The Otago Witness.

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 40

The Otago Witness .

WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (TUESDAY, JULY 24. 1923.) THE WEEK. "Kontjnam allnd natura, allu<3 aapientia dixit.* —JovesaU. "Good nature and good sease must ever join."—■ Itn. At the conclusion of tire Armistice a letter of farewell was addressed to The Le Quesnoy the New Zealand Division by Memorial. Lieutenant-GeneiM eir yM. Harper, commanding tne IV Corps, in which the General placed on record his appreciation of the “valuab.e services” rendered by the New Zealanders, and thanking “all ranks for the magnificent lighting qualities which they ha\e invariably displayed.” Alter rehearsing the special services of the New Zealand Division from “the critical time when it joined the IV Corps, oii JMarch 26, 1918, General Harper wrote : “finally, cu the 4th November, the Division, oy an attack which did much to decide the finish of the war, forced the surrender ot the fortress of Le Quesnoy and drove the enemv back through the foiest of Marina I, the total captures by the IV Corps on that dav amounting to 3500 prisoners and some 70 guns.” In remembrance of this feat ot arms the inhabitants of Le Quesnoy have unveiled a memorial in honour of the New Zealanders, Marshall Jotire and General Collyns, of Belgium, attendin or the ceremony, the unveiling being performed bv Lord Milner. Sir James \llen, representing the Dominion, dwelt on the necessity of strengthening the Anglo-French friendship, and the Mayor of Le Quesnoy voiced the sentiment uppermost in every heart, when he exclaimed, “We will never forget. ’ With the close approach of the ninth anniversary of the outbreak of the Great War, such incident as the Le Quesnoy Memorial render unthinkable anything of the nature of an Anglo-French estrangement, and it is well to recall an incident which goes far to cement together the people of France and the fighting men of New Zealand. Close upon nine years ago lon August 25, 1914—Le Quesnoy fell into the hands of the Germans during the retreat from Mons. Dunns the process of the retirement of the British Expeditionary Force, the 3rd Division took the western route by Le Quesnoy and Solesir.e. Lord Finest Hamilton writes: “At Le Quesnoy the cavalry, thinking that the enemy’s attentions were becoming too pressing' dismounted and lined the embankment, which offered line cover for men and horses. From here the Germans could be plainly seen advancing diagonally across the fields in innumerable short lines, which the cavalry fire was able to enfilade and materially check.” The check, however, was only momentary, the German advance swept in and Le Quesnoy remained in the hands of the enemy until its deliverance by the New Zealanders more than feur years later. How that deliverance was effected is told simply yet forcefully by Lieutenant Byrne in his History of the Otago Regiment. He writes : “A British assault launched on the first day of November (1918) culminated in the capture of Valenciennes to the north, and withdrawals along the Le Quesnoy-Valenciennes front. They followed the announcement that the First, Third, and Fourth British Armies, with «n overwhelming strength in men and guns, were to deliver a combined attack over a front of 30 miles, extending from the Sambre River in the south, near Oisy, to Valenciennes in the north. The curtain was about to be rung down on the closing scenes of the great drama. The New Zealand Division, in conjunction with the 37th Division on the right, and the 67th Division on the left, was to establish itself on the line Franc a Lower Herbignics Tons Vents: and if opportunity offered was to exploit success through the Forest de Mornial and towards the Sambre River. The citadel town of Le Quesnoy was not to lie attacked directly: but troops moving north and south were to form a flank which would encircle the ramparts.” Lieutenant Byrne goes on to mention that the front‘over which the Thu New Zealand Division was N»w Zealand to operate was approxiAssault. mately 2500 yards wide. A considerable portion of that frontage was occupied by Le Quesnoy, and the town was only 600 yards from the starting point of the operations. The town was surrounded by a great double moat and rampart, and this, while it presented a serious obstacle to the assaulting infantry, afforded little protection for the enemy against modern artillery. Owing, however, to the presence in the town of a large French civilian population, the German garrison was deemed secure against artillery bombardment. “The decision arrived at,” says Lieutenant Byrne, “was that the artillery barrage should search the ramparts only for a period of fifteen minutes, and then cease on the western and north-western faces, while patrols pushed forward in an endeavour to ascertain if the town was still occupied, and, if so, in what strength.” The opening stage of the attack was entrusted to the 3rd (Rifle) Brigade and the second stage to the Ist Infantry Brigade, and in the event ot the operation proving successful the 2nd Infantry Brigade was to take up the running. Lieutenant Byrne describes the result in the following words: At 5.30 a.m. on November 4, the artillery of three armies, massed in preponderant weight over a front of 50 miles, broke out in thunderous barrage ; behind this avalanche of destructive force advanced the thousands of indomit-

