REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Evening Star, Issue 20062, 31 December 1928, Page 6

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Apart from the King’s illness, which caused anxiety in its latest months, one event for the world at large—the signing of the Kellogg Peace Pact—and one for New Zealanders—the defeat of the Reform Administration which hud lasted sixteen years—promise to distinguish 1928 in the roll of years. The importance of the Peace Pact must depend still on the extent to which it is to be ratified and the way in whicli it will be observed. ■ In the previous year M. Briand, Foreign Minister of France, -had suggested to America a two-party pact for the renunciation of war, but the discussion caused little interest at that stage. On April 14 last despatches were published from Mr Kellogg, American Secretary of State, to the Governments of France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and Japan proposing that a multilateral pact should be concluded renouncing war altogether as an instrument of national policy, and undertaking that disputes between them of whatever kind should bo settled by pacific means. In a second draft of his Note the proposed treaty was amended to prevent any possibility of its clashing with obligations incurred under the League of Nations Covenant or with Locarno pledges. On July 18 Britain and the Biitish dominions replied, accepting the draft treaty subject to certain reservations affecting the right of self-de-fence and interests in India and Egypt, which had already _ been conceded in American explanations of the treaty. On August 27 the Pact was signed at Paris on behalf of fifteen nations. and it has been signed now on behalf of sixty. But witli this “ good resolution ” the Powers seem temporarily to have exhausted their capacity for idealism. The League of Nations could make no progress towards disarmament. and a tentative agreement reached between Great Britain and Franco on a new principle for naval limitation had to bo abandoned when the effect of it was found to be only tlu creation of new difficulties and suspicion in America. The most dramatic happenings ot the year have been in China. Iherc the Nationalists’ advance was resumed early in the year, and Peking (renamed Peiping) was entered by them on June 8 without opposition, the forces of Chang Tso-lin withdrawing into Manchuria. The death of Chang from injuries received in the bombing of a train was soon afterwards reported. It was announced that Nankino would be the future capital ol China. General Chiang _ Kai-shek was proclaimed as President in October. The hundred years’ progress ot Iranchisc reforms was completed in Great Britain on June IS, when the House of Lords passed the Bill giving women the suffrage on the same terms as men. The revised Book of Common Prayer was rejected for the second time by the House of Commons on June 14. It has bean a year of elections. Those in France, which began the series in April, gave a victory to M. Poincare’s combination. The result ot the German polls which followed m May was a setback to the Nationalists and wains for the Socialists and Communists. The monarchy was less than air issue. A new Coalition Government was formed under Herr Mueller, with Dr Stresemann still as Minister or oreign Affairs. The American elections on November 6 gave an .expected victory tr Mr Hoover over his opponent, Mr Al. Smith, and to the Republican Party, which was made predominant in both Houses of Congress. Bv the Australian polls of November 17 the Bruce-Pago Ministry was confirmed in office with a reduced majority. In the annals of aviation 192 b will bo an outstanding year. On I‘ebruarv Mr Bert Hinkler, an Australian, arrived at Darwin, having flown from England in days in an ordinary small aeroplane. On April 1--L> the Germans Koehl and Baron Hucnefeld, with Commandant Fitzmauricc, chief of the Air Force of the Irish fl ree State, made the first westward passage of the Atlantic in an aeroplane to Greenely Island, off the coast of Labrador. On April 21 Captain (now Sir Hubert) Wilkins (Australian) and Carl Ben Eielson (American) flew over the North Polar tract from Alaska to Suitzbergen (2,100 miles) in an aeroplane., On May 23 General Nobile (Italian) crossed the Pole in his diugible Italia. The airship was subsequently broken by weight of snow, and the envelope floated off with seven men, who have not since been heard of. iho remaining group under Nobile established wireless communication with Spitsbergen, and relief _ expeditions were sent which rescued it, including two members who had trekked across the ice for help. A third member of this party had died, and one man was killed when the airship broke. Roald Amundsen, the world-famed explorer, was lost off the coast ot Norway when setting off on an aeroplane relief expedition. In July Captain Ferrari and Major Delprete (Italians) flew in an aeroplane from Romo to Braal, ing the biggest non-stop flight to date (3,682 nautical miles) . T rom- May 31 to June 9 Captain Kiugsford femith (Australian), Lieutenant Him (Aub tralian), Warner (American) and Lyon (American) flew, m the Southern Cross, from San I'lancisco to Brisbane, ’.rtth stops at Hawaii and Eiii 7 521 miles, and on September \Skl Caplin Idngsford Smith, Lieutenant Ulm, Litchfield (Australian;, and M'William (New Zealander) crossed the Tasman Sea for the first Svduev to Christchurch in 4h 1-mm. The return journey was made from Blenheim to Sydney on