MAYORAL RECRUITING OFFICER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12539, 10 May 1915, Page 1

MAYORAL RECRUITING OFFICER.

To the Editor. - Sir. —1 feel- it incumbent upon me to sav u few words in justification of myself and. those ji similar .circumstances, concerning the impression which one- of our popular public nien, namely Mr Frith,'lia's left, oil the minds of ail appreciative public. Sir Frith-, j in the course of one of liis usual ardent and' soul-stirring addresses, delivered on Saturday, in honor of the troops about to start for Treiithani, -passed some derogatory remarks on the pa- , tr'btism (or lack of it) of those physical lv lit vourig men "who have not- yet enlisted. "Indeed, to aIP : intents and purposes, lie placed 'these unfortunate individual.-, tfie' objects" of liis wrath, under the one heading—shirkers. I, being one of the pliysicaliy fit young men, feel it my duty, o-ti behalf of my kind, to sav a. few" words- iii protest. Miglit 1 take the liberty to remind onr wort-hy Mayor that, while there are some who possibly . are shirking their duty, there" are others who Would gf>, but who, for several reasons,. : cannot; -Seme /u-> ' prevented ©» 'accohiit ' -of their business being sticli that' t-liey cannot obtain leave of absence. Again, there are some upon whom the Hveli- • hood of brothers, "sisters;' and mothers depend. . Then why this injustice? . Is it a' case of the innocent having to suffer with the guilty? Must'the many suffer for the sins of the few? No, sir. ancient' -Scriptiii'ali * law, although eood in most cases', will not suffice m this. —I am. etc., ' INJURED'.