able infantry. The vast complicated machinery of attack was in motion. The assaulting troops of the New Zealand Division met with almost instant success. Converging from right and left, they had at an early hour completed the environment of Le Quesnoy and its enemy garrison. Thereafter the advance swung ahead as an operation distinct from that which aimed at the capture of the town. An endeavour was made by the surrounding force of the 3rd (Rifle) Brigade to force an entrance to Le Quesnoy; but this method of attack was found to be impracticable against the heavy fire of machine guns directed from the shelter of the ramparts. In the early afternoon a German prisoner was sent into the town to inform the garrison that they were surrounded and calling on them to surrender at 4 p.m. A Stokes shell bombardment was placed along the northern ramparts. It was then that the enemy fire practically ceased. Half an ho »r later parties of New Zealand troops entered Le Quesnoy by the Porte der Valenciennes, and the capture of the town and the dramatic surrender of the garrison of over 700 of the enemy, officers and men followed. This had proved a clay of extraordinary success for the New Zealand Division. The net results of its operations had been an advance of ever six miles, the capture of Le Quesnoy, Roinpaneou, Villerau, Potelle and Herhiguies (thereby liberating many French civilians) with nearly 2000 prisoners, over 70 howitzers and field guns, many cf them complete with gunners, drivers and horses, and a formidable tally of machine guns and trench mortars. Seven days after the fall of Le Quesnoy came the declaration of the The Armistice armistice; in the interval and After. the New Zealanders exploited the brilliant success of Le Quesnoy by pushing the attack on Mornial Forest. “There was a certain amount of shelling over this area,” writes Lieutenant Byrne, and among the wounded was Rev. F. J. Tipler, who at the present time is is charge of the Presbyterian Church at Rcslyn, Dunedin. “The enemy resistance,” says Lieutenant Byrne, “encountered during the deep advance through Mornial Forest had been more remarkable for its surprise possibilities than for its stubbornness ; but the density of the undergrowth, the persistent rain, the heavy crashes of artillery fire among the tall ' trees; and the great distance covered, made the operation an exhausting one. But its success was decisive and complete; and as the last offensive action of the World War in which the Otago Regiment was engaged, it represented a fitting climax to the gallant and enduring service performed by those who had travelled down the long, hard road to victory.” Relieved by the 42nd Division, the two battalions of the Otago Regiment returned through the forest to Le Quesnoy, and here they had news of the armistice, where it was “received by the Regiment without demonstration or outward sign of enthusiasm.” The declaration, Lieutenant Byrne records, “first h c ime 1 no.vii 1 1 tie general number of troops through the civil population of Le Quesnoy, who, in the early hours of the morning were heard excitedly repeating the news along the streets. But in strange contrast to the extraordinary demonstrations in other parts of the World, there was barely a shout from the billets, except, perhaps, as a protest against so much noise ; and the weary soldier with a sigh of relief as after a task well done, turned over and went to sleep again.” Lieutenant Byrne also recalls the fact that on November 10, 1918—the dav before the armistice, M. Poincare visited Le Quesnoy, and was received by the crowd and military population with demonstrations of extraordinary enthusiasm. The Otago Regiment contributed to the guard of honour accorded to M. Poincare. The tributes paid to the memory of the late Sir William Fraser Sir William attest eloquently to the Fraser. respect and esteem in which the deceased gentleman was universally held. As a man, as a citizen, and most notable of all, as a politician, he maintained the highest ideals; he represented a type of public man which, unfortunately, the present time rarely produces. He was essentially one of the old guard, and his term of public service, extending over a period of more than 30 years, makes a magnificent record. Sir William Fraser represented Wakatipu in Parliament from the date of his first election, in 1893, until his retirement some four years ago. At the time of the financial crisis in the Dominion, when the Bank of New Zealand was forced to ask the Government for assistance, Mr ]■ raser rendered valuable assistance and, indeed, his advice was often asked in matters of weighty finance. Sir William Fraser and Mr Massey have been Cabinet colleagues virtually from 1912 up to the date of his death, and the Prime Minister mourns the loss of an old and faithful friend. Sir William Fraser has gone to the grave full of years and crowned with honour, and lie leaves behind him a record which should be a stimulus to service on the part of the rising generation.

The police received word late on Wednesday nig-ht that the death hud occurred, on the Little Barrier Island, of a man named Wiedman (states an Auckland Press Association telegram). In order to investigate the circumstances it was thought advisable to send down a party of officers. They left by launch at 4.30 a.m. on Thursday, but have not returned. The information received came through telephone from the owner of a launch, who stated that lie had railed at the islands and had been asked by the caretaker to notify the police that a man staying on the island had died, and that he had buried him.

