The Evening Star FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1917.

Evening Star, Issue 16559, 19 October 1917, Page 4

The Evening Star FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1917.

Lire Sale of Liquor Restriction. Bill is taking an unduly long time to Six o'Clcck get itself upon the Statuto Closing. Book. We hope that the responsibility for this does dot lie at the door of the National Government. Unfortunately, in tho history of the Dominion the Legislative Council has too often been employed as a drag upon the wheel of urgent legislation. There aro many indirect ways of encouraging amendments which bring in their train disagreements and conferences of the two Houses, with all the incidental procrastinations which these things involve. Six o'clock closing of hotel bars was called for by the people, ,and approved by a large majority of tho people's representatives as - a>_ war measure. It was deemed essential to promote National Economy and National Efficiency. Such being the opinion of the country and tho country's Parliament, the measure brooked no delay. If it was needful for economy and efficiency,"it has been needful for more than three years. Dilatoriness in bringing it into operation amounts, therefore, to holding back a reform which the highest authority in the land has declared imperative in the interest of pushing forward the ammunition waggon and generally maximising the resources for war. If Early Closing is wanted at all, it is wanted now. It is gratifying to observe that this, the only logical position, was taken up by the majority of the House of Representatives on Wednesday last. Mr Wilford sought to extend the time of the Bill's enforcement until June next by moving an amendment to that effect. The amendment was lost by 50 votes to 24. Such a substantial majority administered a deserved rebuke to those undemocratic politicians who strove to defeat tli6~peopie's will by the subterfuge of putting off~the reform until its usefulness would have passed. The most significant feature of the division list on Wednesday is found in the voting of .Ministers. Four out of the ten were for the emasculation of the measure. Messrs Herdman, Mac Donald, Myers, and Sir Joseph Ward are carrying their opposition to the people's will to a length which surely borders on the unconstitutional. They know that Early Closing is no war measure if'it is hung up until the middle of next year, and they know that the people believe and that Parliament has decided that Early Closing is immediately wanted as a war -measure; yet they have the effrontery to stand stride-a-legs across the path of the Bill's passage. To register their vote against the principle of Early Closing was intelligible enough on constitutional grounds, although enigmatical enough on national patriotic grounds; but after the will of Parliament has once ben unmistakably expressed, what possible line of reasoning can uphold the conduct of Responsible Ministers who busy themselves in throwing obstacles in the track of a reform unequivocally supported by the vast majority, of the people? Rightlyconsidered, Wednesday's vote of the four Ministers we have mentioned will be seen to merit the severest public censure. They showed themselves guilty of an obstinate perseverance in withstanding the popular jwill which one would expect \vould last of all mark the behaviour of those,servants of tlm people who have been appointed the chief instruments of the execution of the people's wishes. Furthermore, it ill becomes members of the Government to block the way to that National Economy which their recent statements concerning ! the gravity of the financial position have shown to be so important. It is pleasing, then, to be able to record that by a majority of more than two to one Parliament, despite the bad example of so many Ministers, rejected Mr Wilford's amendment. We feel, however, that to some extent the people have been befooled by the postponement of Early Closing until December 1. We are not satisfied with Mr Massey's excuses for the month's extension. They appear to us to cover a purpose to make a concession to the brewers at the expense of Nation?! Efficiency. Had SLs- o'Clock Closing sprung from the conscience of the Cabinet as it sprang: from the conscience of the people, the Prime Minister would not have been among the first to countenance a month's delay.

