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Otago Daily Times, Issue 17464, 5 November 1918, Page 4

The Eastern Cable Company advises the telegraph Department of the resumption of tho acceptance of full-rate and, deferred traffic, including all deferred and full-rate messages, Far Jttast, press, and Australasian traffic. ihe Pacific Cable Board advises the resumption of_ the acceptance of soldiers' EFM telegrams. The delay on the Pacific route is now normal.

When the House of Representatives meets to-day (says our- Wellington correspondent) tho i'rimo lVlinister will liave something to say with reference to the surrender of Austria, and it is probable that tho House will then adjourn until Wednesday in commemoration of the occasion. The debate on' tho Address-in-Reply is not generally expected to last into next week, but it seems clear now that no Government business can be t this week. The possibility of Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward being called to a Peace Conference in tho near future is being discussed in tho lobbies It is known that the Prime Minister is likely to receive a call of this kind when tho end of the war is reached, and members admit that the call could not bo disregarded ; but, on the other hand, there is a strong feeling in the House that tho work of the session ought to bo done properly, and not rushed through in a week or two. An obvious suggestion is that tho Prime Minister should go to the Peace Conference and leave the Minister of Finance to act asfliead of the Government and direct the business of Parliament. The objections to this course seem to bo based largely on party considerations. The decision rests largely with the Ministers themselves, and their decision will have to be announced quickly in tho event of a German capitulation. Much of the work already laid down for the session is essential. There must bo financial legislation, some additional war legislation, and provisoin for demobilisation and repatriation, while the licensing question cannot be discarded. The proposed development of forestry and waterpower is connected with demobilisation. It is difficult to see how the session could be finished before Christmas in any circumstances if tho work is to bo done properly. "Wo havo to remember, when this war comes to an end, that peace as well as war has its problems, and wo havo to face these problems with energy, intelligence, and in dustry," said the Prime Minister at Welling, ton yesterday. "If wo are to do our duty as citizens of tho Empiro in peace, as wo have done in war, wo have got to bring about a state of things that will be better for this country, for the other countries engaged in tho war, and for humanity as a whole. That ir our consolation to-day for tho sacrifices that havo been made. I say as ono of tho publio men of the country, that wo want the support of oitizens. We havo stood together as citizens' during this long struggle. Wo havo done our duty as citizens. _ Wo must continue to do our duty when this war comes to an end, and see that wherever it is possiblo to bring about an improvement—and there are plenty of impro\ -ftexits possible—the improvement is made."

A Press Association message from Wellington states that tho Primo Minister is advised by tho Governor-general that immediate steps are being taken by tho Imperial Government to investigate the condition of the Gallipoli graves. The British army is despatching a graves' registration unit as early as possible, to mark tho graves, to which an Australian officer and a Now Zealand officer will bo attached

"I know that tho people of New Zealand will agree with mo," said Sir Joseph Ward at Wellington yesterday, "when I say that wo will not bo satisfied unless the last penny picco of indemnity is extracted from a blackguardly and ruthless foe, if only for the purpose of teaching tho nations that have been associated with Germany that it will nover pay them to bo connected again with tho bloodthirsty sooundrels who have tried to dominate tho world. I havo no sympathy with tho country that started this war. 1 regard it as an absolute horror of the civilised times in which wo live that ono man, or a few men at tho head of an autocratic system of government in Germany, should bo able to plungo the wholo world into war. I believe that ono of tho retributions that is going to overtake tho rulers of Germany is that their country will become a republic, with tho people themselves ruling." In replying to the representations of several members of a farmers' deputation regarding tho removal of tho mortgage ta&, Sir Joseph Ward stated that he was opposed to tho tax, but ho would bo glad if anybody would suggest an The tax applied not only to farmers, but to all classes, and without it tho lazy man would merely need to mortgage his land,* invest in the war loan income-tax free, and pay nothing. If tho mortgage tax wero removed a very large proportion of the land tax would not find it 3 way into tho Treasury. If tho tax was moved from tho mortgagor to tho mortgagee it would be necessary to allow him to charge a higher rate of interest to the mortgagor. Tho wholo policy of. the country had been to keep as low a rato of interest in the country as possible. Clients could go to tho banks and get advances at 5g per cent., but if the mortgage tax wero removed the country would have to let all limits cease, and money would rise to 8 per cent and 10 per cent. There was a close connection between tax-free loans and a low rate of interest. Canada had a loan of £100,000,000 at 5j per cent., free of income tax, and the United States was doing the same thing, while the British Government had always provided a portion of its loans free of income tax. It was no breach of confidence to say that some millions of the money obtained in New Zealand had been given by private individuals who had got overdrafts at 5j per cent, for the purpose. Tho Government; in providing tax-free loans, had no object except to keep the rate of interest down. He believed that whon the war was over taxation oould be reduced very heavily, but the dominion's final responsibilities must first bo ascertained. Happily, the country's financial position wag strong. The mortgagee was not escaping, and was actually complaining. Ihere was £130,000,000 in mortgages recorded last year, and the mortgagee had to pay on the whole of tho interest levied on a graduated scale. At the end of the war tho dominion would probably owe £200,000,000 in addition to ordinary indebtedness, but he was firmly of opinion that when tho war was over New Zealand would be by far the lowest taxed portion of the Empire, and possibly, tho strpngest financially.

