The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1921.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3510, 21 June 1921, Page 39

The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1921.) THE WEEK.

"Nunquam ailutl natura, allud sapientia dixit.” —Juvenal. ‘‘Good nature arid good sense must ever join.”— Poke.

The Imperial Conference.

The Conference which has -opened in London this week for the

.! discussion of Imperial Problems will be called upon to deal with questions

involving not only the future prosperity of the British Empire, but the welfare of the whole world. Shakespearean language is much in evidence in Dunedin during the days when the Imperial Conference k sitting in London. ‘'What's in a name?” exclaimed the great dramatist, adding by way of command the wellworn words, “That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet, ’ and the moral may well l»e taken to heart by the advocates of the various titles suggested for the Conference. The commencement of the controversy is ascribed to General Smuts, who is credited with, the opinion that “Imperial Conference” or “Imperial Cabinet’’ are both . faulty in that they do not correctly describe the nature of the gathering and tho purposes to be kept in view. A later suggestion favours “Britannic Congress,” and it is possible that this title will ho adopted. Much more important, however, than the mere name is the nature and scope of the deliberations, and foremost amongst these stands the relation of Great Britain to her overseas dominions and vice versa. As the inevitable sequence to the part played by the dominions in the great war, it is generally admitted that some evolution in Imperial relations is desirable. The difficulty is to devise a workable scheme which' while sedulously preserving the complete autonomy of the dominions, will give them an effective and proportionate voice in Imperial aft'ai vs. A test question m this respect is tho future naval policy of the Empire and by whom it shall ho decided. Two rival views hold the field at the present time. There are those who advocate the big navy idea, placing Great Britain in the, position of naval supremacy against the combination of any two other powers: on the other side stand the ad"ocatcs of naval disarmament, alleging that Britain’s example in this respect would gladly be followed bv the other great Powers. It has been openly stated that Great Britain cannot, unaided, bear any longer the enormous expense of main taining a navy sufficiently strong to guarantee the safety of every pari;- of Ihe Empire ; it is equally obvious that neither

1 Australia nor New Zealand, singly or in ' combination, are in a position to provide for their own naval defence. It would, : there!ore, appear essential that- some conj siderable modification of the two power ! naval programme ho adopted, to which j end an agreement with America and | Japan jn regard to the oolicing of tho i Pacific becomes a sine qua non. During j tne discussion in the House of Commons | °n the Imperial Conference -Sir Samuel | Hoare undoubtedly struck the right note when lie said that Anglo-American friend* ship must he the basis of Britain’s world policy, and that the Anglo-Japancsa 1 reaty should be considered by the Imperial Prime Minister from every viewpoint as oublicly as possible. The keynote of the Conference ought to he preparation for peace rather than preparation for war, thereby, as Sir John Davidson pertinently put it, “setting a good example to the world.” There is a great and growing dread of another great war, a titanic conflict which would have the eilect of wrecking completely a Western civilisation already sorely hurt bv the fierce fighting of tho past'few years.' The (jpming together of tile Prime Ministers of the British dominions to discuss the great questions agitating the world today is of the weightiest import, since the - tone and tenor of these discussions must, to a large extent, give the cue to the policy of the future. Mr Chamberlain has at least made it clear that, competition in armaments between Britain I and America would be a tragedy, not merely to both nations, but to civilisation, and that it would alwavs be a cardinal feature of the British policy to cultivate good relations with America.

The Coal Strike.

If Cue need he great that Britain and

the dominions strive to cultivate peaceful relations with the other Powers, there is oouai need

