OUR HIGH COMMISSIONED

Evening Star, Issue 16409, 27 April 1917, Page 1

OUR HIGH COMMISSIONED

TEMPTATIONS FOR NEW ZEALAND ■ SOLDIERS. [Fnoii Our Own Cobrkrfonbent.J . LONDON, February 17. pir Ihomaa Macivcuzio, the High Commißsioner, wa-s present at the opening by the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, the Prime Minister of -New Zealand, of the large hall and. canteen erected by the Young Men’s Christian Association at Siiug, which took place on the 26th February. in addressing the troops Sir Thomas saic that lie wanted to say a few words to their similar to those he had already spoken tt I ot.ier brave lads who had previously comt I from New Zealand. There would bo manj j temptations to face'in this country, and promtoly in France, and they would reliullf their courage in resisting them, lie renew that allowances had to be made for L.ie frailty of human nature, and he did not expect New Zealanders' to he- different to other men; but v, 'at he would ! .liko to impress' upaVi Tbp Dominion had sent LV-vn?* here ‘and -en trusted them with a great and noble work. They were always in the minds of their friends and relations, and it was their imperative duty to resist anything which in toe least degree tended in the direction of making them unfit for their great and selfsacrificing task. On the 2Bth February, at the luncheon n Inch was tendered by the Butchers* Company to Mr Massey, Sir Thomas Mackenzie replied on behalf of the visitors, anr was one of the last to speak. He said lit j\ould detain them only tor a few moments, but lie felt obliged to mention a subject of the utmost importance. It might sound a little oyt of place at a social gathering but it was not often in these times that one had an opportunity of meeting in the same loom the chairman of the London Countv Council, the Lord Mayor of London, and so many influential City people, and he therefore deemed it his duty to speak very ’plainly on a matter that was causing him serious anxiety. The chairman of the London County Council had remarked that ho never walked along the Strand without adnimug (.10 splendid physique and bearing ot the New Zealand soldieis who had come here to help fight the Empire's battles, lie (Sir 1 homasl would ask the chairman of the London County Council, the Lord Mayor and aldermen of the City of London, what part they were performing in orc.er to preserve this magnificent phvsiqno and manly bearing? Were they doing anything to remove the temptations to drin’king that prevailed in certain parts of the City? Tbore was another and an even worse evil than that in our midst. The mothers, sisters, and sweethearts of New Zealand had nobly seconded the patriotisni of their men to come to fight for the Jhinpire, but they had not done so in order that the men should bo exposed tc greater risks in the towns of this country, with, infinitely worse con sequences than were the dangers to be met in the fighting line in France. He asked the Lord Mayor and the chairman of the London County Council what steps they were taking to rid the Strand _ and other streets in this great city of disease-infected women who were daily and nightly waylaying our soldiers? I hey were doing absolutely nothing. they talked a great deal, but they were not effectually moving a single finger to correct those shocking evils. They were in authority, and they had the power to lake steps, and ho called upon them, ii not in the name of their own soldiers, a* any rate in the name of the soldiers from overseas, to rid themselves, so far as it was possible, of the conditions to which he had alluoed, and at the earliest moment. -\fter the meeting the Lord Mayor came to the High Commissioner and said that it was intended to take steps at once.