A NEW YEAK MESSAGE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14185, 30 December 1916, Page 8

A NEW YEAK MES S AGE.

FROM (HON. W. D. S. MacDONALD

The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, Minister oi Agriculture, .Alines, etc., who has been m Gisborne during ,the> past iittA. suomits vie following inessagie to the residents of the district: —

"As i am leaving Gisborne to-morrow ! on my return to Wellington, I want to express my regret that owing to my time being fully occupied since my arrival here, I have not been able to get about the district to meet the people which was my desire. I

"However, I know the people generally will take the will for the deed. (I wish on behalf of the Government and myself to express my appreciation to the people of the district tor the splendid loyaity and- valued assistance given to the Government, m connection with the mauy difficult questions that have arisen through the Avar. Both men and women have been unceasing m their efforts to do all that was possible for the boys at the front, and also for /those who have returned from the trenches.

"The year just closing has no parallel m human history, so far as the terrible loss of life is concerned, and has brought sorrow and aching hearts into many of our homes. But notwithstanding tlie grief of the living, a thrill of pride goes through the hearts of all of us when wo think of the imperishable deeds of bravery and self-sacrifice of our gallant ladh. These magnificent boys, m the brightest, sunniest hour of the.r lives, left home, and 1 , safety and entered into the grimmest and darkest tragedy ever woven by the warp and woof of mystery and death. "Our brave boys) both European, and Maori, gave their lives nobly lor right and freedom and m the best service of mankind. The blood of our boys has oeen copiously shed and hallowed m singling of their, ashes with those oi the.r British comrades who fell with .hem m the great cause. v "Sir lan Hamilton said : 'Before the war who ever heard of Anzac? Herelfter who will forget it?' I sincerely .ruet that m the coming year we ,wiil oe united m and throughout the Empire, and put forth every effort to win the war and that no discordant note ,vill be struck while the enemy are at •ho gate. •■• , ? ''"':.

"An attempt is being made by a iniall section of diseoutented men to alienate the sympathies of labor. After the splendid response made by- all sections of lptbor since the beginning of .she war by enlisting for active service and assisting m every possible "way to irOvido munitions of war, I feel oonidant tha-t the attempt of this small section Svill be scornfully rejected by the great majority of labor organisations throughout this country. These organisations will not grasp at the privileges and forget the responsibilities. "I earnestly trust the coming year, will bring victory to the Allied arms—xn<t usher, in the dawn of glorious peace: "In this hour of bitter trial it is well to realise that fi6t against our own inlividual sorrow is the regeneration of. our Empire life." '