October 13-14 iu just under twenty-three horns. December 2 Commander Richard E. Bvrd’s American exploring expedition, in the City of New York and Eleanoi Boling (supplementary supply ship), left Dunedin for the Antarctic. The year can show, a good record from the viewpoint of The Mond Conferences, held in F'lglaijci to promote a closer understanding between workers and employers, have had an encouraging progress up to date. A like movement has taken longer to develop in Australia, where the discontent of watersiders with a new award threatened one of the worst crises,happily averted in its extreme aspect, towards the end of the year. The industrial peace conference of all parties called in New Zealand to consider industrial problems, particularly as regards the Arbitration Act, amendments to which had been held over from the previous parliamentary session failed to produce agreement on chief issues at stake, but was promising in its exhibition of good feelings. The conference concluded in May. , In June the League of Nations Mandates Commission met at Geneva to consider the report of the Samoan Royal' Commission, and native grievances against the Administration expressed in petitions. Meanwhile, in March, Colonel S. S. Allen had succeeded Sir George Richardson as Commissioner, so that the hitter might present the Government’s case before the League. The Geneva verdict was a complete vindication of the Government’s conduct and rebuke to Mr Nelson, the main i'omenter of disaffection. ,

The session of Parliament was uneventful, and except for a Mental Defectives Bill largely based on the recommendations of the 1924 committee, unremarkable for the legislation that was passed. A Licensing Bill introduced by the Prime Minister on the same lines as, that of the previous year failed to passi its third reading in the Lower House, after amendments restoring the triennial polls, with a bare majority-vote upon two issues, made in accordance with the pledges of members. The General Election held on November 14 pioved a-surnrise in the emphasis of its result. Tlie state of parties, which had stood as lollows: Reform 53, Labour 14, Nationalists 11, Independent 2—was entirely transformed. The Government lost half its seats, three Ministers and one recent Minister—the Hons. M'Leod, Hawken, Rolleston, and Anderson—were defeated, and the United Party, reconstituted at the eleventh hour under Sir Joseph Ward’s leadership, with the past Nationals or Liberals as its basis, became the official Opposition, the new state of parties being as follows:—Reform 28, United 27, Labour 19, Independents 5, Country Party 1. The Reform debacle was explained by weariness of a party which had ruled for sixteen years and had failed to fulfil hopes formed of it under a new loader, and especially by resentment against its complete suspension of land settlement, on the plea of adverse economic conditions, and continual interference in business. The result of the licensing polls was the greatest set-bacli t National Prohibition which it has received since that issue was introduced, the Prohibition vote being in a -übstantial minority as compared with that for Continuance, quite apart from the vote for State Purchase and Control, which was slightly increased. Prohibition registered 25,000 fewer votes than in 1925, on a larger total poll. In view of the defeat of the Government, a special meeting oi PaxTia merit was called by Mr Coates for December 5. On December 7 a motion of no confidence moved by Sir Joseph Ward was carried by 50 votes to 2 6, the Labour Party voting with the United, and the Government resigned. On December 11 Sir Joseph Ward’s new Ministry was sworn in, and the session ended on December 14, after the passing of a Finance Bill increasing certain appropriations in accordance with the developmental policy of the new Prime Minister. Weaknesses in the administration of Central Otago’s irrigation caused sharp grievances at the commencement of the year. Reluctantly the Prime Minister set (up a committee of investigation, which reported in October, completely justifying the complaints made and recommending new representation of the irrigators and of the Lands and Agricultural Departments in administration, with a general revision of charges for water. Unemployment continued throughout the year, notwithstanding an improvement of the trade position, whicli showed an almost unique balance of twelve million pounds, exports over imports, for the twelve months ended Juno 30. The new season’s wool sales began with satisfactory prices. The year has been a bad- one for catastrophes. On March 13 several villages were swept away and 300 lives lost by the bursting of the St. Francis reservoir dam near Los Angeles. On April 20 the town of Philippopolis (Bulgaria) was laid waste by an earthquake. and 120 persons were killed and 400 injured by similar outbreaks throughout Bulgaria. In September n tornado struck P.orto Rico, the British West Indies, and Florida, causing great damage and loss of life. The death roll in Florida was placed at 2,000. On September 24 a Madrid theatre caught fire, and eighty-five bodies were recov ered from the destruction. At the beginning of October it was reported that 100,000 Chinese had been massacred by Moslems in Kansu province, and a later report is that twelve million Northern Chinese are threatened with death by famine. On November 12 the liritish passenger steamer Vestris, bound from New York to Buenos Ayres, sank with loss of 111 lives.