GERMAN POLITICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 12, 14 January 1918, Page 4

GERMAN POLITICS.

The present political crisis in Germany is partly due to the fact that owing to the enormous sacrifices demanded from the people for carrying on the war, there is a growing demand for a thoroughly representative system of government. The National-Liberals demand complete Parliamentary reform first of all, and they are prepared to leave the question of peace to the new Government go elected. The Social-Democrats favour the introduction of universal, equal, direct and secret franchise on the basis of proportional representation for everybody over twenty years of age. These two important parties have joined hands on this issue, and they have more than once threatened to refuse new war credits if their demands for internal reforms are not conceded. The Government is fighting hard against the proposed franchise, and has endeavoured to shelve the question by introducing a measure for the redistribution of seats in thickly populated districts. But the Government ma jority is none too secure. The Conservatives are against any reform at all, and arc doing their best to hinder any progress in this direction. The Centre party is rather tentative in its opposition, and seems to favour some undefined measure of reform. This is due to the fact that the Centre does not represent any one social class, and so has to consider how the proposed • reforms would affect the interests of the clericals, whom it represents. The Bavarian clericals are strongly opposed to the contemplated parliamentarisation of the Government as likely to be inimical to their particularist interests, and Bavaria carries most weight in Centre circles. The real interest of the proposed parliamentary reforms lies in the fact that it seems to be pretty generally conceded in Germany' that if the people gained real control of the government of their country, they would probably favour peace without annexations <jr indemnities rather than prolong the war for another year.

The Socialists have taken as their watchword the formula, " Democratisafion for Peace," by which they mean that peace in accordance with the wishes of the people will never be attained until Germany is a democracy. Scheidemann declared in an article in " Vorwarts" that the democratisation of Germany was a necessary preliminary to a. "peace by understanding." and the "Berliner Tageblatt" backed him up with a series of articles by Dernburg and Prince Lichnowsky. The .."Frankfurter Zeitung!" followed with similar articles by Professor Weber, and then the Censor intervened, and all further articles on the subject were rigorously prohibited. But the movement grew in spite of the Censor. Exactly a week after the prohibition of the articles, eleven men who had hitherto been considered as. upholders of recognised Conservative principles issued a manifesto in favour of a universal, direct, secret and equal suffrage, arid demanding "that in other respects the Government shall give effective expression to the wishes of the German people. - ' This was signed, amongst others, by Delbruck, Emil Fischer, and Harnack. The authorities were by this time fully alive to the magnitude of >she demand for some

really democratic form of government, and they recognised that a democracy might be in favour of peace without annexations or indemnities. They therefore summoned Hindenburg and Ludendorff to Berlin to work against this movement. After seeing the Crown Prince the two generals interviewed the party leaders, one by one, allowing each one a quarter of an hour in which to state his case. It was stated, that they discussed the prospects of peace and the situation at the front, Ludendorff doing nearly all the talking. By the intervention of the two military chiefs in person in the political struggle a compromise was effected, but the recent failure in the negotiations with Russia has revived the movement in favour of democracy, and this movement is likely to receive considerable impetus from the growing distress amongst the masses of the people and the failure of the military to achieve any decisive success in the field.

Following is the official weather forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. to-day:— ''Indications are for moderate to strong easterly freshening winds. Expect dull weather -with much mist and fog in parts. Bain probable. Barometer has a falling tendency. Tides good, sea rough, swell on the coast."

Another wet week-end was experienced yesterday, and confined the majority of people indoors. Yesterday morning the sky was dull and overcast, and towards noon a light Tain began to fall, which gradually increased until it became a steady downpour, and a number of pleasure-seekers who had braved the earlier weather were caught and drenched. Very little rain was experienced at Cowes Bay, .Vaiheke, where the Tramway Recreation Club's picnic was beld. Rain continued to fall through the night and this morning, andi up to the time of going to press showed little signs of clearing.

An inquest was held .before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., yesterday, regarding the death of George G. Page, a labourer, who waß found dead in bed at his home in Newton Place on Saturday. Evidence was given by the wife of deceased that she found him lying in bed dead at an early hour on Saturday morning. Dr. R. M. Keller, who conducted a post-mortem examination, said that in his opinion the cause of death was pneumonia and chronic Bright's disease. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.

The Fcathcrston, Trentham and Tauherenikau camps have resumed the work of training our recruits after a long holiday spell. During the days of this week extra trains and special troop trains left at intervals with the recruits who had been enjoying the Christmas and New Year at home. A large draft of new recruits for the CI camp at Tauherenikau is to leave shortly for the training grounds.

