great number of Auck-! hinders. Also, I think it would be j fair of the Government to issue badges to those who are willing to serve, :but who are "turned down" as medically unfit, and also another to the man who :"hae been there," and.is now discharged jas unfit for service, as I know myself, if j I had been discharged, it would have , jhurt mc greatly to have not been distinguished in some way from.the woret. type of humanity on man who has not got thx> .pluck to turn out: and fight for has King and country in aI war such as this, as we all know we must win, and many must suffer "before. we do. In conclusion, I must -say that I would rather be killed in action than have to admit when the war Jβ over that I was not man enough to "do .my bit"— I am, etc, PATRIOT.