: for a peaceful police iy Great Britain's i domestic affairs. Tue news that the coal miners in the Homeland have In a decisive majority determined to continue the strike comes as a severe blow to the hopes confidently entertained that a settlement was within sight. As a result of the decision of the miners Mr I.lovd George has notified their executive of the withdrawal of the Government's £10,000,000 offer; it remains to be seen what the next will be. It is not easy to analyse the reasons which have led the miners to refuse to end the strike, hnt there appears to have been some division of opinion among them. One feature of the voting is said to be the number of abstentions; these are variomlv attributed to disgust at the way the 'n. goti.it ions were handled, to the absom • of any guide to the leaders how to vote, and to a desire to show to the other meniliors of the Triple Alliance that the miners are able to win alone. At the same time,/ there is the ugly fact that the vote taken showed 70 per cent, in favour of the continuance of the strike. There is a gleam of hope in the statement that many of the miners in Nottinghamshire. Warwickshire, and North Wales have decided to ignore the result of the ballot and resume work, hut there is little evidence of tins movement being widespread, but rather the reverse. Indications, unfortunately, point in the other direction, as, for instance, the statement that the miners' executive has decided to request the executives of the various trade unions affected by the wages dispute to confer with a view to taking national strike action to secure their mutual demands. It has been definitely stated that ‘ it was the thought of their own unemployment that” in April last ‘‘held back the executives of the Trip’e Alliance” from declaring a general strike ‘‘when the decisive word had to be spoken.” ‘‘ln the London docks,” says the same authority, “it is doubtful whether much more than a third of the workers are i now in employment. In such an indus- : trial field as this a general ttrike would have been magnificent, but it would not ; have been war. The men would have ! gone into it with sinking hearts, their ; leaders with knowledge of the grave risk | to trade unionism, and the foreboding that it might take years to revive its spirit and replenish its treasury.” Since those words were written the measure of unemployment iii the Homeland has materially increased, and it may at mast he anticipated that the consideration^ | which militated against, a general strike i in April last will still prevail. At the | same time, it lias to bo recognised that | a way out of the existing deadlock Iras l to be discovered and that speedily lest i the dark' and impending clouds of a. social ; revolution burst in Britain and culminate j in chaos.

Unhappy Ireland.

The King ami Quern are going to Helfugt to open the Ulster Parlia-

nirnt. but, .alas, them is no presume that the P.oyaJ visit will brine anv

\ IML V\ ;il in mi.' 1 | tion of strife to unhappy Ireland. There j is a rumour to the effect that the GovemI ment is anxious to utilise the presence i in the Homeland of the dominion Prime Ministers to settle the Irish Question. E nd it lias been proposed that General Smuts, with Viscount Orev, Perl Derby, j and Mr George Barnes should meet an eounl number of members of the Northern and Southern Parliaments armed with full powers to conclude a settlement suhieot to the formal endorsement of the British Government. The difficulties of a settlement are onmnlicated by the continuanre of Sinn Fein outrages and I'ieir extension to Fnaland and more pnilicularlv in and around Txmdon. Moreover, there is a ronflict of opinion as to tlia authorship of some of the more dastardly j out ram s, which are variously ascribed to ; Sinn Fein or to the repris'd policy of tllO ! r-own forces. The interception in I America ~f a consignment of machine guns and ii’nrnit-iops intended for an Trifill port is evidence that, failing a settleI ment. the rebel forces are prepared to I <nrrv on the fight and continue the cam* naign of aggression and murder. An out-

