The Evening Star SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1916.

Evening Star, Issue 16090, 15 April 1916, Page 6

The Evening Star SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1916.

Apart from the progress of the armies of ilie Allies in the field, The News of the general military the Week. situation, and the definite assurances of future unity of jilan as well as of aim among the major Allies, there have been in the messages of the week those that are less satisfactory. Xow, as ever, thoughtful citizens of the Empire are- less troubled about the, ultimate outcome of the war than about the policy and competence of the people who are responsible for its conduct. "We use the words "people responsible" in no restricted sense. The British Empire and the heart or Mother Land of that Empire is, as Jfr Bonar Law recently said to a. ' New York Times'* representative, a democracy, and subject to the enormous disadvantages that an unready democracy must of necessity be. when pitted against a prepared autocracv in the, creat and awful game ot bloudy war. England began j badly, thanks very largely to sections of her own politicians, pulpits, ami Press. But, what is perhaps less excusable, she continued politically, diplomatically, administratively, and departmenfaliy to do badly long after the great step had been taken. What these- avoidable, blunders, what our own arrogant eocksureness. have cost us in life and treasure it is not humanly possible to say; but wo know beyond i>eradventure that this pice lias had to bo paid. Nor do we take pleasure in recalling them, but it becomes not only permissible, but a duty to do so when, as has far too frequently been the case, many of those who in the past were ignorantly bent on driving their country to the brink of disaster continue, with unashamed insolence and persistent effrontery still to advise, to order, and to rebuke the Government and country. The "Westminster Gazette,' we are advised, continues its campaign against Mr Hughes. It should be enough to say of this paper that, had the policy which it advocated—in common with, the- 'Manchester Guardian/ the ' Nation,' the 'Daily News,' and similar organs of public opinion—in passionate tones right up to the evo of August 4, .1914, been followed, there would have been no British Empire to-day, and in all human probability the mothers, wives, and daughters of Old England would have long sinco undergone the fate of those of Belgium and Northern France. It was only three days before England took the step which, whatever the coming days may have in store for us, will through all time redound to her everlasting honor that this 'Westminster Gazette' "published a. "special message from Berlin in the hone "of yet preventing the world war. ,-u;d "in tho alternative hope of justifvin" "Germany's position in V.r.fuv.'A " ; p.r.d but one day before when it was. in common with tho other members of the most disloyal combination that ever shamed British history, protesting- volubly on behalf of "British neutrality." "Such iu brief, reputation ai:d the record of a paper which at this hour is conducting its vindictive campaign against the one man in all England apparently who dares to give utterance to the sentiments _ of the- vast majority of the plain men and women of these Overseas Dominions. It is not possible when wo recall these things to affect an air of comj placent satisfaction. What has been said ' unofficially and foolishly by the many has ; received far too serious confirmation bv i the acts of omission and commission of those in authority. Yesterday we were i advised that Lord Derby and Lord Montagu of Beaulien (an acknowledged aerial expert) had resigned from tho Air Com- ) mittee. because they found themselves "powerless to effect real reforms." What j language can adequately express the

gravity of such an admission? The only explanation wo can imagine is that the country does not realise its danger, not possibly so much from German attacks as from its own aerial deficiencies and consequent inability to cope as it should with this increasing menace. Speaking in tho House of Commons on February 16, Mr Balfour said : The expansion of the flying service sinco the war began was phenomena], and was still going on. It was not that they had neglected to order things. Orders were given, and they were coming in. All the manufacturing possibilities of this country and of the allied countries and of America were used to the utmost in getting the necessary material. Aggressive action required very powerful machines, and they wero a question of slow development. To-dav. in spile of all that had been done, there were not enough guns to go round. There was not. a branch of the Service which had

got all the guns it required. Better airships could be built now than eight or ten years ago. Yet lie was sorry wo did not build lighter-than-air ships—for maritime- scouting and other work—earlier. We could not expect to catch up Germany, which had ten years start, but what could be done was being done. Wo offer no comment on this painful—as it must have been—admission. Stated more concisely, it simply amounts to this: "Gentlemen, we- so consistently neglected " mir duty in the past that to-day we are

"reaping as wo have sown." In England there would seem to be coming home to the people a realisation not only of their past folly, but of their practical impotence wholly to stave off its results. It is sufficient in this relation to say here and now that partly why Old England is ten years behind in her aerial services is that the British War Office refused the offer of the Wright Brothers' patents, and refused even to send the British Ambassador in America to witness a demonstration at Washington that the Wrights hud offered to undertake as far hack as 1907.

