SHIRKERS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 19 June 1912, Page 4

SHIRKERS

Apparently there are still people, even m Jaranaki, the classic ground of New Zea and heroism, who shirk, or try to shirk then- duty under the Defence Act Jt is true that shirking is not a new f^-even m New Zealand, and Mr John Nicholson, an Auckland veteran, in i Jq S r Jle-d °Ut two hom■s, »^'ee in 18W, has oeen giving some reminiscences which should help to cheer some Wlln hiP\— ef? at the Present time. When Mr Nicnolson was summoned to take up arms m defence of his fellow colonists, Major Tighe was the commanding officer m Auckland, and was «STi, ready t0 ILsten to complaints, which, however, were never known to be renewed says Mr Nicholson. We can believe this, m view of Mr Nicholson's description of one of the appeals wh eh was made to the Major. "My lungs (said the appellant; are weak, and if I S to the front I should die, and my mother in England is a member of the Sty of Friends and if she heard of my being a soldier she would die." "Well'" skid the old Major, "it would be a vtrv good job if you both did die. I have on the field or battle after a fight and their last words have been, 'Think God I have done my duty,' and when I tS of these things I could kick you out 0 f nfc Pla- + i; But if yon are n*ot in your 3 d m WI? IT C?T™ y to aJ i P-m., it will not be my fault if you do not be gn-en a quiet funeral "" I n terv n§oE HS St°ry ',Mr Nicholson, now a l 6';^,™ maiE cheerily says that he would like to see Major Tighe's vigorous methods applied to shirkers of the pre? ent time-when there is no actua* fight ng in view or in contemplation! What do the shirkers themselves think of it?