CURRENT TOPICS

Southland Times, Issue 17770, 1 October 1914, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

COST OP TUB WAR. ..No war chronicled by history will have devoured such huge sums of money as the present battle of the nations. Writing from Paris on August 17, the Daily Telegraphs correspondent says—"The minimum cost is estimated here by economists at £-100.000,000. The figures given by military writers coincide and agree that about S,500,0(10 men are under arms for land warfare. To these must be added .".40,000 seamen. If Hie Balkan war ear bo taken as an example, the cost of each man mobilised amounts in ]os a. day. This gives about f 1,100,000 daily, or tint’,ooo,ooo monthly. This figure is, however, considerably short of Die mark, because it does not take into account, the maintenance of Die armies and fleets. Tbo German Reichstag authorised extraordinary expenditure to the extent of £250,000,000 to bo obtained by a loan and a. further sum of f 14,000,000 to be drawn on the gold and silver reserve of Die Empire. ft is now well known that Die tax of 5 per cent, on the slock of notes issued by the Reiehshank over and above its reserve in metal has been suppressed. The German Government, will therefore secure Die Joan required by an issue of bank notes uncovered by a reserve of gold and silver. This 'issue reminds one of the avr.igr.ats of the first French Revolution, of which a few samples arc kept as eurieus heirlooms in French families. It is staled here that the Austrian Army on a war footing costs the Empire. fSOO.Ofui a day, but the Austrian, Treasury was emptied by Dm mobilisation during the Balkan wars, which drained Dio fiuancia.l resources of Die Empire for more than a year, mil it is hard to .-re where .Die Austrian Monarchy cart find the £24,000.000 required to keep the Imperial and Royal armies and navy, during the great war just opening. Thu above figures arc probably far short of the reality, and it is therefore difficult to see how Dja Central European Empires can support a lung and arduous war from the financial and economic point of view." MB cm-BCHIEI ,'S ROPt'LARITV . The First I.ord of the Admiralty is the most popular member of the Imperial Government to-day, and some remarkable tributes have been made to Mr Winston Churchill by bis political opponents since the outbreak of war. tine Eondoti newspaper. conspicuous for its bitDf condemnation of Die Liberal Ministers in sea.son and out. has become the First Lord’s warmest champion. "-Mr ('liinvli ill's foresight and decision of character in the assembly of (be Fleet, calling out Die, reserves, Du- appointment of Sir .lolm .lellicoe. and of young admirals are unmatched in Du' history of Die Royal Xavy, 1 it says. "We began all our former wars with old admirals and ended Diem with coung ones.. I have said hard things of Mr Churchill in this column. Today the bitterest of Ids former opponents are, grateful for his masterly grin of Die Mad I tog of Europe.” The officers and men of the Navy, who are Die best. Judges, regard Mr Churchill w itli warm admiration. I Hiring his term of office be has got closer to 11 io real life of (he Navy than any of his predecessors at Whitehall succeeded in doing, and he has sought, efliHeucy with unbounded y.eai. steady determination ami a wholesome disregard for precedents. The Field's Judgment was confirmed abundantly when Die nation discovered at Dm outbreak of war Dial th« whole Navy had been mobilised and maile ready lor instanl service without fuss or Burry during the preceding weeks, and that every squadron and flotilla, was reaily to do its work withont Dm delay of a single hour. ARMED MERCHANT VESSELS. According to Dm Admiralty MnntnlT Orders, issue,] in August, the murther of merchant vessels "armed for self-dc-fem-e" is ;i ft, and four more are eomplftiug. The While Star Line lias H armed ships. D'C Royal Mail Steam Racket. Company )«. Messrs Moulder Bros, two, British ami Argentine Steam Navigation Company three, Die. Wilson Line three. .Federal Steam Navigation two. Shaw'. Savill and Albion Company two. Aberdeen Line three. New Zealand Shipping Company two, Scottish Shire Line one. In relation In the immense, number of Brilisli steamships Die number armed is not imposing. Fnlike Die German armed in ■txha.ni men. Die, object of British armed vessels is u°t that thev should be transformed udo vessels of war for commerce destruction. British armed merchantmen do not fight, unless they are attacked. Tito Waiau is very strong, the recent heavy rains and melting snows ba,ving swollen it considerably (says Die Tuat.aperc Guardian). Good progress is being made with Dm bridge, and men are. now at work cutting down the approach on the town side. In the Mouse of Represcu lat i on Tuesday evening when the Imprest Supply Bill wan under consideration Mr Anderson (Mataura) urged upon Die Government. Die necessity of devising a better tenure for education endowment;; in Southland' so that where feasible the land might, be subdivided and the tenants secured in their improvements. In reply. Hon. .T. Allen (Minister for Finance) stated that a. Bill with this object, would be introduced | this session. i For some considerable time magnifii ecnl spring weather has prevailed at I Queenstown, and it was considered that I winter with all its frost and snow mad been left safely behind, but on Thursday a. change came over Die scene (says the Mnili. Rain set in in the early morning and 'with only slight intermission fell steadily for three days. <ln Saturday it • was accompanied by heavy snow, which j mantled the hills thickly to their base. : In consequence the' temperature foil to I winter register, and til night a severe frost was experienced, ice being once more in evidence. Some quite apparent . damage was done to certain flowering i plants, while it is feared that fruit trees will not have escaped the blightiu* | effects.