We turn to the alleged American Xote to the German Government, tho German vituperations against the British, and the blockade itself. What President Wilson may or may not decide to do docs not greatly matter. As Mr Bonar Law is reported to have said, it is not the part of the British Government or of the British people to say what action the American Government should take when American citizens aro murdered on the high seas and elsewhere. We do not think tho President will advise his country to go to war. As he did not so advise ten months ago, he is hardly likely to do so now. One thin;:, at least, is certain: the Germans will go on sinking everything in sight, and their consciences will remain as clean and free as they wero before. Germany is out to bestow upon the world the blessings of her own " kultur," and it is in keeping with her self-appointed mission that she should conduct the campaign in her own way. That the nation which starved Paris into submission, and whose teachers have taught them " remorselessly to destroy " all sea prizes and to take "the sharpest measures against neutral ships." should hold up its hands in amazed horror at the brutal British for daring to use their navy for a legitimate, lawful, and universally recognised and admitted service is, also, in keeping with all that wo know of Germany. The difference between torpedoing a passenger ship on sight and a naval blockade is that the one is murder pure and simplo and the other ia subject to be broken. If Germany cannot break that which is now throttling her she should not shriek, but give in. That is what Paris did in 1871.

The Electric Power and Lighting Committee of the City Council request authority to construct as opportunity otfers a tenuis court- at WaiporL Fall's for tho ase of the employees there. The total estimated cost is £24, of which the men have agreed to contribute- £9.

A Gazette Extraordinary issued yesterday authorises the issue of arm knifes to officers and men employed on transports or ether vessels engaged by the New Zealand Government for any purpose connected with the present war. Some of these men (wires our Wellington correspondent) have found themselves included among (he, "shirkers" by undis?erning person?. They have asked for the right to rank openly among those who have served the nation iu the present crisis, but. it remains to 5)3 seen if any large proportion of sailormen will wear badges. The badges s<heme, so far as Wellington is concerned, bus fallen very flat. Some returned soldiers wear the red armlet and some wear a crown or badge of their own selection, while others are content to display a button from their uniform. The khaki badge issued to the Tien waiting to be called no is seldom seen in the streets, though several hundreds have been issued. Very few men are willing to display the " medically uufit " badge, though the prejudice againstit seems to lie declining. Wellington ninv be singular in this respect, but"'there is no doubt., so far as this town is concerned that the absence of a badge, on the ami proves nothing. 'Hundreds of uieii are carrying their badges in their pockets. A remarkable shipping sale is reported in an issue of the ' Shipping World ' just to hand. The .steamer Uovlaud. a vessel of 2,996 tons gross, which was built at Sunderland in 1898 by Messrs J. L. Thompson and isons, lias again changed hand*. She was formerly owned by Messrs .R. Nicholson and Sons, of Liverpool, who .sold her in August, 1910. for £15.000. K.'n? has just been resold tor about £117,000, and it is staled that she has now been fixed on time- charter for 12 months at £9,300 monthly.

Try and put an end to these rotten rumors, which are bo detrimental to New Zealand as a whole." said His Excellency the Governor at Wellington on Wednesday, in addressing Red Cross workers. Many of these wild stories, His Excellency continued, appeared to circulate in Wellington. It hud been stated, for instance, that parcels for tho soldiers had been sold, lost, or made away with in Egypt. This was quito untrue;' all goods had reached their destination. Sometimes they had been long in getting there, but war was war, and transport dilliculties at Gallipoli were very cjreat. Another rumor which was bud was that which reported that something had yone wrong wit.li tho forces. A few days ago it was stated that the Ninth Reinforcements had betn annihilated. Nothing more untrue, had ever been said. The troops were- at present in Egypt, and doing extremely well, vs.-.ne time these rumor; would lead to a loss of'life.

