THE FOURTH BRIGADE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14578, 8 April 1918, Page 2

THE FOURTH BRIGADE.

FORCE STILL IN EXIf^TENCIC Some reference to the Fourth Brigade was made by the. Defence Minister m his statement m Christchurch on the response that New Zealand will be called upon to make to the appeal made, by Mr. Lloyd George for more men. No clear official statement about the circumstances of the formation of this extra force has ever been made. , The facts ate .that a time Avhen men Avere urgently needed, New Zealand had m depots m England a surplus of reinforcements, and ■the proposal was made to the Ncav Zealand Government that the men should be used for the purpose for which they had come across the seas. This proposal Avas accepted by the New Zealand Prime Minister and the Ncav Zealand Government, arid the brigade was formed. The Fourth Brigade has riot yet been broken "up; it is still a' fighting force, and it has been continuously reinforced. The announcement that it was to be broken up for reiiiforceirients Avas niade at the. time that the Noav Zealand Government Avas considering the question of sending tho married men out of this couutry to fight, and it Avas generally assumed at the time tlrat the brigade Avas to be used for reinforcements m order tlrat tbe time for* the dispatch of married men might bo postponed. In vi'cav of the circumstances that have now arisen it seems to be improbable that the brigade Avill be broken -up.^ — Dominion.