After three months of almost incessant fighting—from July 21 to Three Months October 15-on the westOf Battle. ern front it is possible for the Prime Minister (Mr Lloyd George) and the Imperial War Cabinet to send_ their congratulations to the Commander-in-Chief (Sir Douglas Haig) and his troops on the achievements of the armies in Flanders. Throughout this period there has been a continuous series of great battles, greatly fought. The nation and tho Empire do well to be proud of their generals.and their officers and men., These have successfully carried through, under the most trying climatic conditions, and against lines of long-prepared, skilfully detailed, and ingeniously elaborated " Gibraltars," a campaign the more obvious results of which are represented by many thousands of prisoners, large captures of guns, and an enemy casualty roll of much larger proportions than any thcy have themselves suffered. These are solid and substantial gains, justifying not only the congratulations of the highest experts and "filling the enemy with alarm," but vindicating the early confident pronouncement of the famous soldier whose skill, courage, and pertinacity his countrymen are acclaiming. When, on August 4, Sir .•Douglas issued a message to the British Army he said : We enter the fourth year of war with a firm confidence based on what we and our gallant Allies have already done. This recollection of the past three years can leave no doubt in our minds that the British Armies in Prance and the workers in the Empire upon whom they depend have the power and will to complete the task which they have undertaken, and that they will continue it until their labors are crowned by certain and definite victory.

Simultaneously Marshal Von Hindenburg was sending a typically Teutonic message to the new Imperial Chancellor. It is worth recalling: Firmly consolidated in the interior, and unshaken on all the fronts, Germany braves the exasperated thrusts of her ancient and new enemies. The German - army is fighting far in tho enemy's conn-

try, and- is marching with unbroken strength to new successes. It enters the fourth year of war born by confidence as firm as a rock that our homo spirit of union and perseverance will remain alive, which is the guarantee of victory and honorable peace to our. nation. The answer, the only answer of, value, to" the assertions of this,-" glorious leader oV our incomparable troops" is found in tho progress of the Gorman and AngloFrench armies during the succeeding three months. Tho one has consistently retired and the other consistently advanced. The losses on our side have been severe, while on that of the enemy they have been alarming. The exasperation of which Von Hindenburg speaks is non-existent. Every blow struck by the Allies is the result of careful thought, tireless preparation, dogged persistence, and successful execution. The exasperation and the spirit of which it is born are not on our side. Wo were confident that we could beat the enemy, because our confidence rested not on blustering talk and arrogant assumptions, but on tho unimpugnable basis of prior achievement. Our leaders know that their troops are more than a match for anything the enemy can bring against us in fair fighting. Why Von Hindenburg was able to say that his" armies were fighting far in theenomy's country was becauso he and his All-Highest master have not fought fairly, but, like murderers in the night, sprang upon their unprepared, unsuspecting victims. What have Germany's incomparable army and fleet done towards winning the war? At tho end of 39 months of battle on land and sea they are no nearer beating the armies of France and li,aly and Britain than they were at the beginning';"their navy is powerless to help them, save by methods and ways of which even some Germans aro ashamed; and " the homo spirit of union and perseverance," if it has any reality, is maintained chiefly, if not wholly, by the exercise of that same ruthlessness which beat Belgium and Serbia into the mire.

Our own faults are many and our blunders are proclaimed from the housetops; but, at least, the British Governmenyiavo not deliberately and systematically lied to the nation. Speaking broadlv wo know where we stand and how we stand. We are not fooled with-nauseating cant and blaspheming exhortations. Neither aro wo officially invited to abandon our tasks, to dress ourselves in our best, and to turn out into the'public streets to watch the flags flying ail d to hear the bands playing in joyous honor of another great and glorious victory over the Rumanians, or the Russians, or the British Navy at Jutland, that never brings tho now sullen and officially dragooned spectators one day nearer that German peace by which' all wrongs are to be righted, all enemies to bo punished, and hnnniness restored to a heart-sick humanity. '■throughout this great war—and those of us who can recall Ma feking Day rejoice to know it—Britain has engaged in no flag-waving atrocities. "The turningvictory of tho Marne; the battles of Jutland and of the Falkland Isles; the fall of Bagdad ; tho continual victories, with great captures of prisoner?, on the western front; the entries of new Allies into the war have never aroused public rejoicings." Wo thank God that it is so. We are Uie greater and the better Empire for onr reticence. Our silence and our reserve are the outward and visible expressions that _as a nation—the eccentricities Of individuals are but the exceptions—wc have found ourselves in this great war. There is precious little, if anything at all, over which to burst into "song"and dance. The things that thrill us with pride and fill the eyes with tears are the devotion and willing self-sacrifice of our men and women. We think of those men who to-day, and for many days, have toiled and worked—who have slept and fought and fallen in oceans of mud—but not as men who would wish us to wave flags, to beat drums, and to shout ourselves hoarse in their honor. We regard them reverentially as Crusaders, as "soldiers of the Cross, as the armed host of that Cliristendom which has sent them to carry through to triumph the Great Cause on the success of which rests the salvation of the world.

