THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1922.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18467, 31 January 1922, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1922.

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WORLD. A speech which Dr Wirth delivered in the Reichstag last week affords some ground for the hope that the Gorman Government is bent at last upon making a real effort to meet the liabilities involved in the reparation obligations of the country. The Chancellor has outlined a programme which apparently has at least the tacit support of all parties other than the Oommnnists. It is clearly to the advantage of. Germany that she should make a sincere effort to discharge her obligations. Until she has shown that, it is impossible for her to carry her burdens or that the full exaction of the conditions will have effects upon her other than were to be anticipated when the Peace Treaty was signed, there can obviously be no important variation of the terms of the treaty, Germany would have been well advised if she had long ago displayed greater anxiety to attempt the task of meeting the demands that are' - made upon her. Her policy of vacillation and _ her plea of inability to comply with the conditions imposed by the Allies have at least in some degree postponed a return to more normal conditions. Very probably her effort to bluff the Allies and to put off the evil day has injured her own domestic prospects and largely buted to the unprecedented fall of the mark. The rumours connected with the visit of the Reparations Commission to Berlin affected the value of the mark during November, when it reached a rate of 1250 as against a pre-war parity of 20.43 to the pound sterling, but: the most potent influence making for German disorganisation was the element oV uncertainty in her own policy. There is''not a little evidence, however, that the internal condition of Germany is not worse, and that in some material respects it is even better, than that of some other countries. The workers are more fully employed in Germany than in those countries, and l they seem to be intent on regaining their pre-war position. The attempt which will now be made to meet the demands of the Supreme Council will help to restore confidence in Germany, and it should at the same time improve the prospects of success of the Genoa Conference. The world has become accustomed to talk of reconstruction. Perhaps it is somewhat tired of the discussion. Nevertheless the greatest work is yet to be done. Even when the last vestige of the ruins of the war has disappeared there will remain the need for the reconstruction of ideas to fit the new times. At present the world lacks confidence in itself as an organic whole. Moreover, the nations of the world distrust their neighbours and in some degree even themselves. They are not sure of the future because the immediate past has been so full of uncertainty. Something substantial will accrue from the various • international gatherings of statesmen which have been and are to be held, but the cultivation of the new spirit of mutual confidence will, take time.' The atmosphere of war begets distrust among individuals, classes, and nations, and until the last embers of the great conflagration have died away the full measure of healthy confidence which albne can make the world anew will be impossible. The disseminator of strife is at all . times a national enemy. This is true in all the activities of life, and those who preach class hatred, founded on false economic doctrines, assume a heavy responsibility. Mr Reginald M’Kenna, chairman of the Joint City and Midland Bank, has again directed attention to the fallacy of restriction of output. His remarks, reported in our cablegrams yesterday, were specially directed to the practice of limitation by workmen. There may he equally mischievous limitation by producers. In the column adjoining that which contained a summary of Mr M'Kenna’s speech was a cable message intimating that the Agricultural Conference of American farmers had “endorsed the limitation of the farm crop acreage until the present agricultural conditions in the United States and Europe have been relieved.” In the same column was a message reporting that Dr Nansen, in a report to the International Committee on the Russian Famine, had pointed out that millions must now die, as it was too late to save them. Grain, he declared, was the essential food. “They were confronted,” said Dr Nansen, “with an awful dilemma in distributing the grain,

