A LOST POSSESSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 17, 20 January 1916, Page 4

A LOST POSSESSION.

_When the British Empire is accused of being a greedy .■ and unyielding land: grabber it can refily in the words of one of'jts/fainous"eons, that-it is 'surprised at its own moderation. 'What the flritish have given up in territory of their own free will would make a great empire, from Havana in the West to Java .and Manila in the East. Out of England's many lost possessions is the lonian Islands, which have come into prominence again through the Allies having occupied them temporarily as a resting place for the Serbians. This group, which lies at the southern end of the Adriatic, off the coast of Greece, as steeped In history. . One of the islands is Ithaca, the home of "Ulysses. In the harbour of Corfu the Athenians fitted out the expedition to Syracuse, 60 disastrous to the Athenian democracy, and Octavian rallied hjs fleet before the battle of Actimn, one of ' the decisive battles of the. ancient world. It was from Corfu that Don . John set forth to conquer the Turks at tepanto, one of the greatest sea fights in history. In the Napoleonic wans Britain occupied the group, and after the fall of Napoleon the Powers formed the—-seven-islands into a free and independent State, with the name of the United States of the lonian Islands, under the exclusive protection of Britain. The only concern of the Powers -was to kee-p-

the islands out of other hands. Britain got nothing '-but' tronble out of the •an-angefflerrt. ■ A Constitution was granted, but its imposing clauses were reduced to nothing by the fact that the British High Commissioner could do what he pleased. What Lord Morley describes as a "rough but not ill-natured despotism" lasted until 1849, when, under the influence of the revolutionary spirit of 1848, it was replaced by something more democratic. The new Constitution was even more unsatisfactory than the old. The one idea of the inhabitants was union with Greece. The favourite occupation of the members of the Assembly was to declaim on. the greatness of Hellenism and the need for union with their kinsfolk, and the officer hi ■ charge of education used' to set as a copy for the children' a prayer that pahHellenism -might drive the Turks out of Greece and the English out of the seven islands. The Colonial Office policy was harsh, and an agrarian rising ended in twenty-two people being hanged, and some three hundred flogged. In 1858 Mr. Gladstone was sent by the British Government to inquire into the problem of the islands, and readers of Lord Morley's "Life" will remember the delightfuly written passages that deal with his mission. Mr. Gladstone pronounced against union with Greece, and recommended improvements in the system of 'government. Though he so ardently supported the cause of nationality in Italy, he felt that it -would be a crime, having regard to the status quo in the Near East, if England were to give up the protectorate. But,in a few years a condition arose • tvhich gave a good opportunity for getting rid of a responsibility in which there was much worry and no honour. Prince George of Denmark be- ■ came King of Greece, and Lord Palmerstbn cheerfully handed over the lonian islands to that country. The transfer was a proper development in the sentimental and practical interest which the British people had long taken in Greek freedom and development.

One little incident in connection witn the islands may be mentioned. The Empress Elizabeth of Austria, that beautiful and romantic figure who sought in-Nature some relief from the . boredom of court and the tragedy of her (life, built a palace at Corfu, and in the delightful grounds placed a statue of Heine, the great German poet- After her death the palace was bought by the Kaiser, whose first act as owner was to remove the statue of a man who, though he is an immortal singer, and his songs are household words throughout Germany, is hated by the ruling caste in Prussia for the mordant irony with which he assailed his country's rulers and ideals. One can imagine' the spirit of Heme hovering about the place today, and noting, with an ironic smile, the Allied guards that stand about the grounds which the King of Prussia decreed should not be polluted by the figure of a great Prussian.

The following is Mr D. C. Bates' weather forecast for" 24 hours from 0 am this day:—"The indications are for variable winds and .strong breezes, moderate to strong westerly prevailing and backing by west to south. Expect dull weather, with much mist and fog in parte Ra.n probable. Barometer unsteady Tides good. Sea moderate."

