The Evening Star SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1916.

Evening Star, Issue 16263, 4 November 1916, Page 6

The Evening Star SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1916.

At an hour when there are not wanting evidences of national Has the Empire degeneracy and moral Found Itserf? cancer in our midst, and when a. majority of the stay-at-home Australians have placed on record their inability to realise ths greatness of their Imperial destiny, it is gratifying to learn that so eminent a statesman and great an Englishman as Lord Rosebery believes that the blood which has been shed in common by the men. of Britain and the men from "overseas throughout this great war has been the, on* certain means of enabling the Empire to " find itself." It would be surprising were if, not so. How is it possible for Frenchmen and Britons—who fravo shared the =ame trench, faced the same dangers, and fallen dead or wounded by each other's side—ever to return to the old indifferences, the ignoble, racial misunderstandings, and the pettinesses of prowar days? And if it i s inconceivable that men of different nationalities who have fought, bled, and fallen together shall ewer again in. our day and generation be other than clo.se allies in the cause of national liberty and international righteousness. Xor is it possible to "believe that the mingling together on the battlefield of the men of our own race and tongue and kin—who have been drawn from fdl parts of the. earth and are animated with the one ideal and pledged to u common cause—can result in anything other than the solemn sealing of tnat bond of union to which we have mutually given our adherence. To stretch admissions and faiths such as these fas certain intellectual weaklings in this Dominion have done) into a glorification of war for war's own sake is nut to know the moaning of the simplest of words. Lord Rosebery and the millions who think with him ray this war has enabled the Empire to find itself, because they know, and because all history teaches, that only through human anguish and the sheddincr of human blond has that tendency, or influence, or power that makes for"the salvation of the race been able to snatch permanent advance from seeming defeat. Long ago it was said that "the blood of tho martyrs is the seed of the Church"; so, too, shall the blood shed, at Gallipoli and on the banks of the Somme prove the seed of a greater and a nobler Empire than any of which history tells or the wisest of men have ever dreamed. "Through bloody battle to glorious victory"—that is the German way of etating the position. And, like most things German—as an amazed and stupefied world ha.s learned—it is a characteristically brutal way. Not that it reveals anything that is now. What Berr Bassermann has said sir.ee the war is only what much greater Germans than he said before it. "Eternal " peace is a dream and not even a, beauti"ful one," said the great .Moltko; "th> "monarch who is victorious is always for- " given," said the cynical but far-seeing Bismarck; and "as my grandfather reorganised the army, so shall I reorganise " the navy without flinehinrr in tho same " way. so that it will stand upon the same "level as my army, and that with its help "the German Empire will reach the pla-ee "it has not yet attained,'* added tho flamboyant Kaiser, by way of underlining ajid eniphiu-ising the truths he had learned. We commend the contrast hero presented to the attention of those of little faith and short memories. What Germany desired —nay. claimed as hers by the right of superior force—was a recreated Europe, to be dominated from tho North Sea to the Dardanelles and beyond by tho might of " mv svord." Indlt upon counties*; myriads or corpses and tho devastated hinds of those smaller nationalities that had dared to block the conqueror's way. And what this Empire of which we are part seeks is. to utterly crush this "devilish power" that has already made of tho fairest portions of the earth's surface a charnel-house, and transfeimed once peaceful plains and valleys and hills into cemeteries in which there arc many shapeless heaps but few graves. This, briefly, is- the service and the ideal to which Britain and her Allies Jm > pledged .And to the vast majority of men and women the world over the contrast has only to be stated in order to evoke a renewal of the determination never to rest and never to sheathe the sword until tho cause for which it has been drawn has triumphed. When or how far off the day of judgment and of fulfilment may be we cannot affirm; wo rest content in tho knowledge that it will come. Meantime, a great deal of spado work is imperative. There are those everywhere who are contont either to flounder in, sloughs of despond of their own digging, or who have reached eo low a stage of vision that they are unable to distinguish between right and wrong. They know neither why nor for what tho Empire ip fighting. To them and theirs the underlying cauee of this appalling upheaval and overtlirow of all we have mid are is incomprehensible. They can understand that tens of thou-

