AN UNRATIFIED PACT.

Evening Star, Issue 18139, 1 December 1922, Page 4

AN UNRATIFIED PACT.

A rnopoimoK at least of the rejoicing ■with which tlie world hailed the results of the Washington Conference seems to have been premature. Prance and Italy have nob yet ratified the Five Power Pact for the limitation of naval armaments, and it 'is extremely doubtful if they will ratify it. A French ex-Minisber of Marine was credited a few days ago with .the statement that if the treaty was ratified by France dt would only be with such’reservations that the naval situation which was accepted at Washington would bo completely modified. The national pride of the French people, he was reported as saying, had been deeply wounded by an agreement which proposed to limit their naval strength -to the same dimensions as that of Italy A «nd which was considered to have been unfairly arrived at, being fixed on a-basis of present tonnage after nogldct of the French navy during the war. He was recorded as adding that there would bo an overwhelming vote against the treaty. M. Leygues has since denied that he ever gave the interview in which these opinions were attributed to him ; but statements of a like kind have been nrade by other Frenchmen, and it is plain that neither France nor Italy has been in any hurry to ratify tho naval pact, when nine months have been allowed to pass without the submission of it to either of their,. Legislatures. Italy probably has been waiting to see what France will do; and if France refuses to confirm the treaty, which fixes the naval strength of the two neighboring Powers in tho same proportion, Italy would be absolved from any responsibility for ratifying it, while the other Powers could repudiate it if they chose. One agreement which formed a main triumph, therefore, of the conference held at Washington amounts to no more yet than a promise which may or may not be fulfilled. It was stated by America’s Naval Secretary a few weeks ago that there would be no further scrapping of American ships until after the naval treaty had been ratified by the last of the subscribing Powers, France and Italy. That 'announcement produced no little sensation in the United States. Newspapers that oppose the Government did not hesitate to denounce Mr Harding’s Washington Conference as “ a conceded failure" ’and “a gigantic.fraud." The League of Nations, derided by his party, was working, it was pointed out, with the support of practically all the nations; but not even W few nations had been ready in many months to confirm tho decisions reached at Washington. All the ships that bad -been scrapped as an outcome of the naval treaty rwore ships worthless by reason of their age. But that Was to make the worst of the position. Mr Hughes, tho Australian Premier, makes the worst of it when he states that if the treaty is not ratified it "may mean a blow that will prove fatal to the existence of Australia.” It may, bub there is small reason why it should do so. If the treaty for the limitation of the .construction of capital sliips should go by the hoard, the nations might continue to build them as they were doing up till a year ago. That would be expenditure for all of them which they can ill afford; but France for years has not been building warships, and she is nob likely to build them In the early future as her finances stand. There is no real reason why Great Britain, America, and Japan should not come to an agreement to limit their new building for a considerable time .to come without consideration of Franco and Italy, who' have never been more than outsiders in the race of naval armaments. Tho prospect is envisaged in the White House’s latest statement that if Franco and Italy do not ratify the treaty it will bo rewritten for tho remaining slgna/bories. .As far as some important provisions are concerned, notably those providing for the maintenance of the status quo in regard to naval bases and fortifications in the Pacific, there was no reason why the two European Powers should have been included in .the treaty except from consideration of their national pride. And the other pacta that were signed at Washington, which make a common .Ibasts for Far Eastern policy, should go far to reduce the dangers of Pacific conflict and prevent a renewal of tho old armaments frenzy whether the treaty which refers to capital ships is confirmed or not.

The art exhibition at tho Dunedin Art Gallery, representative of New Zealand painters, and including the authorised annual display by the Dunedin Photographic Society, will 'come to an end tomorrow night. Numbers of country visitors have already taken advantage of this rare opportunity -of refreshing their minds and bringing up to date their knowledge of modern art, and it is expected that the attendance this evening and tomorrow will be very large. Speaking of sea travel, Mr and Mrs L. Heard (of Auckland], who in twelve months nave spent eighty-thrca days on the ocean, spoke highly of the Japanese liners. “Although you have a feeling that most of the sincerity is on the surface," said Mr Heard, “ there is no doubt tho Japanese are courteous and attentive to passengers’ wants.” The food, served in the English fashion, was the best the Aucklanders ate anywhere on their journeyings, which lasted eleven months, and embiaoill,nwiiy watipn&.ftud cpuntiiea. i

An Eketahuna Association message states that tho Tararua Power District’s electric power proposal to borrow £200,000 was carried by 727 votes to 83.