The-Remount Depot "at the Upper Hutt is situated on grounds that were formerly used as a nursery garden A good deal of the garden still remains, and in this the grooms and others employed, there spend mpst ot their spare wine; AIT kinds -of vegetables are grown oy them, and in this way they supplement their regulation diet, as well as enjoy the advantage of having tho articles fresh from the- garden. \ club was formed to undertake this gardening scheme systematically, and the attention which its members devote to agriculture is shown-by the trim appearance of the gardens, one portion of which is set aside for .the growing of carrots for the horses in the depot.

__ In the course of an address at the Native School Teachers' Association Conference yesterday," a speaker summed up" the outstanding characteristic of the Maori somewhat jocosely as "taiboa," which he interpreted to read, "It does not matter; never mind; wait a while." This morning a visitor might have got the impression that the members present at the conference had to a certain extent become-imbued with the 6amc spirit.. Business was to have commenced at 10 o'clock, but it was long after that hour before the president assumed the chair. Ho explained .that useful business had •been transacted by'the committee since the official hour of opening.

A splendid example to Boy Scout 3 was •set -by the lad Charles Hayward Williams, who was injured at the Scout Camp- Ta_puna,.*as the result of a pearifle accident yesterday. As soon as he felt that he had been hit, the boy -Withdrew from the firing group, and Ta'y -on the grass: When asked what had happened 'to him he answered: "I'm hit'; don't tell the other -boys." It was not till an hour and a-half had passed that the camp was aware that an accident had occurred, during which time the lad had been removed to .the Hospital. The medical ."officers at the Hospital reported to-day that Williams' condition was not as serious as had been at first anticipated; though the bullet has not yet been.removed, the patient is making good progress. An inquiry i n to the accident was made this morning'by the officer commanding the' Waitemata Division of Scouts, and there is abundant proof that the mishap was purely accidental,- the bullet having rieoohetted on striking--a Tock when the rifle was discharged All reasonable precautions were taken by the bays to guard against accident, the rifle being held pointed towards the ground.

Speaking ,to a "LytteKon" Times" re-,-portar .yesterday Mr R. Hoppy, who has just returned from a visit to the North Island, said that in Wellington business was booming. The war h_ been a perfect god-send to thousands of people in Wellington," he remarked, "for the .greater part of the war expenditure is made there. Every hotel and boardinghouse is full. You can't get a. bed anywhere. I got a bed at last, and the proprietor of the place told mc that if business went' along, as it had been for the past year, when the lease ran out in three or four years he Svould be able to retire.. .1 made particular inquiries. One draper said, 'It may sound strange, hut to .be candid I shall be Sorry when tie war's -over.'' Outside restaurants I saw queues of men "waiting to get in. Tobacconists and hairdressers are busy from morning to night. They are coining mosey. Practically everybody eaid ithe same thing. Hey had never had such a run of prosperity, and naturally they dont want Trentham interfered •with. It is too- good-'a business proposition. In the Manawatn I heard the same thing. The camps bad'hro'tight busne-S'." "Things are flourishing in the North all right. 1 think that Wellington has had a good innings," concluded Mr Hoppy, "and that something should *be* done to spread' the benefits -over a, __r __,"

The T_apuna Municipal Chambers are now completed, as far as the main construfitibiial work is concerned; "ahd the builders are expected to be off the premises within a few days. The Council staff anticipate being in -full occupation early in February. The building, which has been constructed almost entirely iv concrete and brick, and is very conveniently arranged, is situated on the Lake Road, near Hall's Conner, and the section occupied also has a frontage to The Strand.- ■■ v.- . • •_•

Tho early occupation; of Featherston Military Camp by the troops, now at Tauherenikau will render' . unnecessary what may be termed one of the largest gongs ever used. It consists, of a whole length.of railway..iron suspended vertically between ..two posts. On. being struck with a "large mallet it gives out a deep, Booming, vibrating 1 no'tej"'which can be heard in any part of the camp and adjoining grounds, and it is used as a signal that the workmen's meals ar"e ready. With the advent'of the troops the bugles will replace it!

