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Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 February 1918, Page 1

A fire at Bongotea at 1 o'clock yesterday morning destroyed a wash-house, trap shed, and stables on the property of Mr W. G. Bayliss. Called out of bed by the whistle of tho factory, local residents formed a buclcct brigade, and prevented the flames from spreading to the premises of Messrs J. Gould, draper, and F. J. Teaz, butcher. At Wednesday's meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, the chairman said that one of the Board's officials had been called up for military service and passed as fit by the Medical Board, despite the fact that he had several fingers off his right hand. Another official had been kept in camp seven months, and discharged as unfit two days before his reinforcement sailed. Tho Auckland '' Herald'' says editorially:—The exhaustion of tho Dominion's man power is not being approached. as rapidly as might be suggested from the rising figures of the Dominion's forces. Though BS,OOO men "have been despatched • 14,000 have returned to the Dominion; in the last five months 13,000 reinforcements.have loft the Dominion and 3000 soldiers have returned, and arc being absorbed' into the civilian community. For the time being the actual reduction of tho Dominion's man power docs not exceod 71.000. It is probable that the whole subject will be reconsidered during tho special session of Parliament which the Government is expected to convene. It should be approached, not as it was last session by an effort to put an arbitrary limit to enlistments, but with a view to our whole strength being put forward ill the direction in' which we can be most helpful, whether by an increase in reinforcements or by a greater production of food. The matter is, indeed, of such pressing importance that the country is entitled to some guidance from the Government without the delay of several months before Parliament meets.