LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23850, 28 December 1940, Page 10

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

DOGS AND TITIRANGI Sir, —As a fellow resident of Titirangi, 1 confirm the damage done in the district by uncontrolled dogs, as complained of by Mary Gee. fortunately we have no cat for neighbours' dogs to destroy, but my wife and I endeavour to find recreation in our garden and grow a few vegetables and flowers lor our modest needs. It is not very encouraging when one finds that plants raised at some expense have been damaged and in many cases ruined by neighbours' dogs. It is quite a common sight when one visits the local post office to see six to eight dogs, most of them mongrels, and col la rless. Surely the riding representative must realise that we ratepayers art* being twice penalised, by damage to our gardens and the loss of registration fees. 1 suggest that, if the dog owners cannot keep their animals under control, we take other means and rid the district of this menace. Ratepayer. REJECTION OF CHRISTIANITY Sir,— Bishop Simkin in his Christmas sermon, referred to Germany s rejection of Christianity. Twelve months ago, all the churches in Germany on Christmas Eve were open, and were well attended. In England, the newspapers complained bitterly of the paucity of attendance, pointing out that at a time when the Empire was passing through a crisis, the churches should have been crowded. Hitler, in the building ot' his Pan-Germanic Empire is endeavouring to foster on Germany an absolute German Church. He claims that the Germans are "the chosen people," and he is the chosen prophet thereof. Some lew years ago, lie replied caustically to British criticism, contending that England had a State Church, whose rules, regulations and dogmas were decided bv Parliament without the slightest reference to the people. Of course, uo one endorses this Hit—lerian logic. But Germany, as a nation, has not rejected Christianity—no more than the workers have rejected trade unionism. We all realise that we are not warring with Germanv over Christianity or its rejection. The non-Chris-tians in the British Empire outnumber tlie Christians by three to one. No Anglican prelate (including Bishop Simkin) would dream of suggesting that the millions of non-Christians in our liberty-loving Empire will ever come over to Christianity. In the present struggle. Britain has solidly behind her, Mahoimnedans, Buddhists, Confucians. Brahmins, Christians (Protestant and Catholic), Deists, .Materialists, etc. We are fighting to put down Hitlerism and all iT stands for—without the slightest regard to what angle Hitler and Company (or Germany) may approach or regard Christianity. H KttliKHT MIL Villi LT„.

THEN ANI) NOW Sir, —Perhaps it is pertinent at the present time tu give a first-hand impression i)!' the reaction of the man on active service when lie reads in Jiis letters or newspapers of slacking on the home front. The following is an excerpt from a general article written by the undersigned in the trenches in tii© Ypres sector (Belgium) in December. .1917: "1 have often thought that if those grumbling go-ou-strike. fellows, who are at a safe distance from the battlefields, had to endure the work here tor a few months in winter, and could see how vital it is that the Army should lack for nothing necessary for waging war A\iih, and for keeping men lit and well, there would be less quarrelling over things that do not really matter." We were on duty for 21 hours a day, or "on ort 11" at all times. Any man refusing duty in the face of the enemy was liable to very severe punishment. .Mr. K. \V. Doidge, MP., has rightly emphasised that this is an "all-in" war; that being so, should not similar disciplinary measures apply both in and out of the forces:' li be has been through the military mill, it makes even a liberal-minded man bitter to see some of the slacking now going on. This war has hardly begun yet. I hope Mr. Doidge will not think 1 am asking him to play the game a bit too low down when I suggest that, in view of the immense efforts and sacrifices ahead of us. he should bluntly battle for equal treatment, purely as a war pleasure you know, of the cream of the proletariat. the elite of the new aristocracy, with the common soldier. Matamata, T. E. McMillan*.

