BEFORE THE WAR.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15222, 9 March 1915, Page 8

BEFORE THE WAR.

NEW ZEAT/ANTOERS IN GEKMAJJY

Just before the war broke out the Rw. S. Griffiths, late of Addington, mth his -wife and daughter, travelled through Germany, Belgium, etc., but no whisper came to their ears in thosedays of the terrible events that were rfiortly to break forth. Mr Griffiths left Christchurch on a twelve months' holiday jn March last, and travelled extensively on the Continent, visiting Paris and Switzerland. From Lucerne, he went to Wiesbaden in Germany, and £&• W faced th ° famo^s Sfe° + remarked Mr *.° » "Aero" representative, and I httle thought then that ko shortly alter, guns would be mounted on-top of the famous towers as a protection against hostile air craft." Mr Griffiths, with his family, took train to \U % her ° tbey **" Monsieur Max, the burgomaster (who has since made himself famous by his heroic attrtude), celebrating a wedding at the famous Hotel'de Ville. "AYe were greatly impressed by the noble bearmp of M. Max," remarked Mr Griffiths' After spending some time in Brussels, thei Gnffitlis proceeded to England trayelltng v la Ghent, Bruges, and Ostond. During the whole of the tour we heard not a whisper of war: everything was quite normal." While Mr Griffith , ; wa6 m London, the streets filled with Belgian refugees. "on e almost at times thought one was in a foreign land The day we visited the British Museum it seemed as if To per cent, of those present were foreigners." Mr Griffiths, with his wife and daughter, returnee , iiomo by tho Osterley, securing a viow of the remains of the Emden en ronte and arnrd i n Auckland on February ] r - G £ ffiths i s now attending the Methodist Conference in this city.