SECOND DIVISION AND OTHER MATTERS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16208, 10 May 1918, Page 8

SECOND DIVISION AND OTHER MATTERS.

j TO THE EDITOR Off 4 *THX PBESS." Sir. —To me, and to yon, may be, pity it seems that Mr Massey and air Joseph. Ward are leaving oar shores for the old soil at the present time. There is not the slightest sign at present of this terrible war's termination, and a prediction of two further years' strife may be safe. * At any rate, if the past is to be taken into consideration in this Dominion, distant from the zone of fighting, there are to be faced many difficult problems, which, should be shared by our Government leaders, -to whom we should be able to look for assistance in such until peace is in view, which ought to be soon enough for +heir presence in London. At present we see the small farmer sucking from his land the last drop- of life, growing wheat, whilst in our midst the large landholder smiles heedlessly towards thousands, yes thousands of I pon-productive acres of bare land suitable in every respect for wheat-raism°\ Some day as I wrote you months ago, we shall learn the folly of not "onscripting such land during the currency of the war, for the needful purpose of bread-raising. Practically speaking, we see still hung up by our chiefs, the subject of the becond Division's demand*. What a shame it seems. Shortly we shall see the heads of our families sailing away not knowing what is to be the result. Let us trust no harm comes :n their direction, and let us. as a people, hope that the demands so grave and necessarv may be acceded to, so that every dadd/may C that the mother and babies are at least to be somewhat comfortable dnrin rr their anxious months. Why, as I once wrote you, are the non-combatant section of the community still untaxed, which applies, indeed, greatly to the single non-combatants? Here i we have an assured source of taxation, 1 whereby a substantial amount could be raised, ,which is now lost. The noncombatant to-dav is in many instances oO per cent, better off tlinn ever | ie was. Never mind, he is to be protected and assured a secured higher The -returning lads will bear up to the future and help pav the brunt of. A3 well as having fought for. the privilege of life.—Yours, etc., ° „ , J „ W. L. BRIAN. Culverden, May 6 th.