A ROYAL RENUNCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 209, 3 September 1919, Page 6

A ROYAL RENUNCIATION.

The action of the King of Italy in handing over for public purposes all the Royal domains, and a number of his finest palaces, is dictated by the parlous financial condit'on of Italy and the rising discontent. Italy has always been a poor country, and she is now burdened with a huge war debt. Shortage of food and fuel have aggravated the problem of the -high cost of living, and at a time when hard work is needed the people, "shell-shocked" by the war, are disinclined _for effort and disposed to live on loans. Under the circumstances there must have been a considerable addition to the ranks of the revolutionaries- and Republicans. The King seeks to counter this movement and ease the financial strain 'by this splendid gift. But to take only this view of "King Emanuel's action would be to do him less than justice. His character and record are such that we believe thafc he has been actuated more by love of his country and his people than by a desire to protect the Throne, j He has always had democratic leanings. It is told of Mm that in conversation! with a Republican deputy, he said 'he| was educating his son in such a way ■that if conditions changed he would be) fit to be President of the Republic. No| doubt he realises that with 'kings, as 1 with commoners, new occasions teach new duties. That rulers should be immensely wealthy, own vast estates, and enjoy many privileges, was part of the old monarchical system of the Con-I tinent. The Czar was reputed to be I the wealthiest man in the world. Was ■it sixty castles that the Kaiser owned, t or a hundred? Certainly he had far' more than he could use. All through Central Europe immense estates were in the hands of kings and princes, who also had privileges of immunity which must have cost their States a pretty penny. King Emanuel is wise enough to see that the nation's interests are paramount. -A king must keep up some state, but with all the limitations of time and the human appetite for enjoyment, what does he want with six palaces? The war has decreed that if 'kings are to retain their crowns they -must act as crowned presidents of republics, and the position of president does not require for its maintenance the pomp and possessions of a mediaeval monarch.

I The Weather Bureau forecast for 24 hours from 9 a.m. this day is as follows: The indications are for southerly winds, strong to gale at times, but decreasing shortly. The weather -will probably prove cold and showery. The barometer has a rising tendency. Tides good; sea rough.

The railway station this morning must have caused a tug at the heartstrings of the English folk whose lot is cast in Auckland. Not only was the station filled with the broad soft speech of many counties, and the twang that is current within the hearing of Bow Bells, but the piles of luggage scattered about the station bore names of places known out here_ mostly through the guidebooks of E. "V. Lucas. One smart hatbox had a Winchester hotel's name marked upon it: a kit-bag had had a sojourn at Luton; more than one had seen Torquay; and a utilitarian black box had the word "Birmingham".stamped boldly across it. A porter on the station apparently succumbed to home-sickness at the sight, and said, as he hauled trunks on to his barrow: "I wish I was back at Brocton, Bill; yer don't have to work like this there." But Bill, a sturdy colonial of the colonials, refused to be convinced.

Ravages caused by a worm in the keel of a boat were shown at the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon as an exhibit in a case that came before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M. The skin of the piece of wood produced appeared all right, but within all was rottenness. The case arose out of a dispute as to the cause of damage to a launch. The plaintiff, Harold McCoskrie (Mr. Lowrie) claimed from Peter A. Smith (Dr. H. Dean Barnford) £35 for damages to the hull of a launch while being overhauled by defendant. The real point at issue was whether the condition of the keel caused the accident to the launch, or whether it was because the vessel was not securely stayed. After hearing evidence, including that of several boat builders, Mr. Poynton gave judgment for £25 with costs. He said had the launch been properly secured, the state of the keel would not have caused the damage. On the other hand, he thought £35 was too much damages to claim. Dr. Bamford said: "If we have to pay £25, I presume we are entitled to the hull of the boat." After consulting with his client, Mr._ Lowrie agreed to that request, and his" Worship remarked, "Hull goes to defendant."

Sore as many of the colonial girls have been about the marriage abroad of New Zealand soldiers, they have at least been able to console themselves with the knowledge that the English girls whom the boys brought out were young and sometimes undeniably pretty. Amongst the Athenic's draft" which arrived this morning was the edifying sight of more than one youngish soldier marching along the station supporting a middle-aged lady and several growing children. "War widows," sniffed a colonial damsel contemptuously as she passed along. . There were several of these ladies on board.

The extraordinary parochialism of some of the English folk was testified in a story told by one of the war brides at the station this morning. The Athenic's shipload left Plymouth by a tender, on which there was barely standing room. Yet, as the tender ran down the harbour, a voice was heard to say, plaintively, "Gracious, I wonder where we're all going to sleep." The good lady had been under the impression" that the tender was the liner on which they were to travel to New ZealanU.

The Belgian Consul (Mr. A. M. Ferguson) has received information with regard to the regulat'ons under which Belgian soldiers in foreign countries can vote in the forthcoming Belgian elections. The regulations may be seen at the Consulate, John Burns and Co., Ltd., Customs Street-

Some discussion took place at the meeting of the executive of the RSjA. last evening on the question of granting free passes on the tramcars to returned disabled soldiers. A communication was received from the City* Council to the effect that this concession could not be granted on the Auckland tramwaya. Several sepakers pointed out that concessions of the kind were granted in a number of other places, including Wellington, where any returned man receiving treatment was granted a free pass. On the motion of Mr. Inder it was decided that a- deputation, comprising Messrs. Sexton, Garmson and Long, wait on the Public Services Committee to again apply for the concession.

