THE INVASION OF PALESTINE.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13982, 19 November 1917, Page 4

THE INVASION OF PALESTINE.

Students of Old Testament prophecy. no less than the world-wide friends of the Jewish race are (Imilitlcii!! watching with intense interest Ihe onward march of the liberating armies of the modern crusaders through the ancient kingdom of .hidall, into the very heart of ancient Israel itself.

Right down the ages, the children of Israel.have stood apart from, yet very -often in, the .world, as it marched through so many chants, working out a unique destiny within themselves, yet influenced hy and influencing- external events and movements. A few short years ago Great Britain fought the menacing Slav race to maintain the integrity of Turkey, and in those tierce battles on dreary inhospitable Crimea, the future of Palestine, as an integral portion of the Ottoman .Umpire was' decided for'the time being and the home of the race of Jiullih

jwiis handed into the keeping,of the corrupt intriguers of the fiublimoPort. He would have been a bold man, indeed, who had'prophesied in the early days of J.!)M that in tin* ycitr 11)17 the indiiTiiit- ! able fighting sons of the youngest Oversea Dominions of the British .;.Empire would be fighting the [Turks within sight of the ruins ,i,Qf, Jerusalem,., But the whirligig •| of time brings many changes. The '•Jews have a new hope and, it is fervently prayed that the centuries | of Turkish misrule in Palestine j are coming to.an end.- The Land ! of Palestine, rendered an object of ■permanent interest by its connection with the'ebb and flow of the currents of Eastern and' Western i thought and action, corresponds j in physical features and geographical situation, with; its alternate 1 aloofness and intercourse, Pales* tine, conjures up many memories. It is e'nt off by mountain range j'.nd desert from neighbouring ,kiids, yet along its coastline and over, its cross-rpad3 . have surged the hosts of many an army, the eainek *of innumerable caravans. It is between Asia and'iOrica, between | Assyria and Egypt; the sea which washes its shore,, and known appropriately as the Mediterranean, ( is (lie ocean-link between Europe and the East. "There is pro,'bably- no older road in all the .world,-'-writes Dr George Adam Smith; '.ftlian .that which is-still used by caravans from the Euphrates' to the Nile, through Damascus, Galilee, Esdraelon,, tile Maritime Plain and Gaza."' The pliant soiw of New Zealand are to-djy iiglitiiig the. Turks on ihe same ground where in remote antiquity Hittites and Ethiopians •' waged their campaign?. Assyrians and Egyptians fought their long- , dVawu-out duels there. Along the same Palestine .coast Alexander [tlie;Gijeat marched on his way to J.Egypt, and everywhere on the j||uto';lie planted Greet colonies, Ri)Jjnc.- ; too, left her mark, where' f[i^W : the, .feet of the new crusaders VMreli to another victory, liongthe- battles -.; between (MfCrqKS .'aiid the; Crescent sought i«t|'fields,'oi) the siiiiie sifts Viiieve tlie,;Soiis' of Bvitain' nr bontfin I to-day, -. wliile J "Napp)eo)i: • |liaS|Syria; and patlfway: MDijs; ; ;) inlnsMM afo;Hvfl's;::dwjidM;^ mmsmmssssm

habitants arc looking with fciirlffa eyes beyond the tragedy of a world at strife, tp' the land of ttrair lathcis, end wo nie witnessing one of llicslrtingcslHud most enllii (tiling developments m histoi.i. in winch the soldieis ol the ucwnf nation of the world are fighting and dying in a sli ugglc which will In nig liberation ami the eonsiunation of the ago-long national aspirations, to the descendants ol a ince which dates-its biith away hack in remote antiquity bcioici the ChiibLi.ui cia.

&ir Jobeph Wnrd went south last week. 110 will go on to InvcicargiliIns own district —which lie his not viaitcil since Ins letum from England, where lie will spend a few 'lajs

of the Canterbury Aviation Company,,'in the course of a conversation; said that it would be possible to fly from Chrisfchnrcli to Dunedin with the company's 100 horse-power biplane, •n from three to three nhd<n-lialf hours,

A farmer, who'lias', a large family itates that lie has discovered a scheme to provide clieap repairs for their boots. He is utilising discarded motor tyres instead of leather for half-soles, and ; states that the substitute is both economical!- and satisfactory,

The following are the prize winner's in the draw of th'e art union in aid of the Red Cross funds: Ist prize, Mrs Perks; 2nd prize, C. Hubbard; 3rd prize, Mrs Stewart Lawrence; 4th prize, Mrs Presland; sth prize, Mrs A. M. : Watson (Beidston); 6th prize, Mrs Bussell (Stour street). ■ J

The foul' candidates for tiie Rhodes scholarship this year will be as follow: —Auckland, Second-Lieutenant N, A, •Tory; Victoria'- (Wellington), Lieutenant H, A, Mackenzie; Canterbury, Lieutenant Richards; Otago, Lieutenant J. W, Urn ton. The selection will be made at a meeting of the Board of Selection to he.held at Government House at 10 a.m. on November 27th.

