WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

Evening Star, Issue 16089, 14 April 1916, Page 3

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

JOHANNESBURG, April 12. Sir Lionel Phillips (tho South African magnate), in the course of a war address, said that Admiral Von Spee's defeat was fortunate, as he had intended to bombard Cape Town. SOLDIERS' PARCELS. A former member of the ' Evening Star' staff (who went with the Fourth Reinforcements), writing from Cairo to friends in Dunedin, says: "I was very pleased to receive your letter, hut I am-sorry to say the Christmas parcels you sent have not come to hancl. This i's nothing unusual. Since leaving New Zealand I have not received a single parcel, although my letters always arrive safely, and nearly always mention parcels. I delayed writing you, hoping the gifts might tu'rn up, and I also wrote to the O.C. Post Office, Alexandria, but nothing eventuated. . . On Gallipoli I received a smack on the nut (it's always in trouble '.) ; kept me in bed for 15 weeks. I was sent to Mudros then to Malta, Port Said, and back to Cairo, so I hud a rather decent tour round. lam on light duties here at present. It is much more, comfortable than the Peninsula—no bullets or high explosives to annoy one. We had a great Christmas dinner—turkey and duff ; it was real good. But. to tell the truth, lam heartily sick of these foreign places, and won't be sorry when the business is' over and I am back in Dunedin." THE LATE LIEUTENANT TAYLOR. Some particulars have been received in Dunedin regarding the death of Lieutenant William Jack Macdonald Tavlor. who in action at Gallipoli."' Lieutenant Taylor, who was a son of tho late Mr W. E. Taylor, F.R.C.0., and Mrs Tavlor of this City, left with the .Main Expeditionary Force from New Zealand as a'sergeant. When in Egypt he pawed 'the olhcers examination with distinction, and was attached to the Ist Border Regiment At Mrs Taylor's request a relative in England wrote to the War Office askinir tor particulars of Lieutenant Tavlor's death, 'these tho authorities were unable to supply, but forwarded the addresses of three privates in the regiment who were in hospital in England. These men were written to, and tho following replies came to hand: From Corporal T. Leigh, Ist Border Regiment: "I was at Gallipoli on tho dates mentioned in your letter, but I was not close to Lieutenant Taylor when he was killed, but was going into the trenches when the stretcher-bearers were bringing him out. I was informed that ho luuf been shot through tho head, and died shortly afterwards. Lieutenant Taylor »M greatly respected by oUiecrs, n.c.o s and men of tho Ist, Borderers." ' From' Private Williamson: "I was at Gallipoli last year, and left tbere on December 24. Lieutenant Taylor's death was a grsai shock to all of our boys for he was well liked in the regiment,' and was greatly missed in our battalion. Plsass accept my sympathy. I am uncertain ns to how his death occurred, but 1>« was buried by our own regiment, and vo'u oan believe me b.3 had as good a burial as tho boys could provide; in fact, one cannot get much bettor when buried at hom». If it will bo of aw service to you, I will make inquiries from some of "my cbuj*is who came home on the same snip as myself. Lieutenant Taylor waa killed *t C»po H«lles." Tiw third man was one of the .first to be wounded that day, and knew nothing about the maeaer of LUuttnaafr Tkyter'a death.

OTAGO WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION. ' — St. Clair Branch.— The weekly meetings were held on Thursday afternoon and; evening. Owing to the Easter holidays there will be no meetings again until the 27th April. The exhibition of work and the jumble sale will take place the first week in May, and donations of all kinds will be gratofullv received. A number of donations were acknowledged. PATRIOTIC DEMONSTRATION This week's open-air demonstration will be heid at the Town Hall steps to-morrow night, when addresses will be given by the Eev. R. Fairmaid and Mr John M'Donald. The need for enlistments lor immediate, use still exists, and is likely to exist until the back of the war is broken, and that will bo brought about all the sooner when we—and, in fact, every part of the Empire—realise that every ounce of strength must be used, and, if needs be, every man brought forward, in order to do everything possible in this great struggle. Mr Fairmaid and Mr M'Donald may be depended on to make the very utmost of the opportunity in order to reach those who havo not as yet made up their minds as to which way their duty lies; whilst the 4th Regiment Band wi'll provide the necessary music to ensure that the occasion will be a stirring and an enthusiastic one. There is room for everybody in the Octagon, and given fine weather "a " full house " should result. " M.E., Roslyn," forwards u s 7s 6d on behalf of the Belgian fund.