OTAGO WOMEN’S ACTIVITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3154, 26 August 1914, Page 29

OTAGO WOMEN’S ACTIVITY.

SPLENDID ACHIEVEMENTS. GOODS POURING IN. The Early Settlers’ Hall on the 19th again presented a scene of great hustle and activity, and a splendid work is being car- •' ried on by the members of the Dunedin Women’s Association, numbers of which are devoting all their time working day and night to provide necessaries and comforts for the men going to the front. A band of ladies is constantly employed in preparing- the miscellaneous articles which go to make up the useful “housewife.” The energies of another band are engaged in reinforcing sacks, while others are employed in making up into parcels the various donations in kind received at the hall throughout the day. A fine effort was achieved by the ladies on the 19th. At 1 p.m. the Defence Department called on the workers for a full Equipment for 75 men of the Field Hospital Corps at present encamped at Tahuna Park. At 3 p.m. the equipment was ready to be transferred to the camp. The articles com- V prised 150 shirts, 75 Balaclava caps, 150 cholera bolts, 75 holdalls, 75 housewives, 300 under-garments, 75 chest protectors, 75 towels, 225 pairs of socks, and 12i dozen handkerchiefs. The ladies have set out to supply 1500 shirts, 1500 housewives, and 1500 holdalls, and as many as possible of the other articles enumerated above. About 1200 shirts have been received at the hall to date. The following cash donations were received yesterday Miss Cut-ten, £3; Miss Smith, £1; Mrs T> Iv. Sidey, £1 ss; St. Andrew’s Collegiate School, £4 3s 8cl; Miss Robinson, 10s; St. Clair (per Mrs Gray), £2B; Mrs M'Lennan, £1 11s 6d. The many articles which have been received include scarves, chest protectors, housewives, socks, holdalls, knives, forks, and spoons, shirts, cholera belts, towels, Balaclava caps, underwear, handkerchiefs, toothbrushes, sponge bags and soap, shaving brushes, stationery, cards, insect powder,; cigarettes and tobacco, liquorice, coffee, magazines, and books. Donations of goods were received on thal 19th from the ladies of W aikonaiti, Roxburgh, and West Harbour, the Owaka Boy Scouts, Mrs Hill Jack. Mrs Smith, St. Peter’s Guild, Mrs Bowles, Girls’ Friendly Society (Green Island), Mrs Barrett, Mr. Goldsmith, Mrs A. Forest, sen., Mrs Robert Church, Mrs M’Lennan, Mrs Taine, Mrs Oram, Mrs Fife, Mrs Ulrich, Roslyn Croquet Club, Mrs Brown, Mrs Barnes, Mrs Osborn, Miss Lucy Rennie, Mrs Wilkinson, Miss Sinclair, Miss_ Miller, Mrs Romison, Miss Hay, Mrs Wright, Miss Rennie and a friend, Mrs Craig. Mrs White, Mrs L. Macdonald, ladies of the Hanover Street Baptist Church, Musselburgh School children, Mrs Allen. Mrs Speight, ladies of Knox Church, Mrs Fisher, Mrs Watson. Mrs Bills. Messrs Mill and Co., Mrs H. B. Gray, Dominion Tea Rooms, Mr and Mrs Crow Mrs Patton, Miss Ellis, pupils of Girls’ High School, Mrs Hudson, Miss Botting, Macandrcw Road School, Mornington ladies. Miss Smith, Mr< Nixon, Mrs Dunbar, Mrs Strang, All Saints' Guild, Miss Waters, Girls’ Friendly Society Qlornington), Messrs Steel and Co., St. John’s Guild (Roslyn), Mrs Crawford, MfV Blackie, and several anonymous donors. The following doctors’ wives in Stafford and High streets have undertaken to supply 100 flannel shirts: —Mesdames Allen, Barnett, Brown, Church, Colquhoun, Ferguson, ■Fleming, Ogston, O'Neill, Stephenson, and Williams. Mrs J. C. M ‘George has promised to donate goods to the value of £IOO. The Singer Sewing Machine Company has offered to lend any machines required for the purpose of making articles for the Expeditionary Force, and if any privatelyowned machines now in use are out of order to send a mechanic to effect repairs. Promises have been received from ladies ' at Invercargill. Alexandra, and Lawrence to supply parcels of goods. Many of the shopkeepers in Dunedin have \ sent refreshments for the ladies working at the hall, and the ladies of the Early Settlers’ * Association have also been assisted in thia way. Too much credit cannot be given to the country societies and friends for the ready response with useful donations which have come to hand in large cases and hampers. The Early Settlers’ Hall has been, and is, a scene of great activity, the large staff of workers being fully employed. On the 20th General Sir A. Godley and Lady Godley paid a visit to the hall and carefully inspected the huge amount of articles prepared and ready for sending to the Defence Department when called for. The interest displayed by the visitors was most gratifying to the 'workers who were on duty at the time, and many an interesting exchange of ideas was given during tho visit. Goods have to be acknowledged as follows:—• Early Settlors, Mr W. L. Simpson, Ladic* of Riverton, Miss D. Wimperis, Mrs Miss Jenkins, Mr J, W. Read, Mrs GiffordJ Mrs ’Alec. Thompson, Cavershara child. Misses Glover, Outram School .girls, Mit . Lee Smith and Miss Milson, Girls’ HigJ School, Miss Dobson, Mrs Cartwright, Macandrcw Road school children, Mies Ellis, Mrs Holdsworth, Mrs Wise, Women ofLaw< rence, Women of Owaka, Women of Palmerston, Women of Waiwora South, Women of Miller’s Flat, Mr J. O. Hodges, Mia Duthie, Mr and Mrs A. H. Reid, Mr and Mrs W. Elder, Mrs P. Miller, Mrs Ross.Mies Weifers, Mrs Sinclair (Lawrence), Mrs Armstrong, a Friend, Miss Wilson, Mr* Christie, Miss Heineman, Mrs M’Vicar, Mf C. W. Chamberlain, Mrs J. A. _ Aitkea (Gore). Mr A. Simpson (Gore). Public Work* Department,/Mr M'Ennis, Mrs Boyd, Mr* Robert Wood, Mrs John M’Cartney, Mrs Wright, Mrs Bcntham, Mrs Goring, Miss Mackie, Miss Mallard, Mrs Balfour, Mrs M’Hutchieson, G. F. G. (Carisbrook v. St. Matthews)), Mr Emerson, Mrs Mace, Mrs J. C. M‘George, Mrs Morrico (Kaikorai). Mrs Melrose, Sirs Gow, Mrs Arhdgo Mrs Swanson, Workers from J. and A. Arthur’s. Miss Seaton, Miss Stewart, Green Island ladies, Mrs Dowland, Mrs TJron, Alexandra, Clinton, Waikouaiti, Lawrence (Mrs Darton), Roxburgh, Woodhaugh, Palmerston, Waitati, St. Clair workers, Eiversdale, Mil- ‘ ton. Mrs H. de C. MacArthur £1 Is. Ladies of Crookston £2 (additional), St. Clair 5s (additional), Mrs James Gray. Sowing bees are hold daily at Mrs Theomin’s and Mrs’Holds worth’s. Any person who desires to got a full illustration of the term, “a hive of industry” should visit the Early Settlers’ Hall, where the members of the Dunedin Women’s Patriotic Association are working without ceasing unpacking and laying out the multi-, farious array of articles being sent m >n abundance by tho ladies’ guilds which havo been formed all over Otago to make comforts for rim men who are to leave Nwv Zcaland in the Expeditionary Force. That the ladies arc doing their work without tho

least ostentation makes their “great self-denying industry ” —a particularly appropriate and graceful phrase used by General Godley—all the more praiseworthy. The latest money gifts are: —Mrs Mace, £1 19s 6d; Waitati, £2; Mrs H. D. Brewer, £1; St. Clair (per Mrs Gray), ss, and £47 8s 6d from the districts of Mafakanui, Omakau, Ophir, Becks, and Lauder. Mrs Saunders, £3; collected by Mrs Oapstick for Shirt Fund, £ls; a friend, ss; Miss Wallach, 6s; Miss MGlashan, £1 Is. Other contributions are from Miss Allan, Mrs Mason, Mrs and Miss Boyne, Ore women of Qtamita, Miss Cameron, Ritchie (Mornington), Mr A. W. Amos, Mrs Shaw, Mr John Reid, women of Maungatua, Miss Gibson, Miss Muir, Miss Gray, Miss Macpherson. St. Michael’s (Anderson Bay), ‘Mrs Hill Jack, Mrs Miss Downie, Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen s typists, Miss Fitzgerald and friends, Mrs Baglcy, Mrs Duniop, Mi’s H. B. Gray, Miss Nicholson, Mrs*M‘Hutchins, Miss Campbell, Miss Leslie, Mrs Barron, Miss Calder, Mrs Sim, Miss M'Quilkan, Mrs Hendry. Big parcels of work are to hand from Matakanui, Omakau, Ophir, Lauder, Cromwell, Lovell Flat, Mataura, Kaitangaga, Lawrence, Clinton, St. Andrew’s Guild, Port Chalmers, Waitahuna, Milton, St. Ann’s Bible Class, St. Kilda, Moray Place Congregational Church, St. Clair, Moray Place School, All (Saints’ Guild, PublicWorks Department, Anderson Bay School, First Church. Middlemarch has sent in another lot. As showing the enthusiasm even of ladies who have passed the abetted three score and ten years, one lady of 84, who_ has lost sight” of one eye, "is busy knitting socks, 'etc., while another, who is totally blind, is. also engaged on the Same work. A donation has been received by the association with the following note “From a French woman, -wishing the British soldiers success and victory over their foe.” The Dunedin Women’s Association has received parcels and donations from Tapanui, Green Island, Mosgiel, Mataura, Queenstown, Balclutha, Milton, Cromwell, Clinton, Wyndham, Kaitangata, Knox Church women, Buttervvorth Bros., Mrs Theomin, Gore, Miss Anderson, Mrs Sutherland, Mrs Martin, Mrs Napier, Miss Watson, Miss Hirst, Miss Callender, Miss Peters, Miss Runciman, Miss Ross, Mrs Todd, • Miss Dobson, Boy Scout, Mrs Wright, First Church. Mrs Tiley, "Miss Herons, Kensington School, Gaversham Industrial School, Mr R. H. Bligh’s School, Cargill Road Methodists, Young Men’s Bible Class, Mr H. S. Wright, Miss Holmes, Mrs M'Master, Mrs J C. M‘George, ladies of Outram, Hanover Street Baptist Church, St. Clair Boy Scouts, members of the Hos£ family, Mrs Gillesnio, Mr Cardno, Anonymous, Kelso, Mrs Maria Smith, Messrs Islip and Watt, and Mr Arthur Barnett. The workers at the Early Settlers Hall were busy yesterday arranging the various articles for filling ,600 kit-bags, 'which will be despatched to-day. More money is wanted for the Cardigan Jacket Fund,” and the association would be pleased to receive gifts of oanvas_ or deck shoes, ■warm gloves, knitted cuffs, tooth brushes, and handkerchiefs. Some donors have sent in very useful handkerchiefs, made of cotton poplin, a material that seems peculiarly serviceable for the purpose. Strong calico bags (10m by 12m) are wanted at once in large numbers. The following donations were received for the Cardigan Jacket Fund: —Mrs R. A. Matthewson £5, Mrs James Gray £lO, Mr -E. F. Palmer £2O, Miss Grindley £1 Is, Miss Kelsey 10s, Elliott Bros, employees £5, Mrs C. Findlay £l, Mrs A Lee Smith, jun., £5 ss, Mrs Charles Speight £IOO, Miss Maokay £l, Miss Lamb £l, Mrs (Dr) Lindon £5.