sands of human beings arc being'killed or maimed, hut they can sec no relation between these daily sacrifices and their own personal safety. They can and do talk glibly about "blows for liberty" and the " rights of Labor," but they are mentally and morally barred from compre- ! bending how there would be neither [ " liberty" nor " rights" for themselves ?r their dupes—and they are their own greatest dupes—unless these daily sacrifices (that strike blows at every heart but their ovn) continued to be made. They ars horribly and repulsively ignorant of the fact that this continuous tale of slaughter is paid for them, and that it must go on being paid if they are etill to remain at liberty to sign manifestoes and to eat, drink, and sleep in safety, whether it bo in England or Australia or New' Zealand. It was not such that Lord Rosebery had In his mind's eye. when he pictured an Overseas Empire rising in its indignation to denounce and to break away from a- Mother Land that would dare to conclude a__cowardly, short-sighted, and inglorious peace with Prussian militarism. These, rather, are among those who would welcome such a peace. The men and women who are giving of their blood and tears to remake this Empire stand apart. They are upon holy ground, and it is not for those who are without the pale to intrude upon them or to contaminate the air they breathe with their presence. The Empire in '.his its- hour of crisis needs none but the loyal in heart and strong of sou! to fight its battles. j

There has been an interesting controversy in Christchurch between Sensitive the Roman Catholic Bishop Irishmen. and the 'Press' qver its editorial comments upon a meeting held last week for the purpose of discussing a proposal to establish a fund for "Tho Relief of the Distress in Dublin." No heads have been broken so far; but a Donnybrook temper has been aroused, and if we all had been nearer the dear '' ould bog" doubtless we should at least have been gripping shillelaghs. And hero we would say that it is not because we ourselves are spoilin' for a fight that wo venture to risk treacling on the tail of a bold Irishman's coat. Has not tho good Bishop of Christchurch himself said wisely : " I have made it a virtue in "my life to mind my own business, and " it's a safe policy to adopt." But there are phases in the controversial shindy that make it of general interest, and give it a far-reaching significance. The freedom of tho Press as a whole to criticise public meetings and affairs hae been challenged and oven threatened with dire consequences. So it must be hats on the green for us all. The fact that, the controversy touches that brittle business Lniversally known as the Irish Problem does not really concern us for the moment. We may make a virtue of leaving thatbusiness alo. e. Nor do we presume to j ally to the aid of tho Christchurch ' Press.' It can be depended upon competently to fight its own battles, even with the militant Bishop of Christchurch. The general aspect of the matter alone attracts our attention. This was the way of the trouble. The Roman Oil tholies in Christchurch held a public meeting last Thursday week to consider a proposal to establish a fund for relieving distress in Dublin. The following day the 'Press' discussed editorially the purpose of the meeting; pointed out that no details had been given as to the existence- of any special distress in Dublin, or as to the source of the appeal or to whom the money was to be sent for'distribution ; suggested that this information should be given, in new of the fact that tho British Government had voted three and a-qunater millions to repair tho damage done by the rebels in Dublin and to i emove slums ; and protested, incidentally, against the introduction of party politics during what was supposed to be a trucefor the period of the war. That, really, is practically our contemporary's own summary of the extent of its " offending." Dr B-rodie and Ids friends apparently saw sinister insinuations in the criticism, and immediately their policy was "all hell shall stir for this." It was made the subject of special mention in the Catholic churches in Christchurch last Sunday ; and as a result of the reference to it a great meeting was held in the Hibernian Hall the following Tuesday, when several resolutions were passed, blunt speeches made, and a general condemnation of tho 'Press' voiced with something like vehement enthusiasm. The Bishop made a speech which was as delightful as it was extraordinary. His most remarkable statement was this: The 'Press' must remember it was dealing with sensitive Irishmen—lrishmen who are prophetically and proverbially sensitive, who were easily hurt. The 'Press' war, dealing with some great, some magnificent force, which is a mystery to the 'Press' and is a mvsterv to tho world. And what force was"that? It is. that forcj which binds together in indissoluble union the bishops, priests, •vdd people of the Catholic Church. The answer of the 'Press' to this was reasonably logical. "If this means anything at all" (it said), "it means that a "newspaper .in New Zealand must not "dare to criticise tho proceedings at any "meeting which happens to be presided " over by a Roman Catholic Bishop unless "it i«s prepared to face the peril of tho " whole organisation of the Roman Cathc- " lie Church being employed to crush it." The Bishop also made this statement, which gives the controveiTsy a wide significance : The ' Press' had touched him on the raw, but it need not fear pulpit fulluinations ; but it might have to fear the consequences of its own writings and its own articles. Without any word of his the ' lVess' need not be surprised if it got notes from many of his people toiling it that on account of the attitude it had now taken up they cou'd no longer subscribe- to the paper. It would not be for him to dictate that to his people—that was an attitude he would not take up—but he knew that* his people were sorely hurt when Friday's article was put before him. The vehemence-and militant enthusiasm of His Lordship and his good people could have been admired by all if he and they had refrained from suggesting tactics which, to say the least, should be foreign to ecclesiastical fighting. An honest whack'with-a blackthorn w preferable to tho boycott. Then there was a foolish suggestion that tho criticism by the ' Press' had so hurt the- feelings of some of the Bishop's people that " they would hesi- " tate now to enlist before they are com- " polled to." Surely it is ridiculous to suggest that the comment of the 'Press' would hinder recruiting among the loyal Irishmen of Canterbury. If it wore to kill their voluntary spirit, all that could be said would be that it was easy to kill. It is pleasit.g to note that the 'Press' refuses to be intimidated, and determines to continue to do what it believes to be its di.ty, regardiesa of consequences. And so say all of us.