Tn the summons division ot the Central .Police. Court at Sydney last week Ludwhr Klein, a gem merchant, pleaded gniltv to a charge of trading with the enemy bv means of letters addressed to Gtfstav'e Klein, in Germany, on 19th August, 1914. It was stated on behalf of the Crown that Klein, -is indicated by letters, had received 607 carats of aquamarines from his brother, Gustavo Klein, in Germany. Ij e had stated that he would not bo able lo got sapphires soon, and expressed the wish that the aquamarines had been sapphires. lie also stated in one ot the letters tha-t lie would be glad to .send samples ot Australian sapphires, and asked if it would not be possible for him to receive gems through the> Swiss firm through which the letter was sent. It was stated in evidence on behalf of (lie defendant that he had made no attempt to conceal the letters, and that no obstacles had been placed in the way of a search oi his premises being carried out! Defendant's counsel said that the principal letter in which the information was laid was posted to a man at Liel, in Switzerland. He also .submitted a reference from a Russian priest, who knew defendant as an honorable man who was incapable of doing a disloyal act. The Magistrate said that he considered the case to be a bad one, and imposed a fine of £IOO, with £5 5s costs, the alternative being sis months' hard labor.

Mr Paulin's forecast :—Strong N.E. winds, with rain showers and mist, especially on east coast. A curiously painful story of abnormal and perverted development 'in a boy of 15 years was hinted at in the Juvenile Court this morning, when the lad was charged with having assaulted a young woman on April 11. This same lad, when 13 years old, was convicted of breaking and entering, and tho Rov. E. A. Axelscn took him over from the Court, and found him farm work. Mr Axelsen described him this morning as a hoy far from normal, though of normal intelligdnce; a boy of uncontrollable passions, who said, moreover, that sometimes ho felt funny in tho head. The boy was remanded till Tuesday (on tho application of Chief-detec-tive Bishop), there being some suspicion that ho wa.s concerned in a case of a similar character on another evening.

Kecenfly the Prime Minister communica.ted with the Canterbury Jockey Club with regard to tho clashing of their meeting on Easier Tuesday with Anzac Day. He- suggested that the club might see their way to postpone tho meeting in view of tho celebrations, partly religious and partly patriotic, that were to be held throughout the Dominion on Anzac, Daw. Yesterday the committee of the C.J.C. advised that the request had been complied with, tho second day's racing beino- postponed till Thursday, the 27th.' Air Massey thereupon wired the- club:—"On behalf of the Government I desire to thank vou for your telegram informing me that" at my request tho Canterbury Jockey Club have agrwd to postpone the meeting which was to lie- held on Easter Tuesday, and which, unfortunately, clashed with Anzac- Day. T highly appreciate tho club's eourto-jv and consideration in postponing the moctirto-, and am quite sure that what the dull has done in this respect will meet with the approval of the great majority of the, people of the Dominion." 'J-'ho_ Finqjioc Contra it tee of the City Council approve of the Tramwavs Comproposal to purchase po'rtion of Mrs >S. dell'eoate's property at 'St. Clair, and use tii-e balance of land not required for .street widening as a site for conveniences and .shelter sheds. Tho Tramways Committee, reporting on this same subject, recommended that an offer received from Mr M. Cohen to find'£4oo of the purchase mouev if the council will tiud the baiaueo (£500) be accepted. Our correspondent at Wellington telegraphs : —Members of tho Secondary Schools Assistant Masters' Association waited upon the .Hon. .1. A. Hanau in order to make representations regarding the need of a Dominion scale of salaries for secondary teachers and other matters affecting their organisation. Thev stated their case in some detail. The .Minister, in the course of his repiv. said the teachers throughout Xew Zealand oughtto combine into one body instead of forming various _ distinct organisations, representing their primary, secondarv, and technical groups. They were all" school teachers engaged in a common wort;, and organisation as a body would assist him in an effort to secure a co-ordinated education system. Mr Renner, secretary of the association, said he was in agreement, with the Minister in desiring one corporate body to represent members of tho teaching profession on the lines of the National Union of Teachers of Great Britain. He felt that such a body would be of very great value, not merely to the teachers, but also to the cause" of education. It would assist in preventing gaps j.nd overlapping in the education system, and dovetail with the primary, secondary, technical, and university courses. Referrinf to the question of a Dominion scale of ralaries for secondary teachers, the Ministor said such a scale would bo difficultto de.vise under tho present scheme of administration, but the matter had received attention.