Of Saturday the committee of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association held a special meeting in the secretary's rooms to consider the 'burse to be, taken regarding the amusements tax which will operate during the society's Show this week. A letter was read, giving particulars of the tax, from the Deputy-Commissioner of Stamps, Dunedin, and it was resolved that the extra penny be collected from the public at tho gates.

Mr and Mrs W, Dobson, of Island Cliff have received information that their eldest son, Corporal W..T, Dobson, has been wounded and admitted to hospital. T.he second son of Mr and Mrs Dobson, Bombardier Thomas Dobson, who returned to New Zealand in August, and was twice wounded in Prance, ■has been recommended for the military medal., A third son is also at- present in the firing line in Prance.

Our New Zealand members of Parliament at times are inclined) to feckjf; fended when written to by their constituents asking them what- they arc doing about public matters, but it would be interesting to hear what they, have to say about the whole-page message. ; n the Sydney Sun, addressed to their thousands of readers—"Do you care ibout our men at the front?. Ton 'iiust write to-day to your Federal member, asking him what is to be done to get reinforcements."

A youth named Jolm Irwin Shore, i«i'il eighteen years, who lias been for •nini' three or four months past emuloycd on the local courthouse staff, having boon transferred to here from Wellington, was arrested on Friday af-, tcnioon by Constable Palmer. He appeared before Mr J. D. Grant, .LP., at tin 1 court on Saturday morning, charged that he did, about the end of Juno, 1017, at Wellington, steal oik; electric bicycle lamp of the value of ,tl Ifls, {he properly of some person unknown. Ac'.•used was remanded to appear before the Stipendiary Magistrate on Wednesday next, bail, which was not forthcoming, being fixed at £25. •

. Regulations under the part of the Statute Law Amendment Act of last session'relating to prisons are gazetted. Under the regulations it is -declared that all prisons shall be divided into three classes—prisons, special prisons, and police gaols, It s 'declared that certain other institutions', slialF be simply called "institutions," with special names according to their character. These will include [Borstal institutions, reformatories for men, and reformatories for women. The Invcreargill prison is henceforth lobe known as the Livofeargill Borstal Institution, the Waikeria prison as the Waikeria Kefor-' mntory for Men, and the Arlington prison as the Addington Reformatory for Women, - v '

Mr Jas, Begjr, the Otago member of Ihe National ■ Efficiency Board, passed through Bnlolnthn on Wednesday morning, and in the course V n brief chat with a Balelnthn Free Press representative said flint, singularly eiiou'jli, (here did not seem to be much demand from farmers fqr the boy labour that, was being arranged for from 1 the high schools'at vacation time. In other coun-

tries, notably America mid England, nuch ■ lnbouv, had been availed'of, but t.lic New Zealand farmer—or at all events, the'Otago part of him—wan slow to "cotton ".on to anything'new. In Mr Begg's opinion, the labour of thc.io boya, comin? at a time v/hen the farmer ecnerally found himself with more than enough to do, should- pome in very handy, provided it were utilised in the right way and proper. accommodation provided for the lad's. ' ' '.

A meeting of .the new..comnilfcteo of, tiie Oamaru Amateur Swimming Club was held iii Bartrum's • Tea Rooms on Friday evening, there being present:, Messrs, Dawkins (cap-} tain, in the. chair), and Geo. S Jones, Douglas, MeCulloch, Jlc Diaimid, Coonoy, and McQmn (hon. soeretnrj) It wan decided to hold a poncral moetlng of the plnb next Friday evening The appointment of dele gates to the Otngo Centro was left o\er until next meeting It wis decided to leconimeiid to fhe ] piesidcnt (Dt Dough'.) tint the club awiid his medal In the competitoi who gains the nw->t points ovpiNlnce distances, w, 50 md«, 100 mils, and mils, nolnts to be as follow \ \ and 1 It \wis decided to delete the 2 r ) Yoids Maiden Ifnndicip fi qjn iho ( Challenge Cup 'events. A motion was enuicd that tho llfosaUng o|i its pinctionl woify tljat the; cajtnin be ap'pomtod fis instriictQi A vote ofllianks To. ,tho duilunan termlpted'tuo mating.t-

, A fcjtc.inttr ttlmlj lcunjly hkUqi! r'rom Austbtlui brought 1.5 Clliincso ii>t*J. NWeahhd. s ,v • "'« The mojiik'islup of tl(e No*/ Zffihiiiil ' Pt tin noil Solibcn' • Astoeifttion now, mmibeis about 70od lutuiiivil moil. "' llicr-nth at the' Wellington rp"i >h.;m Mis 11 >L Seildon was .uvirdcil a hrit inJ a thijil pii/e ioi iosl"? grovn hv Liiuteimit T V. Kuldou, ill', non hi I i nice ' '

