A PADRE'S DUTIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17576, 18 March 1919, Page 8

A PADRE'S DUTIES

ANB A PLEASING RECOGNITION. Chaplain Captain Winton, of the Salvation iicmy, m two letters (written irom Godford) to a li-iend in Dunedin describes some oi his duties at the iNew Zealand hospitals On Christmas JLtey, -at Aotea ±toa, Cadres Boss and Win ton conducted service and gute wore distributed amongst tno boys. i'iie -writer says: "What caa 1 eay about the decorations in the hospital wards? Ihey were lovely, each sister navmg a duterent design, and all tastefully carried out. There were three prizes 01fered by tue CO, (Oolonei Holmes;, and the fortunate winners were: 1, fcfeer Jensend, bisters Porteoua and lioniewood jequal) • 3. Sister Lewis. There were plenty of goose and turkey, and sweets in galore, kach ward had a father Christmas, and a big tree in tho centre was decorated with gilts for all patients. At night it was a very pretty sight. At the muss rooms of works Bo Aorth and South Company (under Major Cray), won first prize (£6), and corporals' iiiose won a similar amount amongst the non-commissioned officers. The menu for Christmas dinner was turkey, beef, potatoes cabbage, peas, and all kinds of sweets, with mineral watei£ and other liquids. After dinner and a sing song at the' hospital, ±|adre Winton returned to Aotea Rca in time for the finish of a" concert arranged .by the boys.

Writing under date January 23 Padre Winton. says: "Just recently I saw the boys off on the Oxfordshire from Liveroool, and received their last massages, "including 150 wires, which I wrote out at the post office. That trip -was one I shall never forget. The side- of tho ship was lined with 'diggers' as she drew out, and three cheers were given for the white man' (they call me that); then they sang out the number of a hymn. I beat time with my walking stick, and the whole side of the ship took part and sang 'Oh Godi Our Help in Ages Past. , The people on the quay stood and looked—the sight was so impressive. A similar experience was mine <at Tilbury Dooks on Wednesday, the Bth. ? Oh, what a job 'to give each boy a little gift before leaving camp—each man received a cake of nice soap, hand-

kerchief, end whiting material which they £.Y a PPT ocia te-" Colonel 'Griffiths, on i behalf of the non-commissioned and men at the ■Oodford depot, made a, presentation of an illuminated address to Chaplain Winton, and spoke very appreciatively of the work Padre (or "Digger") Winton had done, and the sympathy he had shown for patients in the hospitals. Padre Winton further says: "I came across a nice cutting out of John Bull (newspaper) about our boys thanks to tho London police. It read as follows:—'We have »• message for the men of the London police force from soldiers of New Zealand who expect to be going home soon. They wish us to express for them their appreciation of the unvarying kindness of tho men in blue in directing, guiding, and helping wounded men through the traffic and in many otEer ways."

THE PROHIBITION POLL.. In his excellent book, Lieutenant-colonel Claude H. Weston, D.5.0., of s New Ply. mouth, says: —" The sorely tried officers asked -why the British army. had not dared to do what America has since done in Franco, and, in company with Canada, in both of their own countries—but that is high politics. As in civil life, crime in the army -'is principally due to drink." This, from a well-known New Zealand officer who'' was so long used to club life is surely regarded a s unbiassed testimony. Colonel ■ Weston serv-d on Gallipoli and France, where he took part in many of the principal engagements. In December last the Australian Council of the R.S.S. (Returned Soldiers' and Sailors' Lmperial League) carried a resolution asking for permanent Prohibition. In Victoria the Returned Soldiers' National Party returned all contributions from Licensed Victuallers. Thus both of the reconstructed soldiers' bodies are now out for this essential reform. Remove the drink evil in New Zealand. Strike out / the top line on Thursday, April 10. ' 13

Silk-hat prices in Paris went up 100 per cent in a week before the opening of the Peace Congress.