CURRENT TOPICS

Southland Times, Issue 17470, 26 March 1915, Page 5

CURRENT TOPICS

THK GERMAN' SPIRIT. An American writer, who claims to know Germany well and whose sympathies are thoroughly British, deals with the question “Can Germany Win?" Ho docs not believe she can, but he considers that danger lies in underestimating the German spirit. Tie says: ‘‘Do not. therefore., for your own sakes, misunderstand or mistake the spirit of the German people at tills time. Germany is not an unwilling nation being flogged to war. Sbo has set out with the spirit of the conqueror, and sho la confident that she will win. And she will pursue this object unflinchingly with ruthlossnesa and cruelty, and with methods of sclentltlcally-propured and logically-cultivated barbarism, of which there is already ample evidence. That she will win in the long run, even by these moans. T do not believe. But the struggle will ho longer and more bitter than you think. The great factor, which in England is strangely overlooked, or— It not completely overlooked most Ignorantly and negligently under-rated, Is tlie present spirit of the German people. To me it is amazing that a race, commonly so well informed as the English, should he so hopelessly without knowledge on tills most essential point. This may he a harsh thing to say. hut if mv maimer is blunt, my intent Is friendly. The English will have to learn the truth on this point sooner or later, and they may learn it more unpleasantly than from a few straight words of mine. The spirit of the German people la a mighty force which must be faced.” The attention of music-lovers Is directed to the programme of tho Hibernian Band concert which will be held in the Theatre to-night. Tickets have gone oft freely, and a good house should be the result. A picnic and gift auction at Lepperton (Taranaki), netted about £3OO for tho Belgian relief funds. About 1.30 p.m, yesterday the Fire Brigade was called upon to subdue a small fire In the outbuildings to tho rear of Mr Adamson’s house, Spey street. The timely arrival of the brigade prevented tho fire reaching tho house, although the washhouse was completely destroyed. It is understood, states a Wellington telegram, that the advisory committee •who went through the names of applicants for the position of Government war correspondent have recommended two from whom the Cabinet will make tho final selection. A party of Territorials recently returned from Samoa arrived in Invercargill by the first express yesterday, with Lieutenant Christophers in charge. The party consisted of Lieut. Christophers, Sergeant C. Barry, Lance-Corporal Tangney, and Sappers Knight and Couling. Sapper Davidson left tho party at Gore. All seemed in excellent health and expressed pleasure at being again in Invercargill. According to opinions expressed to a Clutha Leader reporter at the last stock sale, the suggested horseflesh trade with Belgium finds little favour with the majority of Clutha farmers. It was roundly condemned, and one farmer, Whose opinion on all subjects carries a good deal of weight, was quite sure that the farmers who approached Sir Malcolm on the subject were neither in numbers nor Hie measure of common thought representative of the district. The two Germans who escaped temporarily from Somes Island on Wednesday by swimming to the mainland state that their escapade was intended to draw attention to the treatment accorded them by the Defence authorities. Inquiries made In official quarters do not suggest that the men had any legitimate cause for complaint. The aliens on Somes Island are prisoners of war as far as International law is concerned. They are well fed and comfortably housed, and the Defence authorities arc fully entitled m )mt them to work within reasonable limits. War prisoners in Germany arc being worked very hard indeed according to reports received In London. The escapees were working on a road on Somes Island, and it docs not appear that their toil was over arduous, Eor some years there lias been in existence a picture Allowing a pleasure boat on the Run! Creek, hot by many tlie photograph is considered to ho a ■ fake’ so small is their opinion of the navigable limits of (lie stream. The popular belief that ttie stream is not navigable was given a denial last evening, when a party of small boys launched a coracle on the reach extending through No. 3 reserve. They paddled down tho stream and all went well until a rival gang descended upon them and Inaugurated a fusilade of rocks, suggesting the dangers of the passage of the Dardanelles, save that there was no reply from the water. At length a parly effected a landing and gave chase, and the charge disappeared in the distance, while it single small hoy remained In I lie coracle. Some Clutha farmers, spoken to by a Clutha Leader representative on