OUR MEN IN EGYPT.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15223, 10 March 1915, Page 7

OUR MEN IN EGYPT.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S VISIT.

TROOPS IN GBEA.T HEABT.

(FROM OUIt OWX CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, February 2,

In tho course of an interview to-day, on his visit to Egypt, the High Commissioner told mo that he made the trip on the instructions of the New Zealand Government for the purpose of making such arrangements as were necessary for tho comfort of the members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and organising a record office for casnalties, so that relatives could bo kept well advised of the health of the troops.

Regarding the condition of the troops, Mr Mackenzie eaid:

'The conditions in Esypt are perfect for the purposes for which the troops have been landed there. Not only ia the ground admirable for training and camping, but Egypt i.s a land of sunshine, and the men consequently have tho whole day and every day for training, which is of a, progressive nature. Thoy aro going in for real heavy work, and look very well on it. Their spirit, too, is excellent, and they are onl}* eager to got to the seat of war.

"Thoy were still a little disappointed," added Mr Mackenzie, "at not coming straight to the Old Country, but when the contingent which had been enrolled in England and trained by Captain Lainpen arrived and mixed with the others., they discovered something of what the conditions were at Salisbury Plain, and they were only too glad that their lot had "falien in such a pleasant place as Zpitoun, where they are now well content. Their treatment they are quite well pleased with.

"Tho camp itself," Mr Mackenzie says., "has been well selected. The men are comfortable both as regards equipment and food; they are in <£reat heart. While I was there there was a review and a march-past. The parade was the finer sight, a.% the cavalry took part. Kir William Birdwood took the salute, and said he was proud to have command of such m*m, and that with further training it would be possiblo to do almost anything with them. •'Afterwards there was a march-past, and the Commander-in-Chief, Sir John Maxwell, took the salute. It was a magnificent sight, finer men could not be seen, anywhere, as regiment after regiment swept past, the men averaging 6ft in height, with.not an ounce of spare flesh, light and agile. "One felt: that the words of Sir John Maxwell were true when he eaid it would be impossible to find better material auvwherc in tho world.

"The-heatth of the men is good. The last thing I did before leaving was to visit the hospital where there were about two hundred men. mostly suffering from colds and influenza. I spoke to everyone. They were cheerful and in good spirits. "I am pleased to say that the New Zenlanders were well satisfied with conditions, and from General Godley downwards everyone eeems to be. doing his best. In Cairo they are most popular with the people, and I was pleased to hear some folks say that the New Zealanders were regarded as gentlemen. Indeed, the position occupied 'by New Zealanders in the Old Land just now is most gratifying.. TEMPORAL AND SPIRITUAL PROVISION. "The V.M.C.A. and the Salvation Army have made excellent provision for the comfort of the men. They have erected large,-roomy tents 'and furnished them most comfortably. The men can get light refreshments, write, read, chat, or play, and these commodious premises are very . gratefully used. Services also are held at different times, and are well attended. On Sundays there are regular churchparades and services. I attended three, one' , being on Christmas morning, and I do not know when I ever enjoyed a service more. It was a beautiful day. There the men stood all. around, immediately behind the tents: the place teemed with old historical associations; it.tvae near the city of Heliopolis,. the place where Moses spent so many years of'his life, and where Joseph married his wife. . :..

"The Rev. John Ross read the Church of England service, and then some glorious Christmas hymns were sung to the accompaniment of an excellent band. The Rev. J. Alfred Luxford delivered a sermon most appropriate to the occasion, his congregation sitting down on the desert sand. ■

"Upon other occasions on Sunday mornings when I wn s present the Rev. H. L. Blamires, tho Rev. William Grant and the Rev. C. J. Bush-King, took part in . the services, when brief and pointed sermons were* delivered. I also had the pleasure of meeting tho Roy. Father J. J. Macmenamin, and Adjutant Alfred Green, of the Salvation Army. All these men are devoting thoir utmost energies to the noble work they have undertaken. "Tho men are very temperate. I saw the New Year in at the camp. There was much fun, and the singing of Auld Lang Syne and other appropriate songs. Afterwards I went to Shepheard's Hotel, where a party of New Zealanders were. They rather astonished -a large gathering by dancing the Maori war haka, no doubt the first time it had been seen in that part of Africa. By the way, it is interesting to note that many Egyptian women are tattooed on the lips and chin much in the same manner as the Maori women are tattooed." A HOPEFUL SOVEREIGN. Mr Mackenzie was very much struck by the improvement in the condition in Egypt, due to a great extent to the very much larger area now under cultivation. The condition of, the Fellaheen is very much improved, though there is etill much, to be done to put them in the position that human beings ought to occupy; "The Sultan, with whom I had the privilege of talking on two occasions, impressed mc as being a man of very keen intellect, and one who would devote himself to the upbuilding of his people. He is spare in build, very alert and keen. He has a great confidence in agriculture, and when he heard that,l had been Minister of Agriculture in New Zealand, he at once began to enquire as to what we did in the shape of experiments. I was pleased to-be able to give him information on many points. We then touched upon the question of improving the financial condition of the Fellaheen, and he told mc hie views. I told him of the advances to farmers and workers in our country. He was charmed with it, and I have promised to send him reports on agricultural experiments and the practical working of tho Advances to Settlers and Workers. The usual length of an interivew with the Sultan is fom ten to fifteen minutes. Aβ I was with him on each occasion for about an hour it will be seen how much lie was interested in New Zealand. Concluding our talk, he reverently touched his forehead, and said 'God permitting, I will put into force some of the ideas you have given to mo. It would be. the greatest gratification to mc to raise my people, and I can ccc in the work which. New