The Mayoress (Mrs D. McFarlano) by advertisement iu this issue invites all persons who have flowers to spare, whether living in town or country, to deliver or forward them to the Town Hall on Friday afternoon or Saturday, 'where they will be arranged for sale on Daffodil Day, the .proceeds of which tire to bo devoted to the Belgian Relief Fund. Mr Hum, of the Denbigh Hotel. Fcihllug, lias lilt upon a good scheme for helping the Belgian families who will be sufferers by the war. He has organised u series of rabbit drives for the purpose of securing 1000 rabbits. These will be frozen- free of charge at the Feilding Bacon Factory and sent on to their destination through the Wellington Central committee. The first, drive has been organised for tins week. Another example of the intemperate language frequently indulged in hy a certain loquacious member was given in the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon. Wbat was apparently a reference to these remarks was made some time afterwards by the Prime Minister. "We have got into the habit in lids House." said Mr Massey, "of allowing language to bo used which will one day or other, perhaps, in the not very far distant future, cause a scene whiclt will disgrace the New Zealand Parliament." Bird-trapping in the Ashburton courtly Is being carried out expeditiously (says the Lyttelton Times), and for two weeks a trapper secured 5022 heads, representing a sum of £lk ISs 2d. From April last to date the Ashburton County Council lias paid for 50,18.2 heads, hut this amount shows a decided decrease for tiic same period last year, when 8H,0.".4 heads were received. The number of rat tails purchased by the council numbered 1121. us compared with Ills Blithe same period last year. .Some individuals possessing a debased mind have recently been distlguring the Government huts on Ihe route to Preservation by writing obscene phrases on the walls, and drawing indecent pictures (reports the Tuataperc Guardian). The practice is specially iu view of the fact that tourists, amongst whom may be ladies, visiting these lints not only receive a shock to their sense of decency, but may erroneously attribute the disfigurement to the men in charge. Men aro being enrolled by the local Defence authorities to fill the reinforcement contingent for the Expeditionary Force. Among those who tyave already handed in their names arc several married men and youths under twenty years of age who have obtained their parents’ consent. It is not intended, at present at any rate, that any of these shall he sent forward. At a dairy factory meeting at Arrowtown. says the Press, one shareholder strongly objected on principle, so lie stated, to the action of the directors in donating two cases of cheese to the Patriotic Fund. Tiic "solto voce" argument was continued by the disgruntled one with such vigour that the two other shareholders eventually offered to pay his share of the donation. Tins lie agreed to and stopped the discussion. "Worked out afterwards, this man's share was 7"id, so Ins sponsors are mulcted with Id each. The inerting later ratified thg directors’ action, donated half a ton of cheese, and sang God Save the King. The Greymouth correspondent of the . Lyttelton Times telegraphs that a man prominently connected with the timber industry on the West Coast states that prospects in the timber trade are far from bright. At a meeting of the West Coast Timber Company the other day it was stated that there was only one order from New Zealand, and that was for L’P.PPOfI to h- divided between two mills. Fnless a cuange comes soon the majority of Hi- mills will close down next week or (he following week. The rigid limits of Court procedure tire occasionally set aside in order that, the greatest amount of information concerning particular rases may he obtained, and ,his appeared to he the object in a case before the <’ourt yesterday. One witness was twice re-called, and lie Was on each occasion examined and reexamined minutely and repeatedly hy lounscl. At length his Worship called % halt. "That will do Mr he said, "You have examined four time. and Air has ex'ainined three times." counsel, smiling appreciation at the latitude allowed him. resumed It is seal. A well known Aucklander. writing from Scotland to a friend in that city, said —“Ireland has enr.ie well to tlm front at this time of national crisis, and Imr sons will gallantly sustain tlmii-old-time reputation a-, brave soldiers and patriotic citizen-:. .lohtt Redmond’s declaration th.V. the National volunteers would defend Ireland sent a thrill of pleasure Ihj rmighout Britain." Some idea of the vitpa rat ions made and the stair of public feeling in England as a rcsuM of t ! - declaration of war is given in a M'l-r to Mr .1. A. Barber, of Palmerston North, from his sister at NewrasUc-i.n Tyne. Northumberland. Tito lort.