SOLDIER-FATHER OF ELEVEN

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 140, 13 June 1918, Page 11

SOLDIER-FATHER OF ELEVEN

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—-Will you please allow me a ahort space in your valuable columns with reference to this clipping from the London Daily Mail Overseas Edition, dated 20th April, 1918 : "A man with 11 childien, one of whom is serving in the forces, and four brothers in the Army, ■has been refused exemption by the Hit- | chin _ tribunal. "\ When one notes the | decision of this tribunal, I ask you, sir, what have the New Zealand Second Division men to grumble about? Have they, for one moment, considered the pay which the British Tommy receives* and the number of children dependent upon him, and he does exactly the same work and shares the same.hardships with his New Zealand brothers ? He is not making much fuss about a "nest egg" ' and exorbitant allowances to his wife j and family. Then, again, while the New Zealand soldier is on service he is eating Government rations which his wife does not have to buy; of course on the same footing as the "Tommy." The wives" of the several thousand married men of New Zealand may well be proud of those «husbands who voluntarily enlisted, aifd many of them, I am sorry to say, paid the supreme sacrifice. In the trenches the single men often said : "We do not like to see the married men here until it is absolutely esesntial." The married men replied : "What is your battle is ours also. We certainly have wive;; and children dear to us, but many of you liave aged mothers.." Silence would then reign. Now I ask you, sir, has that absolutely essential ■time arrived? New Zealand has played an honourable part so far, which I trust will be held up by the married and single" men alike, and knock off this shuffling.—l urn, etc., RETURNED SOLDIER. 12th June.