Grey River Argus and Blackball News

Grey River Argus, 11 June 1918, Page 2

Grey River Argus and Blackball News

Delivered avor^ tnorniag in Grcym-mth Kum&rr, Hokit'ka, Dubsoji,' Woilseiid I'aylorvMli, Croniiduu, Ngnhce, Bio ale ball, Nelson Greet Bi turner, To Kinglia, libtomanu Poerun, Irchi-oun'ie, Prttaro, Burn, Kuinmtn, Kotukn, Monna, AratikiiVßuuaiiga, Dunollic, Cobdeu, Baxter's, Kokiri, Ahaura, Ikaraatua. Stillwater, Wuiutu. ami Reei'lo"

TUESDAY, June 11th.. 1918.

A DANGEROUS GERMAN DESIGN

SATURDAY'S cables contained news of a very important and startling nature in connection with an aspect of the Russian Revolution which has hitherto escaped the notice of the general public. A Russian oflicer. has recently arrived in London with the news that the Germans are forming a Turkish-Moslem Army, recruited from the Russian Turanians, with the conquest of India as the ultimate object. Now, among the Western democracies and in tlie British Dominions, public interest u» the Russian Revolution is primarily concerned wth European Russia,, and this fact has caused a dangerous ignorance of the tremendous complexity of the patchwork of races which make up the vast Russian Empire. Attention is concentrated on the naval and military operations along the European front, or the nationalist agitation in Finland and the Ukraine, or in the political developments in Petrograd and Moscow. For most ot us the Russian horizon does not extend beyond the territory lying west of a line drawn from Archangel through Moscow to the Black Sea. Beyond this all is remote and vague and out-of-mind. We forget that the Russian, like the British Empire, is something more than a European State. It occupies about one-sixth part of the land surface of the globe and a"bout a tenth of its population. JNow, the disruption of so vast a political system is not limited in its importance to the affairs of Europe, nor even to the immediate issues of the world^war. Peace in Europe must prove a transient blessing if there is no peace in Asia, and it is quite evident to all those who have v true perception of the affairs of the,, vast Russian Empire, ■ that as long as the political future ot the peoples of the Russian Empire remains uncertain, there will be no real peace in Asia. It is in working along the lines of cleavage within the vast territory of the Colossus of the East that Germany and her ally. Turkey, are attempting to hinder by all means in their power the consolidation of the new-born Russian democracy. And while they are hindering unity within they are evolving a vast scheme which, -if it can be carried to fruition will wreck the power of Britain in Asia and b» «• .means of nullifying any but a decisive success which the Allies may gain on the fields of Europe. Turkey ii* now reversing the historic roles. Russia is to be the "Sick Man," and tfie military oligarchs of Turkey, who are apt pupils of their Prussian masters, are cherishing dreams of "freeing^ the Turkish-speaking and J*u*<i«efl medan people from democratic Russia. These aspirations which are merely part and parcel of German policy are. according to the cable^ now shaping themselves into a definite and very dangerous movement, and iv the event of a complete breakdown of order and cohesion within the Russian Empire, the consequences may well be appalling. If the Germans, through the Russian Turanians,— who are people' with the same origins as the Turks,— can get control of a Mohanaaedan lever to shift Persia and Afghanistan along the lines of pan-lslamism, then the position of India will be extremely critical. To understand the situation we must get a thorough grip of the central fact that within .the Russian Empire there is a far-greater Mdhanimedan population and a far greater Turkish-speaking population than m the Turkish Empire itself. The number of Mohammedans in Russia may be estimated at under 20,000,000 j and of these 16,000,000 speak Turkish, whereas the Turkish-speaking population of the Turkish Empire is not !more"thari'-B,otiojooo. This shows what j a vast field there is in Russia which the Germans may exploit through tho agency of the Turks, and, as the late news indicates, they are making the most of the opportunity. It will be an 'extremely difficult -task for the Oprmans to get control of all the Moluunmpflsins scattered ovpr the vast np.ntrni plain of European Russia, and the, frinc.es of tHe mountain f ron+ier isf ISThHiiern Tndia. owing to tlfe fa^f; th^'t tlip groups of Mohammedans nr» not contlauous, and fchsit- npart from