\Mr Paulin's forecast:—S.E. to IX.E. winds, and fine; electrical indications. ,

A young Salvation Army captain who assisted to collect £2,900 for the Gisborne corps for the self-denial appeal had to undergo great hardships in. his travels through the Poverty Bay country. Early therein he was swept off his horse in a flooded river and became entangled in the animal's ' fore-legs. For a time he struggled to free himself without success, but with tho aid of the current he at last extricated himself and gained the bank from which he had started. This mishap caused him' a delay of some days, and the cheques he sent back to headquarters were so disfigured by water that it was found hard to negotiate them at the banks. Before his mission wasyfrompleted the captain crossed the river in which he had so nearly lost his life. 99 times, and another river in the vicinityhe crossed on 30 separate occasions.

The question of whether a police constable has a right to enter business premises and make prolonged- inquiries was involved in a decision given in the Practice Court, Melbourne, last week. Tho original action came on in the Melbourne Court of Petty Sessions on .August 29, when Alfred Abrahams, of Elizabeth street, Melbourne, was fined 10s, with costs, for having obstructed Constable Mackay in tho execution of his duty. The facts were that on August 2 the constable went into Abraham's shop for the purpose of making inquiries in reference to the sale of a pea rifle, said to ha,ve been sold to-a youth 18 years of age. Abrahams, it was stated, came up and ordered the constable to leave the shop, and the latter then went away. Argument on the case took place a few days ago, and Mr Justice Hood now delivered his reserved judgment. It was held by His Honor that the opening of a shop was an invitation to the public to enter. At the same time the proprietor had a right to order any person off the premises. In this case Mackay ivas told to leave the place. As a constable he had no right to be there, and was therefore not obstructed in tho execution of his duty. The appeal was allowed, and the conviction in the Court below was set aside.