Deputations poured in at the last meeting of the Whangarei County Council. The 6uppliant ratepayers were determined to force their views upon the Council, and at times the air grew unduly heated. One deputation with regard to the measurement of metal on a certain road led to a lively sequel. The contractor and one of the complaining settlers took a motor trip to a quiet spot and settled the difference in the good old style.

A man named Senior was arrested at the Thames on Saturday for failing to attend military medical examination, and was sent to headquarters at Paeroa.

The " Misse Cantata " was 6ung by the Right Bey. Monsignor Ormond. D.D., secretary of the Papal Delegation in Australasia, at the 11 o'clock mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral yesterday. A practical sermon on the* Gospel of the day was preached by Rev. Father Murphy. Gounod's "Messe Solenellc" was well rendered by the choir under Mr. Arthur Dobbs. in the temporary absence of Mr. L. G. Whittaker, the soloists being Mre. Blythe, Mrs. Burke, Miss Coleman, and Messrs. J. H. Egan, and F. G. Bourke. Miss Vclly Ormond presided at the organ.

The Conciliation Council, which has been sitting in Hamilton hearing evidence in the Auckland creameries and cheese and butter factories' employees' dispute, concluded its labours on Saturday so far as the Waikato wbs concerned. It heard considerable evidence to the classification of employees, etc., etc., and much time was taken up in revising the list of factories cited. A lengthy discussion took place as to whether managers of factories should be included in the award, and finally- it was agreed, on the suggestion of the Commissioner, that managers in control of butter, cheese and cream factories, and who are responsible for the engagement and dismissal of hands, should be exempted from the provisions of the award. This agreement will do much to simplify matters. Evidence will be taken at Whangarei and Auckland later in the month.

At the meeting of the Vvhangarei County Council on Friday last a circular was read from Hokianga County urging that combined steps be taken "to cope with the difficulty of collecting native rates, and also with the general cost of roading unoccupied lands. The councillors generally the opinion that it was time action was taken to urge the Government to open up waste areas of Crown and native land, and make better provision for county finance. It was decided to call a conference of all county councils north of Auckland to discuss combined action.

During fumigating operations in the hold of an U.S.S. Co.'s vessel on Saturday a storeman named Dickson fell a distance of 10 Jeet, suffering internal injuries. An X-ray examination will be held to-day at the hospital, where Dickson waß removed on Saturday evening, to ascertain the full extent of the injuries. It is believed that some ribs are broken. Dickson is a married man, with a home at 42, Karaka Street.

The Whangarei County Council overdraft now stands at £10,220 16/3. The councillors are inclined to take a serious view of the position, and strong exception was taken at the last meeting to any ridings already overdrawn increasing their liabilities. Urgent works, however, will be provided for out of the county fund.

Following is the. state of His Majesty's Prison, Auckland, for the week ending January 12, 191S: On remand, 12 males" awaiting trial, 6 males; sentenced for life, 6 males; hard labour, 176 males, 21 females; imprisonment, 6 males, 2 females; default of bail, 2 males; received during the week, 8 male's, 3 females; discharged. 19 males, 4 females Total in prison, 208 males, 23 females.'

Ratepayers in the Mount Albert Borough are reminded that the penalty date for outstanding rates commences on Thursday, January 17. As the penalty is to be strictly enforced, ratepayers 6hould avail themselves of the opportunity before that date of payrn<* any amounts outstanding.

I A quaint story comes from the front. [An officer in France had to adjudicate on the grievance of a deputation of .peasants living in the vicinity of bis camp. Babbits in that district, it seems, 'are as scarce and precious as venison, 'and the peasants' complaint was they .had discovered that the Australian soldiers were enjoying rabbit stews. Where, |then, did they ge| the rabbits from? And |the simple peasant minds concluded that the soldiers had been poaching. The officer listened gravely to their complaint, then patiently explained to them that tho rabbits eaten by the soldiers were tinned, and were a present from Australia, where, he also told them, rabbits abounded in millions. They were finally convinced by a present of a tin apiece, and went away thoroughly satisfied, exclaiming loudly at the extravagance of Australians who made presents of anything so valuable as rabbits.

A South Australian country correspondent says that "at present boys can make almost as much out of sparrows' eggs sold to the local district council as can the thrifty farmers by selling hen eggs to the storekeepers. The boys receive 4d a dozen cash, and the farmers sd—taken out in goods. Boys have 15/ 'and similar amounts paid to them weekly at the local district council office for the j produce of the übiquitous 'epaggy.'"

