REINFORCEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16293, 28 January 1915, Page 6

REINFORCEMENTS.

Numbers of men desirous of joining the colours do not eeem to be aware of tha existence of a recruiting office in the Stock Exchange Buildings, and a large proportion of those at present enlisting still find their way to the headquarters office in St. Andrew street. As the other recruiting depot is much more central, and was established for the sake of convenience, there is no reason why it should not be more freely used.

THE OVERSEAS CLUB'S WORK.

AN INTERESTING LETTER. Mr J. K. Macfie, secretary of the Overseas Club, received by the mail yesterday an interesting letter from a Dunedinite, a member of the British Expeditionary Force in France, who wrote under date the 4th December last. There is no indication in the letter as to the locality from which it was written, and the date stamp on the envelope shows merely that it was transmitted through the " Army Post Office." The letter say 6: —

"You little thought whon yon were writing your letter to the Overseas Club that it would bo read ' in tho field ' by a Dunedinite on active service. A copy of the Daily Mail, containing the enclosed clipping, was handed to me for perusal, and it seemed like a glimpse of homo to read 'Castle street. Dunedin,' so I am sending you a few lines which are written in haste. I have no hesitation in saying that the task tho Women's Committee of the Overseas Club is undertaking is characteristic of Dunedinites, ever ready to suooaur tho widow and the fatherless; and, oh. what misery there is in this country and Belgium ! Countless numbers homeless, starving, and helpless! Thev have lofit loved ones, massacred bv 'I ho fiend incarnate'; their citics razed to the ground! I assure you that every article you send will be accepted with rrratihu'e by (he poor people. May I sug?esi iln( vnn srn'l plenty of shawls, not boo large. and of blsei; ■wool. The poorer class, especially the young girls, invariably wear them,"

GERMAN WOOL BIDDERS. (ifaou Gum Own Coaaui'ONuxiiT.t WELLINGTON, January 27. Some surprise has boon expressed, says the Dominion, among wool buyers in Wellington at the cable news from Sydney respecting the presence of German buyers and their persistence in bidding for wool at the Sydney sales. In New Zealand it was mado abundantly clear before the first salo was held that not only would bids from buyers representing enemy houses not be accepted, but that all wool purchased must be forwarded to its destination via England. Tho persistence of certain buyers in attempting in the- face of protests to buy wool osrt-ensihly for shipment to America, is considered to be further evidence of the boundless audacity of those in commercial sympathy with Germany, and the lilx manner in which such cases are treated. One recent visitor to Melbourne said that the toleration that is exercised towards Germans and avowed Pro-Germans and Austrians in Melbourne was most alarming.

WAR NEWS

EXTENT OF THE CENSORSHIP. ADMIRAL STURDEE'S FLEET. (Pzb United Pbess Association.) WELLINGTON, January 26. The extent of the censorship on the war oews reaching the dominion is not realised until vessels from overseas arrive and give first-hand aooounts of some of tho stirring events the world over during the past six months. The news which reached Now Zealand on December 10 that a British squadron, under Admiral Sturdee, had disposed of the Gneisenau, iScharnhoret, Leipsic, and Nurnberg created much joy; but to this day mystery has surrounded tho composition of tho British squadron which gained the great victory. Even the English pre®, up till thia evening's mail, was dumb on tho subject. The arrival of the steamer Orari, New Zealand transport No. 6, from Alexandria, afforded an opportunity of hearing further details of wnat took place in this battle. The New Zealand transports, with those carrying the Australian troops, was convoyed, ae is well known, by the Japanese ship Ibuki and H.M.S. Minotaur, flagship of the China squadron. The Minotaur, however, did not proceed with the troops far past the Australian coast. The transports were outside Fremantle on Tuesday, November 3. The convoy then consisted of the Pyramus, Minotaur, Ibuki, Sydney, and Melbourne. Fire days afterwards, however, those on board the transports were surprised to learn that the Minotaur was leaving them, "destination unknown." It was on the following Sunday morning that the big British warship left the fleet and steamed quickly westwards. Where did the Minotaur go? This question was answered for curious New Zealanders to-day when the Orari arrived with official, but hitherto confidential, news that the Admiralty had ordered the warship to join Admiral Sturdoe's squadron off South America. This tho vessel did, and early in December was ongaged in the battle off the Falkland Islands, when the German Pacific fleet met its fate. One of the reasons given for the Minotaur being sent to join Admiral Sturdee's squadron wa« that her guns were exactly the kind required for an engagement with the German cruisers. Moreover, she was one of the fastest cruisers available. The Orari aIBO brought news that the flagship of Admiral Sturdee's fleet was H.M.S. Cochrane, an armoured cruiser of 13.550 tons, a speed of 27 knots, and fitted with six 9.2 in grins, four 7.5 in, and 24 threepounders. She carries a complement of 704 officers and men. The other principal British ship concerned in the fight was the Goliath, of 12,950 tons, carrying 700 officers and men, and four 12in guns, 12 6in, and 10 12pounders.

