Advice to Mr McCombs.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15746, 13 November 1916, Page 6

Advice to Mr McCombs.

Wo would not willingly bo unfair to Mr McCombs or even to a German. We must confess, however, that we grudge the waste of valuable space devoted to the long, rambling effusion published to-day, in which he seeks to throw dust in the eyes of the public. One of these days Mr McCombs will be asked: "What did YOU do in the Great War?" We hope the Lyttelton electors will put that question to him when he next asks for their votes. At present a truthful answer would run somewhat as follows: "I took no aetivo "part in assisting voluntary enlist- " ment or in helping any patriotic "fund. I did my best to keep alive " class hatred at a time when the wel- " faro of the Empire required that the "whole people should be united against a common foo. T signed a mendaci"ous 'manifesto' addressed to tho " people of Australia, and to the best '"of my small ability helped to bring " about that defeat of the referendum " proposals —a defeat which caused " shrieks of joy wherever the Huns " were gathered together. When com-

,: pulsory service was on the eve of " being brought into force in New Zea"land, I made a suggestion with tho " professed object of stimulating re"eruiting. I did not appeal to the " nobler instincts of the young men of " New Zealand —to their love of coun- '■ try. their righteous' indignation at " the atrocities committed by the Huns '•'on women and children, or to their "lpyalty to their fellow-countrymen in " the trenches. My appeal was to " motives of the most sordid kind —an " insult to New Zealand manhood." There is only one way in which Mr McCombs can now set himself right-. Our advice to him is—"Get into khaki, "if you can. And do it quickly, while " freedom of choice still remains to "you."