TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 21000, 5 February 1930, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

The astronomical clock in the door of Munster’s ancient cathedral, of whose mechanism only a part has been in operation for a century, is to be completely restored for the German Catholic Congress at the end of next August. This clock, one of the most remarkable masterpieces of its kind in the world, was constructed in the years 1540 to 1545 to take the place of one destroyed by the Anabaptists. It originally set in motion an orrery with sun, moon and five planets; the fixed stars, with the signs of the zodiac; two pillars with astrological data, and a calendar. It struck the quarter and full hours, and set in motion at noon the adoration of the Magi before Mary and the Christ Child, with the star of Bethlehem going before the Magi and a set of chimes playing a Christmas air.

According io the South African Minister of Justice the native unrest throughout the Union is a much more serious affair than newspaper readers elsewhere had been led to believe (states the Times of India). The trouble has not been confined to South Africa. Recently there'were disturbances in Kenya, and troops had to be despatched to tribal territory to -restore peace. The Kenya outbreak was .attributed to the growing contempt of the Hasais for law and order, disparagement of the Government and, to quote Sir Edward Grigg, “to definite anti-British and seditious propaganda.” The propaganda to which the South African Minister of Justice traces native unrest in the Union is largely Communist in character, and is apparently spread by various bodies connected with the Third International. It/is not surprising that the doctrines to the illiterate Kaffirs, among whom the idea of a native republic of South Africa would inevitably recall the days of the Zulu kings. But unless prompt steps are taken to preserve the authority of the South African Government the results are likely to be more disastrous to the natives than to the white population. As the Minister of Justice pointed out, rioting and attacks on Europeans by the natives would inevitably lead to reprisals and to bloody encounters, in which the natives are bound eventually to suffer grievously.