because it was' needed both for sowing and for feeding the people. Sowing was essential to prevent a worse famine next year. A terrible choice must be made in selecting particular districts to be saved.” The absurdity of limiting the production of grain or anything else until the international position improves should be obvious. limitation of the production of essential goods simply means that there will be less for everybody, and while any section of the world’s people is in want a limitation of the output of foodstuffs borders on criminality. All those who urge that by producing less they can get more are imagining a vain thing. To adopt their views is only to intensify every difficulty that exists at the present time. *VOX POFUII.” It was gravely asserted in a motion carried at a public meeting in this city on Sunday night that the policy of retrenchment in the public service, to which the Government has reluctantly committed itself, is “contrary to the will of the majority of the people of this country.” If there were any foundation whatever for this assertion, we should have expected public remonstrances against the policy to be made throughout the country. There have been no such remonstrances. True, the organisations of public servants have protested as loudly and as violently as they could. But they express the views of themselves only. One of these organisations has decided to conduct a ballot of its members on the question whether they should strike rather than submit to the withdrawal of bonuses given to them to meet an emergency the pressure of which is now subsiding. If the ballot is favourable to a strike, it will show that a distinctly narrow and unintelligent view is taken of the matter. It would be a mistake, how-, ever, to imagine that any such result can have any effect on the decision of the Government, supported as it is by the voice of Parliament. There is no possible way, other than that adopted by the Government, by which a financial drift of a dangerous character can be averted. There is no inexhaustible purse in this country into which the Government can di|> in order to secure fresh revenues enabling it to provide for an over-swollen expenditure. Those whb protend that there is are simply playing upon the credulity of the unthinking and the ignorant. The public revenues are dwindling simply because the sources from which they have? been drawn are drying up v The honest course for any Government, as for any individual, to adopt when income inevitably falls is to reduce expenditure. And the obvious means by which expenditure by the Government can be reduced is by the withdrawal of bonuses that were paid to public servants for a specific temporary object. The cost of Jiving is now falling and the need for the payment of these •bonuses is disappearing. The taxpayers have provided £4,500,000 a year to pay the bonuses. That is the official figure. The amount is large enough to pay the interest on more than one-half of the total indebtedness of the'-dominion; It is, however, not proposed to withdraw the whole of this sum of £4,500,000 from the public servants. Under the scheme of retrenchment to which Parliament has given its approval a sum of £1,800,000 approximately will be withheld. The proposal contemplates that the understanding upon which the cost-of-living bonuses were granted shall be fulfilled now that the prices of commodities are falling. A strike by any .section of the public servantsugainst the adoption of the retrenchment scheme would involve a repudiation of that understanding. It would on that account be a dishonourable strike. And, inasmuch as it would be a strike against the State, it would be a revolutionary strike, There cari be only one authority in the State, and that authority is exercised by the Government as the representative of the whole body of the people. To a strike against tbo exercise of that authority the full weight of public opinion and public action would be exerted. Some ol the heated utters ances of members of the public service in thb last few weeks have implied a lack of appreciation of the true relationship between the taxpayers and themselves. It is really a mistake on their part to regard the taxpayers i merely as a necessary evil the purpose 6f which is to, furnish the funds out of which the public service may be maintained at an extravagant cost. There is actually a limit beyond which taxation cannot be leviod-rif industrial stagnation, reacting powerfully upon the progress of the whole community, is to he avoided. That limit has been rebelled in New ‘ ' SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON. The news of the death of Sir Ernest Shackleton will evoke throughout the Empire , a measure of regret such as is but rarely called forth by the passing of men even of greater note. For Sir Ernest Shackleton long since struck out for himself that kind of career which makes a special appeal to the imagination, especially to the British imagination. He was first and foremost a sailor of the type of which, as a nation, we have ever been proud. It is the type to which belonged the men who made England dreaded anb supreme on the seas and carried h et flag to the' ends of the earth—-the type of Drake, Raleigh, Frobisher, Cook, and a host of others whoso hame is written largo in the annals of the navy and the mercantile marine, right down to our own times. Not for Shackleton was the humdrum life of the navigator, year in and year out, of the well-worn ooean routes, or the monotony of the routine of a King’s cruiser. The spirit of adventure was in his blood, and took him irresistibly off the beaten track. His was the true instinct of the explorer, apd to its indulgence he bent his natural energy and strength of purpose with results that have made his name almost a household word throughout the Empire. High admiration a career such as his must always command sq, long as courage and daring, resolution to penetrate the unknown upon land or sea, and readiness to scorn delights and live laborious days, furnish a theme of interest and inspiration to our rape. No man ever responded more gladly than Sir Ernest Shackleton to the lure of the voices calling to the untraversed frozen zones. His fame rests mainly, of course, upon his achievement' in the Antarctic, which constituted him a worthy follower indeed in the footsteps of Captain Scott, whose name is also imperishably enshrined in the records of the frozen south. The voyage iu the Quest, destined to he ShackletcnV last,