■t 'Lady Liverpool Fund:—Ladies’ Patriotic League, Balfour (per Miss Leffler), :B20; St. Glair (additional, per Mrs Gray), 11s; Mrs A. T. Love and family (additional for cholera belts), £2 ss; Mrs Connor, 7s. '“Donations of goods were ; eoeived from Mrs Harrison, Mrs T. K. Sidey, the Mataura Ladies’ Committee, Mrs Struthers, Mrs Hen ton. The Mornington ladies, Mr Field (Mornington), South Dunedin Convent of Mercy, Anonymous, Mrs Lake, Mrs J. C. M‘George, St. Helen’s Hospital, Mrs Aitken, Mrs Fairmaid, Mrs M. E. Flat, Mrs Harrison, the ladies of Gore, Miss jßodie, Mrs W. Smith (Waitahuna West), Sympathiser (Waitahuna West), Mr John Wilson, Mrs Holdsworth, St. Clair Congregational Church, Roslyn Presbyterian Church (per Mrs Wright). The following Clinton ladies sent socks: —Meedames M'Eenzie, Ellis, Williams, Blaikie, W. Miller. The joint secretaries (Miss Burt and Miss Armstrong) have had a very busy time, and the work will soon devolve entirely upon Miss Burt, as Mies Armstrong intends leaving shortly for Europe. NEWS FROM OTHER CENTRES. HASTINGS, August 24. On Saturday night the Hawke’s Bay Tribune stated its intention of opening a Belgian Relief Fund, and this evening it has the satisfaction of being able to announce that the first day’s subscriptions total £724. NEW PLYMOUTH, August 19. The Patriotic Fund now stands at about £2OOO, all sections of the community organising and contributing. FOXTON, August 19. Contributions are coming in freely to the Empire Defence Fund and the Lady Liverpool Fund. Several settlers have given . horses and cash in sums ranging from £25 downwards. A committee has been set up to relieve cases of local distress should they arise if the flaxmills arc compelled to close at the end of the month. PAHIATUA, August 20. The Pahiatua and Akitio districts between them have subscribed nearly £IOO3. The Pahiatua ladies hope to raise £2OO towards the Lady Liverpool Fund. They have > also decided to open a fund for local distress as a contribution to the War Fund. HAWERA, August 20. The Hawcra County Council to-day decided to contribute £250 to the Patriotic Fund, and if occasion demands another like amount will bo given later on. WELLINGTON, August 18. Thor ae quite a unique ceremony at the Grand Opera House • this evening when the Hon. Mr Herdman, Minister of Justice, presented Mr Niblo, principal American comedian with the Williamson Company, with the national flags of. New Zealand and America bound together as a recognition of the efforts of himself and the company in accelerating the collection of funds towards the New , Zealand war chest. Mr Herdman. in a 'happy speech, stated that ho had pleasure in making the presentation as a Minister of . |bo Crown, ana hoped that the two coun-

tries would always bo as indissolubly bound as the two flags he was presenting. The Mavor also spoke appreciatively trom the stage, and the Mayoress presented Miss Cohan with a handsome bouquet. _ The proceedings aroused immense enthusiasm. ' August 19. The Minister of Justice announces that the members of the Police Force have contributed £630 towards the cost of the Expeditionary Force, August 20. The contributions to the Patriotic Fund include Messrs Dalgety and Co., £500; the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency 'Co., £SOO. August 24. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Academy of Fare Arts to-night it wan reported that the council had decided to offer to forgo the Government subsidy of £6OO until the war is over, and that the Government had accepted the offer. The council’s action was confirmed bv the meeting. WANGANUI, August 22. Wanganui’s contribution to the War B’ur.d is now well over £4OOO, in addition to horses, motor wagons, and cars, and much produce. WESTPORT, August 18. The Patriotic Fund has now reached £IOOO, and the Ladv Liverpool Fund over £250. GREYMOUTH, August 18. The Greymouth Harbour Board at a meeting to-night voted £SOO to the War Fund. August 20. A first instalment of £2OOO has been sent to the Prime Minister from Greymouth as a contribution to the war fund. CHRISTCHURCH. August 18. The Christchurch City Council has donated £750 to the Food for Britain Fund. The total amount subscribed here dur.ng the three days the fund has been in operation is £3750, in addition to 1000 sheep worth another £IOOO. August 21. The Christchurch hotelkeepers have contributed £537 19s to the Mayor’s Patriotic Fund. , , nt August 24. A big demonstration, in aid of the Patriotic Fund, was hold in this city this afternoon A long procession paraded through the main streets, and drew up at Cranmor square, where speeches were delivered bv the Mavor (Mr H. Holland), the Hon. R. H. Rhodes, Sir Joseph Ward, and others. TIMARU, August 18. The War Fund, counting the value of tho horses given, is now over £9OOO. INVERCARGILL, August 24. The Southland Patriotic Fund to-day totalled £5200. There is a good response to the call for volunteers for the Expeditionary Force, and this district is sending its full quota. THE WEST COAST. GREYMOUTH, August 18. Tho first public announcement, that more men were wanted from the Coast was made yesterday morning, and the defence authorities set about, preparing a second detachment to join the 129 men despatched on Saturday. In all 77 men were enrolled by 8 o’clock last night, and fully equipped for the field; truly a very smart piece of organisation. All day yesterday the Greymouth Defence Office presented an animated scene. Men in all parts of the district had heard- tho call to arms, and in twos and threes gave in their names preparatory to passing the tests. Many of those who were unsuccessful in gaining admission to Saturday’s force again offered their services. The applicants for enlistment were actually fighting for places and some were mobilised in the short space of half an hour. On the other hand a number had to be refused, and so great was their chagrin at not being accepted that they temporarily forgot the respect clue and usually accorded to officers. GREYMOUTH, August 24. The Brunner coal miners have decided to contribute one day’s pay to tho War Fund. In regard to the formation of an Unemployment Relief Committee, the Greymouth Executive has decided to appoint a committee in accordance with the Labour Department’s scheme. The war has not affected the labour market to any degree on the West Coast, and it is now believed that there will be no cessation of 'work at any of the industries, except in cases where such stoppage becomes necessary for lack of materials from overseas. It' is reported than 300 men, hewers and truckers, are wanted in tho West Coast district. GROWING OF WHEAT. WELLINGTON, August 21. Following up hie appeal to the- farmers of New Zealand in the cereal growing districts to plant as much grain as possible this year, tho Prime Minister.has made concessions to farmers to enable them to do this work. He has arranged, with the Railway Department to carry seed wheat and tho fertilisers necessary for the soil to go under wheat crops at one-third of the usual price. The concession will be given for one month. TIMARU, August 20. The farmers and workers at Geraldine are pulling together to carry out the growing of extra food to bo given for patriotic uses, wheat for England, and roots to relieve local distress. About 20 workers met on Wednesday and agreed to give their labour on farms or otherwise. TIMARU, August 22. At a meeting of farmers at Fairlie promises were made to put in extra wheat, totalling 220 acres A canvass of the district is to be made for more promises. Mr Wright offered seed at 4s a bushel. It was proposed that an appeal for the growing of wheat should be made through tho churches. The Anglican minister present accepted tho suggestion. At a meeting of the Farmers’ Union at Timaru, wheat-growing was urged for patriotic reasons, also on the ground that it was bound to pay. The season was said to bo very suitable, and the land at present in good condition OAMARU. August 22. A number of farmers in North Otago have responded to the Prime Minister’s call to sow more wheat, ■ though the usual season for sowing is practically past. A good deal of seed wheat has boon sent out by merchants during the week, and it is apparent that the area under this cereal will bo a good deal larger than was at first contemplated. Land that had been prepared for oate or for laying down in pastures is being used for wheat, and the effect of this will probably be to curtail the area under oats, and reduce the reliance by farmers upon sheep. RELIEF OF DISTRESS WELLINGTON, August 19. A panting of the committee set up by tho

Mayor to find employment where necessary, and to meet any oasos«of distress, was held to-day. It was stated that the present condition of trade was fairly steady, and due in a measure to rush orders in connection with the troops. Mr Grenfell said there was a general disposition on the part of employers to keep the full list of assistants, but negotiations were pending to give part time employment to tide over the period of the crisis. It was also explained that the local bodies intended as far as possible to carry out their works in hand, and the projected committee decided to co-operate with similar committees in other districts of the province. WANGANUI, August 20. A sterling example to farmers is being shown by Mr 11. Lethbridge, of Turakina. Ho is devoting about 30 acres of land to grow wheat for' the purpose of assisting to relieve distress at Homo. The wheat will bo shipped Homo free, as a gift. Neighbours are to assist with their teams, and it is confidently expected that 10 teams will be at work by the end of the week. REGULATION OF TRADE AND COM-

MERCE.