The General Committee, of the City Council submit the following names from the applicants for tho position of .sanitary inspector:— Joseph K. S. Findon, Albert L. Smyth, Frederick J. Given; and the following .six for the position of assistant to the building surveyor and sanitary inspector:—Alex. T. W. Watson. John M. Rodger. George Lawrie, Charles Arnold, 0. Lello, and Win. H. Lyons. The, names arc not submitted in uider of the committee's preference.

'Hie Antarctic exploration ship Aurora reached town this afternoon and berthed at the Rattray street wharf, where she was immediately thrown open for inspection. During the afternoon she was visited In- largo crowd*, who exhibited a, keen desire to view the various things of interest which were displayed for viewin the shed adjacent to the wharf. The small sum of Gi.l was charged for admittance, the proceeds to go to the lied Cross fund. The last opportunity of seeing civer the Aurora will be given tomorrow, when, she will again be" open for inspection. Admission will he gained by a silver coin, and as the money raised will be given to the ]led Cross' Society it is hoped that the familiar threopciiiivbit will be conspicuous by its absence.' At the usual practice of Knox Church Choir on Thursday evening an honors flag, with the name's of five members who have joined the colors and have gone to the front, was unfurled bv Mi-s 'Mat besom The flag was the' gift of Miss Mason, one of the members'of the choir. The Rev. Mr Jamieson presided, and made a few appropriate remarks suitable, to the occasion. A deputation^was sent from the session to cxnress their appreciation of the gift. Messrs D. Wri-ht and J. Stevenson (speaking on the session), and Mr Gale (choir master) suitably returned thanks for the deputation's kind remarks. Several members of the congregation were present. Two fresh cases of infantile w-ero reported in the Wellington health district to-day— oho at -Wallacevillc and one at Foxton—reports an Association wire.

A Waimate telegram reports the Inmost fall of rain since October, 1912, the ram-tf showing 185 points. The. grocery establishments in the City and. suburbs have decided to close oil Good Friday until Easter Monday and will remain open all day Tuesday '(Wic Day).

_ A great deal of sympathy must be felt lor the Otagoj Cricket Association in ih" unfortunate, "position into which thev have been forced by the, quite unforeseen circumstance of the war. Just prior to the outbreak of the great conflict, it. will he remembered, the O.G.A. made what mo=t supporters of the gam© considered an excellent arrangement by engaging for three years the services as one, of the best ail-round cricketers living J \ Crawford. Promises of substantial financial support were given, while it was confjdeMly expected that the proceeds) of interprovmcial matches in Dunediu in which Crawford would he playing would return a handsome profit. The war knocked all these plans to pieces, and the financial position ot the association, as revealed at a meeting last night, i* a serious onIhero is already a bank overdraft of £327 and the .total liabilities to the end of the coach's term (May. 1917) amount to £7/T, While certain promises have, not (presumably mi account of other calls on the generosity of the public) been fulfilled, the association and their supporters have collected something like £465 in tno past, two years. It will he seen, however, that much more is needed. The association last night discussed ways and means, and a sub-committee was appointed to go further into the matter.

The wounded soldiers at the Tioypihtl were given another outing Ibis afternoon by the Otngo Yacht Club, Mr 0. Sncipht taking the men in his launch to Vrond Bay. where they were entertained at afternoon ten. This finished, they were to In taken for a run down the" harbor and brought back to town about 5 |.i.m.

