DEPARTURE OF THE TWENTY-THIRDS

Nelson Evening Mail, 14 November 1916, Page 6

DEPARTURE OF THE TWENTY-THIRDS

A FULL QUOTA. "LARGE GATHERING AT THE PORT The Kelson quota "oT the Twenty-Third Reinforcements left for Wellington by the Takapuna this morning. The men fell in at the Drill Hall at 9 o'clock, the roll call disclosing only one absentee, ivno, however, turned up at the boat. j±teaded by the National Reserve Band, •they r moved off to the Port, accompanied by a large crowd of town and country people, being cheered at various points en route. Shops- were closed for the time being-: The weather was threatening, but except for a shower during the march the rain held off and the arrangements were carried out without alteration, the speeches, as usual, being made from the steamer. As at previous departures of Reinforcements, there -was a. very large gathering at the w-harf, and the men were given an enthusiastic sendoff. Mr T. A. H, Field, M.P., said that once again citizens had assembled to say good-bye to Nelson's brave sons who were leaving their homes for the front. [Little was it thought when the cables flashed the news that war liad been declared that over 60,000 of the flower of the manhood of this Dominion would cross the ocean to France to figlit for our liberties and for the Empire. Little did Germany! think it either. Germany xhought* the Dominion would cut the painter when war w r as declared —her professors had said that the British Empire was bound together by a rope of sand. 'But Germany, with her usual thoroughness, left nothing to chance. She sent her secret agents to New Zealand and Australia to"sow dissension, strife and class hatred. They saw ..the partial success of the work of those secret agents in the defeat of the referendum in Australia, which, was to Australia's lasting disgrace. It was not the anti-conscrin-tionists who truly represented the/attitude of Labour towards the war, but men 'like the late Sergt. Carey, who •had given his life to save his comrades. The men -who were leaving that day were something higher and nobler than soldiers of aa ordinary army. They were soldiers of our great citizen army. They •were members'of a democracy in arms, fighting- for its existence and liberties. The great Japanese soldier, General Nogi (the conqueror of Port Arthur) had said : "I foresee a war which will be fought out on the plains of Belgium and will leave Germany. .so beaten and terrified that there will not be another war for a hundred vears, and perhaps never." Those leaving that day -were going to help to defeat Germany on the plains of Belgium, and they would do their duty as their comrades'before them had done and -were doins- Me wished them goodbye, (God-speed, and a safe and a liappy return. .-■-;■ ~c iC. J- -"Barley,.'Mayor, of Nelson, said it was a matter of great satisfaction to the SSTelson district- to know that its ■■- : quota was full, and also the next quota, ■Which was evidence that patriotism ran high. The men were about to take part in the greatest adventure they had - ever entered upon. This was the greatest w-ar-the world had ever known. The men were to join in meeting an enemy better prepared and better armed than any ■army had l-eVer before been. The Ivar has been carried on-by Germany in a fashion unknown in civilised times. There had "been more cruelty, ruthlessness and by Germany and her allies tnan in anv war since the dawn of civilisation. These acts, had not been committed by men who were drunk or in the heat of battle, but they were deliberate acts for the purpose of terrorising, the unfortunate people of the invaded lands, bo that tnev: should not dare to raise a hand to free themselves from tyranny. The sinking of the Lusitama, the pUlaeintr of Belgium, and the destruction 01 Bilgian homes, the submarine crusade and the deportation of 25,000 corner, from /Belgium and Northern France were referred to by Mr Harley, who -added that men were now being deported to Germanv. where they would receive no •wages ard would,, be practically slaves, and the men of Serbia were being interned. There was no form of atrocity and friuhtfulness which the enemy dut not adopt. It; was thought at one time that our citizen soldiers would not make as good soldiers as men of. reguto armies, but it has been proved that with a short twining our men were able to take their place at the side of the best -- soldiers in the world. (Hear, hear). Our men had taken a - leading part m the canture of Pozieres and Fleurs, and had Sved at they could not only take losHions, but could hold them- The Xn now Igoing would show themselves Zlto their "comrades who had gone ' " before (Applause). The great sacri- . fee the men P were making ;vas. appreciated. Manv of them were leaving: faims, good position*,, high pay a »2 d jjear iein a spirit of true patriotism, them God-speed and a safe returns ' . „ „ .„_ Cheers were given for the TwentyThirds and for the men at, the iiont, and the National Anthem was played b> th The ai National Reserve Band played spirited quicksteps » the »«<*. rhe ■Rand has been strengthened by the aJdS of Mr W. Craufieldj a > cornet" "Slaver who has recently come from Shri"church, and who was in the ranks '" to-day. Those leaving to-day were : Askew, J. W. M. Anderson, W. T. Askew, W. T. Avery,-F. W. Black. J-Fl Benzoni, H. M. O. Bradlev, R. J- H. Burnett, F. M. Clarke, R. Coppell, J. H. Ooppell, M. 11. Calnon, L. O. Duncan, H. Clarry'W. M. Dominick, F. A ' Docksey, A. H. Dowriie, A. J. Ellis, C. Fmst. H. A. L. Fry, W. R. Ferguson, H. Fkywerday, H. Or'oobv, A. L. Griffith, C. Happy, - W. / Harris, J. H. / Harvey,-. <J. J. • _ ■': / Heenan, R>EHughes, M. J. Hurley, D. Hesseltine. W. L. Kidson, H. L. Logan, J. K. Lynch, P. P. lioclrwood, H. McLaren, .T. C Newlove, E. Roper, R. J. Shearv. B. S. St. John, H. B. Sowman, N. Urwin, H. Vallance, H. Wadswortb, C. G. Watson, N. WeS T ergang, C. H. Webb, H. E. Windleborn,L. H. Warren, J. r■■ • . ~