Reinforcements requested

A scene on the British Western Front: troops warming themselves around a fire by the roadside. —...
A scene on the British Western Front: troops warming themselves around a fire by the roadside. — Otago Witness, 3.4.1918.
INVERCARGILL: Interviewed this morning, Sir Joseph Ward said that on his arrival here last night he received a telegram from Mr Massey conveying the one sent by the Prime Minister of England making an appeal for additional reinforcements.

Sir Joseph said he was not taken by surprise at the request from Mr Lloyd George in this great Empire emergency. Nothing could emphasise more clearly than the message the urgent necessity for the continued active co-operation of the Over-sea dominions with the Mother Land in the hour of need, when it was absolutely essential to show a determined and united front. It had to be recognised that the effort of the enemy at the present time was colossal, and was being carried out with a reckless disregard of life, with the idea of smashing through the British and Allied front; with the object of Germany placing itself in a position to be able to dictate conditions of peace to suit itself. It was the first time in the history of the British Empire that such an appeal had been made by any English Prime Minister, and it was unthinkable to the men and women of this country that the warning should go unheeded. In providing troops and in the quality of the men sent New Zealand had up to the present done her duty nobly, and he was convinced that the appeal for a still greater effort, owing to the present crisis, would be enthusiastically responded to.

Australia’s escape

Mr Chanter, M.H.R., who declared that he spoke with some inside knowledge, not held by the public generally, stated at East Melbourne that Australia had escaped attack in the early stages of the war by the merest chance. He said that when Germany obtained possession of a portion of New Guinea she established at Rabaul a base capable of accommodating the largest battleship in the world. She established a wireless station, which was at the time the most powerful in the world, and accumulated a large store of oil and other supplies. Everything was ready, when the gong sounded, for Australia to be seized in the name of Germany. When Rabaul was occupied, Mr Chanter continued, documents were discovered there disclosing the whole design of the German Empire to annex Australia. Australia had escaped that menace for the time, but she must not delude herself that, with her little naval force, and with all her manhood, she could escape again if the present war went against the British Army. Without the supporting arm of the British Navy, Australia could not resist such an attack for a week. Upon the victory of the Empire in the present war depended her whole future.

Predatory shags

It is reported that over 200 shags are to be seen every morning feeding on fish in the Opihi at Collett’s Crossing. The same observer states that shags in hundreds are to be seen on the river above the crossing all the way to the Opuha Gorge, clearing the river of trout.

Ten sons lost

Ten sons from the home of Mr and Mrs S. G. Ball, of Vancouver, have been killed in action during the present war. Six years ago Mrs Ball, who was a widow with five sons, married her present husband, who was a widower with 11 sons. All these enlisted. — ODT, 3.4.1918.

Add a Comment