-r is dated August sth. and says—"We r.r<- collecting till the horses iu the country for the soldiers: a number wen’ from here today; X fear the gir's’ hunters will also go. There is no flour to he got. and all provisions arc verc dear. Sugar is 7s per stone to-day in Newcastle. They are filling the chu-Mies with food for the horses, and Ml t,.« people along the sea coast near IV- Tyne have received twenty - four h-mrs" notice in leave their homes —tit- ■>' lonises on the sea front and in a very exposed position." At the end of last week. Major-Gen-eral Sir Alexander Codh sent the. following letter to Air .1. G. Wilson, dominion president of the New- Zealand Farmers' I'nion—"Dear .Mr Wilson.— Before leaving the dominion I loci 1 must write to you on behalf of the expeditionary force to thank you in (heir name for all the support and help that your union have given in connection with the purchase of the horses and waggons, and in various other ways necessary for the departure of the force. I would further like In add ;• line on my own behalf to say how grateful I am to your union for noway in which it has always helped me In the starting of the scheme of universal training. t fe-l very strongly Ilia; the cause of universal training Jtnd the expeditionary force owe a great deal to the farmers of the dominion." At r W i Iso n telegraph*,*.! the following reply—"Many thanks lor your kind appreciatory letter. Any little help we we r ,. able to give you was insignificant in comparison to your splendid work. Compulsory i>.lining is now an accomplished fact. Good luck. Au revoir. ' | By the Remaera. which sailed from j "Wellington early on Friday tnorn-ng for ! London, ill? Navy League despatched a : wreath of flowers and New Z.-ahnul foli- I age (frozen in icei. The Muck of ice. i which weighs severa l hnn-h-, dweigli i. j is to he placed nt the base m Hie Nelson Monument in Trafalgar square m Eon- i don. as a tribute t' l the n-etq..>j-y of the- I great naval hero. Owing to tip- Run.- i peltu having been requisitioned M s a i troopship, the carriage nt the wreath j (says the Dominion) was <l.-!ayod some I weeks: hut special arrangement? are being made to have the wreath exhibited | in Trafalgar square a couple of weeks I after the actual anniversary, and the | cause of the delay explained in the Lon- j don daily newspapers. On former occasions some of the dailies puplished photos of Ihe New Zealand tribute, j which each year attracts a lot of alien- - Don. ,| Speaking on the subject of unemployment in the House on Tuesday, Mr Massey said it was now quite evident that the war would go on into the next English summer. It therefor? behoved the people to settle down to their norma! duties without taking any more notice than possible of the war. If they did that this country would g?l through without much difficulty, because they would get a good price for their products. It was quite, certain that New Zealand would very rapidly recover from the effects of the war—far sooner than most of the other countries concerned. From a business, a commercial. and a financial point of view. New Zealand was in a belter position than Australia. He quoted from a speech by Mr Holman (the Premier of New South Walesi, delivered early in September. showing that it was the intention of the Government them to put all Government employees on half time so lhat double the number of men. could ho kept employed. He (Air Alasscy) sincerely hoped that we would not need lo come to that state of things in Now Zealand. There were many people who, instead of finding fault with their own" country, should thank Providence that they lived in such a fine country as Now 'iceiatid.