Many ladies arc employed in the departments of the Public Service in Wellington (states the ' Post'). The busy click of typewriters in the General Post Office shows that in that department alone many are engaged. The work entailed under the Military Service Act in the Government Statistician's Department and the Pay Department has absorbed a great deal of women labor. Between them they probably employ nearly 350 girls and women. In the Public Service, women employed as casuals do not start at less than £1 a week. Some of them receive £2, but experience has shown that a girl has to bo of more than average ability to be really worth more than 30s a week. Iu exceptional cases, however, they range up to as much as £3 a week. In the case of some industrial agreements and awards—the grocers' and the typographical, for instance—it is specified that if a woman does the same class of work as a man she shall receive equal pay. A few girls have found their way into grocers' shops as the result of the depletion caused in the ranks of the.men, and, except in the case of a girl behind the sweets counter, are entitled to receive men's' wages. The female type-setter has not materialised in Wellington, although in some country districts she is not a noveltv.

The expected rise in butchers' meat is not yet announced, but our friends of the chopping block and (.-leaver say that it is unavoidable and imminent. Mr T. S. Graham bar, received somo interesting mementoes of the war from one of hie sons, N. S. Graham, who is serving with the artillery in France. A small horseshoe arid a boomerang, both exquisitely fashioned out of the copper band of a German shell, are wonderfully made, seeing that the workmanship was done in the muck and stress of first-line fighting.. There is also a fragment of shell, weighing perhaps 3oz. that hit a tree and cut it through; also a sample of the drinking cups that are used by our men—a neatlyformed vessel and very handy. Also about 30 brass badges of our famous British regiments, and a button cut from a German's uniform. The handling of these relics almost seoms to put- one on the battlefield'. The second performance of Mrs 0. J. W. Napier's war pageant. 'The Sward,' at His Majesty's Theatre last night drew another large attendance, the receipts being about £2O more than on the first night. The performance was again satisfactory—more so in one particular than on the opening night, for some of the leading impersonators, a little shy on the first; night, spoke up more plainly. The takings for the two nights may come to £2OO or thereabouts, and the expenses are guessed as between£Bo and £SO, so that there is a probability of an appreciable cheque being handed, to the Anzac Ciu'i tren-surer and to the managers of the Soldiers' Hospital in Cheshire. The playing of ' Le Cygne ' in the wings by Miss Stella Bailey was again much appreciated. The garden competitions which have been arranged by the Amenities and Town Planning Society are deserving of every encouragement from the public, and it is to be hoped that the entries will be numerous. There aro a great number of well-kept gardens in Dunedin and suburbs that have been laid out with discrimination and planted with taste by men who have made the most of the small portion of land in their possession. If a fair number of these horticulturists make ,up their minds to enter for the contest a tremendous amount of interest will be created, which shoidd encourage gardening as a hobby and stimulate interest in the work of the society. Particulars as to the competitions will be found in another column.

The population of tho Borough of Qtteenstown on October 16 last was 657, as against 698 in 1911. The meeting of the St. Clair School Committee last night was attended by Messrs J. B. Brugh (chairman), Speight, Moody, Buxton, Kilpatrick, Ritchie, and Campbell. The head master reported 248 on the rolh average attendance 240. Tho Visiting Committee reported everything satisfactory. The building of the newschool was stated to bo going on steadily. A resident has undertaken to plant the vacant spaces in the grounds. The clerk intimated that the younger pupils had "nature outings" yesterday, Mrs Russell taking the children of Standards 1., 11., and 111., to Flagstaff, and Miss Hopcraft conducting the infants to the Cliffs. Both trips were much enjoyed bv the voungsters. The committee decided that if any further request came from a picture manager to send the children to the show it be declined, tho feeling of tho committee being that parents are the best judges of whether their children should go to tho pictures.

