WITH THE NEW ZEALANDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17292, 18 April 1918, Page 3

WITH THE NEW ZEALANDERS

LULL IN THE FIGHTING. INTEKK3T IN Til 10 NORTHERN ISA'LTLIi. (Pkb Ukitkd I'uitsa Association.) WJCLLLNGTON, April 17. Writing 011 the 14ih inst., tlio Now Zealand war correspondent status: —■ At present wo are really inure interested in tho nortnerii battle than our own, for wo know every of the country over wh en liio Geriiuui.s have been advancing, uiiu have many reminiscences o[ the headHinuters \ve oecujned and the homes wo Uved in tliere when lirst we canto to Franco and aftor Ihe fcsoinine batllo. iM.any of theso liave now passed into German liands. Wiido the guns 111 that battle are heard clearly 111 I'ingiand, 110 sound of it reached us hero. For tnc past few daya tho activity on our iruiit luio been coniiued almost entirely to artillery. During the greater part oi tho day tins is normal, but at times it reaches u. giant crescendo, and tho crashing of the big jjuns engaged during the 'night in harassing the enemy makes sleep ior the tune bjing impossible, 'ilio weather has been vji-ria-b-le, ouo day bright, with, warm sunshine, and another like winter. Our Y-U.C.A. has been doing splendid work under most difficult circumstances. Provisions and tolwcc-o wero salvaged out of Albert while it was burning, and the enemy was at c!o*> quarters. Thousands of cups of coooa are supplied daily to our men, and comforts are even distributed in tho front lino .by our devoted Y.M.C.A. workers. A divisional canteen was promptly established. It docs ari extraordinary trade, the takings averaging about 100,000 francs per weak. It ia -patronised by tho English and New Zealand troops.