It is officially notified that men of classes A and B of the Second Division of the Reserve may be accepted as voluntary recruits up to and including the last day oi this month for any draft up to and including that which proceeds to camo dunng the first week of March, 1918. All volunteers so enlisting and rejected by individual medical practitioners must be brought before district medical boards within one week of their attestation, so that if passed.they may have the longest possible time to arrange their privata affairs before proceeding to camp. Commander Hubert do> BuMi has been awarded the Distinguished Service Order for rescuing Germans (says a Router message of September 15). He commanded a destroyer in an action in which an enemv destroyer was sunk He succeeded in ing seven of her crew while under heavy lire frpm ehore batteries, and with three enemy sea planes hovering overhead. A rather startling announcement was made by Mr T. M. Wilford, M.l\. in his lecture on the war at the Wellington Town Hall on Monday. He said that facts hs4 come -under his notice recently which showed that in 1912 and 1913 the Germans had bought up all the sabadilla crops of Mexico and Venezuela, This production is what they have been using for the production of the deadly gas which, in the first stages of the war, so overcame our troops. The nauseous character of this particular plant may be judged from the fact that in gathering it the agricultural laborers had to weir masks to protect tfieir eyes and nostrils.

. An expression of opinion as to the duration of the war was given by .Mr C J Parr, M.P., at the Auckland Orphans Club on Saturday evening. "I am inciined to think," he said, " that nest summer the German power will be smashed. The enemy has been 'bluffing' for a draw, for a peace which will leave him where' he was. He lias been hoping tor a division among the Allies, leaving him to cscane punishment. That is the attitude of the Germans to-day. Next summer will find Great Britain at the top of her fighting form, which, it has taken three years to ai> tain. General ITaig as now delivering his 'hammer' blows, and is striking the enemy with all his might. Next summer the""American army will take the field in full strength, and the Allies will have the assistance of 4,000 or-5,000 American aeroplanes piloted by the most dashing airmen in the world. They will carry death and destruction into the heart of Germany. I shall bo disappointed if Germany has n'nt been driven out of Belgium and France by next summer. When the allied" forcesare once over the border, it will be a, cry of 'Kamerad.' Though the hour is dark, it must be remembered that our nation and race lias always been at its best when tho hour is d-arkest. Our proai-gran-d----fathers fought for 19 years against the tyranny of Napoleon, and the nation then was in a far worse plight than it is today. Shall we be less courageous than our forebears in the hour of trial? I am sure of the Dominions. Twelve months ago a New Zealander went to England and gazed not upon the ruins of "an Empire, as had been prophesied by the enemy, but upon the heart of Britain in the hour of the Empire's greatest glory. He looked upon a united Empire—Great Britain and her Dominions—the createst Empire the world has ever known."

The war has created an unprecedented demand for Bibles (says a Router cable message of September 15), and it is estimated that the possessor of v electrotype plates for printing pocket New Testaments owns something more, valuable than even a steamship.

I beg to apply |or. exemption from drill, owing to my living three miles from drill, and on account of a soldier's farm I am working,"'ran a letter in a youthful hand which was read in tho Now Plymouth Magistrate's Court on Thursday (says the ' Herald.')- " I am 15A years old. and have a farm of "63 acres, loosed by my father from a man going into camp, to look after. Tho only help I have 'is a younger brother, nine years of age, who helps me before and nfteF school. I have 18 cows to milk, and am working from 4.30 a.m. to .7.30 p.m. Up to the present I have attended drill regularly." The applicant, who certainly did not look more ■than his age, appeared in support of "has request, and; stated that his father worked on the railway, and could not give any help on the farm. The Defence Department offered no objection, and exemption from drill was granted,, America's coming into the war has brought about a revival of baseball in Britain. There have been several previous attempts .to acclimatise the game, but none were successful. This time it may have a' better chance, because its introduction has been accidental, and not tho result of any engineering. The game has been brought* over by the crews of the American warships, and teams from these have been playing exhibition matches in Ireland for some' little time. There has been an outbreak of baseball, too, in tho training camps, both in Ireland and Great Britain. lh e Artists' Rifles have a very good team. On July 29 a Canadian team beat a United States team" by 12-3 at Lords before a crowd of 10,000 people, .there were enough Canadian and American rooters" (or "fans") among them to what the real thing is like Gee! that was hot work!" thev said, as they mopped their perspiring brows after a couple of hours of exciting work under a British sun. '

