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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19015, 10 November 1923, Page 8

THE REPARATIONS ISSUE. It is not proving easy to secure an international examination of the ability of Germany to meet her war obligations. M. Poincare is still insisting that, various conditions shall govern tha proposed inquiry, and it is to be feared that the United States Government, a representation of which upon the Commission is indispensable, is losing interest in the discussion. Even 'Belgium declines to support the French attitude in relation to the proposed Commission. This puts France in a position of isolation among the Allies upon this question. Her Government is presumably apprehensive that if the Commission receives a free hand its findings, by which international . opinion wpuld naturally be swayed, may tell against France. As representing the Power most deeply concerned it is desirous of keeping a dominant hand upon the situation. The unwillingness of prance to discuss even the idea of concessions with a view to facilitating the solution of the most urgent, of present European problem's certainly continues to be conspicuous#. Great Britain has done her best to bring the proposal for an international! commission to fruition., M. Poincare has argued that while Great Britain luas been demanding sacrifices from 'tier Allies, she has shown no disposition to make any herself. This was a curious reply to the recent memorandum in which the British Government offered to settle all British claims—-those, against Germany for reparation s and those against her Allies for mon/ey lent them during the war—for the present value of the amount necessary to pay, her debt to the United States--namely, £710,000,000. In a recent vigorous speech Sir Robert Horne observed: It is quite inaccurate 'to describe Britain as demanding sacrifices fvom the Allies. Ail that we have asked is that they should agree with us in setting up ban expert commission to decide- what Germany is able to pay in cider that, by settling this vital point, we may all have a prospect of receiving some payment of reparations, a prospect which recedes more and more the longer this point is left undetermined. Nor is there the slightest foundation for the suggestion that Britain is making no sacrifice. The sum of £715,000,000 which she was to receive under the schedule of, payments was for reparations done. It" left untouched all her legitimate rights against her Allies, or the money which she advanced to them on loan during the war. The sum of £710,000,000 which she has now. offered to accept not,only discharges her claim for reparations, but- also -releases her Allies of all their obligations,•to her. It involves the surrender by the British people of. claims amounting to £1,893,000,000, or, leaving Russia out of account, £1,200,000,000, the interest on which represents more than a shilling in the pound on income tax. Of this sum France owes us £600,000,000, or one half. The opinion expressed by Sir Robert Horne was that the British offer had been too generous and that, as it had been rejected, it should be withdrawn. According to a New York message American investors have suffered a loss amounting to perhaps 750,000,000 dollars through the collapse of the German mark, and investors in Britain and other countries have not fared much better. The New York Tribune points to Germany as not only having repudiated her own debt, but as being a gainer by about 2,000,000,000 dollars. A Frenen commentator has this week put at a very much higher figure the amount of the German “national fortune” which has escaped to other countries. This is juggling with figures so far as the uninitiated are concerned, but it brings into prominence the aspect of Germany’s attitude towards her obligations. An interesting contribution to the discussion on the subject' was made by Lord Aberconway at a gathering, presided/ over by Sir Charles Parsons, at which the severity of the competition which Great Britein’has to face from Germany in the shipbuilding and engineering industries was the subject of frank comment. “Germany,” affirmed Lord Aberconway, “bad just .perpetrated the most enormous swindle in the depreciation of the mark that the world had ever seen. For the last four years she has been selling her gold in every market in the world, and there were from four hundred to five hundred millions of gold banked in safe banks at Amsterdam, Brussels, and New York, to the credit of the German swindlers, who had been reducing the German currency to its present conditions. These same men had spent money in putting their concerns in order and in equipping them with the most modern appliances. Every form of indebtedness in Germany had disappeared, and the owners of the great shipbuilding and engineering concerns had clean sheets.” Lord Aberconway is among those, and their number is not : small in Great Britain, who believe that force alone will make Germany pay reparations and restore fairplay in international competition. If the French view upon this point be sound the French Government should, it might be tnought, find reinforcement for, rather than a weakening of, its 1 position in the judgment of an international commission, one of the tasks of which would ,be to devise a plan to make possible the collection of reparation payments. The statement from' Washington that “the United States is almost facing the time when it should make available large sums of money to feed the German nationals because of the economic confusion in Germany” furnishes a curious reflection.upon the whole situation. Of confusion there is abundance and it is likely to become worse confounded unless the nations come to agreement upon some effective line of action.