" I'm a straight-out freeholder, but it is no use raising any false hopes about the granting of tho freehold of tho national endowments," said the Prime Minister in reply to a Farmers' Union deputation on Saturday. Mr Massey said he appreciated tho force of the argument that in the case of third-class land, if- the tenure was not sufficiently secure, the land would be allowed to become exhausted. That had happened already in tho case of some of tho pastoral runs, but there was not the slightest chance of Parliament agreeing to the suggestion that the freehold should be granted to tho lessees of national endowments.

Judging by appearances, the rough and ready compulsion in the matter of closing down brougnt to bear yesterday by posses of self-appointed patriots was scarcely exerted in equitable fashion. Hundreds of people, after parading the streets for an hour or two, wero denied the refreshment of the cup of tea which cheers but does not inebriate, and at tho same time hundreds more bore evidence of having" imbibed that other form of liquid refreshment which inebriates while it cheers. It was impossible, for instance, not to feel sympathy with the band of young women who with flags fiyin<r and patriotic song marched gaily up three flights of stairs to a well-known tea-room only to find the doora closed. Equally waa it impossible not to feel sorry for the pupils of a popular girls' school who, after taking part in the Town Hall ceremony, were compelled to go home without their promised tea. In striking contrast was the fact that men, young and old, in uniform or without, experienced no difficulty in quenohing their thirst despite the announcement that the hotel bars had been closed.

The quarterly civil sittings of the Supreme Court will commence next Tuesday. The following cases have been set down for hearing:—David William Stalker v. Sarah Ann Finlayson. claim for rectification of deed of agreement; James Duncan v. Annie Duncan, claim for declaration of ownership and possession of an allotment; George Aitchison v. the County Council of Bruce, claim £600, for damages caused by flood; Alexander Syme v. tho King, claim £326, for damages caused by flood; Thomas Borthwiok and Sons v. Robert Sheriff Black, claim £465 i6s 3d, for breach of agreement; Claude Balfour v. George Thomas Lumsden, claim £489, for breach of agreement; Charles Cornelius v. Francis Joseph Conn, claim £331, damages for assault.

" Austria is out of the war. Another advertisement for the Harley-Davidson," jestingly remarked a Dunedin business man to the writer yesterday. However, the wonderful Harley, with machine guns, helped materially to put Austria out of the combat. W. Stuart Wilson, Dunedin.—Advt.

Ladies', high-grade White Mercerised Lisle Hose, seamless; the best; all sizes; Sale price, 3s lid; postage 2d extra.—Mollisons Ltd. —Advt.

...Motorists. —Avoid trouble by operating your self-starter with a Gould Storage Battery. The strong right arm of a starting lighting system. Call and inspect.—Turifbull and Jones (Limited), electrical engineers, Stuart street.—Advt.

Brisk demand for " No Rubbing " Laundry Help. Remember, "clothes washed whito and out by 9" when "No Rubbing" is used; Is 3d large packet.—Wardell Bros, and Co. —Advt.

Waiter! Yes, sir! Watson's No. 10, please. I want best whisky.—Advt. A. E. J Blakeley, dentist, Bank of Australasia, corner ,of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859.— Advt. '*•

Eyestrain!—Consult Mr Peter G. Dick, D.8.0.A., F. 1.0. (London), consulting and oculists' optician.—Peter Dick, jeweller, eto. 490 Moray place, Dunedin.—Advt.