LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1309, 24 April 1918, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. "No Sutor Ultra Crepldam."—Your statemcnt of the circumstances is not full enough to permit of an opinion being expressed on the first point. With regard to the second point, your friend should interview the Command Paymaster, Christchurch. SUMNER LIFEBOAT. To (he Editor of THE SI"N. Sir,—Allow 1110 to correct a small error appearing in-the issue of The Su.v on April '22. It was stated that the Sumner lifeboat saved two motor boais that had broken adrift at Sumner on Sunday morning, but that the lifeboat was too late to save the Ariki from going ashore. That is quite correct, the lifeboat was too late, too late by four hours, for two Sumner resident's had already spent over three hours, from 6 a.m. onwards, in securing the one boat and preventing the Ariki from drifting out to sea on the rising tide and sink-l ing in deep water. —I am, etc. RESIDENT. THE CALL FOE MEN. To the Editor of THE SUN. Sir, —"One Who Knows" takes exception to my suggesting the transference of artillery men to the infantry, and says it is very misleading, and that I am not well versed in military matters. Well, sir, I am well enough versed to know that if men have taken eight months to train, that is all the more reason why they should give some return to the country, instead of being .given leave and allowed to tour the| Dominion till re-called up, as it is] now with quite a number, tie further says I would keep them back another four months. No, I want to send them away at once while they are needed. And then "One Who Knows" says there is a great demand for artillery men in England, so why not give our men a chance? Certainly, I agree with him. Again I say transfer to the infantry, but do not keep them here. The Imperial authorities will know what to do with them, whatever unit they belong to, when they arrive at Home. No matter how or what training they have done they will be trained again. But keeping any arm of the service after being trained over its term in the Dominion is all nonsense. "When the First Expeditionary Force left here the infantry and artillery had the same training as regards time. "Will any say that they were not efficient? The experienced military advisers should be able to settle the question. Well, why don't they? Regarding the armchair critics, I forgo that luxury; I recline on a chesterfield, you can think so much clearer. Let's take out the "osses" or was this a printer's' error, or did he mean asses, and hurry, and get the guns into action—no, I men the men awav. —I am, etc., EX-SERGEANT-MAJOR.