The Fire Brigade was called out just after 9 o'clock on Thursday evening to a chimney fire at Murdoch’s lolly shop in Lower Stuart street, but no damage was done. The Otago Hospital Board has decided to apply for exemption as a party the Painters’ and Decorators’ Industrial Union of Workers’ dispute, ou the ground that the board is not working for profit or engaged in business. ' The Port Chalmers war memorial will bo unveiled tomorrow afternoon by Sir Thomas Mackenzie, and a large gathering is anticipated. The local Defence force will parade in uniform, and the portion of the ceremony to be carried out by it will be very impressive. The Kaikovai Band will play appropriate music. The committee s arrangements are very complete, these including provision for the placing of wreaths on the cenotaph. Mr Wilfred T. Barton, whose father was one of the pioneers in the Wellington district, writes to the Dominion (reports our AVellington correspondent) stating that he was very surprised to see a statement that the Rev. Henry Williams, who arrived in New Zealand in 1825, was the first resident ordained missionary to the Maoris. He adds: “I can’t think how such a statement could Ire made, as my great-grand-father. the Rev. John Butler, arrived in New Zealand in 1819. and the Rev. Henry Williams took his place in 1823. I am in possession of all his diaries dating from 1818 to 1824, and I think that out of fairness to the Rev. John Butler your statement should be corrected.” Amongst other recommendations by the Hospital Committee of the Otafo Hospital Board is one that a diabetic clinic be instituted at the outpatient department in connection with insulin treatment. The Ulimaroa, from Sydney, is due at Wellington on Wednesday next with an Australian mail, the Dunedin portion of which should reach here on Thursday night. The Makura, from Vancouver, is duo at Auckland on November 23 with 1763 bags of European and American mail for New Zealand. The R.M.S. Maunganui, from San Francisco, via ports, with European and American mails, passengers, and cargo, arrived at Wellington at 5 a.m. yesterday—several hours ahead of schedule time. The liner brought 2658 bags of mail, including 2160 bags from the United Kingdom, for New Zealan.-l. The Dunedin portion is expected to come to hand this afternoon. The change over from green to hard feed seems to have had a bad effect on the stud sheep that were shipped from Wellington to South America on Saturday last. Amongst the consignment was a number of sheep from the South Island. These, it is stated, were given green feed on the voyage up to Wellington. When the rams were put on to hard feed there sickness developed, and three Covriedales and one Lincoln ram died in a day. Two Corriedale rams died the next morning, while one Lincoln ram was in a bad way. A postmortem examination conducted by Mr P. Hnugh, veterinary surgeon attached to the Live Stock Division of the Agricultural Department, disclosed that the deaths were due to acute inflammation of the stomach. Breeders who intend shipping sheep, it is slated, would be well advised gradually to wean the animals off green feed about a week or 10 clays before shipping, and to give them as near as possible the kind of fodder they will receive on the voyage. If this is done similar losses of valuable sheep may be avoided in the future. For the first time since the historic armistice was proclaimed at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, Armistice Day this year falls on a ■Sunday. The result apparently will be that, locally at any rate, the day will be more orderly and fittingly observed than ever before. Practically all the churches in the city and suburbs will begin their services at a quarter to 11, so that the period of silence may be kept with due solemnity when the fateful hour is reached. In many of the churches special sermons will be preached at one or both of the services, and special music appropriate to the occasion has been arranged for. Both at Milton, at Mosgiel, and at Port Chalmers the day has been selected as a peculiarly suitable <»ie for the ceremdny of unveiling soldiers’ memorials. It is notified in the Gazette that Mrs Louisa Jane Seddon, of' Wellington, Mrs Jane Anne Bean, of Christchurch, and Mr T. E. Y. Seddon, of Groymouth, have been appointed trustees, of Uie private burial ground in the Boljton Street Cemetery, Wellington, of the late Right ,Hon. R. J. Sed<lon, and of his wife and descendants. At the Canterbury A. and P. Society's Show the ram champion was a triumph lor Mr J. A. Johnstone (Dunedin), who scored with a sheep of his own breeding. He was the most successful exhibitor, also gaining the owe championship, four first prizes, a second, three tnifds, and a similar number of v h c's. Sir Maui Pomare (Minister in charge of the Cook Islands) returned to Wellington yesterday by the -Maunganui (says a Press Association message) after a six weeks’ visit to Rarotonga and Aitutaki, of the Cook Island group. Tbe Minister stales that there are live schools at Rarotonga, with an attendance of about 500 native children. Their education is carried on to the Sixth Standard. The old native arts and crafts are taught, including hat-making, mat-weav-ing, and a specialty i 3 made of the instruction of children in the growth of the island' fruits and other plants. The Minister made a journey to the island of Aitutaki in the steamer Wanaka. This island escaped the influenza epidemic of 1918, but