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Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 949, 19 September 1918, Page 8

Death is still taking its toll of the bright and brave young manhood of New Zealand. Amongst the latest list of war casualties appears the name of Lieut. William John Rusden Hill, well known in Wellington as a very promising journalist and a. keen sport. He was a son of, Mr. S. Hill, of the Government Valuation Department, and was one of the first volunteers for the war. He was wounded: at Gallipoli, and his letters from that place were equal to the best we have read, so full of graphic power were they and so telling in their passages of unforced humour. Lieut. Hill, who went away as a full private, came back to New Zealand as a sergeant, and it is only a few months ago that he returned to the war front with a lieutenant's commission. And he had only been a few days back to the firing line _when he received the wound from which he has died. "Billy" Hill was a good cricketer, a life member of. the Wellington Football Club, and in all the relations of life a real good fellow.

Another bright young man has passed away in Huon Gibbons, eldest son of Mr. J. R. Gibbons, the popular chief reporter of the Wellington "Post." He was a member of the "Post's" reporting staff when he enlisted at the. age of 19 and went away as a. gunner with the Artillery draft of the 40th Reinforcements. There was no baptism' of fire for him; for he died of influenza and was buried at sea on September 6th while on his way to the front. According to information received by Sir James Allen influenza of a virulent type must have swept through the ship, for 74 of the men of the 40th died from it.

Dear Free Lance, —Mr. Wilford's lecture on our beloved Italy* and her share in the war was a fine effort. Of course, the cold, wet disagreeable night kept many hundreds away who would like to have been there. _ May I, therefore, suggest that Mr. Wilford be asked by the Italian Committee to repeat his lecture on a Sunday night, when I am sure the Town Hall' will be packed to the doors? Operae pretium est. Viva Italia!—Yours Beppo.