IN DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 20 February 1915, Page 3

IN DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

CANTERBURY SOLDIER RESENTS PRESS COMMENT. The following letter is printed in the "Egyptian Mail" (Cairo), of December 30th: Like your correspondent Trooper T. W. M'Cristal, of the First Australian Light Horse, I am also somewhat surprised at your apparent ignorance, of matters generally connected with the New Zealand Forces and the country itself. Although New Zealand boasts only one million inhabitants, still they have provided no fewer than 10,000 men to do duty for their King and country; there are another 10,000 men waiting if the call comes for them to go to the front. In your correspondent's remarks one notes an underlying current of sarcasm with regard to the paltry 6000 we have provided. He says that Australia is larger than England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland put together. New Zealand is also larger than England, and Wales, so his description of the size of his own particular continent is not very much to the point. I Chink, however, that, taking the size and population of the two countries into consideration, you : "will find that New Zealand has done her full share in comparison with Australia. He says that the procession on December 23 was "as nearly as possible" an Australian one, but in this respect he Is quite wrong, and, except ior the presence of the the New Zealanders comprised the greater portion of the troops out We have no wish to take any credit that does not wholly, belong to us, nor is there a:iv je-ivJii why any misunderstanding should arise as to the Australian and New Zealand Forces, for their uniforms are not all alike. Your correspondent waxes quite eloquent with regard to many things that are quite beside the point and generally his opinion on Australasia and Egyptian democracy, not to mention the grand procession to Berlin, with banquets waiting us in the Palace Gardens, appears to be nothing but "bosh."- If Trooper M'Cristal expects banquets awaiting him -in the Palace Gardens, then I think he will be a trifle disappointed. Wo New Zealanders do not expect anything of this description. Rather do we expect months of the very hardest work in muddy trenches, and we expect to go through all the hardships consequent on such a bloody war. However, all the world over there appears to be little known of New Zealand. To jog forgetful memories, or to enlighten the ignorant, I might say that New Zealand is a scantily populated place in the Pacific 'Ocean that has produced Anthony Wilding, champion lawn tennis player of the world ; Richard Arnst, of rowing fame.; Bob Fitzsimmons, one of the greatest fighters of his weight the world has ever seen; the "All Black" footballers; arid last, but > not least, the world-renowned-Carbine, who won the Melbourne Cup under lOst 21b (or lOst 51b), and afterI wards sired Spearmint, 'the -winner of the English Derby and Grand Prix de Paris. No doubt this last part of my

letter will "be considered by many to be quite -unnecessary, but surely a land that has produced such stock should be better known by the world generally, and I sincerely hope that the New Zealand troops here at present are advertising their country well and creating at least a good impression in. beautiful Egypt. — ' Yours etc.. MAORILANDER, Ist i(Canterbury)/Regiment. New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The editor of the "Mail" makes an effort to soothe the feelings of the correspondent in the following footnote to the letter: —We can assure our correspondent that nothing was farther : from onr thoughts than to indulge in sarcasm or irony at the expense of New Zealand or its fine troops. The visit of the New Zealand and Australian forces here has been specially welcome, as it has siven us a chance to realise more vividly what a vigorous and reliant race has developed "down-under" from the AngloSaxon- stock.; ■'