Notification of Sunday services as cmim°rato'd below appears in our advertising cot umns: —Amdiean: All Saints'. .PrcsbvieViaiiFirst, Church, Knox Church, gt. Andrew'-' North-fast Valley, Caversham, Moriiiinnon' Musselburgh, lioslyn, St. Clair, Chalnicr-' Maori Hill. Methodist: Trinity, Central Mission, ■Morning-ton, Cargrill Road. Bellckii-iwes" Woodhaugh, Norlh-east Valley, UurdisStreet, Kew, Abbotsford, iiavensbnunie E O -' ]yn, Maori Hill, St. Ivilda. Comiregaiionar" Moray Place, Leith Street, ,Sf. Clair Kin., Street. Baptist: Hanover Street, Poslvir Morninglon, Cavcrsham. Church of Christ'-' Tubernacb, 'Scuth Dunedin, Mon-iiu£rton. l(c<lyu. North-cast Valley. Fil'.eul street, Choxai Hall, Th2osophy, Ciiriidadclphians, PlayVSr Street Hall, Christian Science Society." Albany Street School.

Tho opening monthly concert for tho year of the Duncdin Burns Club will be held on Wednesday in tho Art Gallery Hall. Mr James Cruigie, M.P., will give an address on 'Burns's Education.' A capital programme of Scottish_ songs, recitations, and instrumental music is provided. New season's photographic goods: Excellent stock now arriving. Cameras from 6s. Send your order early to H. J. Gill, 11 and 13 Frederick street, Duuedin. 'Phone 1,144. -[Advt.] Mornington Baptist Church anniversary services to-morrow.

Overheard: "My word! but Watson's No. \0 Whisky is a treat! Must be well matured.— [A dvt.]

Tho anniversary of the North-cast Valley Baptist Church will be celebrated to-mor-row, and Rev. Joseph Carlisle will also deliver his farewch addresses, prior to leaving for Gisborno.

Mr G. 31. Thomson will lecture on 'Bird Life' at the Museum on Monday night, under the auspices of the Canary and Ca<*e, Bird Club.

At the St. Clair Congregational Church tomorrow harvest festival will bo held. The church will bo decorated for the occasion. The Rev. W. J. Ashford will take for his evening subject ' The Vision of Harvest,.' Anthems will be. Tendered by the choir. Hiss Ruth Gale will be the evening soloist, sbiginfj ' Beyond the Dawn,' and Mr Cecil Huiton will preside at the organ. Speight's ale and stout aro acknowledged by tho Dominion public to be the best on the market.—[Advt.f The Rev. Percy Knight, of Christclmrch, who, it will bo remembered, lectured in the Octagon Hall some mnnths ago on 'Dante,' is again visiting Dunedin, and will on Monday evening deliver an illustatcd address on 'Tennyson' in Trinity Church Hall, Moray place. Tho Council of Churches announce 'A Quiet Dav at the Cross' for Friday in First, Church at 10.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. The Rev. W. Gray Dixon (president of the council) will preside. Ladies recommend Martin's Apiol and Steel Pills. Sold by all chemists and stores. See you get iho genuine.—[Advt.J

Stainor's cantata, ' The Crucifix'on,' will be rendered a.f the evening service at Roslyn Presbyterian Church. Highgate, to-morrow.

Watson's Xo. 10 is a little dearer than most whiskies, but is worth tho nionev.— LAdvt,]

Train arrangements for the Easter holidays aro advertised in this issue.

Special services in connection with (.lie anniversary of the King Street Congregational Church are ar.uaunrc-d for to-morrow. Annual tea and public meeting will be. held on Wednesday evening.

In St. Martin's Church, N.E. Valley, tomorrow, at, evensong, the. Yen. Archdeacon Woodthorpe, Warden of Sehvyn College, will rive iho final address of the series 'The World Conflict and the Christian Faith,' en-

tilled Death, and After Death, in the Light of (ho Passion."

'After 37 Years: A Confession of Faith'— this is the title, of an address to be given to-morrow evening in SI. Andrew's Church by Dr Waddell on iho 37th anniversary of his pastorale. Young men and young women and students specially invited.