THE SECOND DIVISION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16203, 4 May 1918, Page 8

THE SECOND DIVISION.

REMAINDER OP CLASS B TO BE GAZETTED. (press .association telegram.) WELLINGTON. May 3. The remaining members of Class B of the Second Division —about 8000 in number—will be called upon en bloc by "Gazette'' to bo issued on the 21st. inst. The first ballot of Class C (.married men with two children) will probably be taken next month. FEDERATION'S ATTITUDE. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON. May 3. Mr R. A. Armstrong, president of the National Federation of Second Division Leagues, has sent tho following telegram to Mr H. S. J. Goodman, provincial representative for Canterbury:— "Refer you to the constitution of tho Federation and its objects: (a) "lo assist the Government to bring tho war to a victorious conclusion, and to secure, by constitutional methods, tho conservation of tho general welfare of all soldiers and their dependants in New Zealand ; also to Clause 11, providing that this constitution and rules shall not be altered, amended, or added to, except at the annual conference, and that there must be thirty days' notice of any sueh proposed alterations. The recent determinations aro therefore unconstitutional. 1 look to you to maintain a hold of the original Christchureh League in aeoordanco with tho constitution, and let tho extremists hive off and form a new organisation for their purposes if they wish, but the National Executive will only reeogniso those standing by the constitution."

Mr Armstrong stales that the National Executive is determined to maintain the League's defined policy otf loyally assisting the Government to carry on to tlic fullest extent possible New Zealand's part in the war. Ho is confident, he says, from tho messages recoived, that the Leagues throughout New Zealand support this attitude, and the criticism of the Government for its administration must never ho confusod with the spirit recently shown hv a section in Christchurch. At the'first mooting held in Wellington ho stated that the League would he no place for anti-militarists and shirkers, and those who have loyally stood by the Leagtio in its great national work of securing adequate conditions of service -will not for one moment allow such influences to tnko control.

THE DOMINION CONFERENCE. Air 1?. A. Armstrong, chairman of tho National Executive of tho New Zealand Sccond Division League, has telegraphed as follows to Mr H. S. 0. Goodman, as chairman of the Canterbury Council: — "Ad%"ise all Leagues in your province that a Dominion Conference will bo hold in Wellington on Wednesday. May at 10 a.m. Each League will bo permitted one voting delegate. Remits must bo within the constitution of the League, and must reach here by May IGth. It is most important, that vo'.i secure full representation." . WAIMATE. A crowded mooting of the Waimate Second Division League resolved to dissociate itself from the resolution passed at Christchurch on Sunday night, and also resolved that certain names of Waimato First Division reservists Viith sine dio; adjournments be forwarded to Sir_ James Allen, aB in the meeting's opinion these reservists were unwarrantably exempted. It was further resolved to call on the Government to conscript the labour of any medically-fit reservist of eneniy extraction whoso alleged sy—r,ni.bv ■with the enemy has been taken bv the Appeal Boards as sufficient grounds for not being sent to camp. ASHBURTON. I A public meeting, convened by the i Ashburton branch of the Second Division League, was held last night, the Mayor, Mr R. Guloraith, presiding I over a good attendance.

The meeting was addressed by the Mayor and Messrs Jones and W. Nosworthy, M.P. Resolutions were passed similar to those which had been adopted at public meetings which had been held in Auckland and in Dunedin, and bv the Wellington executive.

Mr Nosworthy expressed his pleasure at the meeting passing a resolution disclaiming nny sympathy with the disgraceful meeting which had taken place in Chriatchurch. Ho said he was of opinion that the Second Division inen should not bo asked to go to the front without being .in a position to make adequate provision for their dependants. Ho was not going to bo one of those who, for the sako of a little extra taxation, would deny to Ss Y' ves an( J children of the soldiers sufficient money to live on and to ke»i> their homes intact.

