MACEDONIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13531, 28 February 1908, Page 5

MACEDONIA.

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Press Association-By Tclearaph-Copvright LII.MKIN." I'eliniai v 20.

1.1.1.1 Kitc.inain ice. speaking during ihe* il:-ii.i:i■ iii lli" House of 'l.oids on Macedonian refoilus. liilil."d thai some of the Pom-is feaied judicial lefoini. What- was 111cit-.t intently needed was to slop ouliage.s. To snppr.es marauding bands some more c-ll'ective proposal ought- to lie foi t licoming. Lord Lansdowne said In- gathered thai Britain was keeping an observant attitude. WASTIXi.i I'IMK AXI) 'II!OUISLK. As to tin- inc-ti'ecliveiims of the ]iresent policy, the ('unsi ant inople em resjiondeni of the "Times" comments:---

•"Independent opinion here is practically unanimous thai the Powers are men ly wasting time and trouble in elaborating schemes of administrative reform without at. the saint- time taking energetic measures to put- an end to the war of mutual extermination in which the Christian races in Macedonia, egged on and supported by the (iovt-rnmeiiu? of the Balkan States, have been engaged for t,hu last four yPa;s. They would, it is f.-lt. be much better occupied in bringing real pressure to bear in Sofia, Athens, and other Balkan capitals. and obtaining executive command foi the foreign officers of the Gendarmerie, which force should be giv« n lln mission of destroying the bands, and, b - made strong enough 1-"> enable it to undertake the task with some prosper! of succ-fr..-. •' Independent opinion is further unanimous that, while administrative reforms ai'e necessary for the complete pacification of the_ country, no greati progress is likely to be made in this direction so long as the Powers adhere to their present policy of leaving ail the executive authority in the hands of Turkish officials, whose future depends upon their retaining favour at Yildiz. While it is undeniable that some impiovement- has been effected since the advent - of'the civil agents arid th? Financial Commission there is considerable fruili in the saving that.. 'lf the Oovernm'-nt really desires reform, such reforms as are proposed by the Powers are superflous, and if the Government does not desire reform then they are usek-ss.' The explanation of the action of the Poweis seems to be that they cannot come to any agreement- among themselv..> to do anything effective in Macedonia, and that they are afraid of the moral effect- on the Balkan population if they admit Iheir inability to deal with the question."