The King's Empire' Veterans of Auckland, though they may be unable to render their country such service in the present war., as -they did in the battles of the last century, are nevertheless keen to do their part in the Great War. It was reported at the. annual meeting of the local. King's Empire Veterans yesterday afternoon that several parades had been. held, during, the .past, jn the occasion of the departure of men for the, reinforcemente, in order that recruiting might be encouraged. It was also stated that out of their limited resources a sum of £5 had been given thxdugbi 'the recent carnival "-for the relief the sick and wounded. The Veterans resent the fact that when they last paraded in order to fare well, departing troops, they were not.allotted.definite posts .on line of route, and that the public broke their ranke in order to obtain a ekeer view of the' ;troop„ : -Tlieyr expect that when they next turn out they, will be treated' with more" consideration by the Defence authorities. .. ...-

Dri Sedgwick;- Bishop <vf Wa.i-a.pu, pre: sident of the CSiurch of England' Men's Society, who presided at the annual oon* ference held at Napier or .Tuesday, said 300 members of the Society had gone to the front, and 30 of them had .laid down ■their lives for-the flag.'-ATI felt-that, the Church of England Men's • Society had not risen to the occasion as was demanded of it. ._e was-not a pessimist; but he felt, that had not done all it could do for the Church at such a time as this. He.would convey to them the message of the archbishop— the motto for lOlbY^^lf-df-irard." The 'Rev. Canon Mayie' "expressed" dissatisiac*tion at the class of men the Church was* sending as chaplains, jvith. the Expeditionary Forces."- TWit. should do our utmost to send the best class of men pos-. sible,"' he remarked. "One officer told mc that a certain chaplain preaching to a number' of men 'dealt';4m.th nothing else but. reasons: "why.- •c.ertaiiK.-'colours were adopted in the .Church.at.various' seasons.. (Laughter;) '";■ I'hat. 'sort of tiling," Canon '.Mayne conwiied, "is enough to make m-eh.'geir.up and out. ■ If we are going to send men,; letUS send the best. Let us'send men to preach to men." - ..-. ....,-

-Bathers on the 'Tafcapdna beaches may : not be aware of the existence oi * a ■ by-law-framed by the-Ta_]iuna* Borough" Couh*;,. cil which gives the ' dbrbiigh inspector" authority- to take -.proceedings•.• against anyrperson attired in a bathing costume, which" does not reach from the necl£ tothe .knees, so., as to secure the due observance; ol deceneyir': I£J was.- reported at last night's _eei_g that-the- nameS' and addresses of three men who had; failed to observe this by-law had been, taken, and that: proceedings were about to be taken against them. Several of the councillors referred to the fact that bathers are frequently to he on the-foreshore so scantaj-'-olad as to be liable to prosecution. As a warning to those who are in the habit of -stripping to the waist and basking in the sun On the beaches, it may.be mentioned that the by-Taws forbid any person above'the age of-12 yeare'-to* _dress for'thb purpose! of bathing,-.or -to.Te_ove.;or disarrange- any ...his: „h"er' bathing costume in any .public „place or" within view thereof.' '"'' *'* 3 ''• •''• '

Hitherto it : 'ha_ beer? fSe ; -customj for the' Defence Department to notify next-of-kin by telegram of all instances of soldiers-:being hospital from the "various i_ita."ry' ! t_d_ag camps. Now it has been decided that In future minor cases will be communicated to relatives by letter, instead of by telegram, and thus obviate the disquieting effects which the receipt of telegramk -. naturally produces on the recipients. In; urgent cases, where.._the_;cqndition of a patient is serious, .an . urgent telegram will be dispatched to the next-of-kin, as at present,-when-the-: attending medical officer recommends such a course;

A telegram, from C&ristdiur.dh published on Tuesday attributed- -to the j Prime Minister the statement tiiat "Parliament might be summoned eooiier than many people thought." Mr Massey has now informed a reporter that his words were not intended to bear the construe-, tion placed-'upon them.- He had not indicated, or even hinted, that there would be an early session. Any one of several events might bring about the session before the usual time, but there was nothing" definite to be said'on the subject at the present time. .