A tribute to those ladies who hav6 assisted at the Soldiers' Club and in other ways, was paid at the meeting of the executive of the R.S.A. last evening. The matter was introduced by Mr. Long, who said that all would realise the excellent work done by the ladies in connection with the Soldiers' Club in Auckland. The premises were to be vacated about October 3. Some sixty ladies, had been working consistently, morning and afternoon, at the club, and he felt that some tangible recognition should be made,of their services. He understood that the Patriotic Association was in favour of doing something in this direction, and he thought the executive of the R.S.A. might discuss the matter with the association with a view to taking action. Rev. Burgin suggested that the Ministering Committee of the Women's Patriotic League be also included. It was agreed to approach the Patriotic Association as suggested. On the motion of Mr. Hutchison it was decided also to place a suitable tablet in the new club i showing to whom the Returned Soldiers* I Association was indebted for the establishment of the club.

The statement emanating from the sick and wounded branch of the Defence Department, to the effect that the direc-tor-general of military hospitals bad instructed that no renewals of artificial eyes would be granted to men who had returned to New Zealand, discussed at a recent meeting of the executive of tha R.SA., brought a reply last evening from Sir James Allen, Minister of Defence, who said that a mistake had been made in the communication, and that if fresh applications were made by anyone needing renewals they would be granted. The Minister stated that the Defence Department supplied artificial eyes in duplicate to those who had lost an eye owing to injuries received while on active service. This policy came into effect in March, 1916, and the procedure for obtaining the supply was laid dowa in the Returned Soldiers' Handbook.

An instance of 'how _ rnanjmay overreach himself was mentions! at the .meeting of the North Auckland Land Board this morning. The <3k>minißßkme* (Mr. R. P. Greville) said the man had ■offered his place at a figure, •which. th» board considered itoo high. He **ws asked to reduce this price to a certain figure, 'but gave rather an evasive ans'wier. Then it .was suggested to him that he '"split the difference," but to this, too, h* returned an evasive answer. The boarf thereupon decided to "turn the deal down." This brought a hurried telegram the owner, saying he ■would accept the second offer, but the board stood on its dignity, so to speak, oaid refused t<s consider it,, but agreed- to re-open tha matter on the basis of its first offer. This the man finally accepted, with the result that he received some £300 le_ than he would if he had closed with the offer t*» "split the difference."

The valuation of land, apparently, has not yet been reduced to an exact science. At the meeting of the North Auckland Land Board to-day the (Zonxmjssioner (Mt. R. P. Greville), alluding to a property some few miles out of Te Eopuru, in the Northern Wairoa, which the board had under consideration, saidi the price asked was £2500, as against the Gov__ment valuation in 1918 of £900. A valuation had also been made by a large arid independent farmer, who assessed ths property at £ 3000, while another equally large and independent farmer had valued it at £ 630. "It is an illustration," said Mr. Greville, "of how difficult it is for the board to come to a conclusion."

A communication was put before th* executive of the K.S.A. last evening to the effect that the amount due from the Dominion executive for postages had not been received. It,was pointed out that the postages last month amounted to £20, and that the headquarters had received an allowance of £500 from th» Government, to be distributed amonfr the various associations to cover thee* items of expenditure. The quota due tr the Auckland Association had not come, to hand. It was decided to communicate with headquarters, and, failing 6 reply, with the (Postmaster-CeneraL

" In other words, we are told to mind our own business," said a member of ths executive of the K.S.A. last evening, when a reply was received from tl» Grand Lodge of the TJA..O.D., Wellington, to a request made that in the matter of queries put to candidates for membership of the lodge as to whether they had suffered from V.D., civilians and soldiers be treated alike. The reply said: "With all due respect to your Association, and while admitting that same does its hest in the interests of returned soldiers, you must remember that my society is not a Government institution, and that we are entitled to conduct our business in whatever manner we contend is in the hest interests of our members. I might state, for the information of your association, that every Druid who went to the front was kept financial on the hooks of the society freß of any charge from the date of leaving New Zealand up to the date of discharge. In the event of the death of any soldier, his claim up to the amount of £120 was met." The matter is to be further dealt! with and other societies are to be communicated with.

At the inquest on the body of Neteon Semmens, who was -found shot d<-ad at Opouriao. near Whakatane, a verdict of accidental death was returned, the evidence showing that the trigger of the arun had been caught by a stout piece of ti-tree."

The Auckland Horticultural Society's show of daffodils will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 12 and 13, in the Town Hall. Entries are advertised to close on Monday, Sth inst. Schedules are obtainable from local seedsmen, and at the society _ office in Shortland Street.

Mr. P. A. Clifford, local observer, reports that the total rainfall at Waihi during August was 6.94 inchej. The maximum fail occurred on the 2Sth ult., when 3.39 inches were recorded.

The death occurred at Waihi Hospital yesterday of Mr. Herbert Brunton, an old resident of the district. Deceased was a Maori war veteran, having been engaged in the latter portion of the Waikato campaign. He leaves a widow and grown up family.

"No Rubbing" Laundry Help, with "Golden Rule" Soap, _ unchallengeable for washing all clothes clean without rubbing or injuxy.-fft. W. Gallaiigh.er.~ (Atp)