waa his fourth expedition as leader of a party .of kindred spirita to face the hardships and perils of Antarctic exploration. It is melancholy to think of a man in the prime and vigour of his years, whose name has been associated with a long -succession of those deeds that seem to most become a hum, thus cat off in the heyday of his usefulness. But it may be said that Sir Ernest Shacldeton died truly in a manner that rounded not unfittingly his career. His contributions to geographical and scientific knowledge remain a monument to his memory. And it is well to think that, in accordance with his wishes, Commander Ijjrank: Wild and those other gallant spirits with him will continue the present expedition, and navigate the Quest to that region of the Antarctic lying south of Africa upon which the vision of their late leader had been so keenly set. ' The Mayor (Mr J. S. Douglas) has been advised that the warship Veronica will' arrive from the Sounds at 10 o'clock this morning. He will tender an official welcome. The Veronica will probably not attempt to come up the Victoria Channel until the turn of the tide in the afternoon. A borth as been allotted to , her at the Kitchener Street Wharf. H.M.SL Chatham is due to arriye on Friday, and H.M.A.SMelbourne about the 7th or Bth. Both ships will be accommodated *at the Rattray Street • Wharf. The Veronica will remain in port until the . 7th. insti, and the crew will have part in the Carnival Week doings. The Niagara, which is dtio at Auckland on Friday next, will bring 882 bags of mail matter from tho United Kingdom and America. Tho Waikouaiti brought a small mail from Australia, and this was delivered yesterday afternoon. To-morrow evening mails brought by the. Maheno from Australia and Great Britain should arrive in Dunedin and be" delivered on Thursday morning. Mails'brought from Australia by the Ulimaroa should arrive here on Thursday evening and bo delivered on . Friday , morning. Our Roxburgh correspondent advises that 25,210 packages of fruit of a total weight of 359£ tens left Beaumont last week The main apricot crop is finished, and growers are now harvesting the later varieties. The wholesale prices of meat to butchers have been raised in Wellington as from yesterday by id a pound , for mutton ond lamb (says a Press Association message). No rise is reported on beef, pork, or veal. The following 'resolution tea# carried by the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council (says & Frees Association message from Christchurch):— I That the Alliance of Labour be urged to take immediate action In forming In each centre a council of action with a view to combating the out in wages and the consequent lowering of the standard of living of the workers, the executive of the Alliance to take national charge of operations. It will be impossible to proceed with the Motor Vehioleo Bill this session apart from those clauses of tho measure which are interwoven with the highways legislative proposals (says a Wellington Press Association message). There have been objections put forward by local bodies anti others to some aspects of the licensing proposals, but the Minister of Internal Affairs has had his time bo fully occupied with- the customs tariff that ho was unable to hear evidence or meet objections relating tic the Biff. It is considered advisable to have the Bill thoroughly reviewed during the teoess rather than attempt to put it' through in the closing -.hours of the session.. As reported to the House by tho Public Health Committee, the Dentists Amendment Bill contains a new clause providing for tho registration of certain persons engaged in dental work (wires our Wellington correspondent). Under this clause any person may be registered as , a dentist who (aj satisfies the Director-general of Health that he has been continuously; engaged in dental work for not leas than five years immediately preceding tho passing, of tho Act, and that he has for not less than two of* those years been engaged in the performance of surgical dental operations; (b) passed on examination in general knowledge (unless ho satisfies the Minister that this examination is unnecessary); (d) passes an examination in dentistry, including dental surgery, to be prescribed by the University Senate. Examinations under the new douse are to bo held, if required, in December, 1922, and December, 1923, and no application for registration is to be received after March 31, 1924. Candidates will bo obliged to notify tho Director-general of Health by March 31, 1922, that they intend to sit for examination. Any unregistered person who has taken lie stops entitling him to sit for an examination under the clause may, up to March 51, 1924, practise dentistry to tho same extent as he could lawfully practise it before the passing of the Act. Our Wellington correspondent wires