their common region, there are^no other strong influences JjJ^JgJJJ them a united body J£» J»g groups are divided politically as jeU a, geographically and even *"•"£. important cross-division is that ot culture. The fact that . 16,000,000 speak Turkish would seem to point , to a great unifying influence but. this influence lias been weakened- owing to the existence of differences in the form of dialects, which intensihed differeuees in culture and history break them up into 'three mam language groups gravitating in contrary dlrectionl These are big obstacles in the way of coordination ot actions the part of these scattered groups. Bxit ttiissia has been fo transformed by the Revolution that the political lutttre ot the Russian Mohammedans is, like that of all their countrymen, obscure, as no man can say in what ronn the peoples of Kussia will emerge rrom the melting pot. However the Germans are on the spot and with their usual thoroughness, they will leave no stone unturned to re-shape the destinies ot the Russian Mohammedans to their own ends, and the possibilities for serious trouble in , the tuture for , Great Britain in her Asiatic possessions are boundless, unless ste^u ute taken to counteract the Turco-German influences now at work: It is Snpossible to predict how the situation will develop, but one thing is quite certain, if the Russian Empire falls to pieces, Central Asia, • which is almost entirely Mohammedan, will be the first fragment to break away. Unrest has been spreading across tb» borders of Persia and Afghanistan, and it is here that the menace to India lies. If the Turks can get hold of these Central Asiatic tribes it will fit in with the German-Ottoman designs in Persia and Afghanistan and there would be an alliance of /Turkey, and these two i countries, together with the new Central Asiatic State. It has been said by competent authorities that it was only the failure of Turkey, to maintain her military superiority in JPesbpotamia that kept Persia and Afghanistan quiet, so we can imagine what effect it would have on these countries if the Germans and Turks so engineered matters in Kussia that they could get an army of Russian Mahommedans to march south into Persia. This would indeed bring a complete change over the face of affairs in Asia, and jeopardise Britishinterests there. Pfainlv fhm state o* affairs in Russia to-day is such that itwould be suicidal for the Allies to stand on one side and cobly allow Germany to stretch her tentacles over that vast territory. Germany could easily afford to give up Alsace Lorraine and her colonies if she is allowed a free-hand in Russia. tVliat combination of countries in the world could withstand her in twenty years' time if she could get out of the present war on the terms just indicated?

