THE BALKAN CRISIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 82, 7 April 1913, Page 4

THE BALKAN CRISIS.

The situation foreseen long ago by everybody who has followed intelligently the bourse of events in the Near Kast has come to' pass, and the Powers are now negotiating directly with the Allies for the close of the .wax.. There is no longer any pretence that the settlement is a matter to be arranged between Turkey and the Allies—the Porte simply stands aside, while Bulgaria, and Scrvia, Greece and Montenegro accept their orders from the Powers. That >is the present situation as the Powers conceive it, and unfortunately they are in a position to carry out their, ideas in actual fact. An international squadron of warships—including representatives of the German, Austrian, French, Italian, and British fleets—-is now blockading the Adriatic coastline of Montenegro, with the avowed objeetjof starving that .indomitable little cluntry into surrender, and sooner or later f the overwhelming .!**JBkt ot this pressure must coerco toe Montenegrins into submission. It is still possible that if the other Balkan. States could see their way to stand by Montenegro with the full strength of their military resources, the Powers might be compelled to temporize. But there is little prospect'of help from this quarter. For the Power to which the Balkan Slavs have always looked hitherto for sympathy and support is Russia, and the Russian Government is by no means disposed to commit itself seriously on behalf of the Allies. The Russian Foreign Minister has warned the Bulgarians that they must not expect to indulge in a triumphal entry into Constantinople; he lias warned the Servians that they must not expect to extend their boundaries further southward; lie has explicitly declared that Montenegro shall not have possession of Scutari. With the acknowledged champion and protector of the Balkan Slavs adopting this tone, the Allies can hardly expect much countenance -elsewhere!. But, in fact, the Powers as a whole seem firmly resolved to force upon the Allies the terms they have already rejected. The Turkish frontier is to extend along the Aegean only as far -as the mouth of the Maritza; and the Turks are to surrender Crete. But as a set-off to these concessions, the Allies must waive the right to an indemnity, and they must leave the allotment of the Aegean Islands and the settlement of tUe Albanian frontier to the Powers. It will bo a bitter and humiliating experience for the Allies to submit to the dictation of Europe. Indeed, it is quite possible that Nicholas of ilontenegro and Peter of Servia. may lose their thrones in the attempt to induce their people to bow to these arbitrary commands. Bnt at the present moment the acceptance of the terms of settlement prescribed by tho Powers seems to be the only way of bringing to a- close this sanguinaTy and dangerous conflict.

The following ie Mr, D. C. Batce' weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m.. this day-:—"There , are indications for south-easterly winde, strong to gale, v-ecring by south, to cast. Weather probably cold and changeable. The night proba/bly very cold. Barometer rising slowing, but falling after .twenty-four Iroure. Sea rough on coast. Tides good." Hearty support of the Wpodville Council's suggestion for the taxing of moior cars and motor cycles -was accorded by the Manukau County Council this morning, but, whereas the Woodville scheme provided for the proceeds being expended by local 'bodies on roads affected by motor traffic, the Manukau Council suggested that the proceeds 'be handed to the hospital and charitable aid ' funde. A further suggestion, was embodied in the council's resolution that the proceeds of all licenses (such as auctioneers' and hotelkeepcrs') should be handed to the same fund. The High Commissioner in. Lrondon is carrying on a correspondence with, and has also met personally, the chairman (Lord Devonport) and other members of the Port of London Authority in connection with certain charges which are being made, and which, in the opinion of Mr. Mackenzie, will have some effect on New Zealand's meat trade. Mr. Mackenzie hopes to have this question settled without making public in any way the details. . A Taranaki farmer, after paying a visit to a rural friend.in the Dannevirke district, has decided to instal an electric light and power plant on his farm. To his great surprise, on visiting the Dannevirke farmer, he found that the latter i had put in an electric plant some years a<*o By its means he lights his house, ;his shearings sheds, and all outbuildings, saws his wood, turns his-churn, runs his chaff-cutter, and- the hundred and one other things required on the farm. From a switch in his own .bedroom he controls the whole of the lighting. The power is obtained from a small creek. A. recent visitor says that there is no other part of New Zealand that is endowed with so much latent electric power as Taranaki, and he cannot understand why more is not done by settlers in the way of harnessing and utilising it for the work of the farm. " ' . A bone of contention has. arisen between the Maraetad Road Board and ttte recently formed Manukau County Council over the administration of a road boasting the far-off sounding name of Siberia Hill. The Council notified its intention to take over the road at.that locality, along with othv county roads. A reply wae received from the Board at. to-day's meeting of the Council, stating;; that "as .they had just spent all their rates on Siberia Hill, the members thought it unjust of the Council, to suggest taking it over.' They stated that they could not see their way clear to give the Council any of : their roads, the Council decided/however,' that as. the Siberia Hill road adjoined other county roads, -it must be- taken over. Letters agreeing to the roads suggested as county, soads were, received from the following road boards :* —Howick, Pakuranga, East Tamaki, Turanga, Mangere and Wairoa.

