The Rangitikei Advocate TWO EDITIONS DAILY SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 23, 1918.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11470, 23 February 1918, Page 4

The Rangitikei Advocate TWO EDITIONS DAILY SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 23, 1918.

In The Web,

•MR P. 0. -WEBB, M.P., is again the focal point of a small convulsion. He has been called up for military service at the front, and unless he becomes the recipient of special mercies he will have to go. But the Blackball miners, for reasons quite apart from any help he is likely to give them in hewing coal, seem to be determined to prevent him from doing 'such an uu-Socialistic act as to carry a gun; and one of them has sent the following telegram to the Premier:—(Jopj* of telegram from the secretary Miners’ Union, Blackball, to the Flight Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, Wellington, February Gth, 1D18:—“Blackball miners at stopworkmeeting yesterday demand exemption Webb. Insist on our constitutional rights to choose own representative for Parliament. Will resent any interference by immediate industrial revolt,— (Signed) Balderstone. ”

This is Balderadsh, of course, and the Premier has practically treated it as such. He jioints out that members of Parliament in all British countries have gone to the front, and that, like all others in a similar position Mr Webb must obey the law. So far as Mr Webb is concerned he says that he has not personally sought exemption, but he certainly does not display a raging devotion to military service. He say£ the boys who have returned from the front are asking for exemption for him, and also the fathers and mothers of men away on service and ho is perfectly ready to stay. He is also-ready to abide by tho vote of tiie soldiers now in camp as to whether lie should go or st ly. This is an excellent suggestion for tho unwilling. If the Military Service Board is deaf to their pleas let it be put to the vote of some constituency to bo chosen by the appellaut. f

SOME sapient person once said that

Tiie Hole He Left.

it one wanted to know how much he

would be missed, if by any means ho left the world or his job bo could ascertain it by dipping las linger in water, withdrawing it again and contemplating the hole. Sir W. Robertson is looking at the hole he has made by throwing up 1 1 is command. In a sense he has, perhaps, acted honourably in leaving his command if he found himself unable to acquiesce in the new

order of things. But it is evident that the whole of the Allied Governments, including that of America, had resolved to effect the change, and it will appear to most people that Sir W. Eobertson placed an exaggerated estimate upon his own wisdom, and, perhaps, upon his own importance. It appears to us that he has been made the victim of the political clique which has been led by Mr Asquith and one or two prominent papers at enmity with Mr Lloyd George. They probably played him off against the Government in endeavouring to prevent the inclusion of the British army in a general command, and imagined that Mr Lloyd George would not dare to dismiss such a popular and able soldier. They have failed and have apparently deserted him and he drops back to an inferior position. A grpat career has been sacrificed to a fad .

IT was stated a few days ago that Lord Northcliffe had been

German Silver.

appointed Minister of Propaganda. What are his duties? It is just possible that he is going to issue, not exactly the truth for the confusion of the Hun, but a, presentable alloy. Being a newspaper man he knows how to mix it. It would scarcely be , a matter for surprise if we did have a

kind of Ananias office for the purpose of spreading suspicion'of each other among our enemies, seeing how [successful such a campaign may be. It would be in accordance with the progress in wickedness in which the Hun has led us during the war. When the Germans shocked the world with [[tire use of gas we averred that we would never stoop to such savage and uncivilised methods of warfare. But we did. We have beaten them at it. Similarly, when they used liquid flames, we thought it unthinkable that we should descend so low as to follow their example. But many a partially cooked German can take his oath that we actually outdid them in that lino. So we lifted our hands in holy horror when people talked of reprisals on German towns for Gorman bombing of British towns. But we came even to that. Is it possible that by spreading statements with as much truth in them as there is flour in German war bread we shall drop to the moral plane of the Kaiser?

Church services are advertised as usual.

The report of the Kiwitea County Council will appear on Monday.

Tho Plunkefc Nurse will visit Marton on Monday, February 2ath.

