THE HEW ZEALANDERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14567, 1 April 1918, Page 6

THE HEW ZEALANDERS.

A WARM TRIBUTE?. (United Servioe.l LONDON, March 30. Mr. Keith Mwdock, writing on the 23rd, says:-— r . s The New Zeaianders- had a considerably harder winter, than the Australians, but stuck io it \vell. - . They held a" "difficult southern sector ' m. . the Passch' endafele battlefield m morasses and mudfields, scarcely habitable even by; soldiers. All their supplies of food, 'wire, and, muiutions had to be laboriously hamd-came^ for miles .m rejlays, whilst the. wqunded sometimes took \lO ljoui^s to evacuate. The German ar'tilleryihg was always heavy, m order to the work of the Pioneer and, labor companies," but gradually. « rietwoi'k of roacf^ and tracks m all directions Ayas spread .over these shattered di9,tricU. The. percentage of casualties was naturally higher than those of the Australians, wlfo wer,e not getting the backwash of/thje battle like the New Zealanders , , ' . , J. saw m,any^ units resting, of the same sturdy soldiers —? clear-complexioned 1 m.en. mostly engrossed m. inter-diyisional Riigby competitions. The, division is now m great fettle, ajid really anxious to meet the BocUes above ground. . It is. known everywhere a« one of the hardest-working, hardest-fighting . divisions m France, and when they, get hold of trenches for a. prolonged period they go , raiding, and sniping, and' otherwise anger the Bpcbes. The Headquai-ter^ staft: send fond greetings homeward on behalf of the mph. '„'. ' ',' ■-■....'• -■.''.'.' , The New Zealanders deiife'rVe their countrymen's calm confidence and unquestioning backing. ' (Per, ]>rcss Association). : ,WELLTNGTO^T, last night. The Ministov.f.or Defence ,has received a. cable,, stating, tliat the N^ew Zealand division .waa.-QqtLof . the v firijipf line , and! , engaged) m training until the latter part of jthe present, jp,qnth. . „