that the Lands Committee has made an addition to deuoe 2 of the Harbour Boards Amendment Bill, This clause enables boards to provide waiting rooms, reading rooms, dining rooms, and meats for waterside workers and others. The new provision is to enable boards to loose such premises for a term not longer than three years. . Last year there were 13 accidents caused by pea riflee and Jf) caused by other firearms in Now Zealand (wires our Wellington correspondent). The deaths caused by pea rifles were 10, and the deaths by other firearms 40. The notices* of intention to enrol received by the secretary of the Otago High Schools Board indicate that this year’s enrolments at the Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools ore likely to constitute fresh records. Notices received to date indicate that the numbers for the twp schools will be not less than 539 and 413 respectively. .These numbers in themselves easily break last year’s records, and notices of intention to- enrol are still being received by the secretary. As an evidence of what has been done towards the relief of suffering caused by unemployment in Dunedin, it may be mentioned that tho receipts at. the Employment Bureau at tho Town Hall since it Was established have totalled £4090 14s 7d. Public works provided for out of this fund absorbed £3646 7s 6d in and £IOO has been spent in financial relief and orders for goods. Tho Government’s measures in the reduction of salaries were discussed lost evening at a meeting of members of the police-section of the Public Service, Association held at Jho Police Library, Central Station (says 'a Wellington Press Association message). The meeting was tho largest ever held by the polio© section, over SO members being present. A resolution was passed donouno.ing tho action of tho various sections of tho civil service throughout Now Zealand in advocating extreme measures in the event of the salary reductions becoming law. The Hon. J. A. Handn, the Hon. A. F. Hawke, and Messrs J. R. Hamilton and A. Hamilton interviewed the Minister ul Railways and the General Manager of Railways yesterday in order to state their objection to the proposed discontinuance of the through express between Invercargill and Christchurch (wi&s our Wellington correspondent). The members made it plain to tho Minister that they would oppose what was contemplated, 'and they submitted certain proposals which they considered were reasonable and should bo adopted by the department. Tho Minister, in reply, was emphatic as to the absolute need for cutting* out services that were being carried on now at a heavy loss. After discussion he agreed to examine tho proposals submitted by the deputation, and consult the General Manager. He would give his decision later. Legislation making the penalties more' drastic for the unauthorised use of motor cars waa advocated in a -question which Mr F. F. Hockley (Rotorua) asked the Minister of Justice (Hon. E. P. Lee) in the House yesterday (wires our Wellington correspondent). Mr Hockley suggested that’ the legislation should bo enacted early next session. The practice was becoming more prevalent, and it was considered that the provided was not adequate l ken ’ not , onl y *4 the streets tert from the owners’ ipotor sheds After being used they were often' abani doned hythe road in a damaged condition. Mr Lee said" that he would give the matter consideration between now and session. Mr E. J. Howard frLSv °\ fc South) :,“Make it a hanriff arch

A Greymotrth Press Association message says that . William Balderstcne, secretary of the Blackball Minora’ Union, was convicted yesterday and ordered to x pay costa on a ’ charge of using indecent language at Stillwater railway station on December 6 to Frederick Charles Elliott, manager of the Blackball Coal Company. ' The restoration of the Whennakura railway bridge» sufficiently advanced to allow trains to cross slowly (says a Wanganui Press Association message), the first train to do so being the Wellington to New Ply* mouth express yesterday afternoon. A note of warning baa previously been sounded by the Government to the effect that >the benefits available under the, repatriation scheme will probably be curtailed in June of this year. The secretary of the Dunedin R.B.A. (Mr A, O, Laing) is now in receipt of advice to the effect that -if the suggested curtailment is' put into operation patients in hospital on June 30 Buffering , from war disabilities will not be affected. ' At the monthly general meeting pf the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association last night Mr. A. G. Leeden said that whom the various Returned Soldiers' Associations were started in the dominion a strong point was made cl keeping them non-pdhaoaL He though* from the attitude of Gabinet Ministers and the Government generally today it wee high time that the association was made political, and that it had full right to choose parliamentary candidates and put them forward. He moved that the matter be referred to the executive with a recommendation that it be mode the subject of a remit to the next annuel conference. The motion , was seconded, but an amendment was moved that in View of the con* troversial nature of the subject it should be left to the annual meeting for consideration, The mover of the amendment pointed out that the general meeting was never'; very largely attended, - and he considered the question too big to be decided without serious consideration. The association has ’ gone forward up. to the present in great harmony, but this was a question which was calculated to provoke soriana controversy. After a little discussion the amendment was carried.