A weclomo awaits the people of Marton at the Army meetings as inserted over tho leader for to-mor-row.

To-day is tho last' day for receiving entries for the Marton District A. and P. Show, which will be held on (sth March.

At a public meeting hold at'Wellington last night, it was decided to make an effort to raise a sum of £2n,(!(10 in Wellington and suburbs for “Rod Triangle Day.’’

A patrioic concert will be given in the Kakariki Hall next Thursday night ~by the Kakariki Glee_Club.

Tho proceeds will be for the Soldiers’ Comforts Fund. „ The Glee Club lias been practising Assiduously for some time and a very good programme will be given. A dance will follow the concert.

The Defence Minister states that lie lis.s teceived tho finding of the second court of inquiry set up to investigate certain questions regard ing Colonel Patterson and Major OsDorue Lilly in connection with the escape of tho German prisoners from Motuihi. Sir James Allen says there will not bo any court-martial proceedings as the result of the inquiry.

To-morrow at S. ' ndrew’s Presbyterian Church, Marton, will he Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday. Special addresses will be given. The morning subject will be “The Opeuhauded God.’’ The evening subject will be “The Uureaped Corner!’’ A Thanksgiving collection will be taken up at both services and this -will be devoted to a very special object. Harvest Thanksgiving will be observed in the Tutaenui Church the following Sunday.

The idea that shell shock at the front is responsible for many cases of insanity is without foundation Mcu have returned from the front who have had to be confined in men til hospitals, but many of these would have fallen victims to mental disease even without going on active service. It is note-worthy that since tho war began 4a soldiers have been received into the mental hospitals from the camps as against 44 returned soldiers. There are at present remaining in the institutions. 2B soldiers from the camps and 27 returned soldiers.

Mrs Timmins of Bulls, has received the following letter from GhaplainS. Parr:—“ln the field, November 20th, 1917—Dear Mrs Timmins, —I regret to tell you that your brother, Rifleman W. E. Young, 20099, was killed in action on the 12th October. Please accept my sincere sympathy. He was one of the old 'hands, and we were very sorry to lose him. So far as I have discovered, death was very sudden. He was hit by a machiuec gun bullet and died almost immediately. He is buried on Passchendaele Hill, Belgium.’’

Fruit is dirt cheap at present, but shortly we will be complaining of the awful cost of a two pound tin of preserved fruit 'or a pound of imported dried fruit. At present you can buy Williams’ con Christian pears —no better pear known for tible or bottling—at 3d lb from 12 lbs and upwards; peaches, choice dessert, (is case, about 21bs; the very best table tomatoes, 4d lb, 241bscase 6s. for sauce 4s to 5s case; French beaus, choice young, the simplest of all vegetables to preserve, 12lbs for 2s 6d. —J. B. Barrington, Marton. *

A great irrigation scheme is nearing completion in the Rivenna district of New South Wales (says the Melbourne “age.”) In another twelve months or so the whole of the flow of tbo Murrumbidgee river will be harnessed and _ made •available for the purpose of intense culture, 'I he great Burinjuck dam has already piled up the Murrum bidgee w’aters into an immense inland sea. Miles of irrigation channels are conducting them on to fruitful soils, and in their wake (all within the past few years) prosperous townships have been dotted over the countryside. But the Burinjuck dam is hardly finished. There is yet a deal of masonry and upper reinforced concrete to lay in place, and it is expected that eighteen months will elapse before it will be able to deal, as planned, with the whole of the Murrumbidgee catchment. When it does, the vast inland sea it is forming will carry a stupendous amount of water—roughly, 33,000,000,000 cubic feet, or a greater volume than is contained in Sydney harbour.

“Everyone should cultivate a hobby—if it is ;onlygpaying their debts, ” said some wag. But they can’t have any grocery debts to pay if thev trade with Hodder and Tolley' of this town, who buy for cash, and sell for cash, and whose groceries therefore are the best values.*