Tho Minister of Works (Hon. W. Fiasav) gave notice in the House yesterday to introduce the State Supply of Electrical Energy Bill.

In tho conference in connection with ,its amendments to the Sale of Liquor Restriction Bill the Legislative Council will be represented by Sir F. D. Bell,' the Hons. w- M , a . c p re S 01 '> K-- K. Simpson, and J. G. VV. Aitken. As stated in our last issue, tne House's managers will be the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, S'r John Findlay, and Mr Wilkinson.

The statement telegraphed from Christchurch on Friday to the -fleet that Captain L. S. Jennings lost hi-.< life thrr.u"h a treacnerous prisoner is, -iccoi-dhg to an Auckland officer, who was present dun"n<r the advance, not in accordance vith faef tt appears from this officer's st»•-,•/ that Captain Jennings was shit by a ' *n>per from a shell-hole while he was lonso'idatJ"S. a portion of a captured switch trench this sniper is believed to have been overlooked during the advance, but .;e was ultimately discovered in the afternoon, after having shot another New Zealand officer, and was promptly bayoneted bv two London soldiers, who had uihiessed the latter incident.

Speaking at Tuesday night's meet'n<* of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, Mr W. II L Foster roundly attacked the National Government for their apathy towards etlnca\l°n - '' T! '-° National "Government," said Mr Foster, " are taking a deplorable view with regard to educational matters in the Dominion. They talk about the nobility of the teaching profession, and say that the education of the people depends upon the education of the children, yet they are not prepared to put down a £5 note to substantiate their belief in the nobility of the profession. The Government talk about winning the war, but what about winning after the war? It is plain that the Government refuse to help us We will not get anything from these men sitting up in Parliament until we make them feel that their seats in the House are in danger unless they do do something. I would like to point out that the Minister of Education is an absolute nonentity in the Cabinet, because the Educational Department is not a moneyearning department." Mr J. C. Webb blamed the public to a large extent. He contended that the public did not care one whit about education as long as the children were sufficiently educated to earn their living.

Mr H. R. Cole has painted a portrait in oils of the late Mr Robert Glendining, which is to be hung in the Glendining Home. So as to give the public an opportunity of inspecting it, tho portrait will be on view during the next few days at the rooms of the Presbyterian Social Service Association in George street (opposite Knox Church).

At last- night's meeting of the Otago Labor Council tTie Wellington Labor Council forwarded the following resolution, which was carried in that city:—"That this meeting of 'Wellington citizens view with alarm the continued increase in the cost of living, and look upon it as nothing less than a national "calamity, and call upon, the Government to make such reductions, in the cost of livina as to so increase the wages that the efficiency of the workers and the rising generation of_ workers may be assured and maintained.'* The resolution was received, and H was decided to await the publication of fchu report by the Cost of Living Committee before taking action on the matter.