The coal export from the Port of Grey last week amounted to 8,000 tons 19 cwt. Gas consumers aro notified that no .Mscount will bo allowed on accounts left? unpaid after 4 o'clock this afternoon Quite a number of mcii, who have over-stayed their le«ve, as well as some military deserters will be sent :>ver the hill by to-day's express. Messrs W. McKay and Son., are advertising for all accounts to l»o parcr to Messrs McGrucr and Co., I Inspect our new stocks of Needlecraft Books just to hand. Large as- j sortment to choose from at B. Dixon 's fainui Street. — Advt. A Washington cable states that 71 vessels including 32 wooden ones,, were j launched during May. The tonnage . was 844 000. These include the 44 i ships cabled on June sth. The Grey Licensing Committee yesterday granted a request from the Grey Licensed Victuallers Association to have the outside lights ot hotels ex-. . anguished at 6 p.m. Have you read the book: "Who started the War written by the f ormor German Ambassador in London Prince Liclmowsky, who reveals the tact that the onus rests on Germany. The price is 3d, posted 4i. . Procurable only from B. Dixon.— Advt. Mrs Moran. of Arncy Street, Greyjioutii, has icceiveu oinciai Avoid tnut uer son, ooU/o j. ja.oran.-nas been de- -i mutely rcporieu by xuuiKiurt ucd viusa to u\i a prisoner oi war in Uer- , niany. i\o ciaic is giVen, tlie location ia not staled, but it *6 stuueu lie n> nok .» ouiiueu. A large attendance made another decided success of the St. Columba Club's third fortnightly social last evening, the function proving for eadh aud ail most enjoyable. The prizewinners in the euchre tourney were Mesdames Bradshaw (ease of silvermounted military brushes), Hanraha'n (case of, af ternoon-tea-spoons) , an|d Meates (toilet set). Till a late hour numerous dancers took full advantage of the perfect floor, and the. excellent music of Miss Watson's Orchestra. Tlie growing popuarity of these entertainments reflects upon the organisers great credit for their very complete arrangements. A' very sad shooting fatalty occurred at Rotomanu on Sunday id a little lad, named Alex. J. Robinson aged 4$ years the son of Mr. and Mrs "Arthur Robinson, "who are, well knoAVh. throughout' the West Coast. It appears that an elder brother was out shooting on Saturday, and on' his return put away -"his gun. a single-barrelled one. On Sunday he went to clean the gun and put. in. what ; he' thought ' was' an empty cartri'dgV but " really /it was a loaded/ one. "He was cleaning the trigger, tho hanimer being at full bock. Tlie . .small, boy was standing} in front of the barrel watching the proceedings. The trigger /was .pulled arid the gun went oft*, killing the poor little fellow instantly Great sympathy is felt with. Mr. and Mrs -Robinson in their sad bereavement. , The annual meeting of the 'Grey Licensing Committee took place at noon yesterday the chairman (T. Hutchison, SC O. presidingj .all members being present. The -police reports with respect to the" hotels "throughout the district were invariably good with '< the exception of Blackball, where the po^ lice .constable reported the conduct to ' be jrood ' but called attention to the convictions that had been obtained of • persons found on licensed premises. The constable also complained that the i licensees keep a sharp look out as re- ( gards his movements. The ..chairman, commenting on this, statedjthat if any : one was caught they would be sorry afterwards. With the exception of two eases whieli were adjournecl. all the licenses were granted. . i

