IN NO-MAN'S LAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6489, 8 April 1908, Page 2

IN NO-MAN'S LAND.

A FRONTIER FARCE. On tho first day of October last a crinsv van containing a family of eight was' escorted by Belgian gendarmes to the French frontier. On attempting to cross the boundary the wanderere were stopped by French gendarmes, who forbade any further advance. thus beset behind and before by the authorities, tho van-dwellers perforce made tho best of a had job, and resigned tncnisclvcs to a long stay. On Ihe whole, they hn'c had tho best of it- for they, at any rate had a comfortable root over their heads, while the four policemen who were on constant guard by day and night, keeping the unwelcome travellers at bay, wore exposed to all tho chances of the weather. Days, weeks, and months rolled slowly by. February commenced, and sti i the cipsy-vafi stood on no-raan e-land, guarded by weary gendarmes, each drawing a franc and a half a day, and wondering when tho other side was going to give in, and allow the gipsies to resume their wanderings. As far as is known tho van is there to-day, and nobody appears to care very much about ite fate.

Perhaps in future years when the six gipsy children are grown up and leave tho old home, and ite paintwork has grown, still more shabby, and the wheels

hare sunk an to their hubs into the soil, somebody will come across it and tho patient gendarmes, and begin asking questions. Meantime tho little comedy has already* cost the French municipality of Mont Saint-Marlin more than 1.000 fr., while the local police force las had to be helped -by the neighbouring brigade to perform its ordinary duties. It is true that negotations are going on with a view to settling the matter, but as four months have already passed since tho van reached the frontier there seems no particular reason for expecting a speedy conclusion to tho farce.—“Westminster Gazette.”