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Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 19, 22 January 1916, Page 6

j A large number of the Northern s S.S. Company's office staff left for Cowes jj Bty this morning, in company with friends, the occasion being the annual staff picnic. The rain which fell later in , the day will no doubt have tended to j mar the pleasure of the day, though the exceptionally good arrangements c . warrant, in spite of the rain, an enjoyable picnic. A series of races is included J in the programnie, both eexes of all ages -* being -catered for. A New Plymouth soldier, who was wounded at Loos on September 2Sth last-, .- in the great advance in a letter to his c people, givee an incident that occurred t which is very pathetic. He says: " I il have been to Northampton visiting some n people, whose only son, an officer, died t in a little room in France in which he i. and I were lying. I was with him when 0 he died, and wrote and told his people c about it. His mother sent' mc a nice '- letter in which she says:—"We first a knew that he died in hospital, but had •• not another word, so I think you can ° imagine how I have been longing to know ( if the poor dear suffered much, or if ha • ever spoke. Your letter has been more than a comfort to mc. He was always > c such an absolutely perfect boy to us all ._ at home, and I can only think perhaps a I loved him too much. Once more thank- ,. J |ng you for your splendid thoughtfulncss j , in letting mc know about my Lionel. Wo c had letters from his fellow officers, but 0 j none have been able to tell us what no c j one else but you could have done. You o j say h e called out what sounded like y "Ma" three times, and as he always 1- called mc Mam I cannot help feeling that is what he meant." ' • ;'