PROVING THE NEED

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 93, 18 October 1915, Page 3

PROVING THE NEED

A WORD TO THOSE WHO STAY After brief reference to the absolute necessity that eligible men should enlist, Mr. J. P. Firth, speaking at the patriotic cricket match on Saturday, stated how those who stayed behind might help to convince others of the Empire's need. Mr. Firth first congratulated the Cricket Association on its effort to raise funds for Christmas comforts for our heroes, to prove to them that in their far-distant homes there had been real heart-throbbing admiration of their deeds and gratitude for their work. "The Government has pledged this country, the country has pledged itself," he continued, "'to raise and equip a certain force, and we have now reached the stage when difficulties appear to be in the way of keeping reinforcements up to the required ' strength. It is beyond doubt that our young men who are fit should offer themselves. In a letter I received some time ago from an officer, a letter written in the trench, he said : 'If the young men walking about the streets of Wellington could know the 1 conditions here, and know how much they are wanted here, if they then did not come, they would, in after years, be ashamed for their manhood.' I think there is little doubt that if our young men realise .the absolute need that they will offer themselves freely, and I think it is the duty of us who have to stay behind to bjing home to them the absolute need that does exist ; and one of the ways of doing that is to show our readiness, our eagerness, to bear the financial strain? Let us welcome the war tax, and, those of us who have incomes to tax, let us pay up gladly, and ( then give as much more as we can." Some people said they could not afford it. A man had said to him when the Dreadnought gift was made, "We cannot afford it." "Twaddle," said I. "We could afford several Dreadnoughts." I had just returned from a trip which cost me £60 I could have given that, and would only have missed the holiday, and there are hundreds and thousands of others who can give ten times as much without turning a hair. We can afford motor-cars and theatres and. picturepalaces. We can afford tobacco and fine clothes. One thing we cannot afford is not to give. "If we lost in this struggle we lost everything that made life liveable. Thrift was a good trait in national character, but to hold our hand when we should give freely, to economise that we might spend for our own comfort, was selfishness and base ingratitude. He asked them all to give freely. "Those who can give and do not may they meet the same fate as is. I hope, in store for those rich men, two-legged inhumanities, who are doing their best to make a fortune out of the needs of the nation ; may they all have appendicitis on Christmas Day. (Laughter.) They had paid a shilling for a good shilling's-worth. That was Ihe only kind of patriotism that appealed to some people. As he was sure they were not of that class, let them now give' something for nothing. "Something for nothing, did I say? A trifle in return for everything that is worth j having, N for what those heroes are giving " The Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) said that as one of the world's greatest generals had said that the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton, something of the same kind could be said of this war, for members of sporting associations had given the rest of the community a lead. He sincerely trusted that they would maintain that 'lead, and that young men would come along in large numbers to play the greatest game with energy and enthusiasm. Kitchener had said that, given the men and munitions he wanted, he could hold the war in the hollowi of his hand. Let them, then, do their part, so that when peace came with honour to the' country it would be said of New Zealand .that 6he had played no unimportant part in the war. Cheers, on the call of the Mayor, were given for King and country, and also for th# speakers. A collection realised almost £40, including a substantial cheque from Mr. Firth.