An attempt is being* made in Hastings to revive the old British national sport of archery, which is still kept alive by the Royal Scottish archers, and by other woodsmen’s societies in Britain (states tho ‘Tribune’). It is understood that tho bowliifg clubs are being approached for tho use of their grounds, which, it is stated, will not bo damaged in any way by the practise of the sport, “There is £1,000,000 invested In tho North Auckland Main Trunk lino that is not earning a penny," said tho Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister of Public Works) at Kaukapakapa. Surely,” ho added, “ that is sufficient argument to say : ‘ Well, you must gob on to that and finish it.’ It will take about £200,000 to finish the line, and it will not bo long before it is, finished. I hqpe to run a public works train through very early in the new year.” Some time during Thursday night a very large rock, weighing by computation at least eight tons, came crashing down the side of Cobden Hill from a goodly height (states tho ‘Grey River Argus’), and after making a wide trade through tho scrub landed squarely an the middle of the road about half a chain from tho end of Cobden Bridge. It was impossible owing to the telephone wires to mast it out of tho way, and three men got to work with hammers and drills, and soon had it in pieces on the side of tho road.

Speaking at a recent meeting of the Wellington Centre of tho Royal Lifesaving Society, Mr J. A. Duffy (chief hon. instructor to the centre) referred to tho aeoent condemnation by the school inspectors at Wanganui of tho crawl and trudgeon strokes as tending to cause spinal curvature. Ho quoted Dr Cliapple as a high medical authority, who had stated his strong opinion that these bi-latoral strokes, so far from being likely to cause spinal curvature, would tend to correct it. If anything would be likely to cause spinal curvature, added Mr Duffy, it would bo the old English side stroke. Ho had recently examined,, fifty school children under fifteen years of age who practised the crawl and trudgeon strokes, and in no single case did ho find any signs of spinal curvature.

The scene was a Wellington street comer (says the ‘ Dominion ’); the hour almost midnight. Gently tapping the man’s shoulder, Sergeant Dyer inquired ; “What are you doing here?” This was the reply : “I’m watching—been watching for four days—watching submarines. . . . Quick! See those lights over there ? Well, they’re submarines, and wo are going to send them under.” The man was accommodated for the remainder of the night, and the sequel was his appearance (after a week’s remand for medical treatment) before Mr E. Page, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court on a charge of helpless insobriety. Accused, George Yule, a middle-aged man, stoutly denied the charge. Senior-sergeant Lander stated that when Yule was taken to the cells he was suffering from delirium tremens, and had had a bad turn. “Liquor," added the senior-sergeant, “is his trouble, and a prohibition order would .bo the best thing fear him.” Accused was not inclined to fall in with the suggestion, and, as he had not been convicted three times during the last six months, the magistrate could not compel him. In the course of an (particle on the Christmas shopping trade, the Christchurch ‘ Star ’ says ; —“ Shopkeepers mentioned the curious public preferences and aversions to national productions. ‘You mention the word Japanese to most people now, and they won’t listen to you,’ said a well-known retailer. This seems to bo the general experience among Christchurch fancy goods shops. A wholesaler said there would always be a certain proportion of buyers who would buy an article of whatever manufacture if it was cheap. One could not beat the Japanese for penny, twopenny, and threepenny toys. There are some Japanese novelties which have good sale, possibly because they are not made elsewhere and are pretty. Another aspect of the psychology of the buying public is the gradual disappearance of antipathy to German-made fancy goods and toys. Within four years there have been no fewer than forty-five transfers in connection with the staff of the Morrinsville post office (states the Auckland ‘Herald’). The staff normally numbers about a dozen. Apart from the expense to the department heads, these frequent changes cannot conduce to the efficiency of the service. The nsual monthly meeting of tlie St. Clair School Committee was held in the school last night, when there were present Messrs Anderson (chairman), Campbell, Wilson, Macassey, Eitchie, Halliday, and Ehodes. The head master’s report showed a further increase in the roll number, bringing the total up to 495, with an average for the last week of 465. The school athletic team distinguished itself at the sports recently, their aggregate score for'the shield being 29, one point below the winning team. After a full discussion it was decided to dose the school from December 20 to February 6 (both inclusive), the break-up to be held on December 20, for the young children in the afternoon, and the later function in the evening. The Visiting Committee reported that the drainage of the school grounds would have to receive earnest consideration, and tills question was left in the hands of the sub-committee to forward a full report. Further, owing to the increase of the number of pupils in the* school, more accommodation would have to be provided for at the beginning of tire coming year. The Visiting Committee appointed for the ensuing month was Messrs Eitchie and Campbell. Mr W. B. Steel, secretary of the Otago Expansion League, who for some time past has acted at Dunedin on behalf of the Immigration Department, is now advised that fresh nomination forms are prepared, and he is supplied with a number of these for the use of persons wishing to nominate immigrants. The person nominating has to undertake to find employment for the immigrant and make provision for maintenance after arrival, and it is a condition that the new arrival shall reside continuously in the dominion for five years. Domestics are brought out free; for other adults the passage money varies from £lO to £24, according to scale. Work on the Dunedin waterfront has been carried out without the slightest hitch throughout the-week. The port has not been very busy, but a fairly large number of watersiders have been employed. The men have maintained their reputation for good work, and have given the various ships quick despatch. The port was practically bare of shipping today, and almost every member of the Watersiders’ Union was idle in consequence. They gathered in groups at the head of the cross wharf, and, in company with many others, watched the crews of two or three trawlers “ reaping the dollars ” from sale of a harvest of the sea. Later the watersiders gathered in the union rooms, where they were addressed by two Labor candidates for Parliament. “Whore are all the ships?” asked a burly watersider of the reporter, who answered that several vessels would be “ hopping along early next week.” “ Our Labor members will be hopping into Parliament, too, next week,” said the watersider. “We are going to give Bill Massey the fright of his life this time,” was his parting shot, as he stepped to the edge of the wharf to speculate in a bundle of fish for the “ missus and the kids.”