recently experienced an epidemic of the same disease in a mild form, when between 30 and 40 deaths occurred. After spending four days at Aitutaki the Minister returned to Rarotonga by the auxiliary schooner Avarua. He intended, if possible, to visit other islands of the group, but was unable to do so owing to the lack of communication. He remarked that it was time there was a wireless station at Rarotonga. Arrangements were well on the way for the installation of the plant at Aitutaki. Speaking generally the Minister said he found the natives in both islands contented and happy. The great want was adequate ana proper shipping facilities. The islands, he said, could produce twice a» much fruit, copra, etc., as they are doing at present, and in his opinion they couid be made a winter" garden for New Zealand. A decision has at length been reached in the South Otago Rugby football competition, and the banner has been awarded to the Crescent Club. This was the result of (ho decision by the Otago Rugby Union' in regard to the Crescent Club's appeal - against Owaka for playing an unregistered player named Pagey. In view of the faot that Owaka had apparently played Pagey in good faith, the union suggested that the sub-union should consider the question o) having the match replayed or declared void. The sub-union, however, decided that as there was no chance of the match beingreplayed, it would be awarded to Crescent on account of Owaka having played an unregistered player The members of the 12th Battery, who have spent the past week in training in camp at Matarae, will return to town today. The medical officer who visited the camp reports that the boys are all fit and well. Now- that the essential preliminaries have teen satisfactorily disposed of, the Exhibition directors are pushing ahead with their big task, and ary making a strong appeal to citizens to give their financial support with promptitude. They are not overlooking the fact that valuable help can also be given by enthusiasm and 00-operation in various ways in the plans proposed. In view of wdial the Exhibition must mean to the city the directors have every right to appeal with confidence for the loyal support of every citizen. Mr J. B. Gi'ant, head master of the Musselburgh School, has constructed an apparatus which he has found useful in leaching certain phases of geography—-for example. the cause of the seasons and the change from night to day. Last night, at a meeting of the Otago branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, Mr Grant gave an interesting and instructive explanation Regarding the apparatus, which he stated he had found of valuable assistance to him in the teaching of geography to his classes. So far the apparatus bears no name. At the-conclusion of his address, Mr Grant, was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

A general meeting of the New Zealand Trained Nurses’ Association, at which delegates from all parts of New Zealand were present, including Miss Bicknell, the new director of the Division of Nursing, Miss Muir (matron at Christchurch), and Miss State (matron at Wellington), was held in St. Helens Maternity Hospital last evening. Miss Young (president of the association) occupying the chair. The subject for consideration was (ho conclusion arrived at in the report by the committee on nursing education appointed by the Rockefeller Foundation, America. Interesting addresses were given by Miss Bicknell in regard to nursing progress in England and by Miss Muir in regard to nursing progress in America. Both stressed the necessity for a preliminary training school in connection with the ordinary nursing course, and a higher diploma of the University for the teachers of nursing. The Oamarn Borough Council has decided to adopt the plan prepared by Mr F. J. Williams, consulting engineer, of Dunedin, for providing the town with a large additional water supply and an underground drainage scheme at a total cost of aOoiit £90,000. The newly-amalgamated portion of the town of Now borough is included in the scheme, which also makes possible an extra water supply for the M aitaki Power Board. It is anticipated that the Power Board will take over the borough's hydroelectric plant, and the new scheme will-pro-bably provide a better supply and thus allow the board to extend its operations The whole scheme will ho submitted to a poll of the ratepayers. It will involve art additional rate of about Is in the £. but as the rates were reduced only last year by 9d, it is not expected that the proposals will meet with serious opposition. The drainage scheme will necessitate the laying of about 25 miles of pines and about seven and n-half additional miles of pipes will be required for the water supply. In response to an invitation from a deputation representing Reform voters in the Ellesmere electorate, Mr David Jones (chairman of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board) has agreed (says a Christchurch Press Association message) to contest tiie Ellesmere seat at the next general election. The request was made because the sitting member. