THE ABSORBING TOPIC.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14053, 25 July 1916, Page 4

THE ABSORBING TOPIC.

WAR" AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. DETERMINATION OF- FARMER.\ • (Special to the -Herald.) ..?: • . WELLINGTON, day. The subject of the- war was referred to several times < 'by the President of the N.Z. Farmers' tin ion. m his address*-to-day. '. .- i .. ' The war is still the 'absorbing topic of conversation, he said, and is ever present in /-pur thoughts. •• We- • scaroe dare think of the empty homes which, though- far from the scene of. the war, are too common, hut? we are thankful that the fighting "quali ties of "our boys" have.-beeu proved and that their, spirit is exemplified by the lad who wrote to his parents : "if;l don't como through I shall be sorry for you, but don't, grieve ' for me. Lam where I want to be and am -happy." Or the boy who wrote to his mother : "If I don't conVj back, keep your tears for privacy > like the Roman matron, and send -six 'more to take rriy place." I suppose that every person m Ihis toohi is connected m someone's fate during this Avar. Some are mourning tlie loss of those d^ar to them : others scan the. papers 'daily, fearing*, to sec '-.someone's -name m the list, of casualties ; but still the fight vi list go on. : We ate one and 'all determined, that it can only have orp con-.' elusion— -victory for the Allies. 7 '■:■■. '-. When (he Allies' forces have -beaten the Germans (and m this Aye are proud' to think "our boys'' are assisting) we of the second line 'of defence, the industrial, who have' not had the prtA'ilege of fighting for Pur country, 'must-com-plete- the conquest by doing our share. It? will be our turn by intelligence- and work to repair "tlie bleaches made m our capital' by -this 'murderous' Avar, for which one .man— 'the Kaiser- — is responsible. > - ';?„• - :: '.'"- ■'