Private J. Goodser, of South Dunedin, about. 25 years of age, fell from the express, Which carried a 7 number of members of the Tenth Re_forcemer_ returning to their ' homes "1n Ashburton on final leave. He-was found lying on the grass at the side of the track, with his head badly cut and several abrasions on his face and hands. He was un- . conscious then, and complained of injury jto his legs. Goodser was conveyed to ! the Ashburton Hospital, but was unconscious when he arrived there. He- | recovered consciousness later, and it is ' stated that his injuries will not prove serious.

The Jtevel of the water in lake Takapuna has fallen six inches since Januaryof last year. .. The turncock stated in his report to the Takapuna Borough Council last night that the height above sealevel of the water in the lake now stands at 3ft 3in, as compared with 3ft 9in at this time last year.. In" January, 1914, the height above sea-level w*s 7ft 3in. Although the level *hie fallen-within the past 12 months, there was a small rise daring the winter,. The water co_nmptkm from tbe lake during December last was 1,151,000 gallons.

An _n&t__sed German, Gottlieb Freirbend, was charged at Whakatane with indecently aasanlting a German woman at Taneatna, Accused pleaded guilty, -and was committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence. _ri~S'.' J. Harßulf^ elected president of the New Zealand Industrial Corporation. It was resolved that the head office remain at Welling-; 'ton,; and-•that- the*- mat '-conference hei held at (Auckland,

The glare caused by the burning-off of straw on a strawberry, bed on the property -df'Mr'Wm. Tonar, Reservoir Road, Northcote, was responsible for an alarm of fire last night, but though the Fire Brigade responded to the peal of the beH, their -services" were nSt needed.'

What is probably a Dominion record has been achieved by the 4th Regimental (Dunedin) Band. Twenty-six members are now at ihe front or on their way, while three more have enlisted and are waiting to be called up, a record of which any band might be proud.

■ The Auckland Regatta Committee met yesterday afternoon, when a programme was adopted. The details of the races are published in the advertising columns of this iesue._ The prizes are slightly reduced in value to those of last year. The collectors report success in tl_r work, and there iff-a good' promise of"the event this year being attended with the success of previous regattas.

A poll was taken yesterday by the Whakatane Harbour Board on a proposal to borrow £3o 4 9?5 for .improving the Whakatane Harbour. The result was as follows: —For the proposal, 156; ajgainst, 7. It was generally recognised that the poll would be carried with practically Hb'» Opposition* lieuce the small number of.votes cast.

"The manufacture of whey butter, only adopted here this 6easbn," writes our Te Aroha, -correspondent,;"is proving; •a•'' valuable addition .to the scope of cheese factories. In one case the receipts under this heading are more than sufficient for the payment of of.'lhe factory's "wages list. ir ".

A large increase in the Newmarket Borough Council's water bill for the past month resulted in notice being given .to review the question of'-water rates arid -JhfS'tars"-'next' meeting;" with -a view to coping' with" the:'e'xcesai'v'e' uSe 'of" water through hoses, and also of fairly taxing such residents as have no hose-and no meter, but . wild-, deluge" their gardens daily with water drawn from the taps and carried in buckets to the cabbage plots: The town- -clerk: suggested that" a hose license of-20/ to 30/ might result in" ;more..ear i efijl CQnsjrvatioji .of the water by residents-abut Cr. O'lleara stated his belief thai it was the "bucket brigade" that, having _o meter, cause the greater.part bf'ibe .discrepancy-.in the water bill oi the." borough."< '•' .?,*. •; •--;- ■

-'- Sunday has become 'established .as 'visiting day at Trentfiam* Camp, and the system by which visitors meet their "soldier friends-is a simple and interest--ing one. W_n the trains from town. are due to arrive, the soldiers gather ; _side ■ the gates 'of-' the ■ camp; only those- with-passes..-may-go-, outside. By r the> time • the fil-st. train steams in" several hundreds..are there, forming a • khalci throng, Mounted - police .keep. a -pathway -clear from the gates through vthe ci-Owd of men,-arid when the arrive they walk along the cleared space, and are thus easily seen by their soldier friends; or relatives, who push. through .and greet' them.