Ihe election of two parents’ representatives on the Board of Governors of the Waitaki High Schools, Oamaru, is attracting more than local interest, owing no doubt to the fact that boarders attend these schools from all parts of the do minion. Iha thrae candidates nominated for the two vacancies are Dr Douglas, a well-known local surgeon, Mr E. P. Lee (until recently M.P. and a Cabinet Minister), and the present chairman of the board (Mr James Mitchell), who at present represents the Otago Education Board on the Board of Governors, having been re-elected to that position at the beginning of this year. The election closes on Wednesday next. A Press Association message from Christchurch states that the delegates to the Municipal Association’s conference were entertained at luncheon on Friday by the Christchurch City Council. Mr J. A. Flasher (the Major of Christchurch), who presided, said they had just concluded what he termed the Municipal Parliament of New Zealand. If thej' were only able to give Parliament an example of how to put through business it would be better for the country. —(“Hear, hear.”) In 12 hours, spread over the two days, they had dealt with 150 items. At an acrimonious meeting of shareholders cf the Waikato Shipping Company (reports a Hamilton Press Association telegram) it. was decided to go into liquidation, Mr A. English being appointed liquidator. It was shown that the steamer France, which was the cause of the company’s ruin, cost over £28,000. When sold, without having been put into use, she realised only £4OOO. Ten bankruptcies, of which number seven were in the North Island, were notified in last week’s issue of the New Zealand Gazette. The local police received on Sunday a message from Constable Murphy, of Alexandra, stating that the body of a man had been found in the Molyneux River at about 2 o'clock that afternoon. It was found by a prospector about three miles below Alexandra, and has not so far been identified. The body- had apparently been in the water about two months, and is judged to be that of a man about 40 years of age. He is further described as 6ft in height, of strong build, square-jawed, clean shaven, with dark hair and good teeth. He was wearing a black serge suit and tan boots and carried a gold watch chain with a wristlet watch on one end and a silver watch case on the other. The body was removed to Alexandra. During a lecture in Wellington last week an experienced traveller said that “at Mount. Cook Hermitage the Alpine scenery excels that cf Switzerland itself.” At the present time skis, skates, and toboggans are the order of the day on the gentler slopes of Mount Cook. Visitors recently returned from “the valley of the cloud-piercer” are enthusiastic over the attractions of Mount Cook as a winter holiday resort. Brilliant sunshine and the clear, dry atmosphere utterly destroy’ any suspicion of extreme cold. The glacier lakes are frozen hard, and offer ideal skating surfaces; snow has fallen in sufficient quantity to ensure safe and enjoyable skirunning; and the tracks t-o favourite points of vantage are now easily negotiated. The read from Timaru is said to be in excellent condition, and cars experience no difficulty whatever in getting through to the Hermitage. The weather in the Central Otago highlands has (our Lauder correspondent writes) been very rigorous during tile last month, gnaw is lying from Omakau and Matakanui along the Dunstan and Hawkden Ranges through Cambrian, St. Bathans, Wedderburn, and Naseby from 6in to 14in deep. r lhe frost has been exceptionally severe this winter. Thirty degrees of frost was registered one night at Hills Creek, and the temperature has frequently been within a degree or two of zero. Farm work is largely at a standstill except the feeding of stock. Sheep farmers in the district say that at present there is no reason for undue anxiety concerning the hill sheep. Very few are snowed up, and there are many sunny faces on the mountains clear of snow. In these days of provincial rivalry it is refreshing to find that a spirit of goodwill still exists in some quarters. In view of the fact that Nelson fruitgrowers have been distinctly unfortunate in the results of their London shipments of apples this season, whereas Otago has fared much more favourably, the following letter, received by Mr H Turner from the Moutere Hills Fruitgrowers’ Union, Mapua, Nelson, under date July 16, will be much appreciated by Otago shippers of apples:—“Mr H. Turner, Dunedin. —Dear Sir, —At a large meeting of this union, held on Saturday, I was instructed to forward you a. copy of the following motion, which was carried unanimously -.—‘That this meeting offers its heartiest congratulations to the Otago growers on the good prices they obtained for their apples on the London market this year and wishes them equal good fortune in corning years.’- Yours faithfully, (Signed) \Vm. Benzies, Hon. Sec.” Needless to say, Mr Turner has suitably acknowledged the communication on behalf of Otago growers. Two little children named Brosnahan, aged about eight and 10 years respectively, were reported on Saturday evening to the police to be missing from their parents’ home. Several constables were despatched to search for the children, and as time wore on and no trace could be found of the little ones the superintendent of police communicated with the students of Knox and Selwyn Colleges and with the Y.M.C.A. Boy Scouts, and the request for volunteers was promptly and generously responded to. The children were discovered on Sunday morning at Ravensbourne, and though they were in a very grimy condition they were apparently none the worse for having spent the night in the open. The police speak very appreciatively of the ready help rendered by the bands of searchers mentioned, who kept the search up all night.

Fresh legislation bearing on the rating powers vested in electrification boards has j been occupying tho attention of Mr A. IV. Rodger (chairman cf the Southland Board) J in Wellington. Mr Rodger informed a Daily Times representative that it was intended to introduce a more equitable scheme thin was in operation. Once the measure becomes a fact the Southland Board intends to push on with the electrification of the province in a vigorous way. fn the meantime it is contenting itself with linking up those consumers who are near to the town’s source of power.