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. WELLINGTON, August 24. The Government intends to act under the provisions of the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act passed just before the adr journmont of the session, and Set up a commission to inquire into food prices. The commission has power to fix prices dming war time. No statement is yet made as to the personnel of the commission. BANK RATES. WELLINGTON, August 19. The banks doing business in New Zealand have adopted the following rates; Buying Rate: Per cent, discount on demand, £1; 30 days, £1 ss; 60 days, £1 10s; 90 days, £2; 120 days, £2 10s. Selling rate: On demand, 10s; 30 days, ss; 60 days, par. Telegraph transfers, £1 per cent, discount. On July 20 the buying rates were the same, but the selling rates were 2s 6d discount on demand, 7s 6d 30 days, and 12s 6d 60 days. Telegraph transfers wore 12s 6d per cent., with a concession of 2s 6d per cent, in some cases. This may he taken to indicate a strong disposition on the part of the banks to do all possible to bring about within safe limits the return of the normal and steadily growing current of trade of fhis dominion, both inward and outward. PRICE OF MEAT. WELLINGTON, August 20. The Master Butchers’ Association has been notified by the wholesalers that they intend to raise the price of beef to 31s per 1001 b, which is equivalent to a 10 per cent, increase, from Monday next. The advance will be handed on to the consumer. A meeting of master butchers is to held on Saturday night to urge the Government to prohibit the exportation of beef. August 24. As the result of the increased prices of stock (ranging from 10 to 25 per cent.), the retail butchers arc, from and including, today, raising the prices of various lines to the consumers. Rump steak has been advanced from 9d to lOd per lb, although some of the butchers were already charging the latter price. Shoulders of mutton have increased from 5d to 5-gd, and legs from 6d to-63d, while forequarters have gone up from 4gd to 4gd. Tripe has advanced Id a lb, and shins of beef, for which the wholesalers have increased the price to the butchers by 50 per cent., have boen increased from id to 2d a lb for whole, and 2J,d a lb for halves. Chops and sausages remain at practically the same prices. Booking and delivery are extra, the prices quoted being those for cash at the shop. The Master Butchers’ Association, which the secretary (Mr A. Checseman) states is very reluctant to increase the retail prices, but" is compelled to do so, owing to the substantial increases made by the wholesalers, held a meeting on Saturday night to discuss the position and unanimously decided that a deputation should wait upon the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) with a request that ho should do what he could to assist the master butchers in the present crisis, brought about by the rapid advance in prices made by the wholesalers. NEW ZEALAND’S EXPORT TRADE. (From Odr Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 21. “Good nows to exporters ” was the announcement made yesterday by the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher. He added that the rate of insurance for cargoes outward from New Zealand to Britain against destruction by the King’s enemies was 5 per cent. A few days ago the best rate obtainable was 20 per cent. The Home rate for vessels outward bound to New Zealand is three guineas per cent. “ Although these rates may still be regarded as high,” said Mr Fisher, speaking of the matter to a reporter, “they are not sufficiently high to deter local expprters from shipping their produce, and it is hoped that within a few days our export trade will be back to normal.’’ It is a fact that the export trade has been interrupted, partly by the lack of security of shipping on the high seas, but mostly by the commandeering of a number of cargo-carry-ing steamers by the Government for use as troopships. This interruption is only temporary. however, and trade will bo going on as usual very soon. This opinion was expressed confidently by the Prime Minister in conversation with a reporter. “There are 16 largo ships belonging to the companies ordinarily trading to New Zealand,” said Mr Massey, “that are either here now or arc due to arrive at any date from the present right up to, say, a month hence. It is not certain whether any of these ships will be required for transport, tut if so not more than two will bo taken. This will leave 14 bottoms. at least, available for the carrying of our products to the Homo markets. I think this ought to show that there is no danger of the paralysis of our trade. I don’t think there will be any difficulty about the shipment of goods Homo As a matter of fact, the transports are taking a very considerable quantity of ordinary cargo. They will be full to the hatches.” NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING COMPANY. CHRISTCHURCH, August 20. The directors of the Now Zealand Shipping Company (Limited) have decided, on behalf of that company, to contribute £IOOO as follows£soo to the Empire Defence Fund, £250 to the poor of Great Britain and Ireland Relief Fund, £250 to the general New Zealand Fund for relief of troopers comprising the contingent and their dependents.

OUTWARD-BOUND CARGOES. WELLINGTON, August 21. Insurance rates on cargoes bound outward from New Zealand were to-day lowered from 8 per cent, to 5 per cent. August 21. Speaking to-day concerning shipping, the Prime Minister said it was going on as usual. There were 16 large vessels belonging to companies trading with Now Zealand that were cither here now or due within a month. It was not certain whether any of these would be required for war transport purposes, but in any case not more than two would be wanted; therefore 14 might bo relied upon as being available for carrying New Zealand prodiucts to British markets, so dairy and other producers need have no fear as to an outlet for their goods. WAR RISKS. INFLUENCE OF MINE-LAYING. (FiOM Oua Ow!f CORnsaPOWDKWT ) | WELLINGTON, August 24. j On the face of it, the action of the Ger- ' mans in indiscriminately sowing submarine mines in the North Sea would seem to have a vital bearing upon the question of marine war risks. Precise information on the subject is not obtainable, but in well-informed circles here the opinion is held that the rates on cargoes to and from New Zealand are not likely to be affected. The minelaying has been carried out mainly in the North Sea, well away from the routes traversed by oversea vessels bound to and from Great Britain, and the ships chiefly exposed to danger, so far as is known, are those engaged in trading between Britain and the Continent and on the coasts of Europe. RECOMMENDATION TO EMPLOYERS. TRADE FACILITIES DISCUSSED. A special meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Coirfmerce was held on the 17th inst. for the purpose of further considering the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act. Mr G. W. Gibson (president) occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance of members. The followng legal opinion was received from the solicitors to- the chamber (Messrs Callan and Gallaway):—ln our opinion, until the Governor, by Order-in-Council (gazetted), fixes, and determines the maximum price in New Zealand of any class of goods, the offences created by sections 8 and 9 respectively of the Act do not exist.” RECOMMENDATION TO BUSINESS MEN. The Chairman said that it had been suggested that the chamber should give some lead in regard to the present position of affairs. The committee had prepared a statement. The committee among other , suggestions stated: —“From a commercial standpoint our great danger is the possibility of the spending power of the people being so reduced —either by necessity or by undue caution —as to cause serious stagnation in local trade. The committee feels that there is a danger of inducing this very condition through unwise actions. To avoid it as far as possible, the committee strongly urges on all employers o' labour the supreme desirability of maintaining as many workers at work as possible. The wage-earners will scarcely be in a position to save at this juncture, and money so expended will not only benefit them, but, by being kept in circulation, will assist in maintaining our volume of trade. For the same reason the committee further suggests to directors of public companies to endeavour in all cases to maintain the usual dividends —remembering how many of their shareholders have to depend on these for the whole of their income. The banking institutions trading in the dominion are giving every facility to encourage bona fide trade, and all sections of the community should therefore show equal -egard for those depending on them. The committee has further no hesitation in supporting the request of the Prime Minister to all farmers to sow as large an area in orop as may be possible, and thus assist to relieve the effects which are inevitable from the results of war. The committee, in submitting these recommendations, docs not wish to be too optimistic, but it feels that if all sections of the community face the position fairly and manfully they can, to a large extent, prevent the acute trouble which many have been led to fear. The oresont is not a time for business men to think of making money; they should rather remember that while others are upholding the honour of the Empire in the field it falls to them to maintain the Empire’s trade, and to protect all from the misery and suffering which 'must follow any lengthy period of unemployment.” The Export Sub-committee of the Chamber of Commerce has in hand the matter of shipping facilities and marine insurance in connection with exports under present war conditions. The shipping and insurance authorities are being communicated with, and the public will be advised as soon as there is anything definite to announce. The Standard Insurance Company yesterday received information that the Now Zealand Government is going to carry the war risk over the goods going Home by the transport vessels at the current rates in London. . |

DAIRY PRODUCE. WELLINGTON, August 21. From inquiries made it appears that shipments of dairy produce to England will not 100 seriously interfered with. High prices are expected to prevail. The secretary of the National Dairy Association (Mr J. G. Harkness) says that the association has boon advised, by cable that the prospects are for high prices for both butter and cheese; therefore producers should consign through the banks to the care of the association. The policy should be, “Consign, not sell.” HAWERA, August 22. A largo meeting of representatives of dairv factory companies of Taranaki was hold” at Hawera on Saturday afternoon. A resolution was passed recommending all dairy factories in New Zealand to make a monthly contribution to the Empire Defence Fund on a basis of a g per cent, of the value of the dairy produce shipped whilst war continued, such contribution to bo on a basis of Is per pound for butter and 6d per lb for cheese, the contributions to bo forwarded to the National Dairy Association. MOTORS FOR THE FORCE. WELLING ON, _ August 20. Arrangements for the equipment of the Expeditionary Force with motor cars, motor lorries, motor bicycles, and bicycles are being carried out by Lieutenant-colonel A. M. Myers, commanding the Motor Reserve, and Iris two staff officers, Major Norton Francis and Captain Beauchamp Platts. Colonel Myers into-- ' <J a ronortcr to-day

that all the arrangements wore well in hand. All the motor vehicles to go with the force hand been selected with care, and the vehicles would all be despatched in perfect order, with the necessary supplies of spares, so that on arrival at their destination immediate use could be made of the vehicles. It was satisfactory to state that all the motor cars and motor lorries to equip the force had either been subscribed for by the people who had made their cash gifts specially applicable for this purpose or had been specially donated. The vehicles would, therefore, be sent free of cost to the Government. The only money to bo found by the Government would bo for the purchase of some motor cycles and a number of bicycles. A comparatively small number of the bicycles required had yet to be donated, so that any person desirous of making contributions towards this part of the equipment of the Now Zealand force could still do so. Drivers for all the motor vehicle had been arranged for by the Army Service Corps. JOTTINGS. At the Gore cattle sales yesterday a worker donated by Mr Robert Sheddan to the Expeditionary Force Fund was sold, and realised £2 ss. An incident at the Basin Reserve, when the troops were being farewelled, varied the general tone of extreme patriotism prvailing (says a Press Association message from Wellington). A woman with a baby in her arms was astonished to see her husband in the ranks. She tearfully called to him, but, getting no response, she appealed to a policeman, who set the law in motion and recovered her husband for her. Mr John Connor, son of Mr John Connor, of tne Leviathan Hotel, is one of the Otago University medical , students who have passed the necessary medical examinations to qualify as a surgeon, and to enable them to join the ambulance corps of the Expeditionary Force. On the 15th, at Wellington, Mr Connor was appointed first lieutenant and a mounted surgeon in charge of an ambulance division. Before a large audience, at Christchurch, Mr Alexander Watson recited Kipling’s “Absent-minded Beggar,” and a collection for the Patriotic Fund produced £59 11s sd.

Mr James R. White, of Balclutha, met with a painful accident on Sunday. White, who had been passed for the Expeditionary Force, was on leave, and was motor cycling' to Ratanui to say good-bye to his parents (says the Free Press). Going down the Tunnel Hill, his machine skidded, and the rider fell heavily on the road, causing a dislocation of the right knee. White bound up the injured member, and crawled to the nearest house, whence he was driven to Owaka. Dr . Stcnhouse (Owaka) attended to the sufferer, who is now progressing favourably. It will, however, be some lime before he can use his leg, and probably he will have to forgo his trip with the Expeditionary Force. A meeting of unemployed, attended by about 500 persons, there being about equal numbers of idle men and the idly curious, passed a resolution (a Press Association message from Auckland states) recommending the Government to immediately consider the need of proceeding with reproductive works to absorb the increasing number of displaced workers. It was suggested that the cultivation of Crown lands or an arrangement with farmers for the use of cultivated land for State purposes would meet the case. Acting on the suggestion of Sir James Carroll, a number of shippers of meat from Gisborne by the s.s. Rimutaka have authorised Mr W. D. Lysnar, on their behalf (says the Poverty Bay Herald), to cable, authorising the Bristol and Dominion Producers’ Association to distribute to families of Australians who are on active service 66 quarters of beef and 160 carcases of mutton and lamb. The wholesale value, according to the last Home quotations, is £547. The Rimutaka is now due at Bristol, and was the last boat that loaded at Gisborne for that port. Four of the gang of telegraph linesmen who have been in Balclutha for some weeks volunteered, and were accepted,, for the Expeditionary Force (says the Free Press). They were good workers, and carry with them the foreman’s regrets. The war fever has caused the dislocation of many little industries, and in a Balclutha workshop, where three men have left for the war, the wheels of industry are for the moment almost paralysed (says the Free Press). There are plenty of ’men available, however, and these little gaps should soon be filled. “Naturalised German, three years’ service German Navy, and expert signaller”—such were the particulars supplied by a candidate for service in the Gisborne Defence Office. Mr W. W. AveriH, son of the Anglican Bishop of Auckland, has been appointed acting A.D.C. to his Excellency the Governor. Mr Averill is lieutenant in the Christ College Cadets. Colonel W. G. Malone and three of his sons have volunteered for active service (says the Auckland Star). When a boy the Colonel was in Belgium and heard the guns during the Franco-Prussian war. Adjutant Alfred Green, of Wellington, will accompany the Expeditionary Force as Salvation Army chaplain (says a Press Association message). He was formerly engaged in the field, and latterly held an important position in social work. i No fewer than 45 students of Victoria College have joined the first party of the Expeditionary Force, which is leaving immediately. . _