TO THE EDITOR 0* "THE I'EESS." In view of the attitude adopted a J\ th° meeting of tho lvembors of the "Cliristchurch Second Division Leaguo 1 last night, the undersigned have resigned -their positions as members )f tho abc-vo Leaguo H. S. J. GOODMAN. K. HOWELL FOUNTAIN, HARRY R. BEST. MATTHEW AItLOV, JOHN REID MOOK'iC. DONALD O. OGILVIE. TO THE EDIXOB OF "THB I'BES3." Sir, —In your sub-leader of to-day. you practically charge me with being disloyal. That is a gross injustice. I have been a member of the Second Division League since early in itu career, and I am also jealous of the good name of our city. That, sir, was the reason that I did not put the motion submitted to me last night because, as you said, the loyalists had left with Mr Toogood. Now, sir, I ask you, would you put a motion under such conditions as prevailed last night, the defeat of which would belittle Chriatchurch 'r I feel sure, eir, you would not. Still believing that I did the best under the circumstances. —Yours, etc., C. E. BOON. 126 Tennyson street. May 3rd. [Mr Boon's explanation certainly puts a different complexion on his' action, and we regret very much if we did him an injustice.—Ed. "The Press."]

TO TIIK EDITOR Of "THE I'RESS." I Sir, —Attention; please, Mr "Harry J. Yates." You are barking un the wrong tree. The only German I 'know (and I am not sure of the spelling is "Ich liobe, die Schwester," and am sure l don't, if the Indv is a pacifist like yourself. Have another shot. It is_ not Second Division men or thei." wives, that 1 am up against. It is Individuals like yourself—men who an-* clogging our sword arm, as the editor expressed it yesterday; men who are paralysing our-punch." I am "agin the lot," a3 the Irishman said, especially feminine pacifists, male skirt dodgers, end some C.O. T s. Your letter is brainy perhaps (I see you claim to havo them), nnd is certainly written in English, but it is not plain. Who is the mischievous one? Wliat is it that must stop absolutely? Sedition? Your readers, Mr Editor, will supply their answers. ' : Chacun a son gout."—Yours, etc.. PETI7R TROLOVE. TO THK EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir. —As the sisters of a Main Body i Anzac, married before the war. we wion. j to protest against the attitude of tl-o

"rold-foolod" section of ' Division men of this citv ; Bo these men and th'eir n-.v— ' stop to consider that they ara SJJf mg behind the possible husbandly their younger sisters? Surelv Elu men of Chriskhurch, JTtt V B "* done the:r btt. and more than thfr V' 111 tllf > raso of returned soldfe^ who f,re sent bark again to the & \et. those bravo men and n*r«wb of twenty hght for the shirked 3 v^,,'°sr»«fi«s SPINSTERS TWO. TO THE KDITOR OK "THE PRESS," ' •^' r - May I l>c aliovled {ft v ... rotor to the hole which Mavor &2S has put his foot into. Can it. be nus'y .suggested that ho renllv the dignity of his position as CwS Magistrate ot tho citv. U 6 ,v™>? promptly have sat upon the dSfiS " Bolshevists wlio got control 0 f IHJ Sunday s meeting. Imt no. the lj m of winch ho is so fonrt. glared in hL eves, and Chnstchtireh was dismal! as a 'I'M,:!t May I suggest that whiUl I Mr Holland holds tho Mayoral chaß should refuse to preside at any mefiW momo-,, by people who have ffiS i de«ire, tho break-up of the great BriU ish Empire.—\ours, etc., on^ VIATOR.

TflK WOMEN'S MEETING. It) THE KDJTQIt OK U XIQC PUBS " Sir.—J read in this morning's piui aii a.'(. oll „f of meeting of (tiiey are also mentioned as ladiesl »fc tho Choral Hall. After tho orderly™* m which the meeting was conduced and the clear way in which tho laife, expressed their views, 1 have no drat* - aiuament will resign i n lx>4y. f can't quite understand what those Wfa did want, but that may be my thjA lieadetlntss. All ] know at tho nrogent time is that every man and woman in tlijv tjcMin.ry must strain every nem to help win the w:.r, either by win* to light, as men, or by stavinjr home, as women, ami ma king" tho bah ot reduced means, if neccssarv. I -ilk hundreds of others, have near and dear ones at the front, and near and dew ones going in Class It, but I feel , cannot help them tiy talking notIMQM on a public platform. If our men tflttst be cither "soldiers or convicts," Irr all means. women of No, v Zealand, kt' them be soldiers. 1 would like to uL- : all who attended (hat meeting'to itfm to another col.imn in this mohriile'* jmper, ami read what the women of ' tsouth Africa are doing to help"tho war i ours, ol<-., < * second division.