THE WAR AND AFTER

Otago Witness, Issue 3342, 3 April 1918, Page 23

THE WAR AND AFTER

COMMENTS BY A NEW ZEALANDER IN LONDON. The following extracts are taken from, a letter written by a well-known New Zealander who occupies a responsible position on behalf of the dominion in London: The other day an escaped British officer had afternoon tea with me. He is closely associated with one in whom I am deeply interested and who is still a prisoner. In reply to my inquiries as to whether it was true that the Germans ill-treated their prisoners, -he stated that they bully the Russians and Rumanians to an awful extent, but that the Englishmen stand up to them and are not bullied so badly as others. He said: "I waa walking one day in tho exercise ground, when a German guard ordered me out of his way in coarse language. I told him that that was not the way to speak to an English officer and a gentleman; if he addressed mo courteously I would move out of his way. He forthwith endeavoured to crush my feet with the butt end of his rifle, but that, ho bayoneted me in the .thigh. For this, ho was commended by his officer, and I was ordered to bo coujt-martialled, but escaped before my trial came on, and am now free." I have heard some terribl© stories from others regarding their treatment, and yet, would you belitve it, there is a feeling in this country that as soon as the war is over some people will shako hands as cordially with tho Germans for trade purposes as they did before the war. I have told them that if this is to be the attitude of many British people, it will have a serious influence upon those from overseas, who are determined to keep the Germans at arm's length in the same manner as one would an undesirable neighbour. Recently I was at Salcombe, staying in the house in which it is said Tennyson wrote "Crossing the Bar." From that house one beautiful sunny day I saw a fine steamer sunk by a torpedo. She was not more than a milo and a-half from where I was, and as I had a powerful telescope, I saw all. It was a depressing sight, and made one wish to get at the villains who perpetrate such atrocities. I believe they afterwards got the submarine. As you will know, we lost tho first chairman of the Dardanelles Commission. Lord Cromer was an outstanding man, and his death was much deplored. We are still sitting. The work has been a great experience. We have had before us as witnesses men,-who have been, and are, * prominent in controlling the affairs of the nation: we have reviewed the Balkan, and, indeed, all European diplomacies. Sometimes the evidence is of a most thrilling nature. It is hoped that action will be taken on the report if it is published, although I think it is a mistake to publish reports of the description during tho war. Indeed, it ought not to be necessary to hold these inquiries, because the department should know the condition of affairs and who is responsible for errore from their confidential reports. However, as I am on the commission, I have to do my duty and to bring to book any who may have been unfaithful to his trust —and there are, 1 think, some such—so that should our New Zealand lads again go to war, they wili know that the duffers will have been eliminated and good officers put in charge. The generosity of the dominion for all purposes here has become almost a byword. Sin contributed about 12s 6d m every £ for tho relief of Belgians, in Belgium. 0 the £122,000 contributed for the relief of iihe dependents of those who lost their lives; in the Jutland battle, New Zealand sent £IOO,OOO. I attended tlie annual meeting of the Navy League, and made some inquiries with reference to the spending of the money. The league purposes using much of the money for the education, of ihe children of those who were maimed or lost their lives, but I really think that this is the duty of the Home Government. I have been enabled to place on the Navy League Committee representatives of New Zealand in the persons of Mr Douglas M'Lean and Mr James Coates. And now we are receiving money for children who havp suffered in air raids. Tho difficulty, hovevcr, is to find people who will accept - this money. The distribution of these funds entails serious responsibility. There it. not that poverty here that people in New Zealand aie often led to believe exists, especially now, for the great circulation of money due to expenditure for warlike purpose? has placed the majority of pcopls in circumstances such as thoy never enjoyed before, and, therefore, little is required in the shape of charitable aid. However, the time may come when every shilling will be required, and it behoves us to bo" exceedingly careful in our lino of action now, and that is what I am doing. As to conditions generally in France, I may say that our men nre well fed, well clothed, and accommodation in camps, etc.. as good as circumstances will permit. I was asked several times to say that the rner. had no complaints to make, with one exception; that the? should have facilities for drawing on their deposits when taking furlough in London. I said that I had made full representations on tho matter to tho Government, and hoped difficulties in that respect would be solved. At the front, and on the way, there Is intense activity and concentration, armed men marching to tho field of battlo. artillery and motor wagons, all making their way to the sceno of tho conflict, and all is well

conducted and capably carried out..' In marked and pathetic contrast to all this bustle and "circumstances of war" are the quiet cemeteries where rest the warriors from their well fought fight, and where lie buried the hopes of many a fond parent and relation. A simple cross marks the spot where each soldier is lying, and on it is recorded tho name and other particulars. I read the names on many graves, and now and again met with that belonging to a friend. Later on the authorities will see to a suitable memorial being erected. Who would have thought that the following quotations, taken from a war shrine, and inserted in a. few letters of sympathy, would have given offence, but such M the case. The shrine contains a roll of tho living and a roll of the dead. Under the former are the words "Give Thine Angels charge concerning them," and beneath tho latter column "May they rest in peace," and at the foot of all is the verse:—

" Holy Father, in Thy morcy, Hear our anxious prayer; Keep our loved ones, now far absent, Neath Thy care." Shrines are being erected in many parts of England to commemorate those who have given their lives and who are fighting in this great war. As a rule they are no* associated with any particular church, but are put up in villages and parts of cities. Walking through the cemeteries in Franoo there constantly recurs to one's mind tho following beautiful verse : '■ " Low lis tho young, the beautiful, They who went forth, hopes beating high j Thickly they lie, and on them beat Storms, pitiless, from low'ring sky." I stayed a couple of days with a Clutha man, Colonel Mitchell. Clutha may well be proud of the colonel. No one is mora devoted to his men. His camp is a picture of orderliness; he has garden plots where excellent vegetables are grown, and also flowers. This brings to my memory many of the hospital grounds" which are beautifully kept, and some are bright with flowers. The doctors say that the garden* have great influence for good on the minda of the patients. A number of Bosch prisoners were working in parts through which I passed. They appeared to be a strong lot of fellows, especially the Saxons. I was told they would not for any consideration go back to the trenches from which they had been fortunate enough to escape. To the padres I must give a word of praise for their devotion to the men. At Boulogne I met Mrs Noz-thcote, a .New Zealander, who devotes every spare moment of her time to visiting sick and wounded, and her services are greatly appreciated. I am keeping a keen eye for future work in New Zealand's . interests when" the war closes. There will be great competition, and the dominion will require to be very alert and up-to-date in all her methods if we are to hold our place. I am keenly interested in the future of our dairy t>roduce. The meat is assured, if unfair com. petition does not develop. Fruit is one of our best prospective, industries, and I have had one or two good opportunities of bringing before those highest in authority and power the very excellent quality New Zealand can grow.' The last lot was from growers in Otago Central, and some of it reached the Court tables at the Palace and Marlborough House, and was highly esteemed. ' •> Whilst on tonr_ in Scotland I took the opportunity of visiting the .warship New Zealand. I can assure you that no shio bears a better name than does our vessel, and, the men on'board believe that she lias a charmed life. I was shown all the magnificent trophies that had been presented to her in various parts of the world, and I saw the. marks of her encounters. I was received by the captain and officers, and the men danced a haka by way of welcome. Afterwards I went round the fleet, and was greatly interested in the various developments. There were large ship* constructed to carry aeroplanes; huge aerial vessels go into stalls on tho ships like so many horses, and there are decks for their landing. The men are eager for a scrap with the Germans, and I am sura that when it comes they will show that the British sailor of the present can maintain the very highest traditions of -the service.