Four of Messrs Reid and Gray’s employees have been accepted for the front (H. P.urt, T. Fitzpatrick, D. O’Connell, and J. Gilchrist), and at an enthusiastic meeting of employees on Wednesday, suitable presentations wore made to each of the men, who briefly thanked the donors for their gift® and good wishes. “We should look on the bright side., and not on the gloomy side,” said Mr E. Short, president of the Manawatu A. and P. Association, .when the committee was discussing the question of whether the spring show should, be held. Mr Short expressed the opinion that matters would be brighter in a week or two, and the committee should go right on with its programme. This (says our own correspondent) was heartily agreed to by the other members, so that the show will take place as usual. The congregation at the Pleasant Point Presbyterian Church has decided to permit the liov. G. King to go with the Expeditionary Force as a chaplain (says a Press Association message from Tycaru), and the Presbytery has approved. An enthusiastic meeting was held in tho Savoy lounge room on the 20th, when the teaching staff of the Medical SchoolLentertained "their colleagues. Lieutenant-colonel F. C. Batchelor and Major E. J. O’Neill, mid the recent graduates and students w£g_

form the Otago Ambulance Contingent of the Expeditionary Force. Stirring speeches were delivered by Drs Roberts, Barnett, and Marshall Macdonald in wishing success _ to the expedition, and were replied to by Lieu-tenant-colonel Batchelor, Major O’Neill, and other members of the force.

To sneer at Territorials at the present time is not unattended with danger (says the Auckland Star). On Saturday evening a tramcar had just left the foot of Queen street, when it passed some Territorials and a number of evidently drilled men out of uniform, who were marching. A young man remarked in a loud, sneering voice, ‘* Wh it a scatter there would be if a crowd of Germans came along now?” Sitting in the eamo oar was a man of herculean build, but past the prune of life. He immediately rapped out: “ Yes, if all were cowards like you. You ought to be ashamed to sneer at men who aro going to fight for our Empire. I m good for half a dozen chaps like you now.” He rose frm his seat ready to make good his challenge, but the man and his three or four mates sat silent till they left the oar. An amusing incident occurred at the Mataura railway station on Saturday night after the arrival of the express (says the Ensign). One of the men (Mr T. H. Farr) who had volunteered for the Expeditionary Force returned from Milton, and on alighting from the train attracted a crowd whom he. addressed at considerable length. In response to inquiries he stated that the Mataura men passed with flying colours, Mr E D. Cameron especially being referred to by the medical officer as the best specimen of humanity he had examined for many a day. Mr Farr stated that he was authorised to enlist recruits, and invited volunteers to come forward and join. As no men came forward, Mrs P. Amos (eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs H. Cameron) stepped up and presented herself amid hearty cheering from the crowd. It is worthy of mention that Mrs Amos has three * brothers who have volunteered for service in the Expeditionary Force, viz.: Messrs E. D. Cameron and E. J. Cameron, who both saw service in the Boer War, and Mr James Cameron. The manager of the Westport Coal Company states that the men have refused to work on Saturday afternoon to give extra coal to the troopships. The ballot in one case was twe to oile against the proposal. The West Coast Competitions Society, at 'a meeting held last night (a Press Association message states) decided to hold the festival as fixed for Sptember 21 to 28. Splendid entries have been received. It was resolved to hand over the .net profits to the Patriotic Fund. Wilkie’s war map No. 2, a copy of which we have received, shows the western theatre of the war, and owing .to the enlargement the various towns where the engagements are occurring can be easily picked out. Three sons of a resident of Southland (says the News) were all anxious to go to the front, but the father was inclined to discourage two of them, considering that if the other left he would bo offering up a sufficient sacrifice. One of the boys, who is emploved in Dunedin, was dissuaded at first, but' on Monday the father received ’the following telegram: —“ Feel it my duty to go-; am in camp.” , j The Wairarapa Age states that, in view of the European crisis, a- number of dairy companies are endeavouring to open up a trade with the United States. South America, and Canada. Questioned by a Standard reporter, a Palmerston North dairy factory manager stated that trade to the United Stales and Canada was no new deparifure, as dairy companies had been exporting to Vancouver and San Francisco. Last year and the year before an appreciable quantity had been exported to both places. The South African market had also been operated on for some years. _ , It is stated that Mr A. M. Samuel, the condidate for the Hutt seat with Mr T. M. Wilford, is going to the front, and is l leaving his nomination paper in the hands of some of his friends.

Tho departure of the Napier section of the Expeditionary Force on the 17th was productive of several incidents worth recounting. In the case of two members of the Napier Fire Brigade who were in the force, tho members turned out with one of the fire-carts, and drove their comrades to the parade ground and gave them a rousing send-off. Not content with this, the firemen hurried their steed along the Awatoto road, and raced the train until its gathering speed left them far in the rear. In another case the head of a well-known firm, from whose establishment several recruits had been taken, actually picked up a load of enthusiastic friends, and kept abreast of the train until nearing Waipukurau, when a tyre burst; but, nothing daunted, the car was driven on “three legs” to the Waipukurau Station, where the pa,rty took a final and affecting farewell of “the boys.” ■ Like the . politician (says the Southland Times), the schoolboy is a victim of circumstances in deciding what form his activities shall take, and where the former—if he is a thorough ’ politician—changes colour as the chameleon, according to his surroundings, the latter blows hot and cold in his passions and preferences according to the attitude of the adults with whom he is most directly associated. The schoolboy’s emulation is shown for the great part in the games he plays, and thus it is that when the adult is patronising picture shows at which “cowboy and Indian” dramas occupy prominent positions, the small boy may be found burning his friends at the stake or making himself a menace to public safety by shooting arrows across public highways. Just at present; when the older members of the majority are discussing the war and its possibilities, it is therefore not inconsistent that the small boy should have devised a new game which is known as “war.” This was very popular last week, but it appears to have fallen off a little owing to the inability of the controlling genius to devise any plan for the equal division of combatants. The other day a small boy, telling his mother of tho new game, said: “ But it’s no good. Everyone wants to be a Britisher ; and we can’t get one to be a German.”

The Kartigi School children have contributed • 15s to the Patriotic Fund. The -following members of the Dunedin Anglican Harriers and Amateur Athletics Club are either in camp or at Palmerston North: —0. A. Livingstone, G. Thomson, S G. M'Donald, P P. Baird, V. Marshall, S. G. Fyfe, A. Mazengarb, A. G. Anderson. and J. Plolmes. Headquarters notify that no liquor will bo permitted on the troop transports’ Expeditionary Force, except as medical stores under the staff Dr W. Aitken has been appointed lieutenant in the Field Ambulance, and left on Saturday morning for the camp at Palmerston North.

At a meeting of the Engine Drivers, Firemen, and Cleaners’ Association, the membore agreed to contribute a day’s pay a month, as far as practicable, to the Patriotic and Distress Funds. Mr R. Breen, secretary of the Otago Labour Council, has received the following communication from the Prime Minister in reference to the contracts recently let to a Dunedin firm for pack saddles and transport harness, which, it is stated, was being manufactured in Auckland; —-‘‘In further reply to your telegram of the 13th inst. with reference to the supply of pack saddles for the Expeditionary Force, I have now to inform you that the Quartermaster-general has issued definite instructions that supplies are to be purchased locally wherever possible.” It is understood that, on account of the war and several Otago and Southland bandsmen leaving with the military bands accompanying the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, the band contest which was to have been held at Balclutha in October will bo indefinitely postponed. The local authorities in charge of the camp •propose trooping the mounted men through the city some time before they leave for the front in order to give the public an opportunity of seeing the horses that have been donated, fully equipped. On Monday night about 20 horses were passed at Tahuna Park as remounts, but there are still about 100 horses required foi tlie mounted men, and a quantity oi It has been decided by the Executive of the United Fire Brigade Association ot New Zealand (says a Press Association message) that members of brigades who arc doing military duty, or are members of Expeditionary Forces, will be granted full service honours. „ ... The local Exoeditionary Force Committee is very gratified at the response of the public to its request for comforts for the men. Liberal donations have been received and will be gladly welcomed at any time at the store. No. 50. Bond street, or at Mr Hugh Mitchell's office, in the Stock 3£xchange Buildings. It has been decided that warrant and non-commissioned officers of fhe New Zealand Artillery who are married are to receive separation allowance while away from their homes, and the staff officers have been "■ranted £2O outfit allowance. So far nothing has .been heard as to whether ser-geant-majors are to be included in this concession. Several Kaitangata men (says our correspondent) have left to join the Expeditionary Force. Some who were only temporarily employed at the mines have also joined.' At the annual meeting of the Kaitangata Tennis Club a donation of three guineas was made to the fund. Mr Ernest Rosevear, who received his primary education at the Albany Street School,' Dunedin, has been presented with a horse, provided by the pupils of the school mentioned, for the Expeditionary Force. The horse has been named Albany. The members of the Oamaru Egg Circle have donated 70 dozen hens’ eggs for the use of the North Otago members of the-Ex-peditionary Force during the sea voyage. The. officers of . the circle are confident of being able to raise quite 100 dozen. Owing to the war the committee of the Milton Saleyards Company has decided not to proceed further in the meantime with the proposed erection of co-operative saleyards at Milton. As showing the fondness of the Kaiser for having his photograph taken (remarks Reynolds’s Newspaper) ho was recently Ehotographed 33 times within an hour. But e. was satisfied with only one picture.

Visitors to Mount Cook in past years will be interested to know that Messrs R. Young and W. Brass, two popular guides from the Hermitage, are amongst those who were selected for the Expeditionary Force.