The .Auckland Hotel and Restaurant Employees' Union, at n, meeting on Simday, adopted the following resolution:— "That this representative meeting of the Auckland Hotel and Restaurant Employees' Industrial Union of Workers are. of the unanimous opinion that steps should be immediately taken to urge the Government to further reduce the prices of all New Zealand pToduced necessities of life, as, in this meeting's opinion, the dependents of those who are answering tho country's call are unable to afford to pav the present purchase price of these necessities. Failing any immediate action taken, that this meeting endorse the resolution of the Auckland General laborers' Union appealing to the seamen and waterside workers of the Dominion to meet, to decide upon such action as will prevent tho continuance of such unpatriotic plunder." A private letter has been received from Miss Thurston, late matron of the Christchurch Hospital, and now in charge of the hospital at Waltcn-on-Thames. She writes : There are several boys here who have been in Christchurch, arid they love talking to me about Christchurch and Canterbury. ■ Just now we are awfully busy, receiving daily convoys of wounded men from France*: However badly wounded, there is never a murmur from them. They are really bravo and plucky, and deserve everything that is being done for them. If you could only know their delight when they are brought here and made comfortable, and have the joy of being waited on by a New Zealand stalb it would do you good to see them. So many who have endured the long transport just go to sleep like tired children.

' Jt was stated at the Masterton Magistrate's Court, in connection with a case of drunkenness, that the accused, a station hand, had spent £4O in drink in 10 davs. The Magistrate (Mr Kerr) issued a prohibition order against him. Andrew- John Gibson, who was recently sentenced at Johannesburg to imprisonment for life for bank frauds amounting to £3,765, is described bv the ' Svdney •Morning Herald' as one of the cleverest criminals known to the Australian police. He arrived in Sydney over half a century i ago, when he fvas only 22, and was employed as a dispenser. For four or five years he kept off the police records, but he lived a gay life, and this need of money Jed to his being arrested at Yass for false ! pretences,. and sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. Then he began his loinr career, of roguery. Women were nea-rlv always victims. As Sir Harry Westwood Cooper he married a voung woman m Sydney in 1895. deserted her. married a young girl ln Brisbane and took her to England. Next he appeared in Canada and the United States, where hj carried out numerous extraordinary frauds and married " further women—always wealthy women. Next he went to South Africa, where lie raised much money on a bogus deposit certificate. 'Then he went back to Sydney as "Surgeon-major Home, V.C ." but the detectives were already looking for him, and he was arrested at Burraca when, as " 3)r Swinton Home," he was about to marry a Burraga girl. He was extradited to Natal, served a sentence and arrived back in Sydney at the beginning of tins year. Ho was arrested again this time while posing as a doctor and living m luxury at the Coogee Bay Hotel find sent back to Africa to answer a further series of charges of fraud. Kitchen peas sold in one of the leading auction mails this morning at sjd per lb" They came from Waimate and Outran) New potatoes grown on Ota go Peninsula brought s£d and 6jd. Tliev are 0 f the "Sutton's Early" strain. In -some previous seasons eariy potatoes have rome to hand at the end of September. Hothouse tomatoes brought from Is 6d to 2s, asparagus from 5s to 7s 6d per dozen lib bundles; hothouse encumbers from 8s to 12s per dozen according to size. Nelson I apples out of the cool store were sold at! from 12s to 15s per c?se. They have to compete now with the new apples from America, which bring, from 15s to 16s. The gate receipts on People's Day (yesterday) at the Manawatu A. and P. Showwere- £IBO in excess of last year's n> nres. The lions. G. W. Russell, W. D. S. Mac Donald, and W. H. Hemes were present. Mickie Free, owned by Mr H. Hassel!. of Hastings, was adjudged the champion hunter for the third year in succession, and consequently