NOTES AND COMMENTS

Patea Mail, Volume XLVIII, 1 June 1925, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By “ O.S. ”) The newly-elected Prime Minister has every reason to be proud of the reception accorded him on Thursday by dclcgatcs assembled from practically every electorate in New Zealand. The scene when the assemblage rose to its feet, after cheering the Prime Minister to the echo and singing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” was a memorable one. What struck those present, too, was the modesty of the new Premier, who, by the way, has a glorious record of service for his country, both in war and peace. His war service is of particular interest to Patea boys, many of whom were with him at the front. At Gravenstnf'el, the prelude to the awful Passchcndaclc engagement, Major Coates, as he was then, did good service. It was here that Sergeant'"?. 11. Tinncy was wounded and at Mailly Maillot where Major Coates gained the oar to his Military Cross. Rifleman E. L. Hamerton was severely wounded. Major Coates’ work at this engagement would have gained him the V.C. in any other war. .

His work is thus referred to by a contemporary;—“The award to Major Coates,” it says, “who commanded the 3rd Auckland Company, was at the time deemed meagre recognition of his outstanding leadership and conspicuous gallantry. Ho brought his company into action in perfect order, after five days’ strenuous marching, with little rest. By pushing forward exploiting platoons during the night he enabled a more advanced line to be consolidated, securing 20 prisoners. Next day, when several of his men were killed or wounded, he showed complete indifference to danger under heavy fire, attending to the wounded and carrying men to safety. The ofiicial account of these acts of devotion and gallant leadership concludes with the following brief but eloquent tribute: “His willingness to sacrifice himself for others was an inspiration to all his men.” -

New Zealand is .fortunate in the extreme in having a man of Major Coates ’ stamp at the head of affairs. He has proved himself a patriot who is ever ready to give of his best in the service of his country, and never spare himself. What more can the people want? Can anyone point to anyone who has done more to help onward this country? • • • • The talk of “fusion' ’ amuses me. The matter is really, after all, one for the electors. They have a Prime Minister who has already proved his worth as an administrator, particularly with regard to the railways and public works. If they want stable government as against government by those who wdsh to turn things upside down, ihe course of the electors is plain. They can vote for Mr Coates and his representatives, and stable government is assured. One trembles to think whai this country'would be like if it were in the hands of a crowd of extremists whose sympathies arc with men who have proved themselves to be the lowest type of humanity that is on earth at the present time.

One often wonders why, in view o; the awful inhuman atrocities that arc being committed in Russia by the Bolsheviks, the Powers do not meet and decide to clean the whole mess up. After all, the unfortunate Russians arc human beings, and their sufferings are so appalling that they cry aloud in the name of humanity for an end to be pa: to them without delay, and the archfiends and criminals punished for inflicting them. Candidly, I would like to see Britain, Prance, America and Japan laud large forces in Russia and annex the whole country, giving the people justice and freedom such as is enjoyed under the British flag. Russia has untold wealth. Why should not this be developed by those who arc willing to administer the country on civiliscc; lines? If this were done, the Russian people would be the better for it, and their benefactors, too. I have read the indictment of the Bolsheviks’ terrible record by Maitre Aubcrt, of the Geneva Bar, and I can only say that if the Dark Ages were worse than Russia of the present day, then they were dark ages, indeed. Oh, for another crusade to wipe Bolshevism and all connected with it out once and for all. • • • « The lovers of law and order apparently had a good system in vogue in England during the recent general election. They had schools in various places where they trained young men to reply to the soap-box agitators. When one of these latter gentry mounted a soap-box and belched forth his treacherous views, he was immediately followed by one of the young men, who would tear the Socialist argument to shreds and expose the hollowness and the sham of their doctrine. It is a pity we have not a few similar schools for young men in this country. As it. is, an agitator gets it all his own way, and because he is not contradicted, some people think he is telling the truth. I heard a good story at the Reform gathering the other day that is worth tolling. Mr Peter Fraser, the Socialist M.P. for Wellington, made a trip to Foxton recently, and harangued a meeting of about 30 Maoris. After the meeting, a Foxton resident met one of the Maoris, and the following conversation ensued: “Well, Hori, how did you like Peter Fraser?” Hori: "Peter Fraser the good man; he do mo. Py gorri, he better than God.” "What?” asked the horrified pakcha, "better than God?” "Yes,” replied Hori, "God say six days shalt thou labour, but Peter Fraser say we only work five days. He do me. I vote for Peter Fraser, every time.”