A STIR IN THE BALKANS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19012, 7 November 1923, Page 6

A STIR IN THE BALKANS.

The Balkans have become proverbial as the powder-magazine of Europe. The Great War with its reconstructions Ims not quenched the temper or wiped out the ancient hostilities of these quarrelsome, States, busy though they are in the meantime with their own disordered domestic affairs. An ultimatum from Jugo-Slavia to Bulgaria such as has just' been delivered constitutes in the circumstances an “incident" fraught with unpleasant possibilities. This step on the part of the Government at Belgrade is the outcome, apparently, of an attempt to assassinate the Jugo-Slavian military attache at Sofia. This means that the Jugo-Slavian flag has been insulted in the Bulgarian capital, and that there must be formal official Bulgarian atonement for the offence, the necessary apologies being supplemented by an investigation on the part of the Bulgarian Government with a view to the discovery and punishment of the would-be murderers, and by payment of an indemnity to be determined by the InterMANHOOD SUFFRAGE IN JAPAN. It is not surprising that the unparalleled restlessness of the Western world is being reflected to some degree in the East. .It may have been observed that an agitation for an .extension of the suffrage in Japan is now being expressed in definite proposals. A few weeks ago a committee of five Ministers was appointed to draft a manhood suffrage recommendation to the Government, and it was anticipated that a new franchise law would, though not without strenuous opposition, be made operative during the coming session of the Diet. For Japan it will represent a decided advance if the business of government is to be transferred from the few to the many, for the proposal is to open the ballot to males of 25 years and over and to abolish the property qualification. Moreover, if the Manhood Suffrage Bill becomes law, every elector will be eligible for office, many of the restrictive qualifications in the election of peers will be abolisneu, and the electors will be increased in number from 3,000,000 to 13,000,000. That proposed legislation of a character so far-reaching as the Manhood Suffrage Bill should excite a great deal of interest is natural, but it is amazing to be told on the authority of the Australian Press Association that the discussion of the proposals is rivalling the restoration work in the prominence which the press is giving to the subject. It is clear from this that the suffrage question must have roused the Japanese nation as few public questions have done in the past. Perhaps the phase of the question that is of principal interest to the West is the probable effect of the Japanese movement on other Eastern peoples who at present are ruled by selective rather than responsible or representative Governments. If Japan takes the big plunge that is proposed in the extension of the franchise, the course of events in other Asiatic countries will assuredly be influenced.

national Court of Justice. These requirements are set out in the ultimatum from Jugo-Slavia. The general circumstances of this interesting situation bear a striking similarity, it will be observed, to those connected with the very recent crisis in which Italy and Greece were so painfully and prominently involved. The Graeco-Italian trouble began with assassination, and after tho exciting interlude of the- Italian bombardment and occupation of Corfu, ended in sufficiently humble Greek apologies. Very evidently the Jugo-Slavian Government has taken a leaf out of the Italian book in respect of the method of its procedure and its demands for satisfaction. It is too early yet to conclude that it is prepared to follow Signoi Mussolini’s example in absolutely declining to avail itself of the assistance of the League of Nations, and it may perhaps bo given the credit of the doubt, in the event of Bulgarian obduracy, in view of its reference to the International Court and of the respect in- which it is supposed to hold the League. The offence that has fired Serbian indignation seems to have been a flagrant one, and the Bulgarian Government may be well advised to make the amende that ia asked for without more ado, especially having regard to the precedent afforded so recently in the case of Italy and Greece. There is a suggestion that Macedonians have been responsible for the deed which has provoked the ultimatum f. in Belgrade. This recalls the fact that there is a Macedonian problem in the Balkans, and that a SerboBnlgarum Commission, in deciding that the comitadjis or armed bands should be stamped out by mutual efforts, has aroused the vigorous animosity of the growing autonomist group in Macedonia. M. Stainbuliski, tho late Bulgarian Premier, was officially tho friend of all Jugo-Slavia, Serbia included. Cou-

cerning the now regime in Bulgaria, following the overthrow of the Agrarian Pai;ty, tho Foreign Minister at Belgrade stated not long since that Jugoslavia would not intervene in a military :ray, and that his country was so strong that events in Bulgaria constituted no danger to it. Six tags of Australian mail arrived here yesterday by the Kurow, direct from Sydney. Tho Maunganui, from San Francisco, is due at Wellington on Friday with 2658 bags of mail (including 2160 bags from . the United Kingdom) for New Zealand. The Dunedin portion should come to hand on Saturday. The 10.15 a.m. train from Invercargill was an hour and five minutes late arriving in Dunedin last evening. The trnin’is scheduled to arrive at 8.45 p.m. Last night, however, sho steamed into Dunedin at 9.50 p.m. The cause of the delay was a leakage in one of the steam pipes, which was detected when tho train