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Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16163, 18 March 1918, Page 6

Tile rivalry between the North and South Islands was put to an admirable use in connexion with the Red Triangle Fund. A similar noble cmulatioh between the various great towns and cities of the United Kingdoiri marked the month of January, when war bonds by the nnllio'n pounds' worth Were sold from "tanks.'' Each city had ft "tank bank" for a week, and the coin petition was extraordinarily keen, some extremely fine totals being reached. Hull, with £2,093,000, beat Liverpool by £30,000. Manchester, with four and ft half millions to its credit after a iVcelc of furious selling, sefemed likely to hold the record as the champion tank city, "but it was thrown completely in the shade when Birmingham announced that its tank had sold six and a quarter million pounds' worth of bonds within the week. Tumtiltttous scenes, wo arc told, were witnessed when the? city put forth its final effort. Such crowds had nover been Been there before, alid at one time 50,000 people were packed round the tank, and ih the thoroughfares tha; converged upoii the Square in which" it was situated.

Then came Scotland's turn, and the Scots demonstrated 'their patriotism nobly. Edinburgh, which, it must be remembered, is not an essentidly indus-

trial cityj led the way with £4,400,000. The tank, "Julian"' by name, then rumbled on to Glasgow, whose Lord Provost had been challenged by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham to beat that city's record. Glasgow did not saymuch, but privately it cherished a hope that it would raise ten millions. The campaign opened well. In a heavy snowstorm two and a half millions' worth of bonds were applied for on the first day, the first application being for £250,000 worth by a single purchaser. Shocking weather prevailed during the whole week, and on the closing day the continuous snow and torrents of rain so disorganised the tramway services that crowds of intending investors never succeeded in reaching the tank at all. \et on that day alone sales of war bonds to the value of more than five and a half millions were effected, and when business closed for the day the week's total stood at £14,171,7G0, a record which should serve for some time to come as an effective answer to the common allegation that Scots aro stingy.

The most satisfactory foattiro of this amazing record was that it stung several English cities into a resolve to beat it, if possible. As tho London "Daily Chronicle"' pointed out. Glasgow itself subscribed nearly as much as London (two tanks), Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool combined, and Glasgow and Edinburgh between them had done as well as ten considerable English cities. "This," eaid the "Chronicle," "is a challenge which is not to be ignored, and London, Liverpool, and Manchester have already demanded a return visit of tho tanks, when they will show what thev really can do." This was arranged for the end of February in the caso of the two provincial cities, and after they had had their second "tank weeks"' it was probable that all four of the touring tanks would concentraie for another effort ill London. .The money-drawing uowors of the tank arc obviously great, and it will be interesting to note how 'the system which has proved so in tho Old Country prospers in Australia, where it is soon to be. tried.

——6 This is the sort of tiling that a young No\V Zcalandcr does as a member ot the Koynl Flying Corps:—"With throe other pilots ho attacked an ouemy machine protected by ten. others, shot it down, and destroyed another ono the same evening. Shortly afterwards he and two others attacked ■ live of the enemy, and although wounded and rendered unconscious for tho moment, ho succeeded in driving down two ot tho enemy. lii spite of being much exhausted by loss of blood, no continued his patrol until he ttas sure that no more enemy machines wore in tho vicinity." Even in the unimpassioncd language in which the"'London Gazette" thus describes tho deed which won for Temporary-Captain (now a major and squadron commandcr) Arthur Coningham, of Wellington, the D.5.0., there is ample evidence that the young New Zcalandcr showed splendid courage and fortitude. Private letters received in Ohristoiiurch sohio time ago indicated, ho we vor, that his feat was even more notable than 6tated above. His observt'r was shot _ dead early in the second ehcoimter, and Captain Coningham hiliisslf escaped death only by the lucky accident of stooping over in his machine, two bullets just at that moment cutting furrows along the top of his head. A moment earlier or later, and he would have been sitting upright, in which case either bullet would have killed him instantly. That ho shottld have fought and beaten two enemy machines with the blood streaming frciln his wounds is a magnificent proof of his pluck. Major Coningham also holds the Military Cross.

The Germans have shown themstlvos. appallingly destitute of humour during the war, that et'On the faintest glimmer conies as a kind of., welcome surprise. Wheil tho appointment of tho new First Sea Lord reached Germany, the "Cologne Gazette, 1 ' in what the London "Times" calls "a praiseworthy, but hardly promising attempt, to promote accurate pronunciation" or nis name, published the following lines: —

An Englishman whoso name was \Vemy3s, Y.'ont crazy at lost, so it sasniyss, ■becauee tho people w6u el not Understand tiint they ouglit To cnil him not Weciujs, by Vt'eems. The "Cologne Gazette" supplies the following German translation: — Ein Englander, der sich Wolliyss schreibt, Hat in verzweiftung. sich entlcibi, Weil ciis Lento nicht fccgreiien wollten, V/is ei© ihn richtig benamssn, sollten, iNamlith nicht Uirnia conde'rii theme.