'■' A' .cinematograph -firm was. fined ,ss' at D.'irg.'ivillo -on Tuesday for; shawinj} (i!ws which had not been passed by tho ■e.ncor. II was stated'-tliiit this was ilro> first "case, of the kiiut heard., in the Do-'; minion, V ~■/;,;'. yV -"*-'•-•.:; ■•■•

• The 0 n-'rlTiades and Labour Couu- \] i Led fife Duneilin Citj Council to Jinn 1 All- \ Seniple permiasifin to tieiver.a lecture on Sunday next on the organisation cf-Labour arid tlie, cost of 'iving. Leave was Refused by a aubitantia) majority; y.' ■_._

,In" granting Hie Defence. "Depart' ment's request for the use of the.WinVatui grounds and. buildings for a, earrip from March s'to May 1, tlie-Duncdin Jockey Club expressed the opinion "that these camps wjffe unnecessary '.at,the present lime, and were interfering with the'essential work of the country.;

Owing to the difficulty of jetting cefr tificated aec/)jrat, of.ihe war, it has been decided to alter; -tho age at which candidates for eertinwtei for locomo;ive and traction enginedrivers may be examined. The age henceforth will be nineteen yerfs 'ifl,y lieu of twenty-one year's, ,/i '.'.'-■, 1,.

A compact and liana? little volume has been issued by 'the Nntionnl ■ Efficiency 'Board, scttingi-forth in concise and'clear form tho classifications of in*

dustries, professions; and occupations, and of the operators employed thereihy/ 1 ' drafted by the National Efficiency Board' and aa amended and npprpyp'rt , by the Government'. The result .'is that one can tell at once how every; industry, is classified, and further; knotf. . how each operator iri.it stands:' from, the efficiency point of view. Copies _ the books are to be sent- tp each rhilli tary Service Board and to. ofloh loeiil _ committee under the National Efficiency, Board. , ■"- " .

The question of allowing a picture show, on Christmas Day came before ; th'e Lower Hut-t Borough -Council oh Monday evening, states the Dominion. It was quickly decided that permission should not be granted. Councillor Cot* ton rose to protest. "It is a shame;" he said, "to put a stop to: the man's enterprise in this way. Picture shows on Christmas Day are allowed in other places." There was no argument, on the point. The Mayor was the only one who spoke. '' Christmas Day,'' ho said, "is one of two days in the year when there should be a rest from, business. It is a day on which the eternal graspina; should be sot aside. Other ..businesses have to close," .....

The great show of blossom in the Central Otago orchards has been followed by disappointment in. /some respecis.; The cherry trees, which never before put forth such an abundance of (lower, have set only an average'crop ofV fruit. The moisture experienced eently discouraged the bees, and they worked only half-heartedly. Peaches and lioo'nriiies are giving fonie concern, because ni the widespread appear.mice of loaf-curl, due to the same moisture, Tlie apricots are, however, looking Al. Shot-hole is iheir peculiar infirmity, and it does not seem to be a common trouble" this season; in fact, there is a promise of what one orchardis' describes as "a whale of a crop,"

For some weelcs past reports, have been received in Ashbiirtou that many of the whoa: crops in the county are showing signs of withering tiff, which" is said to be'due to blight. The other day a Grccnstreet fanner who was in Ashbiirton, stated that a whole field of his' wheat had practically withered off, and was lying on the ground. ■• This is'not general,,a:; llicre are some splendid crops throughout the flistt'int, which give promise of good yields. Some.of. the late wheat crops are suffering from dry weather, the ground having become: cemented shortly after sowing, owing to Ihe hcavv rains just'abont that time. There is every indication of a large quantity of grass being stripped for .seed in the county this season,

The Department of Munitions and Supplies has dealt with 344.0 application." to date for permits for priority-. of shipment of goods to New Zealand,' In an approximate value of £1,390,000. The Minister in Charge, the' Hon.. Arthur M. Myers, stated to an "Auckland Herald reporter that (/f these-aptV|V plications 3'loij had been certified'to/*\ twenty five were under clerical action.in the office, and ten were under consideration, From advices wHe.Ti.th6. | Minister had recently received frpjn the jUnited Kingdom'and, from Australia; l'c was apprehensive of the difficulties |in' securing goods being increased, provided that war conditions continued: . In prevail. Fortunately, representations which had been made by him oh behalf of the New Zealand Government. In the Ministry of Munition's, iri Mi United Kingdom, through the"':™ Commissioner, had in the' cases, produced satisfactory S'nce America, had declared Germany the United States auth(fl|B had set tip a system under which thd Minister anticipated they would-in-fu-ture request him, as Minister ,ih Ch'argd of Munitions nnd-Supplies here, to Cohv: inent on or certify to'orders from JfcW Zealand.- At the'moment, hqweMj'-ii}. \ particulars were available in r'egdrd;tb' this matter, but information hart bedn' '" cabled for and 'was' expected at ah early date.. V. V ''. ..' '■ :. -.'■•'--'■■