At the Police Court this morning a charge was called against Madame Reprak tha,t within the last six months she had undertaken to tell fortunes. The case was adjourned till Thursday.

The greatest steam locomotive in the world baa been put into service by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (says the "Popular Locomotive Monthly"). It is so gigantic that ite boiler- had to be made flexible at three different joints so that the locomotive could turn around

curve. It is more than 100 ft long, and weighs some 450 tons. Twenty-four driving wheels, each standing aa high as an average-size man, afford it traction. The driving wheels are distributed along the length of the locomotive in sets of four pairs, the wheels o each 6et being coupled together and driven by two giant steam cylinders. Under full 6team the locomotive can easily haul a freight train two miles long and 23,000 tons in weight over an ordinary good roadbed at an average rate of speed of about 14 miles an hour, and possibly more. Bad roads will retard it only slightly.

The scarcity of men in the back country of New Zealand (especially hushfellers), results in there being an overrunning of wild piga, which endangers the farmers' lambs in lambing seasons. Recently, in the King Country, adjoining Mahoenui, one farmer, when mustering, counted as many as 130 odd. During Christmas week a Hawera resident, while visiting a brother, went out on an afternoon's hunt, and in the clearing they accounted for 14 pigs. During another couple of hours, while riding on horseback, they saw several more scurrying down the fence lines towards the bush.

One of the most tragic _torie_ of the war—of a mother who came home from India to see her son, only to learn from a casual glance at a newspaper on arrival that he had heen killed —was told at an inquest at Hornsey on Mrs. Mabel Hyde, sayß the "Daily Express." Mrs. Hyde, a widow, who had lived in India for a long time, came Home to see her son, an officer in the R.F.C., from whom she was 6eparted for eight years. While she was on the voyage her son was killed, and his name appeared in the casiralty list the day his mother landed at Southampton. On the way to Xondon a fellow-passenger offered Mrs. Hyde a newspaper, and, turning it over idly, she saw the announcement of her son's death. From Waterloo she went to' the War Office, where the news was confirmed, and then she went to a sister's house at Muswell Hill, where she spent a sleepless night. The next day she made her will, wrote a number of farewell letters, and at night took the whole content* of a bottle of tabloids which contained a poison of the veronal class. A verdict of "suicide while of unsound mind" vrae- returned.

Rev. J. R. Burgin, Anglican chaplain to returned soldiers In the Auckland district, gave an address on his war experiences before a large audience of men at the Y.M.GA. yesterday afternoon. Dealing with the state of the civil population in Britain and Trance, ihe said that the word "service" lad come to have a new meaning; women of the leisured classes, who before the war had done nothing for others and next to nothing for themselves, were now glad to scrub floors and wash pots and pans for the soldiers. In France, women were doing heavy work in factories and fields, and even pulling canal barges in place of horses. This sacrifice of ease was a. counterpart in some measure of the great hardships undergone by the men in the firing line. Until he had been to the front in France he had never believed it possible for human flesh and blood to survive the terrible strain this war imposed, and to endure it with cheerfulness and good-wilL He was greatly struck by the self-sacrifice of the wounded, countless numbers of whom had practically refused to take hot drinks and other comforts until their mates had ibeen served. He was glad to say that there was very little friction among the chaplains of the different denominations at the front, and that they worked harmoniously together for the good of the men.

The Nelson "Colonist" is informed that there is every prospect of the valuable iron ore deposits at Parapara being turned to advantage by the establishment of paint works. During the past week, the proprietor of one of the largest paint works in the Dominion has been investigating the mineral resources of the district in search of raw material for his business, which has been rendered necessary owing to the difficulty in procuring supplies from overseas markets. In company with a well-known local resident, a Government analyst, and other practical experts, this gentleman visited •the Maitai, Motupipi, Takaka. and Tarakohe, and a special trip was made to Parapara, where an exhaustive investigation was made of the various mineral deposits on the property, the results, it is stated, exceeding their most sanguine expectations. Workable samples of great variety were secured, capable of producing many shades of paint. The old paint works were inspected, and arrangements made for a test with the plant at command, and if this is satisfactory it is probable that a modern paint-making plant will be installed. The gentleman in question is also anxious to hear of anj r deposits of chalk, barytes, barium sulphate, yellow ochre, red oxide, etc. If such an industry is established, it will prove of considerable economic value, not only to the district, but to the Dominion.

The meeting of the committee of the National Apple Show, which was to be held on Tuesday next, has been postponed until 3.45 p.m. on Wednesday. February 6.