Miss Margaret Myles, late matron of the Dunedin Hospital, died yesterday, at her residence in itoyal terrace (where she lived with her mother), after an illness that had laid her aside since January this year. The family came from Arbroath, Scotland. Miss Myles entered the Otago Hospital Board’s service just over ten years ago, being appointed successor to Miss MacKenzie, and she did faithful work, this being recognised by the board by granting her lengthy leave, so that she held her position to the day of her death; also by obtaining the Minister’s consent to her being put on the pension list at the end of the present mouth if she hud lived, j

“Toll us tho modus operand!,” instructed Mr Justice Stringer of a witness in the ,Supremo Court, Auckland. Tho witness stared blankly, and said “ Urn 1" in a puzzled tone. “Tell us how it is done—all about it,” supplemented Hia Honor. The cloud of uncertainty vanished from the witness’s face. “Oh, I see,” ho said: and in goad old AngloSaxon proceeded to tell his story.

A Pahiatua Association message states that a wool shed contaifing twenty-five bales of wool qnd shearing-machine plant, owned by Mr H. Maxted; of Mangahao. was destroyed by fire; also seven bales of wool belonging to Mr James M'Gardle in the same shed. The goods were partly Insured.

Our Christchurch correspondent telegraphs: A big party of tho New South Wales and Victorian delegates to tho New Zealand Masonic Grand Lodge Communication left to-day for Dunedin. The talk of the town in Masonic circles yesterday was tho quality of the speech delivered' the previous evening by Mr F. J. Hickford (pro-Grand Master of Victoria) when offering greetings mid congratulations to Lord Jeliiooe as Grand l Master In New Zealand. It was an address couched in excellent diction and graced with delicate humor. Mr IJickford is a barrister by profession, a master of arts, and doctor of laws. Masonically, ho has held the rank of Grand Master in Victoria for several years, but gave place in March last to Earl Stradbrooke, oQvemor of the State, under whom he now bolds tho position of proGrand Master. Mr Hickford arrives in Dunedin to-night.

Watson's No. 10 la a little dearer tliai most whiskies, but ia worth the money.-* fAftetJ ■ The United Starr-Bowkott Building Society invites country friends and others to join No. 7 group (now started). Women aro New Zealand’s greatest asset. Next in older of merit cornea “ No-Rubbing ” Laundry Help, tho famous abolisber of washboard slavery. B. E. Ferguson and Co.— [Advt.]

Announcement is made of a great young people’s procession and demonstration to be held through tho city and in tho Triangle to-morrow afternoon in connection. With the Prohibition campaign. Non-burn Kettle Knobs, easily fixed. Saves lids and fingers. Sixpence.—Todd’s White House, George street.—-[Advt.] Dancing enthusiasts will be p!easod_ to learn that Miss Wallace’s Thursday night dances aro still being continued. To-morrow night a jazz evening will be held in the Early Settlers’ Hall, under the auspices of Miss Wallace, music being supplied by the Gordon-Flint Jazz Band. Full particulars are contained in an advertisement on another page.

The nip for nippy winter weeth-w* eon’s No. 10, line old Scotch whisky.— [Advt.l