THE GERMAN SOLDIER. A SLAVE TO DISCIPLINE. ARMY SYSETM CRITICISED. The German Army has always been an object of curiosity outside the German Empire, and many people have wondered whether its claim to be invincible would stand the test of experience. Mr Hilaire Belloc, the well-known English writer, discussed the subject in an article, published in 1911, in the London Magazine. Mr Belloc, after completing his course at Oxford University, served bis time as a French conscript at Toul, on the eastern frontier. His opinions- may, therefore, bo treated with respect, making due allowance for French bias. After discussing the causes which have contributed to the growth of the legend that tho German Army is invincible, he writes ; “ Nevertheless, the legend io a legend, and no more. The German Army, tested by those tests which should alone be applied to armies, will be discovered to be somethingmuch on a par with any other great conscript force, having advantages over this one in such and such a respect, but lying under a disadvantage with some other in another rcsjoect;. and when a general and impartial examination has been taken of it, that examination by no means warrants the exaggerated and rather panicky estimate which we have been accustomed to make. “The first point to bo stated in any general criticism is the way in which tho Germans have used tho system of conscription. By the theory of conscription all the young manhood of a country is enrolled under arms, and every lad, on arriving at 20 or 21 years of ago, is supposed to get a practical experience of soldiering; not a few weeks of drill, nor a short and rather amusing experience of camp life, but the hard hammering and forging of character which a man gets by prolonged discipline in barracks, and as a private soldier with other private soldiers. “ You cannot weigh or measure the effect of this. It is a moral effect. But, though it is not capable of exact measurement, it is very real and very profound. A man who has been a soldier has undergone an experience which moulds his whole character for life, and which leaves him permanently different from what he would have been if he had not had the experience. This is particularly true when that experience comes in early youth. “Now, whether that experience is really universal or not is of the first importance to a conscript, country. The striking feature about tho German fofco, as contrasted with its chief rival, is that conscription in Germany is not universal. “If you go out to dinner in Paris with wealthy people, not only the man who drives your cab and the servant who opens the door for you, but everyone, rich or poor, whom you" pass in the street (save the older people who had not come under tho laws when they were young), and all the well-to-do men at the dinner table —save such as mar have been from their youth military

officers by profession,—has been a private soldier, treated in no respect differently from other private soldiers. “ The effect of such a universal system is incalculable. It means that the whole public opinion of the nation is a military opinion, and that the material with which the nation has to work in war is the nation itself. A Frenchman knows arms as an Englishman knows cricket; and every rank of society is equally acquainted with military life in its hardest form. “ Now in Germany this priceless political and moral asset is absent. “Political speakers in this country are very fond of pointing to Germany as the country in which * every man is a soldier.’ That is nonsense. Of five German men, not three have been real soldiers; of 50 men, not 30. This is due to two very different causes. First, the fact that the German population is largo enough to provide an increasing number of exceptions year after year of the total number liable to service means that a larger and larger number can be, and are, exempted from actual service. “ This is a truth of very groat importance, which you might miss in your reading unless you were very careful, for the young men who are thus let off without any true knowledge of what it is to ba a soldier appear as soldiers on paper. They form a reserve, called the ‘ compensatory ’ (‘ Ersatz ’) reserve. Many of them get a few weeks’ training. “It is designed in case of war to draft these civilians (for it would ba ridiculous to call them anything else) into battalions, of w&ich it is hoped that one-third might be composed of real soldiers, up to whose standard the other two-thirds might be raised in the course of a war; but, quite apart from thb doubtful military value of such an experiment, made in haste and under the stress of a campaign, there is the moral point oh which I am weighing with so much insistence. This great body of the youth of the - country—very nearly half, if non-com-batants are included—are not true soldiers. “The second form of exemption which spoils the universality of the German service is even more important. It is no less than this: The articulate part of the nation does not know what true soldiering is, because anyone who can pass a very simple elementary examination is let off from suffering the full life of the barrack room. “ The whole system of German society reposes upon the conception of inequality and privilege. From this caste of privileged men covering all those who count in authority or journalism or public life—the officers of the reserve are chosen. “ffhey fulfil a function, perhaps necessary to the Gorman .character, and, at any rate, thought necessary by all Germans. They are rigidly kept to their drill and the externals of their trade during their one year. It is argued, as a matter of supreme advantage, that the existence of this very large privileged body prevents any anti-militarism, saves the Germans from that disgust which true military service often arouses in educated men of the comfortable, classes, and checks the growth of a crop‘of anti-military publicists and orators, such as France suffers from.

Adi this is true. But the other side of the picture is that exaggerated as the phrase may sound, enlightened public opinion in Geimafcy does not know the private‘soldier kuch privileges and exemptions make for domestic peace, and for the illusion that military service is popular. But they leave those who. suffer its hardships a dumb, voiceless mass, absolutely amenable to order- Morovlntares° te 7 rtf™ i. h,as „ ver V Practical disadvantages m the handling of men Wliafthese are we shall see wlen, in my second article, -I come to the statistics of marching of sickness, and the rest of it g ’ ‘ ’ By t,b f whole of its tradition, bv the vciy method of its existence, the German for V noa§vlm haS b T < in Prussian fonn I? 1 ! l i y yc ' ars ). exceedingly detailed and exact. Everything is thought out every 1., " OM , m - £> iSlast tail, and by a confusion of thought neonle dhion B 'of n? i tl0I? fi! ° r servioe German tradition, of detail with practical efficiency. A veiy careful and detailed clan binds a service down to one line. It makes the initiative T Oll eV ! ry ! >art Ik kills deneo_f' lu bl i eeds a ridiculous self-confi--1 not f at r ! C pa f ■ mu f t ? ucceed as a whole ° r ?- , at all—and is designed only for the particular case of immediate success. It spells utter collapse when circumstances cut across the meticulous plan and spoil it. , Ihere have been exactly two specimens ot German military activity in the last 40 On o was the expedition to Peking, the other was the great war against the Hoireios a few hundred naked savages. Both wore laughable fiasooes; in both the fiasco was due to excessive planning, and to the breakdown in details in an ’overwrought design. The German wa s the latest and the slowest and, the worst equipped of the contingents designed for the relief of Peking legations; and his participation in that campaign will bo best remembered by the ludicrous incident of the horses whoso shoes had been left behind in Europe. “As for the Herreros campaign, it is fresh in everybody’s mind; how a handful of savages, fighting in open country, were overcome or bought out at an expense of 22 million pounds! Nearly 2a in the £1 of the great British-South African campaign near by! In that utter breakdown Germany got rid of the value of 11 Dreadnoughts. In subsequent articles Mr Belloc criticised the German army’s choice of armaments, its delay in adopting new methods in the theory of fortification, its antiquated details of tactics, and lack of provision for reverse or check. His observations on the French manoeuvres two or three years ago convinced him that the French soldier is man for man, the superior of the The Frenchman ho found enthusiastic, intelligent, and cheerful. Ho sings joyously on the march, in an emergency he uses"his intelligence —a quality which this writer prefers to the implicit and somewhat cramped obedience of the German soldier.

HORSING AN ARMY. THE WORLD’S SUPPLY. Whatever doubts may be entertained as to the probable result of the present blaze in Europe, there can scarcely bo any difference of opinion (remarks the Sydney Daily Telegraph) with regard to the important part to be played by the horse. In this respect most of the nations concerned ought to bo quite os strongly fortified as it is reasonable to suppose they are in the possession of the deadliest instruments of war. And it is here that supporters of the turf are likely to score largely against those who regard the statement that horse racing improves the standard of the blood horse as mere, flapdoodle. ' As horse racing ( tries and believe l ’® in

the “ blood ’’ horse as the best possible foundation upon which to breed the most suitable remounts, Austria-Hungary, Germany, Franco, and Russia are only slightly less known than England. For many years Continental countries, almost without exception, have drawn upon the resources of England for those strains and changes of blood which were best calculated to keep at a high pitch the standard of the racer, and while this has been don© systematically and without any regard to expense, for Continental buyers have long been the best customers of English and Irish breeders, experts who have studied the question have expressed the opinion that the best means of properly horsing the army has received less attention in England than in the other countries concerned in the war. Whether this indictment is justified results will perhaps show. The number of remounts required by .on army in tho field is, of course, enormous, and some idea of it may be gathered from statistics which were compiled in connection with tho Boer war. According to one account, no preparation for providing the necessary horses was made when the Boer war started. Tho English army required about 495.000 animals, of which 369,000 were horses and tho remainder mules, and they were drawn from practically all corners of the earth. It is stated that of the total number the United Kingdom supplied only 72,000 horses and 170 mules, while- 126,000 horses and 31,000 mules were obtained in South Africa, 82,000 horses and 7000 mules in the United States. 30,000 horses in Hungary, 25.000 in the Argentine, 20,000 in Australia, and 12,000 in Canada, while Spam, Italy, Cyprus, and other places supplied mules. But enormous as was, tho cost of these purchases, the British Government is said to have got by no means value for it. Naturally, in such a mixed lot of purchases, many of which had to be acquired on the shortest notice, the percentage of “crocks” was not small. The British Government’s position was. on© which gave smart horse capers in various parts of the world an opportunity they were not likely to meet again in a hurry, and it was too good to miss. As for the losses of horses in the Boer war, they were quite abnormal. But if the occasion had been one in which the smart practitioner was satisfied to sink hie cleverness and return the best possible value for money, the losses would still have been out of proportion, for the all-sufficient reason that only a comparatively small number of the horses were hardtrained and fit to go to war. As affording an illustration of the stupendous wastage, S. F. Maurice, in his Hietory of the South African War, says:— Of 59U0 horses which left Bloemfontein, only 54 0 survived the march, and 950 had actually died or been destroyed on the way. A fter a heavy rain, dead horses floated down the river at the rate of more than 100 an hour; while in the capture of a convoy the troops rode 50 horses to death.” From all that can be read, none of the Continental countries engaged in the present war are likely- to be hampered in that way. After the Boer war the best means of providing the necessary number of trained and able horses for the British Army, in case of war, engaged the attention of experts in England, but, according to the Review', “there was no other country in the world in which horse breeding had been so mismanaged by Government.” As a means of solving the , problem, it was sugested to the British Government that the remount system, which, under worse conditions, has worked -wonderfully in France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia and other Continental countries, be adopted in England. Those countries profited by their own mistakes of earlier years while England stood still. Taking Colonel Call well’s figures, the total number of army remounts inquired within a few weeks of the order for mobilisation in Britain would be about 60,000, and that subsequently from 3000 to 5000 remounts would be necessary monthly. This, in the light of the Boer war experience, and the needs of other countries, must surely be' very much below the real want. During the Franco-German war tho German Army used 220,000 horses, and lost only 14,595 of' which 1723_were missed, and the balance were killed or wounded. One of the reasons for this small loss is to be found in the fact that the Germans used only “well bred and trained” horses. -According to the Review, Germany in the present war will require 600,000 horses, of which 475,000 will have to be bought. The remainder are used in the regular military service, and their . steady training fits them for then- share of war. Tho Prussian remount system, perfected by the late Count Lehndorff, is said to bo the most thorough and sensible in existence, and having been more or less adopted by Russia, France, and Austria-Hungary, is interesting at this particular time. It has for its main points the selection of the very best stallions, the prohibition hy law of the us© of unsound and unsuitable stallions, and assisting the farmers by placing at their disposal" the Government stallions —for some of which enormous sums were paid—at a nominal fee. Tho Prussian Army is said to buy every year about 11,000 remounts, and a further 1000, bred' in Prussia, go annually to the armies of Saxony, Bavaria, and \V urtemburg. So gigantic are these operations that the Prussian Government owns altogether about 3578 stallions. The principal stud is that of Graditz, where only English thoroughbreds are bred. They are raced and tested for stamina before they go to the stud, and there are about 25 other studs. Mounting the German Army being regarded as the first essenfial to its maintenance, money has been expended lavishly towards keeping the class of stallions particularly high. The English or Irish bred Ard Patrick, Galte© More, Athos, Bill of the Play, Red Prince 11, and some others are included; while the fact that at least 14 high-class French sires are also there,’as well as some Russians, indicates that Germany docs not permit her hatred for England, Russia, or France to bar the'way to the improvement of her remount system. In addition to purchasing largely, tho Prussian Government adds about £175,000 annually for the improvement of the national horse-breeding towards the total expenditure, which reaches within the neighbourhood of £400,000. The actual cost, however, is not anything like that amount, for tho various sources of revenue in connection with tho Prussian Government studs total as a general thing well over £200,000 annually. In Austria-Hungary the remount system is also very complete. The Government studs contain about 5000 stallions, all of which are kept to serve farmers’ mares, and there is in operation in that country a scheme by which the army can bo supplied within 24 hours from private stables with 300,000 cavalry, artillery, and mounted infantry horses, “tit to go to the front.” France, it is said, would not find it necessary to go beyond its own borders for any of tho 550,000 horses it was calculated to require at the time of mobilisation

