Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBRONE, THURSDAY, DEC. 31, 1914 THE PASSING YEAR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13575, 31 December 1914, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBRONE, THURSDAY, DEC. 31, 1914 THE PASSING YEAR.

Many interesting occurrences of the past year have been completely overshadowed by *he greatest war recorded in the world's history. ; Tlh passing of the Home Rule Bill, the strong stand taken by Ulster, the unsuccessful efforts to effect a compromise^ and the intervention of his Majesty the King, in the hope of securing a satisfactory solution, would in themselves form prominent chapters in British history, it seems hard sow to realise that less than twelve months ago there was Teported to be a cTisis in the Obinet over the naval estimates, and that, in connection with the Ulster trouble, I both the Minister for War and General Sir John French handed in .their , resig : nations towards the end of March laßt, whjle the late Lord Roberts had also made a significant intimajtion to the •King on the same subject. The Prime Minister himself took the portfolio of Minister of War, in addition to hiss other, heavy duties, and Sir John French, we all know, has done great service to the nation .by the way in which/ he has commanded the British troop's*. 1 in France and Belgium. Lord JRobertSj ..who had never ceased to urge upon the people the necessity for bejng prepared to defend their; country, died last month, having sacrificed himself to a sense of public^ duty. Time, has proved the value of his counsels, and world-wicte tributes have empliasised the esteem in. which he was held as a great soldier and a man of unhjemished; private life. In the first half of the yeav^ihe suffragettes had created a great' jfeajl^of trouble, and in March it .-was e2(}§£.ted that) £15,000 damagia Jiad' Deeqa^flone to-. pictures, in addition to muclr destruction- by fire and in other

ways. This was one of the political problems that ceased to give trouble directly -the war broke avA. TKe .Mexican revolution loomed laTgely in mWrnational affairs, uhtil tin April thr United States intervened, and the seizure of Vera Cruz took place. "The rival revolutionary leaders are still seeking to obtain control, and stable government has not yet been established,, One of the most sensational disasters of the year was the sinking of the 'steamer Empress of- Ireland in the St. Laurence river, on- May 29. The great iiner was struck by the Norwegian collier Storstad, and sank within a short period, over 1000 lives being lost. Among other shipping disasters was the sinking of the Nantuckqt, after collision with the Monroe, 49 persons perishinjr. Much loss of life vtan caused by storms on the great American lakes, and 'the crushing of a Russian sealing vessel in the ice resulted in the drowning of about 100 men.' When the year opened great snowstorms ■were being experienced in Europe, and about ISO peasants were buried alive in diussia owing to a big -snowstorm. In.. Japan there,,' Ayas^a dJStstrotfs earthquake, followed -bkia most destructive, tidal wave ; ais^another Sicilugi upheaval. Terrifie U, storms in t3«^ Elrig.lish channel, caused numerous wrecks' and loss of life' in February. In the

following month a fierce hurricane i aused the Sea of Azoff to rise 9ft, and 1000 persons were drowned. There have !>een several mining disasters during the year, including one at Fernie, where 200 lives were lost, while the explosion in the Huntly mine caused much sorrow in New Zealand, there being 42 fatalities. Prior to the war there were serious labor troubles^ in different parts of the Empire, and the deportation of the strike leaders from South Africa was a subject of great interest in political and labor circles. The Panama Canal has been one of the great works completed during the year. The deaths of notable persons included those of Pope Pius, Lord Strathcona, Earl Minto, and Mr" Joseph Chamberlain, and, as previously mentioned, Lord Roberts. When, tne news came to hand, in the last days of June, of the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, few people had any conception of the momentous results, or that the deed, revolting in itself, would be utilised as a pretext to force on that war which had ' long been the hbpe of the war lords of Germany.. The events since Austro-Hungary declared war on Servia on July 28, are fresh in the minds of people. On August Ist war .was' declared upon Russia by and the latter invaded Luxemburg. On August 2 German troops, entered French territory at Cirey, and an ultimatum was sent to Belgium. On August 4 Great Britain sent . an ultimatum j#V,^ermany, demanding that Belgiaa^ -neutrality be i spected but the GhfrnJifts attacked Liege, a^J, at. 11 < P,JJtor3s reat ■ Britain declared War upon Germany. A week later '-Great Britain declared war upon Austria-Hungary, an'4* oni August 2" Japan., declared war . upon Germany. How;jbhe war has slowly progressed we all iriow. Germany's long preparations, • enabling such Tapidity of action at the- outset, gave an enormous advantage, and enabled the enemy to overrun poor Belgium, . and get almos' 'within striking distance of Paris. But then came the turn of the tide, and the enemTv has been steadily forced back week^by week. The German navy has been Jfcept bottled 'up, except for a few raiders, and those in the Pacific were effectualy disposed of, after doing much damage, to mercantile vessels. The splendid manner in which the donun-. ions have . responded to the Empire's call' has been one of, the. features of the war, and New Zealand has been doing I her share quietly and- effectively. The closing year finds the grim struggle being resolutely maintained, but so* far we know that the enemy's main designs, such as reaching Paris and forcing a passage to Calais, have Feen foiled, and future developments can- be regarded with great confidence. In New Zealand there is unfortunately a political deadlock at a time when undivided attention should be given to the greater issues ait- stake, and this has been accentuated by the visit to the Dominion of the Prime Minister ot Australia, in the hope 1 of something being done in the way of naval reciprocity, but with political parties so evenly divided it is not likely v that much can be accomplished to advance the object Mr Fisher has in view. AH things considered: the closing year has been one of most momentous in the world's history. The positions won by Britain and her Allies are such that the coming year, can -be looked forward to with great hopefulness. We take the opportunity of swishing our readers

A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW

iJEAH.