Tho settlers of Berwick met in conference yesterday at- the local hall with representatives of the Dmredin City Council and Taieri County Council, and discussed the proposed routes of a new road from tho Outram-Berwick road to connect with tho Yv r .iipoTi Toad to the power station. One settler suggested that all the bodies interested should combine forces with the Government scheme for cleaninsr out the Waipori, make a bank with debris, and form a good road on top of that. This wyuld be practically <m the same ground a/ the present road." Again, it was pointed /-ut that if the hill road was formed, it would cut off the hill propertv from the flat property. In time of flood it was necessary to get the stock out of the flooded ar>ea. as quickly as possible to the hills, and in summer weather stock required to tret to the flat from the hills for water, and a road fenced on both sides would be an impediment in both cases. A still further objection was raised that it the hillside was cut into the ground would he unstable, and houses erected thereon might slip down to the flat. The city representatives (the Mayor, Cr Shacklock, the Town Clerk, the city engineer, and tho electrical engineer) made suggestions to overcome most of the difficulties raised, such as providing a water supply for the dry reason, establishing a system of warning _ from Waipori by telephone that a rise in the river was tailing place, and advising that all stcck be shifted. At thi close of the conference tho City representatives expressed themselves as* pleased at hearing the views of settlers, and honed that as an outcome of tin eonffrsne-s tliev would arrive at a settlement which would be satisfactory to all parties. Waipori power was off at about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, owing to a short circuit on the first transmission line, and as a consequence the tram service was stopped. The stoppage- was duo to a willow tree being blown across the wires. Tiie second transmission line iwa-a brought into service, but another delay (owinf to trouble with an insulator), lasting about half an hour, occurred at 8.30 in the evening. Waipori got the full strength of yesterday's iugh winds.

The Postmaster-General (Sir Joseph Ward) states' that the proper outer covering for tins of condensed milk despatched to soldiers overseas is a second bos of wood, metal, or strong- and thick leather. But in order to enable the postage to be kept as low as possible, the Minister will raise no objection to light absorbent material in sufficient quantity being fastened around the tins of condensed milk by other means, on the supposition that a thick, viscous such as condensed milk, if escaping into soft absorbent packing, will probably not leak so far as to cause damage to other packets in the mail. This will certainly mean the prohibition of posting tins of milk of the present weight at the 4d rats of postage. But the condensed milk, being of local manufacture, can no doubt be put up in smaller tins. This concession will subsist so long as there is no occasion to raise the object tion that the packing is insufficient, or so long as any other postal administration doe 3 not object.

Mr Paulin telephoned at 2 p.m.:—S.E. ■to N.E./winds; fine after 12 hours. I Yesterday afternoon's gale churned the 'surface of the harbor into froth and spindrift. The gale reached its maximum of intensity at sundown, and. driving rain squalls followed, but no abatement of tho force of_ the gale was j>erceptible until after midnight. No serious resulting damage is reported from the harbor. The outstanding mishap was the grounding of the ferry steamer Waireka off Portobello. At Port. Chalmers the gale howled angrily. The mooring hawsers of a steamer berthed at the wharf wrenched the head off one of the mooring piles. The only other apparent damage was several sentry boxes blown over on their side.

A man named Angus Pollock, a trimmer on a transport, was charged in the Police Court this morning with having been drunk at Green Island yesterday while in charge of a horse and da-ay; Tile evidence of .Constable Woottou was that the man was very drunk, and collided with and damaged a taxicab at Saddle Hill. Defendant, whose record was stated to be bad, was fined £3 and costs (12s), in default 14 days' imprisonment, '('lie damage to tho car, Mr Bartholomew, S.M., 6aid, was matter for civil action.

Nominations to fill a vacancy on the St. Kilda Borough Council, caused by the death of Cr C. Gore, closed at noon today. The only nomination received was that of Mr J. W. Dove, who was therefore declared elected a member of the council. A cable message has been received in Sydney from Cardinal Gasparri, Papal Secretary of State, conveying a further report oii the work in connection with the graves of Australians and New Zealanders at Gallipoli. The Cardinal states that_ Pope Benedict XV., who received a gratifying report some months ago on the condition of the graves at Gallipoli, also photographs of the military cemeteries on the peninsula, has since done his utmost, in response to numerous requests, to get - photographs and particulars of the graves' of individual Australians and New Zealanders. The Apostolic Delegate at Constantinople has been most active in the matter, and though every assistance was given by the Turkish Government, the results so far have unfortunately not been satisfactory. This is due to the fact that the names over some of the. graves are, now quito illegible, and that tho fallen were sometimes buried in a- common grave. The representatives of the Holy See at Constantinople continue to take the most paternal T interest in the cemeteries, and, where in- ; formation is available, it will bo sent j without delay to those who have comI municated with the Vatican. •