the registers kept, the French authorities were some time ago of opinion that no trouble would bo experienced in getting its full complement. Horse expenditure is an enormous item, but freely given in Continental countries, and the various amount-3 would, if they could all bo ascertained, dwarf the £40,000 paid annually in England for the same purpose. Time alone will tell if England has made complete arrangements for horsing its army. Som© time ago Colonel Seely, Under-secretary for War, stated, “that while England was not so ready as it ought to be with regard to light cavalry horses, it was less unready than other Powers.” It was hoped to secure an improvement in the quality of horses bred by farmers and others, and there was ample room for this, providing the right sort of mare was used, for upwards of 800 suitable stallions were at the disposal of owners in England and Ireland. Many authorities in the horse world have never wavered in their opinion that it was a fatal mistake for England to permit foreign Governments to exploit the English markets. Lord Annaly, a bitter opponent of the system, in speaking at a horse show dinner, said that there was a shortage in England of the class of animal suitable for army remounts, and iho chief reason for this was that agents of foreign Governments were allowed to buy many of the country’s best mares and young stock. It was short-sighted policy, oven if sellers got a little more money, and was & case of killing the goose which laid the golden egg. His, Lordship suggested scflno form of legislation to check the sending of valuable brood mares out of the country, but the advice fell on deaf oars. If it should be proved that England is loss ready in its remount system than any of the Continental countries which eho lias fed 1 , someone must have blundered. Since the figures given in this article were compiled Italy has had its little war. It drew largely on Austria-Hungary and several other countries for its home supply, but probably not to an extent sufficient to materially weaken the resources of the Power concerned.

THE KAISER’S CLAIM. “AN INSTRUMENT OF THE LORD.". Six years ago Kaiser Wilhelm II was decried throughout his Empire as the sequel to sensational statements which he made to a representative of the London Daily Telegraph. The democratic elements of tho population were enraged, and even the Conservatives lost temporarily some of • their reverence, for the “Divine Righter.” The cause of this commotion, which . seemed to shake the Imperial throne, was summarised thus by “ Britannicus” in the Fortnightly Review of February, 1911: — “In the Daily interview tho v Kaiser roundly rebuked the English people for refusing to trust hie professions of friendship, spoke of his subjects as being preponderantly hostile to Great Britain, informed the world that at the crisis of -the Boer war he had drawn up a plan of cam-1-paign for the benefit of tho British severeign and Government, announced, that it was he, and he frustrated tho European intervention in South Africa, and dropped a warning hint to Japan that the German fleet , wag being built for service in the Pacific* “No statements could have been more deftly contrived to embroil the Kaiser with his subjects, and Germany with the- three leading Powers of Europe and Asia; and the chapter of humiliating accidents by which they came to be published, with the imprimatur of the Wilhelmstrasso intensified the fury and mortification of the entire German people.” When tho storm of popular indignation ■ burst upon him, the Kaiser affected at first to be indifferent, but at heart he was deeply concerned. The estrangement from his people endured till the beginning of 1911. During this period the ordnarily loquacious Kaiser played a role of “William the Silent,” except for an occasional formal delivery of flat platitudes, out of key with his rhetorical temperament. For many months he was a brooding monarch —and suddenly he wag his old self. He blazed out in the much-discussed Konisberg speech of New Year’s Day, 1911, when reviewing tho Berlin garrison. ~ “My grandfather,” he declared, placed by his own right the Crown of tho Kings of Prussia upon his head, thus laying stress once more on the fact that it was conferred upon him by the Grace of God alone, and not by Parliaments, meetings of the people, or popular decisions, and that he considered himself the chosen . instrument of Heaven, and as such performed his duties as Regent and ruler.” ‘The florid flouting of democracy was the preamble to the Kaiser s swelling theme of egoism. ‘‘Considering myself as an instrument of the Lord, ho said, “without heeding tho views and opinions of the day, I go my way, which is devoted.solely and, alone to the prosperity and peaceful development of our FatherAfter the incident of 1908 the Social Democrats had enjoyed a triumph in the elections for tho Reichstag. Naturally when the Emperor began tho year of 1911 with a bombastic reiteration of “ Divine Right, they asked questions, to which the Chancellor, Herr von Bethmann Ho'lweg, replied in a manner which the Kaiser himself could not have surpassed. “ The personal irresponsibility of the King,” remarked the Chancellor, “the independent and original character of of the monarch’s rights—these are fundamental conceptions uf the Prussian State which have retained their vitality, even in this era of constitutional development. When the King of Prussia in the ancient Prussian Coronation City expresses these conceptions in the form hallowed by. tradition, ‘by the Grace of God —when, in opposition to the ideas of the day, tie appeals to hia conscience as tho guide of hie actions —he does this in consciousness of his whole right and of his duties. In. this conception of the Eriiperor and King I take my stand upon constitutional gl ln n the Reichstag in 1908 “ there rained a merciless criticism on the Kaiser ai policy and personality; Prince Bulow sat through the assaults on Ills Sovereign with folded arms ; only one or two of the stubbornest Junkers of them all were faithful among the faithless found.” The Kaiser picked tho right time and place for his Komgsbcrg. speech of January 1, 1911, and the Reichstag was changed marvellously. _ the bociaJ. Democrats’ protest was in vain. “What was intended to be a vote of censure, comments “Britannicus,” “turned out to be a vote of enthusiastic confidence and approval. Speaker after speaker defended the Kaiser and glorified him. . . . The debate, in short, marked the complete rehabilitation of tho Kaiser in the judgment and affections off his subjects. It was an endorsement of his views and of his way of expressing them that had had almost the effect of an informal coronation. - . After two yeara

of a Kaiser all discretion and reserve, selfsuppressed to the point of platitude, ostentatiously constitutional and commonplace, the German people and' German Reichsta.g clamoured for the return of old, enlivening, tangential Sovereign.” What will be the cry when the war is over, or before? EFFECT ON TRADE. The present war in which Great Britain has become involved is bound to prove most disastrous to trade all over the world, _ and we give below (extracted from the last issue of the Trade Review) some particulars ot our trade with European countries to snow to a certain extent how the dominion will be affected. Besides this direct trade, there is also some indirect trade with these countries; also the disorganisation of Home trade and shipping will affect our trade very materially. Fortunately for our export trade, this is the cfiiiefc time ot the year, and, except for dairy produce, there will not be very much cargo to go forward before November. A war of such magnitude can hardly last very long, and it is sincerely to be hoped that in the course of the next few months at anyrate it will bo over. Following are our imports from, and exports to, the various European countries, for the year 1913: — Imports.

Total Europe ... £1.492,210 £57^482 TRADE WITH FRANCE. The tables below give the details of our Vrade and interchange with France, as shown in the New Zealand official statistics, for the past four yekrs. ' Exports to France from New Zealand tor the years ended December 31, 1913, 1912, 1911, and 1910 respectively: — 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. Wool ..I ...£173,961 £90,941 £34,106 £43,391 Sheepskins ... Kauri gum ... 3,995 3,037 6 >T 7 t Miscellaneous ... 380 404 22i 1,018 Total £178,336 £94,362 £40,204 £46,528 Imports from France into Now Zealand during the years ended December 31, 1913, 1912, 1911, and 1910 respectively;—

These figures will probably not give the full measure of the trade either way, as a certain amount is - 'done through London, which does not appear in our statistics. Our exports show a splendid increase, and are now in excess of our imports, though this trade is practically confined to the two lines, wool and kauri gum. Imports for the latest year show practically no growth in the aggregate, though there are fluctuations either way in the individual Items. The 10 principal lines account for three-fourths of this trade, and there are a considerable number of very minor lines. Cream of tartar, which has hitherto been our principal import from France, shows a considerable decline in 1913, and this _is largely due to Germany securing an increased share of the trade. TRADE WITH GERMANY. The subjoined tables furnish particulars of our trade with Germany, as presented by the statistics of New Zealand, during the sear ended December 31, 1915, with comparison of three preceding years.' Rather more interest than usual attaches to these figures op, the present occasion in view of the starting of the German line of shipping’s direct service between here and Germany. These figures are taken from the New Zealand Government statistics, but as a good deal of our trade is done through London, these will not give the full measure of trade either way. In 1913 our imports from Belgium amounted to £203,526, and our exports to there were £18,522, part of which po doubt belongs properly to Germany. Exports to Germany from New Zealand for the years ended December 31, 1913,1912, 1911, and 1910 respectively:—

IS THE GERMAN EMPIRE DOOMED? Dike many of 'heir humbler subjects, most of the crowned heads of Europe have a ■weakness for consulting fortune-tellers in order to have their horoscopes cast, but as a rule the prophecies are not made public luntil after the decease of the seeker into futurity. In view of the speculations now being indulged in by the general public regarding the proposed 1 humiliation of the German Empire, the following anecdote is of interest. It is a cutting taken from a Home paper by a well-known Dunedin commercial gentleman, who stowed it away in a pigeon-hole in his desk, where it has been forgotten for several years. _ The date on ■which the article appeared is not known. Two predictions have, it is seen, been verified ; the date of the third is past: The Socialist victories a short time ago hi

■Germany have caused a singular story concerning Emperor William I, grandfather ot the present Kaiser, and a fortune-teller to be revived. It is said that in 1849, when Crown Prince, William I was induced to consult an old fortune-teller in Baden, who had made some extraordinary prophecies by means of various bits of wood bearing figures. Her method was to touch these pieces of wood with a pencil, guided, as she assured her clients, entirely by inspiration, and, combined in some way, these figures gave the most exact information as to the future. The Prince asked in what year the German Empire would be founded. The old woman took up the figures 1,8, 4, and 9, and formed the number of the current year. Then she touched various other figures, and placed them cne by one in a column under the first line. The Prince said, when she had finished, that the date 1849 appeared twice in different forms, thus:— 1849

“ Add them,” said the fortune-teller, “and you will find the year in which the Gorman Empire will be founded.” The Prince did as he was told, and found the total to be 1871. “ When will I die?” he asked next^ The sorceress made the date 1871, and then began touching figures again. She touched 'four, and arranged -Them as she had done in the first instance. Prince William saw that she had again repeated the date. I “Add them,”; she said. “ They will' give the year in which you will die.” They came to 1838. The Prince then put his third and last question • “ W 7 hen will the German Empire fail?” " / A third time the woman fixed the last date, and added four figures. While she had finished the Prince saw: 1888 1 * I ' 6 “ Add them, and you have the date of the fall of the German Empire.” The figures, added together, came to 1913. The old story was told when William I died in 1883, after being crowned 1 Emperor in 1871. Twice have the old witch’s figures told the truth.