THE HOME GUARD Sir,—With reference to the so-called apathetic meeting of residents at Brown's Bay. called for the purpose of starling a Home Guard unit for the Fast (.'oast bays, may I state what was passing through many of the audience s minds and which could not be dissipated by liu l oratory of the visitors present.' Firstly, the nature of the oath.declaration and term of service. .It is felt that they are too comprehensive for a life service, i.e., 16 to 6(1 or until lawfully discharged, in the lastwar the term was for the duration of the war and one year after. In the regular forces it is for i, 14 and Jl yoai-N. Major A. \Y. Short, commander of the Auckland area, when asked what the clause "1 will place inv services unreservedly at the disposal of the corps ' implied, said the meaning was actually under at the time and had not been determined. Secondly, we had a very definite syllabus of military training and division into age classes issued officially. Ihe following day. the Hon. R. Semple laid down a further definition. In this interview he said he required men physically lit men for heavy labouring work and for constructing permanent obstacles -—obviously a navvy corps which would not require military training. I hey would also construct movable obstacles which would just as easily he removed bv an invading force. Ihe real object oi' an organisation on the Mast Coast, jj.,, the provision of beach patrols, Mr. Semple said, "until an emergency arose these duties could be carried out bv men in the normal course, of their daily occupations, such as shepherds, etc.'' The only ta>ks mentioned in which special training would be required would he to oppose enemy landings, and to produce new sketch maps, etc., but a week later Brigadier I'. H. BelV. U. 5.0., N.Z.S.C., officer commanding the Northern .Military district. stated that the extent of the duties had not yet been determined. Thirdly, with regard to discipline). Being an unpaid corps with elastic duties no system of discipline could be enforced, and if a guardsman refuses or is absent front duty no punishment can he levied. Fourthly, the willing, capable, but elderly and enfeebled returned men are strongly urged to join when hundreds of fit. and strong young men emphatically refuse to turn to. No Governmental or local pressure is being exercised to bring them into the scheme. Having stated objections, might 1 offer a few constructive proposals: The term of service should bo universally the same, i.e., the duration of the war and for one year after. (2) Conscription of every male and female in New Zealand.; local committees to have the power to free all cases with an obvious claim. (.'<) Training as laid down in the original official statement to be carried out,. (4) Pay for all drills and parades on military bases, and extra grants for proficiency in musketry, signalling, scouting, etc. (o) The supply, transport and distribution of articles involving the war and subsistence should he placed under military law, pay and conditions. 1 am fully convinced that unless we .mobilise the whole nation on a war footing it will be useless. „ All other methods are only pretence and the nation jvill crash in ruins. Mick.

CLOSING OF MOTUIIII Sir, —On bolialt" of the people of Auckland, 1 wish to enter an emphatic protest at the closing of Motuihi Island to the public. Like a boy whittling a stL-k, so are our rights being taken from us little by little. \\ e all know there is a war on, but we treasure this right gained tis. First Pangitoto is out of hounds, now Motuihi, and is it pure logic if one asks the same of Waiheke and Kawau Island? But surely the remedy is to concede a point to the military, fence off a spot, and let the public have the rest. It was 300 years ago that an English gentleman in the House of Lords mentioned "That the power of the Crown has increased, is increasing, and must be reduced," and it is only by protesting that one can win the battle within for our liberties, that certain gentlemen at Wellington take to be of so little account. Pno Bono Publico. MILITARY MEDICAL SERVICE Sir, —.Regarding the complaint by Private F. C. A. Wilson with regard to the medical treatment he had received from the military authorities, I would be grateful if you will permit me to make the following observations. 1 wish Lo dispute Private Wilson's adverse criticism of tho medical treatment- available in Egypt. In my opinion, and that of all other soldiers with whom 1 have ever discussed the matter, the medical officers, medical orderlies and all associated with the medical service are doing splendid work, and oitcn under very dillicult conditions. Sick parades are held every day, and. with the field hospitals, and a permanent and up-to-date hospital tor New Xealanders near Cairo, everything that is humanly possible is being done lor those who require attention, 1 write strongly on this point, as I do not think it fair that relatives should be given cause to worry about the soldiers unduly. With regard to the rest, camp at Dealali, the food was both plentiful and of excellent quality, and, with the friendly Indian orderlies and English soldiers, the stay there was a most pleasant one, and I cannot imagine anyone goin£ back in health. I know I didn't. 3807 (Ptk.) E. V. Morrish. 18th Battalion, 2nd X.Z.E.F. FORTY-HOUR WEEK Sir,—There was one point in .Mr. TC J. Peter's second letter on the 40-honr week which, to my surprise, nobody iias taken up. Mr. Peter attributes the French debacle to "the overwhelming superiority of Germany's mechanised army, the building of which had been accomplished with a singleness of purpose and a total disregard for outworn methods of either waging war or financing the necessary projects for achieving the desired result." As quoted this statement implies an approval of Nazi methods which one can be quite sure Mr. Peter does not feel, it also ignores certain important facts, principally that the German singleness of purpose included callous disregard of the rights of labour and all other humanitarian considerations. In proof, a friend of mine, in Germany just before the war, tells of seeing men and women being marshalled into the factories at five o'clock in the morning: not of hearing about it, but of actually seeing it happen. It is because they recoil from the thought of British people being subjected to such tyranny, and worse things, that many in Now Zealand who would not stand for a general attack on hours and conditions of work simply do not believe that a temporary sacrifice of the 40-hour week is too much to ask in the cause of an all-in war effort. Without- endorsing or accepting anything else of the German method, this country might well copy something of the German singleness of purpose. M. P. Hkrbf.rt.