THE Temuka Leader THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1914. THE NEW YEAR.

Temuka Leader, Issue 7662, 31 December 1914, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1914. THE NEW YEAR.

r .For mure than .a century tinge has nevu' btx-a a New Year mmeivd ia amidst so much »uHf.; amt anxiety as That winch accotmpanus the birth oi the year 19Id. 10-cluy wl.l see the last, of tlje old. \ ear : Jutorngiu wi.i hear

tho lolling oi ill ' bells that announce tin: coin!ny oi the -New rear. 11 lie events oi iho year are bound to bo oi u;ravc luioiucat to the world and civilisation, and we have little doubt that lul.i will go down in history athe year oi tliu most momentous hapjx'iiijitfs suKii t'ue . the. Christian era. due map oi iiiurope wiil undergo radical changes ; races, alien in , religion and custom, will

draw closer together ; the Fiend incarnate; of war, W-i.l receive ami give such, . a . Inilic.tiiig that the’ 3' world will come. to I longliviug realisation of his evil ways, and there will arise a sentiment that will make it dimcult for any nation to deliberately scheme and prepare for ‘ an aggressive war : there might oven , arise a Loaned oi .Nations, wiiien. shall decide the issues ol pence and war, and which shall have behind ■ it a ton e of arms 11 11 lt • .will servo to 9 make it the respected police of the b world, in any case, certain it is that the year llhib Wid see the birth of new ideals, new elioris, unci a higher standard ot ei e I l.sa l i on - . I do liiul a parallel to the condition of iiuropy in this last sad (lav of t ay old vear of ItU-l, it is necessary to go hacic to the .Napoleonic wars, and it js I hen ini ere.itjiig to notice the. .startling simuaiuty whirls- links the 1 \\o great conflict s. i hose, were hard • linn s in Britain, and s’arv.ifioii '"lit; aii e'er preseni ' nuniu'-e. Mien, as now, Jivltiiiil was. t.-iiii.picii.MiSiy to i hit; ton . Hut in "Hie inidsi- or ail. tin; id,r of (lie country went on in much the usual routine—almost, as it is doing, now • and men ......I v.onieii declined iu penult iliunse)-, e.s "to he pdrtui'b. d'By' the threatening spe.aie of thy t.'orsi- ' can’s armas t u.wared |U,si, ■ an oss-lhie Channel at i'ouioge-hlouiogne, winch is now one of the oasesv op that .British army buttling side ’by•• side' with j tlie Trench iigajnsl a" common- enemy. . The .opening ot diieTyMi'iP-t.lhff'J was gloomy indeed. i:u niter was liu; want in Jirilaiu that it was com-, alimented to the highest (planers. Tnu civil .its! was more l ean a year in ar- , rears, ami Tee King’s servants ,w;cre obliged to present him with a petition begging i itttT: r s niic . pori'on of 1 llidr lit; jiaiil, lijuii, Ji m senral yc.trs before ilje Tung cuuglit f up -w ith ’ his cvf>e;idi; ure. in l.itli 1 year, loti, I hr- Irish '.Art o! i moil was passed, in coiise p;en-n ot ihe. i.-vcf |)iv- , i sen I menace of i ni oh: re'. iy C'-l by the | , ’i'h rising and I he in ■■ idling ol 1 11-- , l-'j-eneh. .Public .s nilimeud' Was oxe-ed- ' mgly uneasy eoii'-eoiUii g war. People ; did not’at first display ilu-.Vame culm confidence wmei, sUdKes iib-f-rvi-rs in r Kngland io -day, aUliongii latei, as they l.iecame- used -io- it, rite n-ri i-niiil h/e jelunied ta.-it.-4 r.uui- ,j iH.s. J here v. a.-; a s au -.ai \ ot lood. ' and riots were ire.pe m , ... ga in a i merchant. s who patMuit- a doe.is " bid foods lo in' up i i ei-i.'i' i o co.imi ten | higher prices wer' I'm i:P foirc. li.o-wi diliereldl.y .muMi of lid, reads to tie scenes ih,-it arc now enacted in.■ ling- j land 1 J low e ; h |,.i ■, >'i;ii ain slrencrl bchc-.l her roiii;u.-i el:,' Pmes, Jiovi won'lcri ally sii • it;, pr-t ed her • roiuaicree--all |,ij (j ehanads c ,f ),■ ,- M :i- : lioual life! ilow miu-li cans . liimto bo thankful ''lien we tains of ills; plight of our fallers in trie year - IM.m ! Then, as now, i he war cloud , was foreboding inthvd ; then, as now. i Britain was lighting foe her national existence. But there llie eo.iipari.-on largely ends. Compared with Close ( troubled days, w,- lire in a Paradise. A. o part of the Briilsn Jimp'.re L; iu danger of starvation’ .Railier, wears starving onr enein.es,, wlrie we our- I •selves live in ihe midst of pleul'e. Social iinr.-st has temporari 1 ',' disap- ' Peal'efl. .1 he insh liU.-slioe ha; pa(riolieiilJv. .sunk iireii in oblivion. The 1 Suffragettes are- lovalK- dit-nt. ! H . ' sfead of the old Moth rland bflariii - the burden and iiea! of Pn , d , ■. ; h'-r grown-un childivii, ihe -wid ■ world c o cr, " lire I o-'-l mg- lit h e- n-si.ihinc •. e (•■■mVorliiirr her; 1 i- -ii t i>;f-n- her M along-idi- of her in .the hour of fid,. I. j ITne : C i i ha! i-i-e- 1, , ... H., le e in. o low on. 1 o |r,d : o oe.-e a ,1 cur ar ( he ■ I r- ,-,f i d | a : |,|.| ~ ~ ~ "in; I !'u far . 1 ■; i ■ \ ui-leed., and l.ie-ii : v fa l l in onr eaveli, fo’im-1 pen,,-I oil"

grea. .loom relieved by so many happv compensations, by such abiding loyalty, by such frank voluntarv geaeros ty and distribution of burdens as that which distinguishes year 1915 in tile history of our glorious KliipU'e. And, by 'the way, lest anybody,with

"Tipperary” in Ins miml, bo disposed In criticise iiiu harshly llio popular fancy in poetic composition in this lioin- of crisis, it, is well to read the ppciiiiiL'- I' m<*s of I lie popular ditty in tho.su dark and troubled days of more limn a century ayo : My l.ncv said, no louecr slay, Thu coiinlrv calls 1 hue, hcn.ro away, Adieu ! may ane’els round thee hover I'.ii no slave shall be my lover. Then, as to-day, the reader will perci ivn ihal the sentimental held the mind of Ihe Urilish soldier and the I’ritish puhlio; and then, as to-dav. lice popular (home was (he sweet maid'