standing difficulty in the way of the newly instituted Ulster Government the financial situation; for in both the North and South of Ireland the new legime commences with a deficit estimated by the “Freeman's Journal” at ten millions sterling. And this deficit is being daily added to by the cost of the maintenance of the military police. dho Irish Question also places difficulties in tne way of a satisfactory Anglo-American settlement, and. all things considered 1 , it is a matter calling for some more effective policy than that of mere repression by force Apart altogether from the lamentable loss of life ami the wanton destruction of property, reported with dreadful iteration, the re can be little doubt that tlio influence cf Great Britain upon the world at large is being perceptibly weakened by her apparent inability to deal with so pressing a domestic question. Of what avail is it for "British statesmen to attempt to settle disturbances in Silesia, to appease the rising tide of conflict between Greece and Jurkey, or even to attempt to adjudicate in her own great domain of India, while Ireland remains a running sore. It might he the best policy if the Irish Question was placed in the forefront of the subjects to be disc-u sed at the Imperial Conference and if the Prime Minister of the Empire decided to secure a settlement in Ireland fcefore proceeding to'discuss anything else. An Auckland Press Association telegram states that the Supreme Court at Auckland was occupied yesterday in hearing an action for libel, in which £IOOO damages are claimed by Green, a waterside worker, against the Watcrsiders’ Federation and others for publication of doggerel verses alleged to reflect on plaintiff. At the meeting of the Taiori River Trust last week some time was spent discussing the opening of boxes on watercourses, and it was eventually decided that after three months from date all boxes wotrld he closed and no water allowed into the drains. Any farmer requiring water for stock wifi have to make his own arrangements by way of artesian wells, etc. This is the jubilee year of the New Zealand branch of the A.M.P. Society. The opening date was the Ist Jn’y, 1871, the business in force at that date totalling £496.790. Mr Joseph Dyer was the first manager. He was succeeded in April, 1377, by Mr E. W. Lowe, under whom the busi- j ness grew to its present large dimensions. Mr Lowe retired from active management in 1917, and is now a member of the New Zealand board of directors. It is worthy of remark in connection with fhe bonus certificates, which will be issued in a day or two, that, notwithstanding the fact that the society was called upon to pay over two and a-half millions for war claims, besides the heavy calls occasioned by the influenza epidemic, the bonuses have repo ined their former high standard, and bid fair to increase still further. On the ICth inst., at Xaseby, before Mr E. C. Lcvvey, S.M., John Fenton was convicted for the third time for failing to destroy rabbits, and was fined the maximum penalty—£loo, with costs. A Press Association message states that the Auckland Presbytery has approved the recommendations of the Assembly’s committee favouring union with the Congregational Church. The Chief Postmaster advises that the mails which left Auckland on May 10 per R.M.S. Makura, via San Francisco, arrived in London on June 13. A Press Association telegram from Invercargill states that Ah Chu, working at Titiroa, came to Invercargill a few clays ago v.ith a cheque for a large sum in his possession. He was admitted to the hospital to-night, badly injured about the face and throat, and in a serious condition. The Chinaman’s friends state that he was attacked by two unknown assailants in E.-.k street last night, garrotted, and robbed of £7O in notes and a. watch. No arrest has been made. It seems to be the lot of visitors to New Zealand to be frightened away from Southland bv the stupidity of northerners, who discuss the climate of this province, and therein display appalling ignorance (states the Southland News). Air \\ illiam Mason, who hails from British Columbia, is the latest victim, and having been in Invercargill for some three weeks now, he is appreciating the joke. “In Auckland and Hamilton,” he toid the reporter, “thev positively scared me with tales of your climate, and i was quite reconciled to finding the place under snow and ice. In fact, I went back to Auckland from Hamilton, intending to winter there, because 1 had just experienced a winter in Canada, and had no desire to run into another. But I found it imperative that I should come south, and you cannot imagine my amazement when 1 arrived in your invigorating climate, which I am thoroughly enjoying.” A Wellington Press Association telegram stated that during the month of May (ho arrivals in New Zealand exceeded tire departures by 439. The follmv.ng extract from one of the numerous letters lately addressed to Mr A. D. Bell has been placed at our disposal.- “ r I hero is j:*<st. now a unique opportunity of the dop.-irfnvnt giving a useful demonstration of how country ran ie cleared of raHlm?. . . I would that Mount Pisa run {now occupied by the Government) be divided up into ;is many blocks us Gi re are rabb.it inspectors in Otago, and 11n:t each inspector be given a block on which to demonstrate his superior knowledge. At the end <>f 12 months any cf an inspect!.r's pi sent, victims to bo allowed to in.-pert the block,” etc. As the recipient remarks in handing us the above unique suggestion, the rest of this correspondent’s proposal can be imagined. We are afraid that a lively recollection of the result of past departmental demonstrations will prevent this interesting experiment in evenhanded justice from being staged for the ?nte: tainment of a ciitical public.

