Topics of the Day.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume X, Issue 481, 11 August 1914, Page 1

Topics of the Day.

(Bt BYSTANDER/. There was never &ny doubt tbat Sir Edward Grey's n.tifieaticn to Germany was tantamount to a declaration of war, notwithstanding the diplomatic qualifications it was hedged about with, and now all doubt is set at rest, and we are at war. Serious as the consequences of Britain being involved may be to ua, there will be a profound feeling cf gratification throughout the country that she is determined to loyally fulfil her ' international obligations. Not only is ahe bound to France by the Entente, but she is also one of the guarantors of the independence of Belgium, whose neutrality has keei? violated by Germany. If the British Government had taken the advice of a base and recreant section m 4he press on the platform, and perhaps within she Cabinet itself, who urged it to ignore undertakings uolenonly entered into, it would have been an r : indelible stain on oar name, and an unspeakable humiliation to our i race. We want no peace with i ignominy 1 If we cannot have i peace with honour, let us have 1 *ar, notwithstanding the _loss and - Buffering it may email. It is reported ttid-Viu iloiland there is a i probability vi ehe sluices m the j dykes being thrown open, and the < country flooded. This was done m 1585 by William ehe Silent*, grand- j father of " King Billy/* the patron < saint of Orangemen, when the I troops of Philip II of Spain, under i the command of the infamous - Duke of Alva, -were laying waste I the country, and committing 1 nameless atrocities. It has alway. '. been regarded as one of the most I heroic acts of a people m history, I and to-day, when the country is so i much more thickly populated, it 1 would cause an immense destruc- "

r tion of property, and unit likelj i great loss of life. Ie would seen better to let the Germans occupy the country for a timo, if they art so minded, as the troops of Wil Ham the Talkative are hardly likely to repeat thi excesses per petrated by Alva's men m the dayf of William the Silent. It is quite possible that m vies of the present cri.is, people ie Britain will wish that they had taken the advice of that splendid old veteran, Lord Roberts, and adopted compulsory service. II Britain had a citizen army sufficient lor home defence, the whole of the regulars would ba available for foreign service. As it is, the part that a British force wili play m a European war will be comparatively small, as i:s numbers are insignificant compared to the hnge Continental armies. Tbe reason that so mu-.*h importance is attached to the part Britain is likely to play m the pres nt struggle i« due to her fl et, and there is no doubt that it has been fear of that stately ' array of Oreadnough a that has preserved the peace on many previous, occasions. It is somewhat significant co read that if the British Territorials are called out, 74 Unionist md 30 Liberal members will be withdrawn from the House of Commons. The Territorial system was introduced by Jjord Haldane when he was Minister for War, and it Appears that more than twice as many of his political opponents as those on his side of the House joined its ranks, and thus contributed tg^what little success is gained, have to :hank Sir Joseph Ward that we _aye a partially trained force of Ferritorials, whose services may 3e required any day, and it may 36 found necessary to also enrol a reserve drawn from the ranks of ihose above the territorial age. When the security of the country

v is thoroughly assured, it will be a time to talk of an expeditionary y force, c _ ■. The expected has happened m , 7 Ireland, and the weakness and _•> J resolution of the British Governg ment m allowing two rival armies to 2be formed there has led to a serious conflict with the soldieis p and pb'ice. The affair took place j near Dublia, although an lover*. j ca"gill paper calls iD *' First iiiood lin Ulster." Serious as the affray ■ wa*, it would have been far worse f ammunition had been, available for the Nationalist volunteers, but i ai the time they were intercepted * by ihe soldiers the wag*o is con* 5 taining 170,000 rounds oi'.ammun- ' ttion thas bad just landed had ' escaped. Had it been at hand, a 1 regular battle would und -übtedly 1 have taVen place, with an ap- | palling loss of life. It she vs that * Ireland is a veritable powo sr ma^--1 azioe at present; an explos on may * happen at any time that would shake the limp re to its foanda- \ tiona, • In refdr^nce to tha statement tbat . labour is the " farmer's most pressing i need," the following labour report comos from Io vercargill : — «« There is no improvement as fir aa unskilled , men are concerned, and' there it a goodly number of men looking for employment. The demand from the country is remarkably slack, and indications are that there is j*isb now plenty of farm workers available." And this is m the midst of the rabbit trapping season, when so many men and boys are engaged m that industry. In Canterbury, things are said to be far worse, and many families m Christchureh'are rep jr ted to be m an appaltiug state of destitution. The demand from the oountry for labour is likely to be " remarkably slack," so long as the farmers, oan obtain «• boys " for 7s 6d a week, who are \ often young men from 18 to 20 years of age, brought out under the pernicious Sedgewick system. With regard ta rabbits being an infernal soourge, a far worse scourge, and one that at present employs no labour, and will never briag a penny into the country, is rapidly spreading m the country districts,/ and that is the weasel. We are indebted to the anti-rabbit fanatios for the introduotion of tbese vermin that are rapidly killing all the native birds, and wili, it their increase is nob checked, nuke poultry keeping impossible. The re construction of Messrs Bird Bros.' tramway has been a dire calamity for the residents m the upper {.art of iHulme street. What was betore this firm were granted p.rmibsioD^ to widen the blook outtung, there was a fairly good metal road, is now an impassable , quagmire, aud vehicular cranio is -topped, and. the residents have tbe greatest difficulty m getting heavy goods, such as coal, etc. The only pathj tor foot passengers is by stepping from sleeper to sleeper.