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, will not be a candidate at the next election. In agreeing to contest the seat, Mr Jones said that at the last election ho had not been defeated by any Party but by a combination of interests, a combination which was composed of the Liberal and Labour Parties. He could easily have beaten the candidate of any single party in the Kaiapoi electorate. A Christchurch resident who has his full share of pride in the growth, beauty, and progress of this fair City of the Plains (says the Christchurch Press) received a severe set-back this week. A farmer cousin, smitten with a sense of family duty, “dropped in’’ for a few days to pay his respects to his relatives and incidentally to see the Cup. The host, swelling with pride at the city’s growth since the way-back cousin last came in, took him about a great deal, and showed him the sights. The man from the hills was but mildly interested and did not show that wonderment which his relatives expected from one more familiar with the life of a lonely rabbiter's camp. His casual manner of treating this metropolis, and its buildings, its motor cars, and innumerable- improvement societies, with no more reverence than he would show for the local “pub,” nearly roused the city cousins to expressions of resentment, but when he left their fashionably-situated bungalow the other morning, coflarless and without a coat, to “stroll clown to the Square to get a race book,” they were left speechless. They are now anxiously awaiting the big “back to the land” exodus, which is due to set in any time after the last race on Saturday. Armistice Day will be appropriately observed at the Methodist Central Mission tomorrow. The Rev. J. D. Joxy will preacn in, the morning and the Rev. W. Walker m the evening. Solos will be rendered by Mrs H. Kitchen and Mr L, North. The choir will sing “Evening and Morning,” and Mr C, A. Martin will give an organ solo. The principal item at the organ recital at First Church on Monday evening will he the repetition of Beethoven’s Concerto in in -ih flat for piano and orchestra. The solo pianist will be Mr C. A. Martin. or V. E. Galway will act as accompanist. Miss Freda Bencker will sing Buck's "Fear Not Ye, O Israel.” In Burns Hall to-night the Moray Place School children will give their annual concert, and a very attractive looking programme has been arranged. Many of the individual performers are among those who recently took part with credit in the competitions, and the school choir of 60 voices, which carried off the Competitions Cup, is contributing several items to the programme. The concert is to be broadcastea by Mr F. J. O’Neill, of the British and Electric Engineering Company. The Otago Mutual Starr-Bowkett Societywill dispose of £SOO free loan (No. 2 group), and £SOO sales loan (No. 3 group) on Thursday next. The services of jurors, who were summoned to attend the Supreme Court sittings next week, will not be required. The Dunedin Starr-Bowkett Building Society will dispose of £2500 in tbe No. 3,4, and 3 groups on Wednesday, November 21. Shares in the No. 5 group are still available. Sunday school anniversary sendees will be held at the United Congregational Church tomorrow. The preachers will be the Revs. O. S. Peam and W. Walker, and Mr John Reid, 8.A., in the morning, afternoon, and evening respectively. The junior choir will render anthems. ■ Notice* of the following Sunday services will 1-e found in our advertising columns: Anglican: St. Paul’s, St. Matthews, All _ Saints’. Presbyterian: First, Knox, StAndrew’s, North-East Valley, Methodist: Central Mission, Trinity, St. Kilda, Dundas Street. Baptist: Hanover Street, Mornington. Congregational: Moray Place. Wesley: Cargill Road. Salvation Army, Dowling street. Church of Christ: Tabernacle. Theosophists; Oddfellows' Hall. To-morrow being Temperance Sunday, the Rev. R. H. Kempton will preach at the Hanover Street Church in the evening on “The Church v. The Poison Scourge,” with illustrations drawn Horn a pamphlet entitled “Thirty Thousand Miles of. Prohibition.” Miff 3. Adams will also speak. The annual sale of work in aid of the Baptist Missionary Society will be opened in the Hanover Street Baptist Church Hall on Tuesday next by Miss Jean Begg. All churches arc advised by the Council of Christian Congregations to begin their services to-morrow at 10.45 in celebration of Armistice Day, and to observe two minutes of silence at 11 o'clock in honour of the fallen. ■if the Moray Place Congregational Church to-morrow, the Rev. W. Saundera will conduct the Armistice services at 10.45 a.m. At the evening service the choir will render ‘‘The Sacrifices of God” (Sullivan) and Miss Gillions will sing “Into Thy Hands” (Gary). The morning service in First Church tomorrow will commence at 10.45. Dr Galway will play “The Flowers of the Forest.” Tbe Rev. W. H. P. M’Kenzie will conduct the service. A musical programme will be rendered by the 3rd Artillery Band at Macandrew’a Bay to-morrow afternoon at 3 o’clock. Intending competitors at the sports next Saturday are reminded that the entries close at noon on Monday next. An interesting programme of events has been drawn up, running, cycling, jumping, and dancing, 100 yards sprint for Hie ladies, and a variety of events for the school boys and girls. All events will be handicaps. The Dunedin Highland Pipe Band will play specially, selected music at St. Clair to-morrow afternoon. The Otago Building and Investment Society is offering to the public debentures for a limited sum. A. E. J. Blakeley, dentiot. Bank of Aua tralasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859. — Advt. Diamond Engagement Rings.—Before purchasing compare our values; large selection, superior quality Peter Dick, direct importers jewellery, watches, etc., 490 Mora' place, Dunedin.—Advt.