“TO THE DAY.” GERMANY’S MILITARY DESPOTISM. SPEECH BY A STANCE GOVERNOR. In the course of an address at the anniversary ’of the Methodist Central Mission, Melbourne, "the State Governor (Sir Arthur Stanley) said:— . - “ We' are met this evening with a declaration ringing 'in our ears, which almost drives all other. thoughts out of our minds, and it would be affectation on my part to pretend that the objects of your mission, all important as they are, are occupying my thoughts at the present moment, to the exclusion of all others. THE NATION’S LIFE. “ We have heard of the calamity of war — and war is a calamity—but there are greater calamities than war, and that is to lose one’s life as a nation. —(Cheers.) You lose life as a nation as surely by being recreant, by failing to succour those who depend on our strong right arm, by bowing before blustering and bullying, as you would in the field of battle.—(Cheers.) A nation loses ite life by being divided In its counsels, and by being rent by divisions, among its own members. I say, thank God, we have nothing to fear in those directions.— (Cheers.) And there must be one thii/g which has struck the people of the whole world—the determination of the British Empire to stand together at this time.—(Continued cheering.) We have had our divisions, our small party divisions, in the Old Country, and you have hadi them in this country, too. " But, as the breath blown upon a mirror is banished quickly, so those party divisions have disappeared, and left the face of the Empire bright, shining, and untroubled. We can go forward in this cause with the certainty that we have nothing to fear, either from base treachery or from any internal divisions in our midst. —(Cheers.) “War is a calamity, and, as a calamity, it has to be faced with valour, determination, bravery, and, most of all, with sobriety. Let ug not in the intoxication of this new thing be led into boastfulness. We have to face this crisis in our history with reverent fear, but with reverent confidence, too. If we had. failed to uphold those smaller nations of Europe, to whom our faith was pledged, to whom we were bound by every sacred obligation, by every honourable undertaking, we should no longer be a nation. “TO THE DAY'.” “I do not wish to use harsh words towards any nation in the world, -but when I remember that the German nation has for years had as its toast, in its military and naval messes, “To the Day,” then I feel strongly upon the subject. What does to the day mean? It is to the day when the German nation feels itself strong enough to attack others! They think that that day has now ootne. Wo trust that the °day has not come when a military despotism—(cheers) —can crush the free nations of Europe. —(Continued cheering.) For. whatever failings there may bo in the British Empire and the French nation,' those two races are based, their very existence is based on liberty.—(Cheers.) We are not under the heel of «! military oligarchy, as they are in the German Empire —(cheers), —and I believe that freedom, backed, as it is, by right, will triumph o'ver this attempt on the part of the Gorman Empire to seize the opportunity which has not yet coino. —(Renewed cheering.) We must face this situation with confidence in our cause, but in all humbleness. Wo have not grasped the sword in our hands. It has been foz’cod into our hands by the rash act of the German nation. But the sword having been placed in our hands, we know how bo use it, and we shall use it with humble devotion, and with certainty that .right is on our side. KAISER’S LANGUAGE. “ The people of Australia are facing with magnificent courage this thing which has come upon them. They are facing it with the certainty that right is on our side, the certainty that with God’s blessing, we shall win the day. We do not -claim, in the somewhat blasphemous language of the German Emperor, that the Almighty is our ally. We submit our case to His judgment, with the prayerful hope that what we consider is right will prove to be so in the results. We recognise, however, that these events aro

in hands beyond ours. We merely ask to be guided to the right. We have considered this matter, and we believe that we are in the right. We pray we are not misled. We believe wo are not. We believe the British Empire stands for freedom, we believe the British Empire stands for respect of treaties, we believe the British Empire stands for freedom and liberty for all men, we believe that the British Empire stands against military tyranny. —(Cheers.) I have not alluded to the objects of this meeting. Perhaps, you will pardon me if I do not do so. All I can say is ‘God bless you and your • work ; God bless Australia ; and God bless the British Empire in this great task it has undertaken.’ ” —(Continued cheering.)

A DISCORDANT NOTE. GREYMOUTH, August 22. When the lists forwarded to the Runanga Borough Council in connection with the war fund were received last night, the Mavor’s action, in advertising a list as open at the Council Chambers was approved A motion that the town clerk wait on business people for subscriptions was posed by the Mayor (Mr Coppersmith), and seconded bv Cr Latimer, but was opposed by. Crs Arbuckjle, O’Brien, and the Rev. Mr Avrton, on the ground that canvassers from Greymouth had visited the district. Cr O’Brien said it had taken Greymouth all its time to work up a spirit of jingoism. He was not in favour of the war. The council should not do anything to assist it, but rather should save their money until the war was over, when, no doubt, the council would be called on to assist I* lo ®®, in destitute circumstances as a result of the war. It was stated at the meeting that only two names appeared on the list at the Council Chamber. However, it is understood that a number of the residents, boino- doubtful of the sincerity of Runanga. councillors to help the war fund, had contributed direct to the Grey committees. WEST COAST MINERS. WANT THEIR USUAL HOLIDAY. WESTPORT, August 22. In regard to the Denniston and Millerton coal miners’ refusal to accede to the request of the Westport Coal Company to work on the fortnightly Saturday pay holiday m order to accelerate the fulfilment of Admiralty rush orders, the Prime Minister, in a message to the men, says:—'“A very serious crisis has come to the Empire, and therefor© to the dominion One of the immediate consequences is that Westport coal is urgently required for Imperial purposes. I would therefor© ask you, as loyal, patriotic citizens, to reconsider this matter, and give up the usual holiday in order to cope w?th the emergency that has arisen. By doing so you will materially assist, as New Zealanders, in carrying the old flag once more to victory. I can assure the men that if they comply with the request their action will be greatlyappreciated. not only in our own country, but in the heart of the Empire itself.” Tho men, it is understood, contended that tho difficulty could be met by an increased output, but the company says it is not possible to obtain this, as extra men are not available. ANGLICAN CHAPLAINS. The Primate has received the following telegram from tho adjutant-general, relating to the appointment of Anglican chaplains: —“The Revs. Maldon (of Auckland) and Bean (of Canterbury) sailed with tho advance party Expeditionary Force. Other Anglican chaplains volunteering are: Revs. Cleary, Wells, Smailes, Geddis (Auckland), Tobin (Wellington), Taylor (Canterbury), Dobson (Nelson), Bush-King and Evans (Otago). The Revs. Taylor and Bush-King are selected. Tho Bishop of Wellington strongly recommends Mr Tobin; the Bishop of Nelson, Dobson. Both are now doing duty in camp. Please wire if vou approve the appointment of the two latter to complete the number of chaplains to Expeditionary Force.” Tho Primate has expressed his approval. PRESBYTERIAN CHAPLAIN. A very impressive service took place in First Church on the 21st in connection with the ordination of Mr John Ross, M.A. The Moderator presided, and, by prayer and the laying pn of tho hands of the Presbytery, solemnly set apart Mr Ross as chaplain to tho Expeditionary Force. SOLDIERS AND THE ELECTION. Tho following telegram from the men in camp at Dunedin was despatched to the Hon. Jas. Allen, Miniter of Defence, and tho Hon. W. F. Massey; Prime Miniscr, Wellington :—“ We, the undersigned members of tho Expeditionary Force, on behalf of those now in camp at Dunedin, respectfully request Government to make special provision for men to record votes on licensing issues before leaving Now Zealand. We feel votes could easily bo taken and thus avoid disfranchisement on this important question. (Over 60 signatures representing all ranks were attaehed). RIFT.E ASSOCIATIONS OF AUSTRALIA. WELLINGTON, August 20. Colonel Collins, Chief Executive Officer of the Dominion Rifle Association, has been gdvisetl by .cablegram from the-secretary of

the Commonwealth Council of the Rifle Associations of Australia, that all rifle association prize meetings throughout Australia have been postponed indefinitely The British rifle team’s visit has been abandoned and the Empire Match will not be held at Melbourne this year. The visit of the New Zealand rifle team to Australia will therefore be cancelled. RACING MEETINGS. CHRISTCHURCH, August 18. The president of the Racing Conference has sent the following circular to all racing clubs: I desire to call the attention of racing clubs to the action of the English Jockey Club in recommending that racing fixtures should not be abandoned on account of the war. It has always been the practice at times of national stress to avoid anything that would create despondency, and, therw fore, the continuance of the recreations of the people has been encouraged where practicable. From another standpoint, it is the duty of all who can afford it to take every precaution against the increase of distress from non-employment. There must be about 5000 people with families dependent for their daily bread upon the sports of racing and trotting To cease racing would throw at least half the number out of work, without calculating the .deprivation of earnings from the workers of many different kinds during the actual holding of the meetings. The sacrifice to racing and trotting clubs would be comparatively small, if any loss ensued. I would appeal to racing, clubs vo follow the British example in the common interests. “NO COMPULSION.” It has been reported to the Defence authorities that statements are being circulated by some misinformed persons that many of the men now training for active service, have enlisted undr military compulsion. Nothing could bo further from the truth, and the defence authorities desire to give the utmost publicity to the bare fact that no person is under the slightest compulsion to serve outside New Zealand. Service abroad with the Expeditionary Forces from the dominion is purely voluntary. SALUTARY LESSON. WELLINGTON, August 24. A fishing party in Wellington Harbour had an exciting experience yesterday-. They negligently or wilfully disobeyed the prohibition to go near Soamcs Island, with the result that a sentry fired on them twice. The .second shot passed through one man’s clothes iand grazed his stomach. This was quite enough, and he got clear aw-ay as soon as possible. SUGGESTIONS FOR GIFTS. We have been requested to state that acceptable gifts for the us© of the Expeditionary Force would be boxing gloves, and singlestick appliances, exercises with which would bo of service in keeping the men in good condition during the weeks they will have to spend on the troopships. It has been suggested to us that a useful form of gift to the Mounted Rifles, who will be included in the Expeditionary Force, would be binoculars-and compasses, since these are not supplied by the Government. We understand that the Southland League has placed £4OO at the disposal of the officers of the regiment that has its headquarters in Invercargill with this object in view, that £2OO has been provided in Balclutha with a like object, and that provision is similarly being made in Gore, but that no steps have been taken in Dunedin to provide officers of the regiment from this centre with equipment of this kind. It is said that in Canada regimental officers are provided in addition with cash to be applied by them in the purchase of “extras” which on occasion may be required by the men under their command. G OVERNNMENT OFFICERS. The following circular from the Department of Internal Affairs, dated August 11, has been issued; —“With reference to my circular, No. 53, of the Bth instant, I am directed by the Public Service Cominiss:oner to inform you that, while members of the public service joining the Expeditionary Force arc granted leave without pay, they, of course, will receive the usual scale rates according to rank granted by the. Defence Department. As several questions have been asked regarding the position of those officers who join' the Expeditionary Force, the commissioner desires mo to say that officers may bo advised that their seniority will be preserved and their salary on resuming duty will ho at the rate (including increments) they would have received had they not volunteered for active service. lam further requested to inform you that temporary employees who were in the service prior to March 31. 1913, and