Bishop Welldon has been appointed Dean of Durban. — Cable ■ Useful books for motorists! "Electricity and the Motor Car ' ' 3/(5 post«xi V 10; "Motor Cycles, and Hovv to Manage them" 2/G : posted 2/10 j Hints and Tips for Motor Cyclists" 1/9 posted; 2/ r - } "The Maintenance and Repairs of Motor Cars' 1 3/u\ posted 3/10; "Hi«ts and Tips ior Autpniobilists" 3/(5 posted i/-; " Tracing Troubles'' 1/y posted .2/- Procurable at B J^ixon's Taiiiui Street.— Advt. The Education Department has extended the , privilege of si National Scholarship being held at St Mary's College. Greyinoutli. This coticessiou was granted by the - old Grey Education Board, and has now be re-affirm-ed by the Department to the Canterbury Education Board. A Nelson ■■ wire states that Charles Yates fell and died suddenly on Sunday morning. He was aged 74 He was an ex-Mayor, chairman of the Coldas an ex-Mayor tihairman of the Collego Governors, and occupied a leading place in the city for half a century j ' Useful handbooks! ' ' Gasfitting V "Painters' Work;" ''Starease Joinery;" "Metal Plate Work;" 3/- each, posted 3/4 "Artistic l and Decorative Stencilling"' 2/- posted 2/4; "Schnabek Enginemans Master Key" 8/6, posted 8/10;- "Wannans Engine Drivers' Guide" 7/0, posted 7/10; "Furniture Making??,- y/G, posted 9/-. Procurable at B. Dixon's, Tainui St. — Advt. ' ' • '„ Two fires occurred at Blackball on Saturday last. Mr M Doran's •liveroomed house in Harper Street' was totally destroyed at 1 a.m.. Only a small amount of goods were saved, and it was only through the exertion's of many willing workers that an adjoining property was saved. . Mr. Doran 's dwelling was insured in the Phoenix Office for £100 and the furniture in the Commercial Office for £50^ On Saturday. evening, at" about 10.30 p.m.. a three-roomed house." owned" aud occupied by Mr. J. -Hutchison, Clifford Street, was totally destroyed by fire. Mr. and Mrs Hutchison Avere absent, in Greymouth and ' their brother-in-law, who had the key, put on a fire at about 4 w.m. and then locked ,up the house. Everything -appeared »af« then. The cuusc of the fire is unknown. The insurances are £50 on the house and £50 on the furniture in the Phocuix Office. The loss is double the amount of insurance. , New Dress Tweeds for Wiuter trace in Checks^ Stripes and plain cloths. Also Fox's Navy Blue btripe 54 inches wide, guaranteed fast dye, at Walker 's., Rouadary Street. — Advt. ! Some idea of the gigantic cost of the war may be gaiucd from the following list of articles required for the journey by a troopship which lcJ t New Zealand sometime ago: — Freshmeat, 200.000.1 b; fish, 20,0001 b; inilk^ . 500,ga1.; eggs 10 000; bacon and haiii 80001 b.; ship's bread,. 30cwt.; 'coffee, 30cwt.; cheese, 35cwt.; flour, 1033cwt.; jam, 85cwt.; syrup. lOcwt.; 'tea, 20cwt. sugar, 350cwt.; peas and beansj llticwt dried fruit, '4(scwt. ; butter. 8 tons. T ; Ji» list also conveys the impression "that the food on present-day troopships should leave a little to cavil at. During the course of conversation with a "Guardian" reporter. on Thursday. Mr. G. Harle, postmaster, burtdn mentioned an amusing 'incident in connection with' the notification'; of 'births. It was a well-known fact, i he stated, that in pre-war times many J parents were very lax in notifying tno j births of their children withen^tlm ,re gulation time, and occasionally pr,qsecutions had to be 'made and fines, 'inflicted to remind the happy pareiits of their responsibilities. Now ' ..iky--I position was quite the reverse, and particularly so with the Second Division reservists. The latter canie bouncingin with all possible liastc. -be'iuiihig with smiles, to v make prompt notVlication of the new arrival, which mJiy mean the father t taking his .place" in: v later ballot. : A special line or new Japanese Screens has been landed, in '(Jreymouth to the order of C. fifioitb, Ltd. These lovely, goods are npir'.'yh show in the Mawhera ; Quay "Warehouse; the prices are low: Twq-fokl 65,6 d for 4b 6d; Three-fold 8s 6d for 6.8 6d. A few good satin oscreens 30s for 19s 6d. t)on't mijjs this opportunity at . C Smith. Ltd. — Advt. A statement . made by a Wtiihi resi- | dent in London, and published some months ago in a»New Zealand .paper;, to I the effect thsit •.•parcels .:\seiit . to tho • front arrived in a more or les's useless condition has been contradicted by n 'New Zealander oh active service.' In denying the statement that cakes aiul chocolates " and., chewiug-guni pvere ceived at the front in "a mouldy condition, the soldier says:— "l cannot grumble myself. The only ! parcei\ I received in bad order ..was, fine sent on a boat that was torpedoed! I have, how ever, seen one or two bad parcels, and I admit tliat chewing-gum is not tiiuch good when it arrives Here. I Have personally never seen or_ heard of -any of the boys complaining about parcels arriving in bad condition. One of -niy mates, who has just seen, the paragraph says that the writer is trying to. stop the New Zealand people from sending parcels to the troops. ' . ~ \ ,:• \ Twenty'oue Ladies' Tweed Cdstiini.es all the best makers ' goods s—Hosiyn,5 — Hosiyn, Petone and British manufaetnrVj-at 35/>, 40/-, 50A, XO/-j 90/- to ea'oii. 'Inspection invited; See „,our windows. Walker's, Boundary Stirt&t, Gfeymotifclr.- J -Advt. • >'■ ■'■■ : -'- ■-.■■"-.'•"•' At a meeting of thg Weilington^C^ntral Chamber df Coihtnbree, 'MiJ-'-\V. Cotton read a paper bn ''Bread" wiiitu interested everyone present. Mr; Cotton, 1 who is a practical baker;. ; saitl*that New Zealand flour was not to be'coinpared with Australian for bread-mak-ing purposes, and he cave force to Hjs contention by exhibiting loaves bdked with.#ew Zealand send Australian flour whicli, as far as colour, ' texture, and taste were concerned, showed he lat tier ;;to/ be obviously the superior article. 'Mr. Cotton was of opinion that wheat should not ; be grthfrn in New Zealand when such nne I:l quanty •flour could be prdduce^d ' frbn/"' the superior jtfifeat of Austrjilia^ and said that of .the rich Cante^Bury plains that were', given over' t6 %roppinj*,;were divided iip into 40-acre. ".dairy;, farifas. the result would 'be beneflcial_.'tp:-Atiio whole Dominion, for 'a 40iaete Vfa^n , could keep a man his fatiiify vg^iric. wlierpjis a 40-ftcre wheat pafldbek coftld not 50 so with wheat at 'nonnallpirjogs. -i i ." ' ' ■"'."■'■ '-^''''j-k Despite of dll that cynics' say,. ,^ ; id^ 'T'tiere sonfetimes is a' perfect^dsiys;;! ' : ;?J Cloudless /itict dustleas, csitoi aiirl^gj^lit 'Hie (my that gives His a\\ delicfife^y The daV that cbmes tb compfeKs^!?;^ 'T'of cold.' prey winter -flays- 1 we Vh^e: iri '"'!p HrW.ztt"'* dsiys wft'fT.ne'er.'je^itre SaiS t^o no Wboas' "Great - Cum •' ; .', %\-

