Untitled

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16447, 19 January 1918, Page 6

Tho Brest Litovsfc peace conference appears to havo bcea closed. Xo timo was fixed for renewing the sittings when tho negotiators separated a few days ago, and it seems impossible that Trotzky and his companions can again face tho astute German delegates, after being accused and convicted of stubbornly insisting on onesided demands, as if Russia were the conqueror. Some further remarks mado by Dr Kuhlmann, the German Foreign Minister, published this morning, are an unreserved refusal of" Bolshevik demands. Troops will not bo withdrawn from occupied territories; plebiscites °f these territories will not bo taken on the question of their future government. Trotzky asked for so much, too much that ho gets nothing, and has disrated himself. Whether tho Bolshcviki will

or can resume negotiations by other hands is important, but we have no information as to the possibility of this. In any case, it seems that the Germans are determined to maintain their hold on occupied Russian territory, and are prepared to extend their influence by making peace treaties and other treaties with Finland and Ukraine. Dr Knhlmann cleverlv asserts that these aire now independent * States, because they have declared themselves independent, and a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States declares that such. a. declaration makes them independent. That was a good enough illustration , for an antagonist defeated in debater v Dr Knhlmann could not admit it in relation to—Alsace-Lorraine, for instance.

The deputation from South and Mid Canterbury which waited on the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister, and the Minister for Public "Works at Wellington yesterday in reference to the *' Lake Coleridge scheme, fully justified their visit by the satisfactory assur-

ances they received from those upon whom they waited. Some years aga a promise, was given by the then Minister for Public Works that tie Coleridge power would be sent as far south' as Timaru as soon as the supply to Christchurch. was completed. , Since

then, however, the war has intervened, and it has beat said that a promise given by a Minister for Public Workswho is not now in power cannot be held to be binding on the present holder of this portfolio. Sir William

Fraser, however, frankly told yesterday's deputation that the promise would be kept, and that the erection of the line to Timaru would be put inj hand as soon as the war is over, this being the earliest that the work could possibly be undertaken. Kb mono satisfactory reply than, this could have been expected by the deputation, for no one would suppose that a work of such magnitude could be undertaken at a time like the present. Sir William spoke interestingly oh the whole subject, , and was able to enlighten the deputation on sereral points which have sot before been - , clear, such, for instance, as that the line between Coleridge and Timaru does not need to be surveyed, and why the poles to carry the transmission wires have not been erected. - South and Mid Canterbury will now be able to rest assured that the Government intend to deal fairly with them in the matter of a hydro-electric supply.