The Evening Star MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1937. THE FAR EAST.

Evening Star, Issue 22620, 12 April 1937, Page 8

The Evening Star MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1937. THE FAR EAST.

Japan’s expansion plans have caused alarm in Siam, according to a message from Bangkok. The Minister of Defence is concerned about what might happen to his country in the event of a European war. It is true that Siam would be in a vulnerable position in such an event, but with French Indochina next door France would be as much concerned as Britain in protecting this buffer State, the integrity of which is guaranteed by the British and French Governments under the Anglo-French agreement of April, 1904. The suggestion of the Siamese Minister that Japan might seize Hongkong or Singapore should war break out is no new idea. British statesmen have had such a possibility in mind, and) fourteen years ago the Government decided to construct at Singapore a docking and repair station for its Pacific Fleet. It is a point of great strategic importance. Interests in China have to be protected, as well as the great port of Hongkong with its immense commercial activities, Borneo with its precious oil wells, New Guinea and its gold mines, and Australia and New Zealand. The work at Singapore was interrupted for a' time when Britain was leading the way in disarmament, but was resumed when events in the Far East showed the necessity of protection for the vital trade routes in the case of any great emergency. The Siamese Minister

considers that after the seizure of Siam a southward advance would aim at taking Singapore in the rear, which would be easy. That is a matter that is open to doubt, for every modern device has been used to make the Singapore station impregnable. Its cost amounts probably to ten or twelve million pounds.

This undertaking wounded Japan’s pride. She regarded it as a reflection on her honour, but it was merely a reasonable form of insurance against future possibilities, and had no sinister suggestions of any kind. Japan has also expressed alarm at the decision of China to spend £2,000,000 in developing Hainan Island, believing that Britain is responsible for this decision. A Japanese newspaper has declared that Britain hopes to secure military rights on Hainan, which is not far from Hongkong, in return for financial assistance. A farther development that will not be appreciated by the statesmen in Tokio is the report that the British Government is considering plans, involving an expenditure of £8,000,000, for extensive fortifications at Hongkong, which it is proposed shall be an important air base. Singapore is now linked with Hongkong by powerful flying boats, and the British and Chinese authorities are building a refuelling base for seaplanes in the Paracel Isles, 400 miles south of Hongkong, o,n the direct Singapore route. Japan, without doubt, has definite expansion plans southward, and in view of her attitude to world affairs generally in the last two o,r three years, it would be most unwise to leave anything to chance. It may be taken for granted that defence problems in the Far East will be most seriously discussed by the Imperial Conference.

The Japanese have been active in Siam for some time. They say they have no more than a commercial interest in the country, but the British and French naval authorities have been concerned at the efforts-of Japan to induce Siam to construct a deepwater canal through the Isthmus of Kra, connecting the Indian Ocean with the Gulf of Siam* This would save forty-eight hours of sailing around the tip of the Malay Peninsula, and a glance at the map will show the unfavourable effect such a canal would have on Singapore in a case of .emergency. By no stretch of imagination can Britain’s defensive plans be considered to imply any threat to a foreign country. At the same time, it is a matter for regret that recent developments should be of such a nature as to make elaborate and costly schemes of defence a necessity.

THE SPRINGBOKS. Sixteen years have passed since the last international Rugby team from South Africa visited New Zealand’s shores. On the 1921 occasion a large body of public opinion appeared to agree that the tour would decide the “ championship of the world ” —an ephemeral title, the destiny of which could never be decided except through the medium of a gigantic Empire Rugby tournament almost impossible and certainly undesirable to organise. Except for isolated instances of brilliance (who does not remember Steele’s try at Carisbrook?) the test engagements of 1921 were dour and hard-fought rather than bright and spectacular. The players of both sides seemed to be overburdened with a sense of responsibility by no means conducive to the happy-go-lucky enterprise for a liberal infusion of which any game is so much the better. As is now well known, honours between Springboks and All (Blacks rested even. For some strange reason, based perhaps on the fact that the. New Zealand team of 1905 had a slightly better record in Great Britain than the South African side in 1906, most Rugby followers in the Dominion were surprised and some disappointed. The issue of the relative superiority of one country or the other was not settled during the tour of the New Zealanders in South Africa in 1928. It will be realised, therefore, that this winter’s visit of our formidable opponents is fraught with an accumulated significance which, in the interests of good football, it may be as well to ignore completely. The question on the lips of every Rugby enthusiast, however, is likely to be: “ Flow will our men fare against the mass talent represented in South Africa’s recently chosen combination? ” On present evidence it would seem that, tactically, the visitors will have an advantage. Their game has been moulded! solidly on orthodox rules from which the South African Rugby Union has seen no reason to depart. Each wearer of the green jersey will take the field confident in the knowledge that, to be effective, he has merely to play to the best of his ability the kind of game to which custom has inured him. If the New Zealanders are to triumph over orthodox Rugby at its best they will not be favoured by a system of meeting solidity with solidity alone. The forwards, of course, will have to be honest scrummagers. Something more akin to Otago’s form last year than that revealed by the All Black pack at Carisbrook against the Australians should go a long way towards meeting the situation. The team, as a whole, however, will have to be traditionally effervescent, and it is to be hoped that this excellent quality will not have lost any of its decisiveness as a result of the too-frequent changes in the local rules. If ever lengthy trials and specialised training and coaching can be regarded as justifiable in an amateur game (which is doubtful) they will be justified this year in the case of the New Zealand team, if only to offset the unfortunate disadvantages caused by legislative vacillation. British opinion rates New Zealand initiative higher than that of South Africa. Possibly it is the only aspect of the game on which we can reasonably accept a judgment of superiority. It is clear, then, that this year’s search for genius and the development of bright talent will have to be thorough. Apart from this preparatory necessity to

build up a side worthy of the invaders, too much thought should! not be placed on the importance of victory. The actual games should and no doubt will be played in the best of spirit, and whether they win, lose, or draw the Springboks should be placed in the position of being able to depart from this country feeling that they spent the winter months among friends and good sportsmen. It is hardly likely, however, that an alternative opinion will be formed.

