SIR W. ROBERTSON TO PEOPLE AT HOME.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14596, 4 May 1918, Page 3

SIR W. ROBERTSON TO PEOPLE AT HOME.

"KEEP YOUR TROUBLES IN THE

BACKGROUND."

LONDON, March 4.

We have done great things already. We have every right to be of good courage — and be confident. This was the inspiring message which General Sir. Wm. Robertson delivered m speeches at Lincoln. This was not a war between armies and navies, he pointed out, but between the nations. He added: —

The war will be won by the side which shows the greatest staying power. Every effort must be made to sustain the morale of the nation. It is a comparatively easy tihing-to sustain the morale of an army; it is far more difficult to sustain the morale of a nation, consisting of people of all ages, living their ordinary lives under vary unusual conditions. I suggest therefore that this is a matter which ought to be definitely arid systematically taken ,up by representatives of authority m all parts of the country. It is a business that needs to be done.

We have every .'ground for confidence m the result of the war if we only make up our minds to continue, as before, resolute and determined to see this thing through to a .prßj>er finish; and to gain that kind of peace we want.

Do not think I any either a blasphemer or a Pharisee, when' I say : —

Let us' never forget : in all we do that the measure of bur tiltimate success will be governed Idrgely, if not mainly, by the strength with which we put our religious convictions into our actions, and hold fast, firmly, and fearlessly to the faith of our forefathers.

Speaking at & meeting at which repre sentatives from an ironworks were pre sent, Sir William sakr :—

Go on with your tanks, for every bolt m a tank is a bolt m a Hun coffin. (Cheers). You cannot do without the man behind the gun, but mechanical contrivances may help 1 us, and none better than tanks.

The way to back up the men at the front is to be unselfish, and to remember that your own troubles are »ot to be compared with theirs. When you write to them, or meet them, keep your own troubles m the background and do everything to cheer them up. There is no earthly reason why , r yon should be otherwise.. : ■ ': -■.-.' ■ ' ■'■■•'■■

We want to keep a cheerful face. We sing. "Britons never shall be- slaves." Let us mean that they never shall be. Let U9 show resolution and determination that we have exhibited m the past, and, under the hand of Providence, you may depend that we shall come out. Determine to st^ck it out to the last, and go on with your tanks.