In the Police Court yesterday .Frederick Cook was charged that on December 6, ISIS, at Invercargill, he received the sum of ICs from Mrs Adams on terms requiring him to account for saiuo to W. H. C, .lohnston, and that he did fail to do so. inspector Norwood said that the police wore not prepared to go on with the. caso and wished to withdraw the Information. 11 is Worship— You are not going to call evidence. Inspector Norwood—No. His Worship— Then the ease is dismissed. There Is great enthusiasm at present being shown among the Invercargill senior cadet corps, and a good deal of ! healthy rivalry is being displayed. ! Bast evening there were over forty of j them receiving instruction in elub- ) swinging from Sergeant-Major Laffey, ■ this being voluntary both o-t the pari of I (he lads and their enthusiastic instructor. In another part of Ihe Garrison | Hall over thirty lads were being put i through (heir drill by Sergeant-Major Ivimey. These lads had missed a drill and had voluntarily come forward and askc.d lhat a night he set, aside for (hem in make it up, and Sergeant-Major . Ivimey unhesitatingly agreed to grant Hu- request of the lads. "I myself arn no parly man." declared Bishop Averill at a mooting at Auckland. I "I do not know anything of polities as [ politics, but try to vote for the man who j has :i clean reputation and who desires to uplift the people and bring about as ( far as he cart national righteousness, 1 Remember, you and I have a vote, and I we have to record (hat vote. After consulting with our consciences, it is our duly t<> support men and principles which are likely u> honour God and to raise the lone of the people and to strengthen the national character. 1 consider this to he a far greater duty for men and women titan merely to he members of any particular party." "1 wonder do women in New Zealand drink'.’" asked Mrs Philip Snowden, in an address delivered in the Town Hall at, Auckland. The audience laughed, and Mrs Snowden hastened to ask whether she had heea indiscreet in asking such a question. In England, the visitor explained, returns showed a fourfold increase in the number of deaths | from alcoholism among women as eomj pared with men. "Now it was had enough." she added, "when aristocrats drank, and it was worse when Hie working men followed suit, toil it is going to lie worse still if the potential motherhood of the nation is going In follow that had example." It is suspected tiiai there are many German spies in Au.-d ra lia . One of those nearly succeeded in Mowing up Hie Ihnvkeshnry River railway bridge, hy which the north and southern systemsol New Month Wales arc linked. And, although no details have been permitted to lie published, there ere rumours of other | efforts on the part of malignantly-in-clined Germans. No fewer than ISO Germans who refused to take the oath of neutrality arc kept tinder an armed ! guard at a concentration camp some ( miles distant from .'Sydney. Deeply laden with over 22<ui lons of general merchandise the Hnddart-Parker steamer Rivcrina reached Auckland from Sydney a few minutes after noon on Sunday. The vessel had a fine weather passage, and accomplished the disj tnnee of 12Sl miles in three days nineI tern and a-half hours. On Friday a j large sailing ship was sighted, lull site was too far off for her identity to be 'discovered. The I'nion t'ompany's | steamer Wairnna. hound from .Auckland ] to Newcastle, was passed on Saturday t afternoon. while the mail steamer j Marumi, hound for Sydney from Auek- ! land, wai passed near the North Gape during the early hours of Sunday morning. Included in the Rivorina’s cargo are transhipments front the following vessels W'andilla. Barrtimhect, Paloona and Wakatipn. from GommnnwealiU pons; Mooltan. Malo.ia. Otway. Mil(jade.-. Star of Victoria. Dumhea, from British and. Continental ports; Changsha am! Aldenham. from Eastern ports; iand Sonoma, from Saa Francisco. i When the steamer cipawa left London ; on August 1 site quickly became aware I that Hie war cloud was bursting over I the English Channel. 