The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1916. THE WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 22 July 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1916. THE WAR.

(With which is incorporated The Tal hape Post and Waimarino News.)

There seems to be a suspicion of feeling that sensational movements at the front are not yet gratifying or satisfying the expectancy of very many people. These people are not dissatisfied, nor have they a thought of belittling the brilliant achievements in France, but there is a psychological perception of something more than ordinarily important that while unattained, leaves a not understood feeling of disappointment whenever the daily newspaper i* consulted; it is a wave of inexplicable optimism of more than ordinary impressiveness. Yet when the colossal work of breaking through to the third line of the strongest and most formidable defences that were ever conceived to keep back a foe, is accomplished and generally realised, it seems unreasonable to expect more, considering the time taken. The Allied offensive commenced about a month ago, in that time the very strongest German first line fortresses have been captured, with thousands of prisoners, and sufficient ordnance, small arms and munitions to, of themselves, equip an aforetime array. There is a wide gulf between the quality of fooling growing in Germany and that becoming widespread in our own land, and it is only necessary to mentally place one beside the other to enable us to grasp the terrible significance in the one case and the cause for joyous gratitude in the other, to realise, normally, the magnitude and supreme importance of what our armies have achieved towards bringing t ic end ol the war very appreciably nearer. Until the heavy tasks of laying first, second, and third line toitifications is accomplished it is unreasonable to expect sensational advance, to do so is (o anticipate the impossible. When a sufficiently wide and safe puncture in the enemy front is made traversihle by all sections of troops, then it will be time to look for sensational happenings without feeling much fear of disappointment. The British front has moved forward in the piercing operation more rapidly than was expected by the War Authorities; the French have also accomplished all they hoped for in the lime, in fact front-breaking has already gone so far as to permit the uso of cavalry in the more sparsely trenched ground toward the enemy rear. It is when this less trench reticulated ground is possessed in safety that cavalry operations will assist in moulding incidents to gratify our bun-

ger for sensation, even as the Cossacks are doing for the Russian people on the Eastern front. We may hope for the time when our cavalry will be scouring German territory as the Cossacks have already commenced upon that of Hungary. Once past trenches, dug-outs, prepared gun emplacements, and cunningly-constructed shelters, —thi§ work of nearly two years—the French and British movements will be more rapid and less costly in life. It is quite apparent that a great strategic contrivance i s in operation, that will, if successful, compel the German line to bodily move back for many miles to avoid easy destruction. It is a war of intelligence as well as of brute force, and .while there are signs of German bankruptcy in both, there are undeniable evidences that with the Al-

lies they are growing daily more formidable. For the first time since the war commenced Germany is on the defensive on all fronts, and is being defeated time after time on the two most important. While Germany had the preponderance of force in her favour, she made raids of destruction and of the most revolting cruelty; that preponderance of power has passed to the Allies; Germany has no longer the material to draw upon to again turn the tables, and she knows, quite well, that she has to bear the consequences. With a colossal preponderance of force the Allies must continue to push Germany to destruction. An almost superhuman effort was made to capture Verdun, but the greatest gathering of forces it was possible for Germany to make was unequal to driving out the French. On the other hand the British, with small loss attacked Fricourt and Ouvillers, and iu quick time reduced the defences to nothingness, showing that the major powers of offensive were no longer controlled by cur enemies. There is not any sensational attack proceeding just at present, but we may rest assured that the hugely destructive Allied artillery is moving up to advanced positions from whence it can go on tumbling over the strongholds of German artifice. On the Eastern front the Rus-