At a conference of representatives of the Mothers’ Union from all parts of the world, held in London last year, it was decided to set in motion a “ wave of prayer.” A chart was drawn up giving the days when each diocese within the Anglican communion should become the spot upon which the thought of all the other parts would be focussed and its needs specially remembered. The wave ” is clue to touch the diocese of Dunedin on July 13 to 16, and for those four days people in all parts of the world will be praying for the church here. It has been arranged accordingly to issue a special call to the women of Dunedin. A mission in the week following the days of prayer will be held in each church in the city and suburbs. An exceedingly well-preserved piece of totara was unearthed when excavating for the heating chamber for the new school at Phillipstown (says the Christcnurch Press). A specimen was shown to a reporter by Mr Penlington, the Education Board’s architect. The totara was found at a depth of six feet below the surface cf the ground and either grew where it was or was brought down by a flood in the Waimakariri, and it is estimated, from the size of tile tree, the diameter being from to 3ft, that it was 400 or 500 years old. The piece shown by Mr Penlington had some bark on it, and the wood itself was in perfect condition, some agency having preserved it completely. The soil in which the tree was found was ordinary si it. The Bathurst correspondent of the Sydney Sun says details have come to light of the case of a resident of Mount M’Donald, Henry Newman, aged 93 years, who made his own coffin and dug; his own grave on his own plot of land, with instructions in his will that there was to be no grave-side or other “service show.” Newman, who was an Englishman, was widely known and equally well-respected. He lived a strictly independent life, but was known to be sympathetic to others in trouble, and was always ready to do a good turn The preparations that he made for his death were carried out in order, as he announced, that “no one should be given any trouble.” The instructions were faithfully attended to.” Mr Justice Giifedder, who went north on Saturday after disposing of Native Land Court business in Southland, has also been conducting- the inquiry ordered by Parliament respecting the claims of Maoris for mutton bird rights in the islands lying off Stewart Island. The rights were reserved in recognition of aboriginal claims to the means of subsistence, and in 1910 all claims made were inquired into and allotments made to certain persons and families. Since then, however, the industry has become of greater importance, and a great many Maoris now claim to be also entitled to a share. The District Superintendent of Agriculture (Mr Snowball) had the unusual experience last week of a few men visiting his office in search of work. The work of the Agricultural Department is, of course, carried on by a permanent staff, most of whom are specialists, and it rarely happens that unemployed labourers seek tor work through the district offices. Work was found, however, for one or two men in the Clutha district-. The secretary of the Otago Expansion League (Mr W. B. Steel) has received through the Hon. W. D. Stewart a letter from the Minister of Public W oiks stating, in reply to representations made by a deputation from the league, that the District Engineer has now (June 11) been instructed to utilise the Beaumoiititoxburgh railway work for the alleviation of unemployment, and it is hoped that substantial progress will be made. At a meeting of the Southland Schools Committees’ Association, held last week, it was unanimously decided to urge upon the Minister the necessity of providing the return asked for by Mr R. Masters, 3.1. P., iu the following terms: —“That there be laid before this House a return showing the number of primary schools for which grants of £15,000 and over have been expended during- the last two years up to August 10, 1920. Such ret urn to show (a) the name of and in which district the school was or is to be erected; (b) in respect to what schools central halls have been approved.” It was also decided that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Minister of Education and also to the Hon. G. J. Anderson, the Hon. J. A. Italian, Mr J. R. Hamilton, M.P., and Mr A. Hamilton, 3.1. P., requesting them to endeavour to have the return furnished. Singular misfortune befel Mr Thomas Jackson, a 70-year-old Kaikoura resident. While rising from the breakfast table he slipped and fell to the floor, breaking a tliigli. Two days later, while he lay in the" Kaikoura Hospital, his wife was found unconscious on the floor of their house. She also was removed to the hospital, ami died there a few hours later. The old couple had lived in Kaikoura for over 40 years. In pointing out at a conference regarding the city’s milk supplies Isays the Dominion) that the farmer had his labour troubles, 3fr F J. Ryder (Otaki) said that the shuremilkers —four men and a boy—on his properly last year drew between £I2OO and £ISOO as their share of the milk cheques. This year, however, they had turned the preposition down as not offering sufficient inducement to stay on. 1 hey were not required to milk by hand, but used machines, which he himself had installed. Another farmer present said that in the Kairanga district one family milking on shares drew £ISOO for the year, and then refused to renew the contract on the same basis. “ Why do they give school children such impossible subjects for composition as: “If King Wiliam 1 came to life and met King George, on what lines would their convei-.sati.m be?’” This question was put to the Auckland Gily Schools Committee at its hut meeting by a vi-iior who waiu-d upon it to advocate a reduction in the amount of homework gi\cu to the pupilattending the city schools. The following letter from Germany has been received by the editor of the “Daily Telegraph,” Sydney, who publishes it under

the heading “Any Applicants?”: “Dear Sir, —You will please excuse the liberty I take in addressing you in the following matter: —On account of the unhappy war, in which more than 1,800,000 Germans lost their lives, a still greater number of young German ladies are deprived of the opportunity to find a husband. This calamity, if I dare call it thus, :r still increased by the fact that, owing to the extraordinary dearness of household furniture and the scarcity of apartments, matrimony lias become a luxury and a privilege of the rich in this country. In their distress, our young , ladies look over to Australia, in- the hope j of finding there the conjugal happiness, for which reason they appeal to all Australian ' bachelors, who cannot find a match over there, and who are desirous to contract matrimony with a well-bred young German lady, to approach them on this behalf. The j linguistic difficulties should be no obstacle, a$ our ladies are mostly acquainted with the English language. The German ladies asked me to be their interpreter in assisting them to find an -Australian husband, for which reason applicants are requested to apply to my address. 1 should feel grate- i ful to you for bringing- this letter to the notice of the readers of your newspaper, and tender you my anticipated thanks.”