The publication of a memoriam notice respecting Private Monty Baker, who died of wounds "on October 12, 1916, has brought to light u touching story respecting the lad's death (says the'Gisborne ' Herald '). Speaking to a reporter on Saturday, Mr George Darton, who returned from active service some months ago, said the young man had died in his arms, and he had endeavored since his return, but unsuccessfully, to locate the boy's parents. Whilst in hospital himself he had received a request from ono of the lad's chums to convey a small bunch of flowers to Private Baker. Adding to the variety, he obtained the necessary permission from the sister, and he found the young man mortally wounded in the spine, with but a fow days to live. The lad recognised his visitor as a Gisbornite. Visiting the case daily, Mr Darton said the doctor had declared to him that it was the beauty of those flowers, backed by a strong will power, that alone kept that boy alive for nearly a week. Mr Darton was with him when the end came, and among the wreaths placed on his coffin was one from a titled •ady visitor dedicated to "a brave boy." A further personal tribute to tho noble lad was also paid at the graveside by the Rev. J. A. Luxford. i

The following is an extract from a letter written by Mr W. Barrington Miller (late of New Zealand, who is now connected with many picture enterprises in Sydney) from New York to a friend of his, 'a member of the Sydney Stock Exchango: "Bret Harte said ''the ways of the heathen Chinee are peculiar.'* The same can bo saicLof the film company promoter in America. It appears that to find the financial support for a film manufacturing business in this country you first form a company consisting of four promoters. The capital stock would be 6,000,000d01. The promoters, having nothing, put up nothing, and allot themselves 4,000.000 shares. The public subscribe, and pay hard cash for 2,000,000 shares at Idol each. This amount becomes the cash capital of the company. The directors of the company are the four promoters, who aro appointed until death, and two years after in case of accident. The 2,000,000d0l provided by the public is mostly spent in providing salaries for the directors and building 'the most up-to-date studio in the world,' and, as a side line, making a few pictures. By this time the capital is gone, the public are squeezed out, and the assets become the property of the promoters, who then commence t'o produce pictures in earnest."

Mr Bartholomew, S.M.. presided at the l'ort Chalmers Court to-dav. Harry Sexton, for supplying liquor to a prohibited person, was fined £5 and costs (7s). Rosalinda Barruwman, the prohibited person to whom the hqucr was supplied by Sexton was lined 10a and costs (7s) for procuring liquor during the currency of her ordei f James lelfer was convicted of procuring liquor while prohibited, and as it was his second offence he was fined £2 and costs Ks). Richard M'Cormack was convicted on several charges of failing to send his children to school regularly,- and was fined a total sum of 20s, with cost (l-1s) Mrs Jane Morgan, for a similar offence, was fined 4s and costs (7s). Thomas Fraser denied having failed to send his little pirl to school regularly, so the case was adjourned to enable him to produce corroborative evidence. Mr Wilkinson and Mr liaggitt were present in court in respect to tne case of Forgie v. Mathews (claims lor damages re macrocarpa trees) This case was heard on appeal by Mr Justice aim, when His Honor reversed the Magistrate's decision, which awarded plaintiff damages m connection with the nuisance said to be caused by defendant's trees Mr Wilkinson (plaintiff) now intimated that he was appealing to the Court of Appeal against the Judge's decision

Watson's No. 10 is a little dearer than nioflt whiskies, but is worth the money.— [Advt.J J Washing-dny Hints.—Having got your copper ready, pop your clothes in. Now get some "iSo Rubbing" Laundry Help and some Golden Rule" Soap; they'll do the rest! Hunter and Etherldge, Ltd.—[Advt.] The attention of north end residents in particular is called to a concert to bo held m Dur.dns Street School Hall to-morrow night, when a varied programme will be submitted by youthful performers, including prize-winners at the recent competitions. " Millionaires cannot buy better than Watson's No. 10. Little dearer, infinitely superior.—[Advt.]