Friday regarding the prohibition of oat exportation. took a broad \iew of the Government's action. They said that it was hard luck for southern farmers that the prohibition was only enforced now. when the crops there and In Southland were just being garnered, while the earlier Canterbury farmers had already S'-nt, out their oats to a market not restricted by the embargo; but one said. “The men at the head of affairs know how much there is and what the country will need far better than we do, and if the statistics show that the amount down would Just be enough for New Zealand, then the Government was quite right in doing as it Imd done. We will not ho so badly off, anyway.” The opinion is expressed that it is from the merchants and middlemen, who have been anticipating market prices, that most of tlie complaints against the Government's action now emanate, and not tlie growers of tlie oats. Tlie Land Office al Timarn was besieged on .Saturday with people inquiring for land, applications closing for the Teschcmaker. Finlay Jtowns, Killhoro, and Copland .Settlement allotments. These subdivisions comprise extensive areas of fertile agricultural country, situated in the Olaio district, which is a part of South Canterbury well known for its productiveness. The Tcschernaker Estate, of I!liJT> acres, has been cut up into 13 holdings; Finlay Downs, of 3113 acres, live holdings; Hillhoro Estate, of approximately 692 acres, three holdings; and the Copland Estate, of 610 acres, two sections. Over 400 applications have been received for these settlements in Timaru, 330 of which were made on Saturday. The applicants hailed chiefly from South Canterbury and North Otago, The usual examination and ballot was to take place at Timaru yesterday, when tho proceedings were expected to arouse keen Interest. Sneaking to a Daily Times representative, nn officer of the department stated thut. even In Timaru. there was a big demand for maps, and a general Inquiry concerning the Omaruma Run In Otago, A good deal of Interest was also being centred nn the Glenmark Estate, in North Canterbury, which was expected to he thrown open fur selection next month or In May.

A Stratford telegram states that the ratepayers by a large majority decided in favour of a proposal to borrow £9OOO for the erection of new municipal buildings In place of those recently destroyed by fire. In the course of a speech at tho annual meeting of the Invercargill district of tho Boy Scouts' movement last night Dr Ritchie Crawford, District Commissioner, stated that an idea of the extent of the movement could be gleaned from the fact that there were over 300 officers and non-commissioned officers in the movement in Southland. A Gazette Extraordinary, Issued yesterday, contains an Order-ln-Councll which sets out that in view of the German blockade no merchant vessel which sailed from a German port of departure after March 1 should be allowed to proceed on her voyage. Every vessel currying goods with an enemy destination or origin may be required to discharge such goods at a British or Allied port, and any person Interested In such goods (not being contraband) placed in custody of the marshal of tho Brize Court may issue a writ against the proper officer and apply for tho restoration of the goods In accordance with tho practice and procedure of tho Brize Court. In tho Magistrate's Court yesterday judgment was given for the plaintiffs in tho following undefended civil cases:— ,1. A. Mitchell and Cp. v. Patrick Hogan (VVairlo). for £s 'Ss tid, costs 31s 6d: J. D. Campbell v. Jas. Ackers (Invercargill), for £6 7s. costs 23s 6d; 11. Leelo v. B. Allen (Invercargill), for £8 19s 9d, costs £1 3s 6d, In the judgment summons case of J. S. Grieve v. J. S. Ferguson, the plaintiff stated that defendant was in the employ of the N.Z. Bine Co. and was earning 9s 6d a day. The defendant admitted that he was earning 9s 6U a day but had a good deal of lost time to make up. He was willing to pay the debt by instalments. The judgment was varied so that debtor was ordered to pay £1 a month. The Wellington Hospital Board, with the idea of securing a reliable source of milk supply for the hospital and other institutions under its control, has been negotiating for the purchase of a farm (says a Press Association telegram). One was secured and the purchase practically completed at a cost of something like £BOOO, hut at a meeting of the Board yesterday the chairman announced that the Minister for Public Health/ refused to sanction Us purchase unless the scheme was submitted to the contributing local bodies for approval. The Board will hold a further meeting to consider the matter. A ballot was held at the Wellington Land Board office yesterday for section lii, block 18, with an area of 633 acres in Hikarewa Settlement, about 13 miles from