JOTTINGS

The town clerk of Napier on Saturday (eays the Telegraph) remitted £500 to the High Commissioner towards the Belgian Relief Fund. The total sent forward from that town is £1500.

On Monday 50 oases of clothing donated from Invercargill and other parts of the Southland district towards the Belgian Distress Fund were sent forward for despatch Home (says the Times): The oases filled two railway trucks. An object of considerable interest, in the form of a German helmet from tho battlefield of Ypree, was on view in the window of Meesrs Smeeton (Ltd.) at Auckland on Friday. The helmet (says the Herald) was worn by a member of the first regiment of the Kaiser's Potsdam Guards, and was captured as a trophy by Sergeant Safferty, of the 4th Middlesex Regiment, familiarly known as the " Old Die-hards."

A friend in England, writing to Mr W. Greene (artist), of Timaru, draws a sorrowful picture of the effects of the war, and says (reports the Herald) that he is afraid that the next few years in England will be a bad time for artists, as no one will have money to spend on pictures. The writer further says that everyone now in England, who is in a position to do eo, is volunteering for service at the front. He was in Germany a week before the war broke out and considered himself fortunate to have got clear of it. Mr James Colvin. M.P.. recently (says the Times) telegraphed to the Hon. James Allen, inquiring why the publication of the names of reinforcements was prohibited in Westport, while permitted in other parts of the dominion. The Commandant replied as follows: —"Your telegram to Defence Minister with reference to publishing names of volunteers has been referred to the Officer Commanding Canterbury District to place West Coast on same privileges as other districts. _ At the same time your district is correct is not publishing the names."

The fact that a number of streets in the township of Ngaruawahia bear German names -was referred to at a meeting of the Town Board there on Wednesday night. The clerk to the board said that in his capacity as a private citizen he wished to protest against the retention of these German names under the present circumstances. The names alluded to were Herschel, Tvcho Brache,_ Copernicus, and Kepler. The chairman said that he thought that from national or patriotic viewpoints the fact that the names were of German origin was not a matter of much concern, but he Aid think it inconvenient that the people should be obliged to try to pronounce such unpronounceable names. It was decided that the Surveyor-general be asked to have the names changed. Mr James Holmes, of Hasting?, has received a letter from a niece of hig in Scarborough, dated just before the German raid, in which (says the Napier Telegraph) she says:—"l feel all of a jumble. Everything is so uncertain, while our nerves are all on edge. I just wish you could see the town, every opening, road, passage, etc., along the north and south is filled with barbed wire. There is only the aquarium hill to pass along, and in the aquarium all is heavily mined. After 6 o'clock the streets are in darkness, oven shop windows are not allowed to 6how a light. Then across from Globe street to the Brass Tan. Merchants' row, is sft high with sandbags with holes to shoot through. In Sit. Nicholas Gardens the zig-zag Castle Hill is all trenches, also the Spa and all the other gardens on the south ; Then all up Pump Hill and every opening into the town is barbed wire, _ and it is all to be charged with electricity. It really gives one the creeps to go to bed. All the cliff top, in fact every road of any importance, is under military supervision to prevent any motor car, cart, bicycle, etc., or even persons, coming into the town_ -without a passport. Really I wish I were in New Zealand."

WORDSWORTH ON WAR TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—Let ns hold up the standard of our war poetry. Will you kindly publish Wordsworth's sonnet, written in 1802 (in the heat of the Napoleonic struggle)?: — It is not to be thought of that the flood Of British freedom, which to the open sea Of the world's praise, from dark antiquity, Hath flowed, " with pomp of waters unwithstood." Roused though it be full often to a mood Which spurns the cheek of salutary bandß, That this most famous stream in bogs and sands Should perish; and to evil and to good Be lost for ever. In our halls is hung Armoury of the invincible knights of old. Wo must bo free or die who speak the tongue That Shakespeare spake; the faith and morals hold Which.' Milton held. In everything we arc • sprung Of earth's first blood, have titles manifold. —I am. etc., Readkh. Dunedin, January 25.