becomes absolute owner of the challenge cup given by Mr E. D. O'Rorke, of Auckland." Notification of Sunday services as enumerated below appears in our ' advertising columns:—Anglican. All Saints'. Presbyterian: First Church, Knox Church, S"t. Andrew's. North-east Valley, C'aversbam Mornington, Musselburgh, * St. Clair' Chalmers. Methodist: Trinity, Central Mission, Mornington, Cargill Road, Belleknowes Woodhaugh, N.E. Valley, Dundas Street, Rew, Abbotsford, Ravensbourne, Roslyn Maori Hill, St. Kilda. Congregational: Moray Place, Leiih Street, St. Clair, Kin? Street B.ipti3t- Hanovsr Street, Eoslvn, Caversharn. North-cast Valley. Church of Christ: Tabernacle, South Dunedin, Mornington, Roslyn, N.E. Valley Filleul Street. Choral Hall, Theosoohy, Cbrista(lelpbians, Playfair Street Hall. Christian Science Society, Spiritual Scientists' Church. United Starr-Bowkctt Society invite members for the now group. The sum of £1,500 is offered for disposal on the 16th inst. St. Peter's Ladies' Guild will hold their annual sale of work on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday,. November 8, 9, and 11. As usual, there wiil be a variety of wellstocked stalls, including work, produce, cake and flower stalls, also a Christmas tree. Attractive programme will be riven each evening • New season's photographic goods: Excellent stock now arriving. Cameras from 63. Send your order early to H. J. Gill, 11 and 13 Frederick street, Dunedin. 'Phone 1,144. -CAdvt.] An important meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, to which importers and exporters are invited, is to be held in the New Zealand Express Company's board room on Monday evening. The lack of facilities for carrying on the imnort nnd export trade of 'Dunedin will be discussed. The monthly meeting of the Dunedin and Mosgiel Woollen Mills Emnloyees' Union will ba held in the Trades Hall on Wednesday next, at 8 p.m. Watson's No. 10 is a little dearer than most whiskies, but is worth the money.— [Advt.] The monthly meeting of the Dunedin Painters' Industrial Union of Workers will be held in the Trades Kail on Monday evening at 8 o'clock. An important question at present i? Conscription. The Rev. Clarence. Eaten has set himself the task of dealing with this subject at the Central Mission sen-ice in the Octagon liall to-morrow evening. Speight's ale and stout are acknowledged by the Dominion public to be the best on the market.—[Ad>t.] At the Roslyn Baptist Church to-morrow evening the monthly young people's service will be held. The pastor (Rev. Stanley Jenkin) will preach, his subject being 'Ambition.' The Oa.mani show is to befteid on November 16. and 17. Particulars are advertised in this issue. The monthly meeting of the Temperance Council will be held in the Baptist Church Hall, Hanover street, on Mondav evening at 8. Washboard slavery completely- abolished, thanks to No Rubbing Laundry Help: Is for seven weeks' washing. Wardell Bros, and Co.—[Advt.] Chaplain Read (recently of the hospital ship Marama) will preach at the Dundas Street Methodist Church to-morrow morning. On Sunday evening, at the North-east Valley Baptist_ Church, the Rev. S. Morris will give a series of evening sermons, entitled 'Love Stories from the Best of Books.' Tho Allies—pure water, magnificent barley, perfect distilling. Result: Watson's No. 10 Whisky. Always wins.—[Advt.] Mr H. W. Savage, of Detroit, Michigan, U.S. America, arrived in Dunedin a few days ago to represent nnd minister to the "Reorganised Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," and will conduct preaching services in the Club House, Moray place, Sunday evenings, and also assist tho local men who have been holding forth at Cargill's Monument during the last two years. Elder Savage has just completed a five-years' mission in the -South Son. Islands, whero ho has met with considerable success. Notices of meetings will be found in our religious columns. No lady should be without Martin's Aplol and Stee! Pills. Sold by all chemists and stores throughout Australasia.—TAdvt.l The monthly meeting of tho Motor Club will be held in! the D.J.C. Rooms on Monday evening. Akaron, healthiest town in Dominion, with glorious climate, electric light, best of drainago, pure wafer supply, salt-water baths; the place for your holidays.—[Advt.]