DEFENCE NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 26, 22 December 1917, Page 5

DEFENCE NOTES.

"OUR ABSENT SOLDIERS"! A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE. Per Press Association. Wellington, December 21. The Minister for Defence has fori warded a Christmas message to thej New Zealand troops on all fronts where they are serving, and to those in England and Samoa. Copies will be forwarded to the various organisations of the Dominion, asking their assist-; ance to bring the message to thej notice of the public, in order that as; many people as possible may join in! prayer at 8 o'clock on Christmas! morning. The message is as follows: "Greet-t ings to all members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and the army nursing service. The time hascome for another Christmas message to go forth from New Zealand to

those who are upholding her honor, on laud and sea. Again we ask you to join with us at 8 o'clock on Christmas morning in prayer for protection and continued success. Heavy as the burden has been, and heavy as it yeii may be, we reassert, at this Christ-, mas time, our unshaken faith in the

righteousness of our cause and your ability, under God. to do your country's part to vindicate that cause. It is. therefore, with stout heart and uiM dimmed pride thai we bid yon 'be. of good cheer,' trusting that next Christmas once more the Divine message may ring out over the world, 'Peace on earth, goodwill towards men/" GENERAL GODLEY'S REPLY. On behalf of the New Zealand troops in France, General Godley has sent the following reply:—Your inspiring message has been communicated fo all the New Zealand troops in France and England, and I wish to thank you on their behalf; Our thoughts will be especially with you at 8 o'clock on> Christmas morairg. During the pastyear, the affection and pride with! which New Zealanders regard their native laud lias stimulated them to dp her credit, whether serving on thft historic battleground of Flanders or in hallowed approach to the Holy City. In,the fight for the-freedom of nations and the continuance or democratic ideals, no soldiers have done better service for King and Country than they. They have been deeply touched by the thoughtful kindness of the people of New Zealand, who have maintained an unfailing supply of gits in kind and money, and ihe continued stream or reinforcements it l an earnest that those at home will give them support till the end.. We trust that those who have lost their dearest and best may be sustained in their '-sorrow by the thoughts of valor and ituccmplaining endurance of those who, for a glorious and righteous cause, have laid "down their lives. FROM PALESTINE. Colonel E. W. C. Chaytor replied

from Palestine as follows: "All New Zealanders here deeply appreciate you* Christmas message from the people of New Zealand, winch helps us to face the coming year with renewed courage. We will join with you onj Christmas morning in prayer that God will crown our cause with success before another Christmas comes." AT HOME AWAY FROM HOME. The following cablegram has been: been received by the Minister of Defence, and published at the military camps in New Zealand, from New Zealand troops in England : "To our comrades in New Zealand.—Christmas greetings on this the fourth, and, we hope, the last, Christmas of the war. We all hopo to join you before next Christmas, alter a victorious termination of the campaign. We think not only of you and our comrades in the field, but of our late comrades, the real heroes of the war, who have laid down their lives for us and our glorious Empire, and of their bereaved relatives, who are burying their sorrow, and shouldering their burdens without murmuring, o»cause of the knowledge that theis loved ones died for a righteous cause."

MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS. Per Press Association.. Wellington. December 21. The Minister of Defence stated to-* day that his attention had been drawn, to a suggestion made at a meeting of the Protestant Political Association, that military medical boards had given exem.pi.jen ;o men on account of their relig) i. It was scarcely necessary for him to say that such a statement ivas entirely without foundation. The medical boards were

imposed or mou of high standing in| their profession, and he had everyi reason to believe they did their work impartially and conscientiously. The system of medical examination had been devised so as to prevent cvea unconscious bias Recruits came before the doctors stripped, and their names were only known to the military officers, who took no part in the examination, but merely recorded the decisions of the doctors. Xo medical officer worked in ids own district, so there was little likelihood of his knowing T h<- recruits personally. FAILURE TO REGISTER, Per Association. Ha.wei\;, December 21. In the Magistrate's Court, four sheep farmers—B. C. Lysaght. C. J. Hawken, J. Blair, and A. Hunter—were each fined £2O for having employed a shearer, named William Humphries, who had failed to regis J ter under the Military Service «Akt4 Humphries was soutoiiced to shr&& Booths' imprisoaxcaati.