Working with the works department of the City Council under unemployment scheme No. 5, group No. 252 will commence work at Gladstone road, on Pine Hill road, at 12.15 p.m. to-mor-row.

The postal authorities advise that the Cape Horn, which reached Auckland from San Pedro, has four bags of mail for Dunedin, which should reach the local office on Wednesday afternoon. Saturday afternoon’s children’s vaudeville competition conducted by the Connors and Paul Revue Company in His Majesty’s Theatre resulted in the following first three placings by the audience: —Lois Pope (tap dance), the Stewart Trio (song and dance), Olwyn (Bryant (tap dance). A total of five entrants competed.

Bad weather notwithstanding. Dr Galway’s organ recital at the Town Hall last evening attracted a largo audience. An enticing item, new to patrons of these recitals, was a Bach Toccata (‘ The Dorian ’), a magnificent work in the master’s most rotund manner. It was unfortunate that the organist had to contend with mechanical difficulties. A number of stops were not functioning owing to piston trouble, this entailing the improvisation of new combinations at a moment’s notice. However, Dr Galway’s command of organ management was quite equal to the occasion, and few would note his predicament. It is a lovely work, which patrons will like to hear soon again. Another new item was an eighteenth century suite by the blind organist, John Stanley, with a really exciting allegro finale. Naturally, the most popular item was Sibelius’s ‘ Finlandia,’ played by request, and the programme was completed by ‘Fanfare ’ (Lemnelus), Scherzo in F major (Haigh), ‘ Traumerei ’ (Schumann), and ‘To a Wild Rose’ (Macdonnell). A well-deserved ovation was accorded a young visiting pianist, Mr Allan Tregonning (18 years old) for his vivid interpretation of Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G minor, and a graceful performance of Chopin’s waltz in E minor. He responded to an emphatic encore with Grieg’s bridal music, another outstanding interpi-etation. The vocalist of the evening was Miss Margaret Howden, who sang Schubert’s difficult ‘ Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel.’ Mrs E. Drake was the accompanist..

“ Although the figures to show the financial results of the Railway Department for the year ended March 31 are not yet completed, sufficient information is available for a fairly close approximation of the gross revenue to be made,” said the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), at a gathering of railwaymen at Wanganui on Saturday night. “ I have much pleasure in saying that the gross revenue shows an increase of approximately £750,000, or 11 per cent.,” the Minister added. “ The net revenue also will exceed the budgetary estimate.”

The postal authorities advise that the Awatea left Sydney on Friday for Auckland with 35 bags of Australian mail for Dunedin, and also the air mails of March 24 and 27. The latter should be to hand on Tuesday afternoon, and the former on Wednesday evening. The Wanganella left Sydney on Saturday for Wellington with eight hags of Australian mall for Dunedin. This should reach the local office on Thursday afternoon next.

Considerable amusement was afforded the residents of Macandrew Bay yesterday afternoon by “ Sammy,” the sea-lion, who was to have been one of the attractions at the gala on the previous day. Sammy dislikes dogs, and forced one to “ hole up ” under a shopfront. Apparently finding his temporary quarters rather constricted, the dog made a dash out, but was not quick enough to escape Sammy, who made a snatch at him as he shot past. Sammy had waited patiently for the dog to reappear, and the success of his strategy was made apparent by a startled yelp from the dog, which lost no time in removing himself from the vicinity.

Questioned this raornng, Mr R. P. Opie, engineer in charge of the Molyneux Gold Dredging Company’s dredge at Clyde, stated that he expected the dredge to be working before the end of the week. In the meantime, further initial tests and adjustments of the plant, cables, and machinery were being carried out.

A settler in the Lower Harbour states that the harbourside road between Port Chalmers and the Spit is badly pot-holed. He told a ‘ Stair ’ reporter that he considered the principal cause of the state of the road is that heavy motor lorries are travelling over it at a high speed.

A malicious false alarm from the corner of Opolio road and Arden street attracted the attention 'of the City Fire Brigade at 2.25 a.m. yesterday, while at 1.35 yesterday afternoon a chimney fire was attended in School street, Roslyn. The sounding of. the siren on Cave Rock at Sumner about 4.45 p.m. yesterday afternoon attracted the attention 6f many persons, who at first looked in vain for the cause of the alarm signal (says the Christchurch 1 Press ’). It was soon discovered that a man and two children had been marooned on a rock off Shag Rock by a tide which was rising fast. Soon after a large dinghy put out from Redcliffs and brought them back to dry land. At the time there were a large number of cars returning from Lyttelton, where their owners had been visiting the Australian warships ,and these were parked along the road under Clifton Spur while the occupants watched the rescue.

A run of salmon in the Eakaia River recently had the extraordinary effect of preventing work on the clearing of n water-race intake near Te Pirita. While the river was in half-flood, horses were being used with drags to remove shingle banked against the intake of a water-race that serves the country near Te Pirita. Making its way up the discoloured river, a shoal of salmon passed the intake in such numbers that the horses became frightened by the fish striking their legs and were unmanageable. The driver found it impossible to continue the work, and had to take his horses to the hank and keep them there until the shoal had passed. After the water was dear of the fish the horses gave no more trouble.

Eye strain—for eye comfort, for better vision, consult Sturmer and Watson Ltd., opticians, 2 Octagon, Dunedin.—[Adrt.J An old-time and modern dance will be held to-night in the Moulin Rouge,