reached Allanton. At first it was thought that the leakage could be remedied in a short time, but evidently it proved more serious than was anticipated, and it was finally decided that the only thine that could be done was to send to Mosgiel for another engine. After a wait of nearly an hour the whistle of the auxiliary engine was heard, and a faint cheer arose from some light-hearted juveniles as the train resumed its journey. The damaged engine was towed into Dunedin. The secretary of the Otago Expansion League (Mr W. B. Steel) attended the Bruce County Council meeting yesterday and in committee reported the result of the league’s endeavour to secure financial assitance from various outside bodies in regard to repairing the Manuka Gorge bridges. The council expressed their pleasure at the result of the canvass, and although disappointed at the decision of the Minister of Public Works not to subsidise such donations, decided to shoulder tho burden with the help so readily given and to take stews to put the work in hand immediately. If nothing untoward happens the road should be open early in January. A Napier Press Association telegram states that all work at Port Ahuriri ceased yegterday on the decision of the waterside workers to attend the funeral of Arthur Sturm, the second victim of Thursday’s acetylene explosion. The discharging of four ocean-going vessels is at a standstill. Mr Justice MacGregor presided at the Supreme Court sessions at Palmerston North yesterday (says a Press Association message), and Mr Cook, president of the Law Society, formally welcomed him. He mentioned that 40 years ago they had been fellow-students, and clerks in the same office. He also referred to the great number of judges who had come from Dunedin, probably accounted for by the fact that the Dunedin bench was presided over for so many years by the late . Sir Joshua Williams,' one of our greatest judees. A sentence of two months’ imprisonment was imposed on John .Williams for unlawfully converting a motor car to his own use (says a Christchurch Press Association message). Chief-detective Cameron said accused, who was drunk, took the car from the Riccarton Racecourse, driving it to town at’ a furious pace. When he got into the city ho ran on a footpath, and, after righting himself, drove into a standing car. After pulling up he endeavoured to run away, but was detained. Damage to the extent of £2O was done to the stolen car and £5 to the standnig car. “This might have been much more serious,” said the detective, “for the man might easily have killed himself and others on a day like yesterday.” “Impose the fee by all means, but for Heaven’s , sake don’t let the Government come into the show,” said the Rev. V. G. Bryan King at the meeting of wireless enthusiasts last night, when the- question of making an annual levy on “listeners-in” was being discussed. “Dr Jack has suggested that th© Government should collect it, but the Government has a very small majority, and before tho distributions were made the valves would have blown out of our sets.” A vigorous discussion on the much canvassed problem of the compulsory notification of venereal disease took place at the close of Miss Jean Begg’s address to the W.C.T.U. Convention yesterday. Miss Begg had been telling of the excellent results of the law in New York under which any responsible man or woman prepared to support tho charge in person can lay an information against anyone suffering from venereal disease and so have them compelled to undergo treatment. Mrs W. R. Den, who is the dominion president of the W.C.T.U., said that the organisation was opposed to compulsory notification largely because they bad never found a doctor in New Zealand who would admit that he would notify venereal disease. Miss Begg promptly replied tha during her recent visit to Auckland she had discussed the matter with several doctors she knew there, and they were all in the habit of notifying venereal disease among their patients now. The one thing they could not do was to moke these people be cured. The patients usually took treatment only till they were relieved, but not cured, and there was no law by which they could bo made to go back till they were cured. “That,” said Miss Begg, “is the wicked part of it.” Dr Northoroft bad . stated that about 90 per cent, of patients left the venereal disease clinics uncured. She was aghast to find the W.C.T.U. opposed to compulsory notification. Mrs Don re-lied that thousands went to free clinics where only scores went to private practitioners, and was it not better to have free clinics than compulsory notification? If compulsory notification had been a success in America she claimed that it had been a,failure in all other countries where it had boon tried. Miss Begg said she herself had seen how easv it was to follow up and bring to book cases that had been reported, and bow important it was to have cures effected. If, however, t.hev had something else than compulsory notification to help eradicate venereal disease from New Zealand sho would bo quite glad to step in line with them. A new mechanical device for loading butter. cheese, or frozen mutton into ships was emnloved on Monday for the first time in New Zealand at the fffeamer Mahana (says our Auckland correspondent), which is berthed at Queen’s wharf. The machine consists of a steel frame, one end of which stands in the hold of the ship and the other end on the wharf. Running over this frame and driven by an electric motor is an endless chain of canvas pockets, each 4ft wide. Into each pocket, as it moves past, is placed a box of hatter or cheese or a carcase of mutton, which is carried down the hold and automatically deposited on a tray at the bottom. The machine