Representations "have been, made to tho High Commissioner—and they have been investigated -by. Hi™—to the effect that butter and cheese bow arriving from New Zealand are in'many instances, not up-to-their former equality. C ■■■-'Pbie'is greatly, to be regretted, inasmuch as. the well-manufactured article is suffering 'by, reason of the faulty conditions existingin certain -well-known factories. A communication' has 'been, addressed to the Government in order that faults may foe leorrected.

The Manukau County Council was informed at to-day's meeting that the Department had decided that the Council should be rated this year, and not the road boards in the county, as heretofore. The Council's solicitor (Mr. G. W. Basley) explained that this was in accordance with the provisions of-the Hospital and Charitable Act of ,1908 (section 29). He said that the Council could levy a rate to meet the. payment to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board: At a meeting of-the Central Committee of the Thames Miners' Union, a resolution' was passed instructing the, secretary to write to the {Deep Xievels Mining Board with reference to the great disabilities under which &c -nlen' have been-working at the l;O0Oft ■level.. The following recommendations., from the committee were forwarded;—(l) That a permanent-and -secure means be adopted to prevent the borehole in the face of the main crosscut from out a<»ain, iwhich it may do at any time, •with the present temporary stopping, and which might be the .cause of serious loss of life should' it. 'burst out when men were working in the vicinity; (2) that a water \pipe be carried down the shaft from the main on the surface, so as to provide fresh water for the men to drink; and (3) "that electric lights be installed in the main crosscut, ,so a3 to facilitate the escape of. the men to the shaft in case of a. sudden inrush of gas.

•At an inquest Held at Timaru into the death of Percy Dixon, a Money Order Office employee, who was killed in a collision, with a motor-car when cyclings the coroner returned an open verdict in view of possible further proceedings. C. Besley, owner of the motor-car, was advised by counsel not to give evidence. Tn connection with the visit of the <»ift warship New Zealand, a Palmerston Sforth lady has suggested that it'would he a splendid idea to rehearse the school children into forming " a living battleship" for performance on the day of the bis* fete in honour of the crew of Zealand. The idea has been worked out thoroughly, and it is understood that with 2,000 school children: a really . magnificent spectacle could be formed. Miss Mary Proctor is to meet the New Zealand Club at Wellington on the 'Oth inst., and lay 'before that body the full schemes of proposals for establishing a solar observatory in New Zealand. The site suggested is somewhere about. Clyde, probably on the Old Woman Range, but the usual tests will be made before finally deciding. " I am glad to see that the managers of this Institute are not so meilymquthetj, as some people," said his Honour Mr. Justice Cooper at the annual meeting of the Wellington Boys' Institute. "I notice that boxing is included in the Ist of' athletic exercises taught and promoted. We all detest, prizefighting, but boxing is a useful exercise to learn. It teaches a man to take care of himself." One of the immigrants by the steamer Rotorua was, on the recommendation of the Wellington Health Officer, permitted by the Customs authorities to land, as he was in a dying condition. He was admitted to. the hospital, where ho died in a few days from consumption.