sian advance is sensational enough to satisfy a sensation gourmand’s appetite. Victory after victory is gained; huge concentrations of Germans and Austrians are driven out and prisoners are captured by tens of thousands. At the northern extremity of a seven hundred mile front Hindenberg is bei ing subjected to a flanking movement, and he is having to abandon, or to lightly hold strongly fortified works to avoid complete disaster. In the centre of the line defeat after defeat is being * inflicted, while on the southern flank, for two hundred miles, the Russians are working havoc, routing the enemy time after time, gaining as much' as thirty miles in a day l or two. They have the enemy moving, and it is there that sensational happenings arc possible. It is noteworthy that the Russians are once more at the gates of Lemberg; that further south they have passed over the line reached in the early stages of the war; that they are in such undisputed possession of passes over tire Carpathians that they can venture upon a cavalry invasion of Hungary proper. What is most important in this connection is that while the Russian advance in 1915 had to face an increasingly strong enemy, they have in 1916 to encounter only a beaten, routed, demoralised mob, which, when the Austro-German forces are more firmly held further north, cannot possibly stop the invasion of Hungary. We may expect that any day peace will be sought by Hungary, whose people are now ready to leave themselves to Russian mercy. We may safely look to the Eastern front for a crop of sensation that should prove satisfying to every man in Allied countries.

Mr V. Nicholls has for sale a twoseater Maxwell car, equipped with electric light and self-starter. Any trial will be given, and the price is reasonable.

Residents of this district are reminded of the send-off which is to be accorded to the Taihape quota of the 19th Reinforcements at the Town Hall this evening by the local Patriotic Committee.

A number of the roots, swedes, turnips,and carrots exhibited at the local [Winter Show were bought by Mr. F. fj. Lonsdale, the judge, for the Mournohaki xperimental Farm. The growers must be highly pleased at this compliment.

On Thursday next, on the Taihape Oval, a hockey match is to be played between teams representing the Ladies’ Hockey Club and the Men’s Club. The ladies are to wear fancy dress, and the men skirts, and the match should create considerable interest. A collection will be taken up in aid of the Red Cross funds.

It is noticed that transmitters or receivers of telegrams occasionally try their hand at making the names of places in France more in conformity with the terrible butchery that is takcomes to us as Deville Wood; which, comes to us as Leville Wood; which, though it may be incorrect, is perhaps more appropriate, and therefore war-

rants the liberty taken.

A list of the winners of raffles or- | ganised by the Taih-ape Women’s Working Club is published in another

column.

At McCormick’s boot shop are special bargains in men’s nailed shooters, which can now be had at several shillings cheaper than ordinarily. Other boots, are equally reduced.

The result of the weight-guessing competition at the A. and P. Shot? resulted as follows:—Miss Stanley, Taihape, 115 pounds, 1; Mr J. Stodart, Opae, 144, 2; Red Cross, 115 7-8, 3; The actual weight of the sheep was 114:1 pounds.

A young man named Harry Dunbar had the misfortune to break his ankle yesterday. He was going to • the Recreation Ground to play hockey, and was attempting to hit an object with his stick, when he put his foot on a round stone. This rolled, causing the ankle to twist and then break.

During the -holding of the Winter Show, two guessing competitions were held, one for a ewe in lamb (live weight), and one for three sheep (dead weight). The former was won by Mr R. J» Downing, who guessed the weight

at 173ijlbs., the actual weight being 1741b5. Mr Downing has donated the sheep back to the Association for a guessing competition at the* next Summer Show r .

At the meeting of the Borough Council last evening the Mayor stated that most of the shopkeepers swept the dust from their shops on to the footpaths, and then into the water channels, which became full of all sorts of rubbish. The practice should be stopped. Cr. Wrightson remarked that the bye-laws provided for this nuisance, and if they were enforced it would stop the practice.

Writing from a dug-out in France, a Wellington stage-hand writes to Mr Bert Royle, of Wellington, as follows: —“Sorry to hear that things theatrical have not been too brisk. I hope the boys won’t feel it much. If they do there is a fine show on over here for the single ones. The pay is sixpence more a performance and seven shows a week —matinees every day. Once they join the show they don’t want to leave till the last act is over and the stage cleared, . , The weather here is getting pretty warm now, but we don’t work up a thirst a s the pubs are only open for two hours a day, and it’s a long, long way to one. You don’t want to be here in the winter, as it is very cold and wet, but I guess we will be out of it before next wintcx\ Pleased to hear that the news you get is good. We don’t get any here, but will try and keep that up when the time comes to move,”