'Pi leaving the j Thames a. lug flotilla of destroyers was | observed putting to son. No merchant I vessels were met, tint every trawler I seemed to tie armed and had the while | ensign flying. 'hue of these armed ; craft rounded up the big. liner and i ordered her into Sundown Bay to disI mantle her wireless aerial while itf> English waters. Several other merchantmen were anchored in ihe Bay. Adj aurally orders were, there backed up by armed authorities. A war vessel train--1 ed a -1. 7-inch gun it. Ihe Opatva and | lain! the latter covered antil Ihe aerials i were dismantled, and thou she was alj lowed m depart for Hie southern seas. 1 The Whakatane was passed before ! reaching Teneriffo. 7N> German ves- ■ spl.; were enconntere-i. Snatches of wireless rntnmiinir.v.inii were occasion- | ally caught on the Opawa, tiad in the I \ ie-■ nitV of the Capo ,f Good Hope a passing message in French sent the ipI ;.l rument ticking. 1 Sports Suits. Tennis Trousers. Golf j Hose. New line..;. Fndrtll's, opp. Cost i Office. x I GOOD Tanas -St rung iron tanks: also [galvanised iron tanks: useful for water tanks, town or eininlrv. .1. S. Baxter, 11,.. A reel. X ! 'iMunson and Beattie's Celt Mats this i-a-eu are decidedly smart. The lav 1111 ri t e Black Bowler Hat in various chapes, from I' l .A to 14 K. are well worth your inspection. Lounge Felt;-, in Greys. Browns, 1.0 vats. Heather, etc., at all prices from k hj to !.’• H. Call and ace them. a Tiic Misses Me Lachlan purpose assisting the British and Belgium relief fond by giving dressmaking lessons for live, Friday afternoons from o'clock in TV. The charge per lesson will he Is, and I the total proceeds will be given to the j fund. j In the International Motor Cycle Race 1 in Spain, run on duty 20. toi.t. u distance of 2a4 kilometres over a very hilly course, the vihratinnless Douglas motor ,-veles scooped the pool. winning first and third places. This is only what the large number of satisfied Douglas . riders in Southland would expect, and j is just a further convincing proof of | their undoubted superiority. As a medium weight motor cycle they aro unapproachable. Free trials arranged. ■WILSON. FRASER. LTD.. Hoe Street, Invercargill. Solo Agents. x Mr Sommerville. ('hemist. says that a j lady came into Ills Pharmacy about ! eight days ago just cu Ihe taunt of cry- t trig, because of corns, and the extremely, j painful condition of her feet. At ‘.he j end of the eight days she came- again 1 to his establishment, hat oa (his oeea- i stop she was all smiles, saying she had • walked quite a long distance and found | walking a pleasure now. AT I who sof- 1 fer with corns may enjoy a, similar ex- | perienee by using SornmervUle.'s Perfect j Corn Cure, which will be posted to any | address on receipt of Is Id.—Advl. The bewitching window displays now ; being made by Brice and Bulieid are : making the well - known corner the chief ; place of resort. Not only are the hullc-t j to be seen thronging the pavement, but mere man is arrested hy the brilliancy | r.f the show, and it is indeed a goodly j right, everything of the newest, and the [ spaciousness of ihe well-appointed win- [ dows add to the ehcartn. Gorgeous ribbons, dainty neckwear, exquisite mtllln- 1 cry. and ready to wear hats, sports coats, [ and costume, crepe and muslin blouses | are to he seen in endless va.riety, and the | beautiful dress fabrics in crepe, voiles, i Balmoral suitings. Quaker cloths, sponge cloths, etc., etc., aro in every conconcelvable shade. There is only one thing tor it you must go and see for yourself the beauties of fashion at Price and Bui- 1 leid’s magnificent palace of commerce, x SYNOPSIS NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. I Or page 1— I Wanted, hoy. | ■Wanted, horseman. On page 4 Sale of silverware plate and jewellery at N. J. At. Rein's. Dee Street. , The standard history of the All Europe Conflict "The Great War," at WesncysOn page 6 Fullers' Pictures ai k. I Lyceum Pictures at S. . j Dress circle tickets for Elijah Choir j concert can now bo reserved, ; Notice re Daffodil Day. Oa page 8— Special entry for Wituon stock sale to-day by N.M. and A. Co.