Martlnborough. Nearly 300 applications were examined anti finally lIS went to the ballot, the successful one being Janet NR-hol, of Martlnborough. As an Indication of the productivity of the Northern Territory, the Administrator. Dr Gllruth, when in the McDonnell Ranges some eighteen months ago, was struck with the fact that certain tracts near Alice Springs showed indications of a good water supply 10ft to 15ft below the surface. He instructed the constable in charge to cultivate a small urea with wheat and lucerne. Samples of the crop have reached the Administrator, who Is in Melbourne. The wheat has a tine straw and goodquality grain, while the lucerne grew to a length of 2ft. The crops, according fo the report, were grown entirely without rain or artificial watering from the time they were sown to the time they were reaped. Dr Gllruth stated recently to a Sydney reporter that tlie result of this experiment is an illustration of the fertility of at least a portion of the Territory. He proposed to make a further examination of the country In tlie same area, in regard to its potentialities for producing cereals and root crops. Donations gladly received by Mrs Lee Cowio for literature distribution, and placard and poster week. £IOO Is needed.—Advt. Tour winter outfit, underwear, shirts, raincoat, etc. Get it now while prices are down. L’ndriU's, opposite Post Office. x The new coatings that Thomson ami Beattie. Ltd., opened ex s.s. Tainul, Include the favourite nap cloths in a range of colours; also new chock and tartan coatings from 4s I Id to 0s I Id per yard. Those are selling freely and like all blanket coatings, cannot be replaced, x Groceries of high standard can he had at remarkably low rates for prompt cash at Baxter's. Doe Street. x The horse suffers from numerous ailments, practically all of which can be traced to one or two causes. We have devoted considerable time to the study of the diseases of stock, and we have no hesitation In stating that our remedies are without a peer in their curative properties. Not only have our medicines for the stable obtained renown: our linimeuts, too, have won the favour of sludmasters and the good groom. We solicit your enquiries. Our experience in diagnosing troubles is always at your command. Wo make a .specialty of attending to postal orders. —R. Summerville, Chemist and Eyesight Specialist, Dee street, Invercargill. —Advt. Tou can get a Suit Bargain for your Boy it you make sure you shop at The Economic Outfitters, 60 Dee street. x A marljr to Rheumatism, Gout. Sciatica or Lumbago is to he much pitied—and yet he can easily be cured. His illness is flue to excess uric acid in the blood, and tills must be removed before a permanent cure can be obtained. Many sufferers fly at once to plasters and liniments because they obtain temporary relief —but they can get no real benefit until the cause is removed. RHEUMO Is tlie only successful remedy for uric acid troubles, for it rids the system of tlie cause of the trouble. RHEUMO has cured thousands and it will cure you. Buy a bottle to-day. Of all chemists and stores. 3/S and 4/6. 93 There is no lack of choice in the charming selection of Ladies' Ileady-to-ivear Hats that an; now showing in Messrs Brice and Bulleid's window and snow rooms. The colours 'are superb, the styles chic and variety endless. Velvets, Satins, Fells, etc., comprise the largest portion of this exhibition and the untrlmmed varieties are represented principally in velvet and felt. Matrons’ Bonnets, Toques, etc., are also showing in Silks and Velvets. Sports Coats in new styles have just arrived in a variety of colours and mixtures. These are entirely different to any others that have been previously received, and we should like to show them to you. Brice and Bulleld. x SYNOPSIS NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. On page 1— Lost. hike. Found, calf. Wanted, hoy. Wanted, youth. Wanted, general. Wanted, mill hands. For sale, chaffciittcr. Wanted, farm hands. To let. furnished house. For sale, English piano. Wcsneys' sale for bargains. Tenders called for bungalow. Money to lend by B. A. Vyner. Wanted to rent, furnished house. Visit A, Noble’s, Dee street, for Easier wedding gifts. On pag« 2 Sale of Scott's stock commences on Saturday morning—Address Den street. On page 5 Fullers' Pictures. Zealanclia Hall, 8. Lyceum Pictures, Lyceum Hall, 8. Continuous Pictures, Spey street, 2*7 “Babes in the Wood" in theatre on .March 31. Notice lo mounted regiment National Reserve re parade. Grand bazaar Myross Busli School today at 3 p.m. Meeting Southern Cross Royal Arch Chapter to-night at 8. Goldfields Sports Circuit duripg Easter holiday*. Excursion rates to Stewart Island per Theresa Ward. Annual meeting Southland Rugby Union to-night at 8 in Allen’s Hail. On page 3 Dipton stock sale on Monday, March 29