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Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16038, 24 January 1918, Page 2

There are sonic signs that the people of Britain are feeling the strain of the war, and this is not to be wondered at. The northern winter with its short and frequently sunless days is not conducive to cheerfulness, and when to the rigours of winter are added tho scarcity of food and anxiety about dear ones at tho front the tendency is to take somewhat gloomy views. Were any great military movement in progress at the front interest would ho aroused and depression forgotten, but nothing can be done in Flanders at present, and in the meantime the air is full of peace talk inspired by Germany, which causes irritation to sensible people because foolish ones believe that talk may at last take tho place of work or fighting without leading to disaster. But below these surface indications of weakness the current of resolution stillflows strongly, and the people of Britain are just as determined as ever to carry on the war to a decisive issue. If wo look for evidence of this it may bo found in the fact that the Man Power Bill, providing 450,000 more men* for the army, has passed the committee stage in the House of Commons. These men will not get into tho trenches for .at least nine months, so that preparations are being made to carry on for the whole of this year. By the end of 1918 the war will either be over or the United States Army will have attained sufficient dimensions to take a good share of the burden. The labour troubles in Austria are a sign of the internal weakness of tho Central Powers, and Mr. Gibbs tells us that even the stern discipline of the German army has been relaxed for fear of arousing resentment among the men. It may safely be predicted that tho advent of sirring will find the British Army and the people at home full of confidence and ready to meet the most powerful efforts of Germany, either in the military or diplomatic field.

We have to thank tho secretary of the Timani Harbour Board lor a printed statement of the revenue and trade of that port during tho year just ended. Timani, like most of the Dominion ports, has suffered*’ considerable diminution, of trade during the war-. The shipping handled fell from 419,2010 tons in 1913 to- 208,815 tons’ last year,

while the imports and exports fell during the same period fi'ora 199,812 tons to 125,987 tons. , Naturally the revenue suffered also,' decreasing from £31,218 in' 1913 to £18,936 last year. In the light of those figures the report of the. New Plymouth Harbour Board for last year is extremely satisfactory. Four years ago the Tima.ru figures wore very much larger than ours, but in some respects New Plymouth is now leading Timaru. Four years ago, for instance, Tiraaru’s imports were 98,299 tons, while ours were 77,040. Fast year, however, Timarn’s dropped to 61,669 tons while ours increased to 78,390 tons. Timaru has always exported far more heavily than New Plymouth, hut while our exports last year showed a. good, increase, those of Timaru decreased about 36 cent, in hulk. In 1913 the shipping handled ■at Timaru was 125 per cent, greater than that at New Plymouth,' but last year the Timaru figures were only 43 per cent, in excess of ours. In the matter of revenue Timaru has had a had experience with a decline of nearly forty per cent., while Now Plymouth had a small increase. ‘When normal shipping conditions arc restored Timaru will recover no doubt, but the figures relating to Now Plymouth arc certain to increase rapidly on account of ocean liners paying more frequent visits, bringing imports and taking away frozen produce.