is capable of handling 2000 boxes or carcases in an hour, compared with 800 by a ship’s derrick. Bacon, hams, and pork have shown a steady increase in price for the past month owing to keen competition, both from local curers and Australia (telegraphs our Auckland correspondent). This upward movement has now apparently passed its crest, and one large local baoon curing concern has reduced the prices of its bacon aides and rolls 2d per lb from yesterday morning, making the wholesale price Is Id. One reason for the present reduction is that Australian buyers are not operating, as they consider that at the present cost of raw pork it would not pay to ship to Australia. Curers seem more inclined to work on the actual stocks instead of buying un further supplies, and at the present market rates they are experiencing a weaker demand from retailers, owing to tho general public not buying so freely on account of the higher price. It is unlikely that there will be any change in the price of hams until after tho Christmas season. Mr E. F. Duthie (secretary ot the Otag© A. and P. Society) will leave this morning for Christchurch to attend an executive meeting of the New Zealand Council of Agriculture called for Wednesday evening. In addition to the ordinary business the question of the formation of n Royal Agricultural Society will bo considered. Applications have already been made for permission to use the word “Royal,” and it is anticipated that the constitution and rules of the proposed society will be submitted for approval and probably tho first officials elected. It hag already been agreed, if a Royal Society is formed, that tho first Royal Show will be held at Palmerston North, the second at Christchurcl;, ar d afterwards alternatively in the North and South Isla-urL.

A proposal was made Ly Mr T. F. Roberts, past president of the Wellington Rotary Club, at yesterday's luncheon (reports our Wellington correspondent) that the movement in New Zealand should become linked up with that in England. “I don’t propose that we should break awav from the international organisation,” ho said, ‘‘but if there is such a body in existence as an Association of British Rotary Clubs I think we should be allowed the privilege of at least becoming honorary members.” He would see what he could do to that end while ho was in England ns New Zealand commissioner at the Empire Exhibition. “We want to show tho people in England,” he declared, “that in racial ties we ere just as close to England as the Isle of Wight.” The president of the club (Mr C. C. Odlin) said he hoped to see Mr Roberts leave New Zealand as official representative of Rotary so that, he could represent the dominion at the British Convention to bo held next year. He also hoped that Mr Roberts would attend the various club functions as an official messenger from this country. He did not see why the Rotary movement in New Zealand should not assist the Old Country in the big question of emigration. There was only one case to he heard by, Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.,_ in the City Police Court yesterday morning. A first offender for drunkenness wag fined 12s fid, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. At the meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery yesterday Mr W. Gow made reference to the duties of congregations in regard 1 to the Surientaiion Fund regulations. He ; said it was a pity that such a small number made an attempt to live up to the requirements of the fund named. He saw no reason whv special reference should not be made to this subject when Presbyterial visits j were made to churches. If the course he suggested were adopted they could _ ascertain whether congregations were living up to their reouiremonts. He thought the Presbytery should give instructions to the commissions to take this matter ; nto con- ■ eidoration. It was agreed that Mr Gow’s j suggestion should be carried into effect. ‘‘lf our young people are "-rung to dance.” said Miss Jean Begg. speaking to the district convention of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union yesterday, “let them ( dance in front of us in a clean, bright, wholesome way. If you do not like them dancing you must find’ something else that is going to be a substitute for it. If every other girl is danding to-dav and you don’t want them to do it, what are you going - to do about it? Are you going to send them home and tell them to sew? That is all right, but all the girls they are working with are dancing, and it is very hard for them. Clean, wholesome, healthy dancing I advocate and allowed my girls to do it with no bad consequences. But 1 if this thing is wrong you must find * substitute and find it quickly.” These vigorous sentiments, a little daring considering the company in which they were uttered, met with restrained but quite definite applause. Tile, Dunedin Presbytery decided at its meeting yesterday to co-operate in the arrangements for the suitable observance of Armistice Day, which will fall on a Sunday this year (November 11). In order that the customary two minutes’ silence may be observed at 11 a.m. the morning services In tho churches within the bounds of the Presbytery will be commenced at 10.45 —a quarter of an hour earlier than usual. At the meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery yesterday a letter was received from Mr David Scott (organiser for the United Temperance Reform Council), who stated that the General Assembly had arranged for the observation of November 11 as Temperance Sunday. In view of this the writer suggested that an appeal for financial assistance on behalf of the prohibition cause should be made on that day. The Rev. W. Trotter said' the Presbytery could