ENCOURAGEMENT OF PATRIOTISM.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12935, 15 October 1907, Page 7

ENCOURAGEMENT OF PATRIOTISM.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE TRESS."

Sir, —The remarks in your sub-loader in yesterday's issue about the good example set by Lady Plunket to tbo people of our young Dominion iv regard to tho oncouraging of our young men in learning to defend their country aro most true, and I am glad you mado them, for I think that tho Press, and every influential body of New Zealanders should join in doing their utmost to discourago tho feeling that is, I fear, very common that ■volunteering is useless play, and especially "No class" as an occupation for young men. As you know, I made a record of the New Zealanders' share in the Boer War. and you might bo surprised if you knew of the discouragement 1 received —editors of influential papers assuring mo that tho subject could not be of, at anyrate, selling interest in New Zealand two years after the -war. However, the late Mr William Fenwick thought otherwise and published the anonymous narrative in the "Otago Witness," and 1 believe that it was appreciated hy the returned troopers among his readers. Then 1 brought it out in book form at the Exhibition time, hoping that it would do its mite toward helping tho patriotic efforts ot tho volunteers; and, to tho credit of the publio and my publishers, I may say thnt it sold unusually well (I am told by the trade) for a book of tiiat sort, though I shall bo surprised indeed if I got back half the sum it cost inc. But what is of interest is the feeling in general society toward voluning, as shown by the comment* I heard.

"Tho volunteers ought to bo much obliged to you for making so much of their doings," was one of th© most frequent—as if I had invented instead, of recorded tho incidents and tho praises they won; and, again, often and often I heard, "Oh, they went to the war i'orthefunof it, not for patriotism," . . as if that could be a just criticism of tho men who went after suffering, or hearing of what had to bo suffered, in that campaign l . Again, many of those who did gallantly in South Africa think it beneath their dignity now to associate in camp or manoeuvres with volunteers, instead, of jiriding themselves on helping to tirain them. Altogether, it reminds mc of what a lady traveller iv India told mc, that with Eurasiam ladies the first question about any now idea was, "Is it faasonP" meaning fashionable. Volunteering Mtherto has not been "fasson" in New Zealand. One can only hope that as we, as Britishers, must bo a nation of snobs, encouraging the volunteers may become "fasson" with Lady Plunket s kind nnd wise help.—Tours, etc., S. ELIZABETH HAWDON. Underwood, Peel Forest, Ocl. 13th.