Tie organiser of the New Zealand Na- | tional Service League, Mr F. Sorris/'is] at in Auckland- with his headquarters at' the* ~Y^s£Cli.' r He ' hais al*fgadjr enLsted the'sympathies of % con siderable - section of -the community in the platform of the league. The primary object of the league is to help every man -who. Sis; ahswe'red-'the Efhp'ite's CalL The." meinb"e*s. ()f...the league =are;f*b be/classed: under two sections. In No. 1 section members will be those who have enlisted, those whoVl^ve-l^n. rejected And those, who have 6eeh ac'tTve. service.-'lii.Seetloh'' No. 2 members will Be asked to" give preference.to soldiers, as far aßipossible., and to;'Einpi're"g6ods' i fbr a' period; 'of-"four .years.-'' >*-'***3_ •X".'"x"'' "-.'" H

The' C_nmoriveea-lth ■'MiniSter of-"'De--fence "(Senator Peaice) Said last week that for some time he had - been considering the question of linking- up-rthe -Expeditionary -Forbes- - after- the - -warwith the defence system of the Commonwealth...7;. The general idea was that (Jae men - wind will return Should -in some way form portion of the reserve force of the Commonwealth. It _wa6 •extremely,.-desirable .that-.the ..glorious traditions.Tjuilt. up byC.the. Australian Imperial Forces., should be retained for the forces generally, and that the identity of the units that have taken part in the war should; not -be lost. There was also the advisability of forming an organisation..by which the.men, after they have -fetiiVned,' might be' kept in close association with one another. With that, end in view he had commissioned Gbldner" "Kenneth Mackay, of New South Wales, to draft a scheme, The, steps. :whi*th-he. (Senator Pearce) had taken "might be thought to be spme-?wba"-S"" £ren__ns, but* the orgahisation■wontd take. - some-itim.e tn establish; and it would : be- heceSeary- to have it in full swing by the -time the. troops came back from the war. It was probable-that, the scheme would be'linked up with the Territorial 6cheme framed in each State, in connexion, .with recruiting in. .much the same., wayras the'Tentorial, associations in Great were linked up with the Territorial Forces.

A heated moment arrived -at the Con-; .eUiaikra Council -sitting, in Christehurch: diirlngthe hearing oi the drapers' dispute when the Commissioner announced that drapery firms were worse-off-to-day than they were last August, when an award was Wellington. Two J of the umofi__fse'ssors challenged the' statement, and said that they had figures in their pockets to show that the returns had increased, and the bal-ance-sheets showed the same fact. "You are talking through your neck," said the • Commissioner tersely, and proceeded, to .his. next .point. ~ One of the assessors took exception to the statement. .• "Yott'can' take. exception: to w-hat you like," said the. Commissioner, "■but when yon.talk of drapers' returns you are talking through your necki Don't talk/mmseris—... Come-here-and talk sense." "1 object to -it coming from a dignified .gentleman like yonrseK!."; said the assessor.' The matter then I dropped. When the Court -resumed yesterday Mr. R. D., Martin,, one -of the-i employees 5 .representatives,.returned to the.-attack. He said he was a practical' -draper, -and. knew -what he w_ talkbg* ■ abotrt.'- - What he -had .said, was no• misstatement. j.ne company's Salance-sheets would prove the truth of -his assertion that business had improved. He represented a body of men and women,; and demanded'the-•respect of the" Commissioner of the Council, who was supposed to be impartial. Mr. Triggs repeated that Mr. Martin did not know what he was talking about. He suggested.** jthsi drapgrsL _empk>yeea should endeavour to find a good Eve secretary, and then something could be ■done. After some more 'sultry remarks flic incident ended.

A'■ resident of ■"• AsKburton, while .travelling.through the Lagmhor district,, saw what he thought was a fine crop i-nt«v4_-,paddock-he. was" astounded to-"find, that the cars were practically, empty, and after . ex■fmininji several * heads' only a few grains could "be found.'" It is considered that the was***d„e'-'Dy ..the" late frost and the blight.