whoso employment (has since been continued, may volunteer for the Expeditionary Force, and that in tiro event of their acceptance they will be re-employed on their return. —'(Signed) J. Ills lop (Under-secre-tary). GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN SUBJECTS. WELLINGTON, August 19. A Gazette Extraordinary, issued this evening, gives to all German and Austrian subjects peacably resident, in New Zealand full rights to sue and plead in the courts of New Zealand, having always the prerogative of his Majesty. ARMY AND NAVY RESERVISTS. WELLINGTON, August 19. “The Army Reservists belonging to the army' at Home are going to England with the transports,” the Minister of Defence said to-day, “and some Navy Reserve men, anxious to get home, are going as members cf the crews of the troop ships. I don’t know that there will be any training at Home for our Expeditionary Force. I have not any official communication on the subject. As far as we know they are going to the front.” RAILWAY DEPARTMENT. WELLINGTON,. August 19. The Railway Department has stated that it cannot accede to the request for free excursion trains for patriotic concerts, football matches, etc. The three main revenueprodueing departments—viz., Railways, Customs, and Post and Telegraph—must be made as strong as possibly, in order that the ordinary business of the departments may be carried on and the Public Works Fund strengthened. Gifts for the Expeditionary Force will be carried free; but that is the most that can be done. The running of free trains would only mean the substitution of the loss in railway revenue for the Patriotic Fund. NECESSITY OF ECONOMY. At the monthly meeting of the Otago Education Board last week, Mr Mitchell raised the point when the requests for grants came on that in view of the great war emergency the country was called upon to meet, it was the duty of every public body to act with a view to ecenomy, so long as it docs not interfere with the efficiency of any work. So far as the board was concerned, he stated that the members should consider very carefully the expenditure in ■ all directions, and no work other than urgent works should be sanctionedw — This was agreed to by the board. NO CAUSE FOR PANIC. BUSINESS SHOULD GO ON QUIETLY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 19. The Prime Minister has already expressed the opinion that there is no cause for panic in the commercial and industrial enterprises of the people, nor does he think the fears apparently entertained by numbers of people regarding future distress from widespread unemployment are at all well grounded. “No official complaints regarding unemployment have reached me yet,” said Mr Massey, discussing the subject with a reporter to-day. In any case this is the season for unemployment. As a matter of fact I don’t think there will be much unemployment as a result of the war. Things seem to be settling down at Home. The rate of interest is even lower than we might expect in war time. War risks in the way of insurance are very much less than they were a very few days ago, and they are likely'to be even less in the near future. It seems to me that what we have to do is to go along quietly with the ordinary business of the country, keeping our indus'r's going, especially, our primary industries and look forward to the time when peace with honour will come to the Empire. In considering the possibility of unemployment we should remember that a very large number of men are going abroad with the Expeditionary Force. 1 should like to say that I hope private firms and private individuals who are engaged in industrial business will not discharge any of their employees unless it becomes absolutely necessary- for then to do so. There is no occasion for panic or anything of the sort.” THE MORATORIUM. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. August 19. A few complaints are being made regarding the effect of the Mortgage Extension Act passed this session. It is being said that under the Act mortgagees are not given good enough security and that people arc now unwilling to lend money on mortgage. The Bill, however, was not framed to facilitate borrowing, but to protect from disaster those who have already borrowed and who have mortgages falling due. The important point in the Act is that extending mortgages, and it is safe to say that as the Act will remain in force only while the war lasts it will not extend the currency of mortgages given now. A mortgagor may be sued for interest under the Act, and if the court should hold that non-payment of interest or for other reasons the mortgagee ought to exercise his extreme rights under the mortgage he may do so. The Attorney-general, when speaking on the Bill in the House, said that he considered this protection adequate. VISIT OF GENERAL GODLEY. INTERESTING INTERVIEW. General Sir A, Godlcy arrived in Dunedin on Thursday afternoon by the first express from the north, and proceeded to the Garrison Hall, whore ho was at once busily engaged with officers of the Defence Department on matters affecting the local contingent of the New Zealand ExpeditionaryFarce. Interviewed later in the evening by a representative of the Otago Daily Times,. General Godley said it was his intention to inspect the troops at Tahuna Park at a quarter past 9 next morning. Asked the date when the men would get away from Dunedin, General Godlcy replied that the troopships which were to carry the Otago soldiers —the Hawke’s Bay and the Ruapehu—would sail from hero before the end of the month. The men were going to Europe. In answer to a further question. General Godlcy said ho could not say whether the whole, of the New Zealand troopships would sail as one convoy. No advice had yet boon received from Home as to how they wore to go, or by what route. ' General Godley staled that ho had. just held a conference with the Ota.go brigadiers and all commanding officers of the district, in ardor to finally settle the

appointment of other officers. As regarde these appointments, he said it had been his aim, as far as possible, to place in the positions to be filled officers belonging to the existing Territorial regiments, and he thought ho had got together a really good lot of officers. The names of the officers will bo made known in due course. Referring to an important sidelight of the war. General Godley said he had visited the Early Settlers’ Hall to see the work done by the ladies. Ho said he had been very much impressed by the great amount of work done, and also by its excellence, and he was quite sure he was only voicing the opinion of the whole of the New Zealand army, and the people of New Zealand, when ho said how very much they were indebted to these ladies for the immense quantity of comforts they i.ad provided. The men who went, from Otago would have every reason to blosg the self-denying industry of the Otago ladies who had provided them with comforts which would enable them to withstand the hardships ol active service. Before concluding a necessarily very brief interview, General Godley said he was very sorry to know that this would be his last visit to Dunedin for some time. Ho, however, hoped it would not be ’ong before he was back again. In Dunedin he had always received very great kindness from all he had come in contact with, not only the Dunedin officers and troops, but also the general citizens. He would think of the picturesque and charming City of Dunedin, and would always _ remember the good weather which he invariably experienced when be had been visiting the southern city. The reporter was rather startled by this latter remark of General Godley.—Visitors to Dunedin do not usually speak thus of out weather —and looked, or rather smiled, an inquiry. “It’s no joke,” laughed the General. “So far as I can remember it has only rained ones during the many visits I have paid to Dunedin.” THE WORLD’S GREATEST WAR. SIR JOSEPH WARD INTERVIEWED. “ The Empire is engaged in the greatest war the world has ever known, and he would bo a wise man who could foresee precisely what the end is going to be,” said Sir Joseph Ward to a representative of the Otago Daily Times last week. “Lord Kitchener has suggested tlie possibility of the struggle proceeding for three years, and at this distance from the scene it is difficult to form a definite judgment on that point, but my own fooling is that the financial and commercial pressure of the war, upon Germany particularly, wall make fit almost impossible for the confl.ct to be a prolonged one, although the Imperial authorities arc justified in preparing for all eventualities. While the war is proceeding the producing countries. New Zealand among the rest, need not fear, I think, that her trade is going to be affected prejudicially. “Three factors make me look for a short war rather than a long one. In the first place the financial burden upon Germany and Austria will be almost unbearable. Then the stoppage of oversea traffic to and from Germany and the dislocation of trade must have a far-reaching influence upon the commercial world and upon German industrialism. The German toilers, of which there are about 15,000,000, deprived of the ' food supplies usually received from Russia and elsewhere, must have very groat difficulty in providing for .their own people. The third factor, the most important in ray eyes, is that the naval engagement which must inevitably take place, despite the efforts of the Germans to find shelter in the Baltic or elsewhere, will result, we are all confident, in a victory for the British fleet. When that engagement has been fought the seaways will be clear for the commerce of the Allies, and the oversea trade of Britain and France may bo expected to recover normal conditions. That position’ must influence Germany to seek a speedy conclusion of the war. “I recognise that the land war may be prolonged for a few months by the winter which is approaching in Europe, but it seems impossible to believe that the financial dislocation suffered by the contending countries —Britain least of all—can be endured for any long period. Then there is the question of maintaining in the field the stupendous armies that have been mobilised by Russia, Germany, France, and Austrii, as well as the smaller armies of Britain and some minor nations. If newspaper reports accurately state the number of men mobilised in the theatre of war, it would seem that the continental nations must find some new method of raising money at 1 the colossal rate required or must lace bankruptcy. “Now Zealand must be affected’ intimately by the tremendous events in Europe, but I do not think there is need for nervousness on our part. Apparently we can look forward confidently to the seaways being cleared very shortly for ordinary transport between Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain. When trade is flowing freely the demand for the produce New Zealand can export will be greater than ever. Wars on the grand scale always mean higher prices, and though wo are all anxious tc avoid anything in the nature of undue inflation of values, the fact remains that New Zealand’s meat, butter, and wool will be in keen demand. A great war means the withdrawal of enormous numbers of men from productive work, and the practical suspension of production in countries that under ordinary conditions would be supplying their own markets and the markets of _ the world. This must mean improved prices for the countries which can continue to export the foodstuffs and materials required by the Old World. “Every citizen of this country requires to he prudent and economical at the present time. But it is our good fortune at the present moment that wo are almost entirely a producing country, and as long .as transport services arc maintained between New Zealand and the Motherland—and no have every reason to believe they will be maintained—higher returns will bo secured by our exporters. The inflow of money brought about by raised prices should enable the Government and every _ class in the community to weather the crisis successfully.”

Germany ... .. £687,935 £337,448 France 160,777 178,336 Belgium 203,526 18,522 Austria-Hungary 18,352 2,812 Bui-sia 13,131 2,349 Norway-Sweden 146,943 26,028 Holland 84,015 3,986 Italy 65,425 322 Other countries 122,106 679

1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. Acids and alkali £ 069 £1,279 £3,364 £2,967 Apparel and slops 1,038 827 48 233 t -bicycles and materials 483 1,536 290 1,656 Brushes and brush328 876 ware .... 618 710 Cocoa buttei- ... 2,952 3.115 2,043 iV Confectionery ... Cream <of Tartar 1,011 17,358 1,397 32,809 860 30,910 32,733 8,872 11,278 5,447 > ' china 14,445 226 , Fancy goods 4,387 4,586 , 7,424 Gelatine 2,432 4,429 3,067 2,8o6 Hides - ... v.. 538 107 724 876 Leather and 206 416 manufactures 3,888 502 Machinery 2,548 2,656 1,976 3,403 Metal manufactures 17291 551 349 327 • Motors and materials’ ' 26,606 25,064 14,504 -2,601 Perfumery ... 2,963 4,534 2,700 1,995 1,501 969 2,4ol 813 Silks . S,216 3,313 3,667 2,063 2,234 2,363 1,518 1,246 12,933 11,801 10,365 8,361 Stearine 6,352 5,996 5.581 3,910 Textile- piece 1,872 goods Tobacco pipes 145 453 399 6,763 8,288 4,576 5,103 Turpentine and 2,524 Xerebine — — 761 1,127 1,328 1,884 Sparkling 10,233 12,943 10,553 8,833 2,980 6,1.77 14,327 785 Miscellaneous ... 9,590 13,073 7,403 13,239 Totals £150,777 £150,024 £137,157 £127,230

Goods. 1913. 1912. ' 1911. 1910. Wool ... ... ... £277,938 £208,921 £124,246 £157,797 Kauri gum ... 27,880 32,964 34,062 28,016 Grass seed ... 1,686 790 281 1,623 Sausage skins 2,640 1,249 823 600 Greenstone 460 1,650 130 210 Scheelite ... 16,139 8,893 10,545 14,685 Casein 6,452 960 — — Parcels post 558 273 319 1,854 Miscellaneous 3,693 1,003 87 1,346 Totals ... £337,448 £254,703 £170,493 £205,931