Zealand has done a prospect of doing something similar tor my subjects here.' "

.Mr Mackenzie discussed with the Minister of Commerce and Agriculture the prospect of trade between Egypt and New Zealand. At the present time Egypt is producing largely what New Zealand supplies, but as it increases in prosperity there is no doubt there will be openings for frozeD meat, butter, and cheese, and for such fruits as New Zealand can produce. Already some of these articles are being obtained from Australia. THE EGYPTIAN POPULATION. As to tho temper or" the Egyptian population, which is one of the main reasons for the maintenance of «i strong and well-disciplined British Army in the 1 country at the moment, Mr Mackenzie cays the position is that so long as tho people are protected and moderately governed, they will accept the present regime. Naturally some of the Turkish section of the population have strong sympathies with the Turks, yet they would not like to be governed by them. One of their agreeable surprises is that the British troops which occupy their country in force do not treat them as the old Turkish masters used to, seizing what they wanted without payment. Then again, the great bulk ot the population of Egypt is native, consisting of Mohammedans and Copts, who have no wish at till to •) governed by Turkey. RIVALS IN EFFICIENCY. Observers of the Australasian troops in Egypt are agreed as to the excellent state in which they landed and the healthy rivalry which exists between tho New Zealandera and the Australians in the general tas.l; of getting for Flanders. A personal friend who has had excellent opportunities of seeing both bodies at ivork writes to mc: "Your men are looking sodendid — a fine, well-set-up, body of troops. Of course the proximity of a big pleasure resort like Cairo has its diitieulties, which you will imagine, both for the Australians and the iN'ew Zealandera. I have spoken to the officers of both forces, and naturally each fo.-co thinks that its general turn-out and discipline are a little bettor than that of tiie other. As an independent observer J don't think there is very much to choose between the two. Each has its outstanding good points, and provided they are kept at work on a progressive scheme of training, and uiyen enough to do. I don't think there will be much wrong with either of them." AN IiNGLISH CORRESPONDENT'S VIEW. Tho correspondent of the London "Daily .Telegraph," after commenting on the fine efficiency of the Lancashire Territorials, says: "By-and-by it is possible tho men from the Mother Country may have to yield the palm to the youn , ; Briton:; from the Southern Cross. At present they have the start of thorn, but thoy will have to continue their hard work to keep it. Physically the Australians and Nov.- Zealanders have the advantages. Nearly all of them are big, deep-chested men, and the average age would probably be nearer 30 than 25. Some of them are townsmen of all walks of life, professional men standing in the ranks with the horny-handed, but tho majority have left up-country homes, where a life in the open air has made them hardy-and fit for any trial of'endurance. Like the Territorials, they have euthu.ottsm, and they will cheerfully undergo the long hours of work which will render them worthy of taking a pine© beside the British soldier. "The love these men have for their own country is only matched by their affection for the Motherland. They desire to excel as Imperial troone.. but there is iust the requisite amount of rivalry between the Australians and New Zealanders to promote efficiency. The New Zealander asks for the opinion of a Britisher upon tho merits of the two contingents, and what he thinks of the condition of tho horses. The Australian is equally anxious to prove hie superiority, but both are desirous of showing that the Dominion of Canada cannot furnish letter-trained or more loyal troops for the King's service. "All will do well—anybody who has seen them can hnve no doubt of that— and the, colonial forces in Egynt only ask for an equal chance for all "oversea Britons.. The best friend the Australians and New Zealanders have is tho man who declares that when their training is finished in Egypt they are certain to go to France. They aro content to visit the Old Country when they have gone throufgh Belgium into Germany."