In a flooded paddock hear VTinton two rabbitis were seen on the back of a sheep." Field mice were also observed on fencing wires. °

During the recent interruption o£ wJUf way communicationin houthlandthremgi-g. severe' floods, some of the f were placed in rather unfortunate posj.- j tions. A lady, who Tiad four cMldrfct J •.' with her, and who it transpired after-? J wards had only 2d. in her pockets, spentyS the first night in tho carriages, and ths , result in regard to the children may bjH easily imagined. On learning her the better circumstanced members oft; the marooned party thought of an ex- I pediency to relieve the situation, and Sffl concert wa3 quickly organised. This irwß suited in a net return of £3 11/, the/ - handing over of which broii-ght intens* ; r relief to the troubled mother, and pro., r portionatc. satisfaction to the peopli y . who promoted the happily-conceived vca? '■' ture. Mr. "Pip" Powell, pantomime actor, :' had a narrow escape, together with Ms ». wife and dresser, from being drowneS ■-.'._ in the harbour at Sydney one day last I week. The party was fishing from an open boat off Parsley Bay. when an out-'-;; going steamer, the Wiltshire; almost I ran them down. Mr. and Mrs. Powell, H seeing that a collision was inevitable, ;" jumped overboard, Mr. Powell, support- &■ ing his wife in the water. The third.-,' member of the party, however, Mr. H. I Joyce, remained in the boat, and mac- I aged to keep it clear of the steamer's :" propellers. . The fishing-boat was- en.tirely undamaged, the AViltshire only ' grazing it. As soon as the steamer had J passed Mr. Joyce picked up Mr. and Mrs. ; J Powell, and . the three landed at "Wat- I son's Bay, Mrs. Powell suffering from I sliock, but the remaining two being all right. . : As the result of the collapse of some, staging on-which two men were working : at the Sydney City Council's electric I power-house, Pyrmont, George Keely '..'■ (56), an engineer, was killed, and Peter I ■Hamilton (42) j , a foreman, sustained a severe laceration over the left eye, and internal injuries.' A singular accident is recorded in the Greymouth papers. A number of young horses broke loose from a paddo.:k. and ... one of them obtained access to a private residence. If made it 3 way along a passage, but its progress was stopped, " •the horse becoming jammed in- a doorway. ' A young child, -who was playing, by some means ok other got. beneath g the animal, and the mother, seeing her child's plight, and being afraid to approach fche horse, for fear of causing it to trample on the little'one, screamed so loud as to attract the 'attention of two men, one of whom rushed in. and realising the safety of the child depended on immediate action, managed to extract it from its perilous' position, fortunately none the worse for. its'experience. The horse was. eventually Jed out of the house. . ';■;■

Dense volumes of smoke rolled'across Takapuna .yesterday forenoon,' due-, to an extensive fire of grass and scrub. .Another extensive burn took place at St. :■ Helier's Bay, -which destroyed gorse and scrub on land adjoining a patch of na-. tive bush. The season is so dry. that the : slightest carelessness with a. lighted match may have serious consecpienccs.-:-Attention'is directed to an advertise,' ment in this issue headed '"King's Vete- ,' ran Guards," inviting applications for' ci- '< rolmefit. This corps, gazetted as aa honorary reserve corps, is not (as inikj might suppose from the ham "veteran") . .composed, of men past active, service. Mogt -of the • members. are •in ..the;-prime .of life, .and,- all -are capajble of rendering a good, account; of j;hemselves..sho)ild pc- ■■'& casion require. The . "utiUty : =p| l this / corpy.for garrison duty ; slioufet':be well >,f fecognisedj though a number../o£. : those 7 ' who have joined hare had experience:on. active service as 'both mounted: and foot soldiere, and could again serve in cither capacity. Ladies' new raincoats,. 16/6, .21/, 22/6, to 48/6; macs, 24/ to 45/6; tweed coats, 19/6, 25/, 29/6; girls 3 macs, li/0; 14/9 i.':,',; raincoats,-16/6; big and Bridgman, op. Town Hall.—(Ad.) '

Geht.'s warm unshrinkable underwear (woven and knitted.), air sizes, keenest prices.—Bridgman and Bridgman.—Ad.