A cnble message states that the Irish Nationalists have officially decided to ' return to the House of Commons, Fok Children's Hunting Cough tit Woods' Gruul rc{>i>uii.iiui Cur». ' i A Press message states that the Pa- ■ teena is still unable to leave Wellington owing to the failure to obtain fire--IUC U. » The Minister of Defence has received advice of the safe arrival ut a port of call of the 37th Reiuforcements. Private Leslie Blaxall who was reported by Court of Inquiry, killed in action on October 17. 1917, was a son of Mr. Edward Blaxall, of Westport. The' transport, containing the 38th Artillery Reinforcements with Engineer and Infantry Details, has also been reported from a way port. The Westport Coal Company, for the week ended June 8, 1918, shipped 10,-----595 tons 6 cwt of coal and 62 tons 12 c\Yt of coke. The Westport-Stockton — Coal Company Limited, shipped 4535 tous 19cwt of" coal for the week ended Juno 8. 1918. During the last two weeks the.Railway Servants have entertained the following men who have been home ou final leave:— D Billentin, E. Cressy, j V Forest, G Peck J. Mason, R. Russell, J. Teasedalc. ' R. Williams, I>. Roberts. The presentations consisted of razors and smoking outfits Fur Necklets in real Squirrel, at 25/-, 30/- and 35/-; also one only, real good quality, in Squirrel Muff and Stole at £6 15s the set. Real Fitch sots Muff and Necklet, at £6 10s and itf 15s; also Musqueesh and Brown £ear Fur Sets at 35/-, 75/-, 90/- and 110/- each; also a few Children 's Fur Sets at 5/11, 6/11, 8/11 and 13/6 «weh — at Walker's, Boundary Street. — Advt. The Defence authorities are consider injf the question "of issuing an order with the respect to the display of officers' badges of rank. At present these are shown in two ways, embroid ered on the sleeve of the tunic or in metal on the shoulder straps. The latter method is . that in use with officers of the New Zealand {Staff Corps, and it is proposed to make it geiitral At the front however, officers' state that sleeve markings are universal. The order when made will probably not apply to uniforms now in use, so "that the expense of alterations will be avoided.