not allow itself to be placed in the position of taking orders from the Temperance Reform Council. If it did so it wo»dd probably lead to serious trouble in some of the congregations. There were many people who wore in favour of the principle of prohibition, but who were averse to ministers introducing a political subject into the churches. He did not know that they would help the cause if they became a sub committee of the New Zealand Alliance. He thought they should carefully consider the matter before they made any. recommendation to the congregations in regard to collections for prohibition. Ho was very much inclined to say that they should receive the letter and proceed no further. The Rev. H. Maclean said he agreed wholehenrtcdlv with what Mr Trotter had said. Before the last general election things were going too far. Ministers were expected to devote a month to the prohibition cause, which meant the neglect of their pastoral duties for that time. He thought the time had come for them to take a stand with the Temperance Reform Council or the New Zealand Alliance. Tho Rev. R. Fairmaid expressed the opinion that it was onlv a question of assistance in regard to financial work. The Rev, J. M. Simpson said that at Port Chalmers they had refused to make the church a collecting agency, but they had given the prohibition party’s agent a list of the church members. Tho result had been a substantial contribution to the party’s funds. The subiect was disposed of by the Presbytery deciding to proceed to the next business. A policeman is not often allowed the privilege of serving himself with a summons —usually he is engaged in dispensing that coloured naper to the recalcitrant citizen. But on tho wild West Const it has been done. John Rogeks, in addition to controlling the police station at Brunner, is bv wav of 1 being something of a farmer. Two of his sheen had been found straying on th P railway line, a heinous offence, for which he had to answer in the court. Having served himself with a blue paper, he blithely stepped into the dock and answered to the charge in a “Good-morning-very-nice-morning” sort of way. “Is that the whole of the flock?” asked Mr W. S. Meldrum, S.M., of the smiling offender. The magistrate lost his accustomed gravity, the clerk of the court his usual dignity, and the six policerpen, who happened to bo in attendance, were unable to control themselves. The irresistible cheer germ attacked everyone in the court, and for a moment the solemn room might have been the scene of an embryo comic opera. A fine of 5s ended the proceedings. A settler in the Nukumaru district had a rather sensational experience a couple of days ago, when a violent thunderclap, accompanied by lightning, was experienced. The settler, named George Handley, had two cows and one slice- killed bv lightning, one of the cow s being smashed to pieces, and a hole fully 10ft in depth was made in the ground. The scene was an open paddock, there being no trees in the vicinity. Tho AA’ellington City Council has had a unique proposal submitted to it by tho Ratepayers’ Association of the Thorndon residential area. It is that a wide street, planted in the centre with pines now aged and decaying, should be replaced with tennis courts. The street, Fitzherbert terrace, which is fronted by large residences, is about 700 ft long and about 120 ft wide. This would allow the formation of four tennis courts, each 120 ft long, and would give 20ft of roadway on each side of the courts, and i a 12ft footpath on each side of the street; i also, an ornamental plot at each end and ‘ in the middle. The reply of the chairman 1 of tho Reserves Committee showed that 1 it had been considered by the municipal I authorities that a playing area was preferable to an. untidy avenue of nines. He promised that the matter would be con- , sidered by tho Finance and other committees interested, and agreed that the provision of four more tennis courts would bo a boon to the neighbourhood. ] An unexpected episode occurred during 1 the hearing of a case before Mr Justice Stringer in the Supreme Court in Auckland the other day. One little girl, when asked to point out the man who it was alleged had accosted her, pointed to one of the officials of the court, who, in big robes, i was sitting at his desk. To this identifier- j tion his Honor dryly remarked that the official indicated would be able to prove 1 an alibi. The jury failed to agree upon a. verdict, and a new trial was ordered. , 1 The handwork, which the students in th" ! free kindergartens have been doing durum the year, will be on view to-day in the Kelsey- Y aralla Kindergarten. A street collection in aid of the soldiers' 1 memorial window, which will be placed in t St Paul’s Cathedral in memory of these r who fell in the Great AVar, will bo held on t Friday, November 3. J

Port Chalmers people are notified’ in another column that the “ Reveille,” by the Lilliputians, in the Town Hall to-night will be a treat for young and old. The Taieri Fallon Soldiers’ Memorial will be unveiled mi Sunday. From £BO to £IOO is still required, and residents are invited to send further contributions to Mr J. P. Walls, Deputy Mayor. Buy watches at Williamson's. They sell the kind that never worry* you, and are always guaranteed (next the Bristol). —Advt. Buy watches at Williamson’s. They sell the kind that never worry you, and are always guaranteed (next the Bristol). —Advt. A. E. J. Blakeley, dentist. Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (nest Telegraph Office). Telephone X 859.—• Advt. Diamond Engagement Rings.—Before purchasing compare our value*;; large selection, superior quality.—Peter Dick, direct importers jewellery, watches, etc., 4PO Moray place, Zhmodin.—Adv'