- n Mr R. M’GJllrvray, Government Agri- ' cultural 'lnstructor, Christchurch, baq made several recent visits to the North Otago district to investigate reported . outbreaks of ' wheat disease. It is understood that he found ip, all oases where examination was made that take-oil . (Ophiobolns graminis) was the cause of the trouble. His disease is of fungoid origin, and in oases where the attack, is virulent the complete destruction of the crop is the result. Mr M’Gilli* way found isolated oases of this kind in North Otago. Take-all generally appears in patches and at times during the very early growth of the plants. If the dead dr dying plants are closely examined they will generally be found to be more or leas blackened at the butt. The. distribution of 'the disease in North' Otago is fairly extensive, and will certainly lower the average field ,considerably, as in some fields the destruction of tho ordp is complete! T&p only way to eradicate the disease is to keep wheat or barley out of the' infmfayf land for some years, and all weeds each as twitch (Triticura repens), barley grass (Hopdium, murinum), and sterile broma grass (Bromus sterilis) should be destroyed by cultivation, as these grasses are host plants. The*® are many very fine crops of wheat to ho seen, in various pants of the district, some of which should yield in the vicinity of SO bushels to the acre. a , , Our Christchurch correspondent wires aa follows: —Referring to the demolition of the ' old morgue in Manchester street for the purpose of enabling additions to bo made to the City Council’s electricity department, the Star says: Qn the last occasion that the old morgue was renovated a, curious, coincidence occurred. The foreman painter for the City Council was instructed to repaint Hie interior, and engaged another 1 painter jto astist him. The day prior to tho work being commenced the deed body of an elderly woman had been, taken to the morgue, and the clearing. up' following a post mortem examination had been perfunctorily performed. The assistant expcefßed his horror at having to work in such a gloomy place, and remarked to the foreman that he wondered who would *b« tho next one to bo brought there. Strange to say, the assistant (tied suddenly 'that night, and the following morning, after ; the foreman hod oommonoed work, a. policemaa arrived with the body. Before juries at ootodoct' inquests were abolished the police, in. search for jurymen, visited factories and. shops m the vicinity of the morgue, and any eligible man were summoned for tho jury and paid a few shillings ’ for tbeir services. Whenever street loungers learned of a body being' taken to the morgue they would hurry to the vicinity end wait about ip hope of being selected on the jury and thus earn a little easy mosey. ' The Cfity Fire Brigade received a call at 7.15 p.m. yesterday from a telephone box: situated ,at the corner of Foster street and Preston crescent, BeTloknowes. However,' the services of the firemen were not required, as the call proved to bp a malicious false alarm. His Honor Mr Justice Sim sat in Cham, bers yesterday morning to deal with an • application by the Crown for a change of venue from Dunedin to Christchurch for the trial of James Reynolds Bayne on a charge of using an instrument upon a girl with intent to procure a miscarriage. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr F. B. Adams) appeared in support of the application, which was opposed by accused’s counsel (Mr B. S. Irwin). His Honor made on cider for a trial at Christchurch on February 14. The St. Eilde Fire Brigade received a . (toll at 2.45 . am, yesterday to a fire that nod broken out in a washhouse situated at 93 Bay View road. The fire had a good hold when the brigade arrived, but by strenuous efforts it was extinguished before any great damage could be done. Tho firm of Messrs Tamhlyn, M'Eenzie, ' - and Winton is being dissolved oe from to* day. The business is being taken over by Mr M’Kenrie, who is taking in os partner Mr T* A- Rhodes/ of the Public Trust Office. Tho business in future will be-mm under the name of M'Eemae imd Rhodes. \ Leave the traffic in your dust. Ride a Harloy-Davidson motor cycle, and be first on the road. — W. A. Justice and Co., Otago agents. 292 Princes street. I^unedin. —Advt. Miss Jinks : How young faron ere looking now 1 Do tell me your secret. Mrs Sinks: Well, I always use "No-Rubbing” Laundry Help and rest while it works,—Advt. A Snip. —Flock beds, covered with extra heavy ticking, buttoned, size 4ft 6in x 6ft 6in. Special sale price 35a—Mollisona Ltd. Advt. Watson’s No, 10* is a little dearer than most whiskies, but is worth the 'money.— Advt. -. ■'*: A E. J. Blakeley, dentist. Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859 L—» Advt. Save your Eyes.—Consult Peter G. Dick, D.8.0.A., F.LO., London, consulting and oculists* optician.—" Peter Dick,” jewellers and opticians, Moray place, Dunedin.—Advt '