BOOK CORNER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 3, 5 January 1939, Page 10

BOOK CORNER

NAVAL HISTORY | "THE MUTINY AT IN V EKG Oil-1 DON,” by Kenneth Edwards (Putnams). pp. 425. When there was mutiny in the British Navy the whole world was shocked. The most loyal of organisations had shown signs ot such disaffection that its commanders had to cancel arrangements and bow to the turn o£ events. In short the officers were no longer in command of, the organisation. Luckily they were able to compromise and to temporise. The Navy had been subjected to economy cuts without sufficient thought being given to the status of the dependents of the seamen. No official explanation of the cuts was forthcoming when the order was made. A gathering at the shore canteen at Invergordon, discussed the matter. "The gathering in the canteen developed into a mass meeting of more than 60U sailors. At this meeting the question of the reductions in pay was fully discussed, and the effect of the cut would have on the men and their wives and families was pointed out in no uncertain terms. Speakers were at pains to drive home to the men that, if the reductions became operative, as they were to do in a fortnight's time, their homes and their furniture would be siezed, the insurance policies representing their savings would lapse, their children would starve Able Seaman Bond urged "collective strike action" and the author avers that another speaker "gave proof of the fact that he had been carefully coached in the thesis of the Communist Party and called for representatives from each ship upon the sailor’s soviet. Subsequently in the ships there was over mutiny although there was no violence. In H.M.S. Nelson the temper of the men became very ugly and the officers desisted from endeavouring to persuade the men to return to duty and on the second day it was the only ship to remain inactive through the mutiny of the crew. As the othei ships of the Atlantic Fleet passed the flagship the men of the Nelson sang the "Red Flag” and cheered. The passing ships were silent, however Immediately the ships got to sea the tradition of the Navy asserted itself and men discussed the coming investi-, gations which has been promised into the rates of pay. This book details the care with which the officers handled a very delicate situation when the men had very real grievances. The tragedy of the autumn of 1931 was that no full enquiry was held, says Kenneth Edwards. "The question of the basic cause of the mutiny at Invergordon was never probed. Instead there were numberless polite evasions, and the selection of “scapegoats.” These tactics convinced the majority of the officers and men in the Royal Navy that the Admiralty desired at all costs to avoid full inquiry. Thus confidence in the Admiralty at that time sank to an even lower level. The Government took the initiative out of the hands of the Admiralty because of the serious nature of the reports of the detectives from Scotland Yard, who went to the ports and mixed with the men. The men who led the mutiny were eventually discharged from the Navy without pensions, but they qualified lot unemployment benefit. They had never been stood on trial. The whole business seems to have been handled without sufficient regard for the rights of the men and too great a tear of the subversive activity of which they were suspected. As a record of a mishandled situation and a lack of imagination in dealing with the ringleaders this volume is decidedly interesting ana the author endeavours throughout the narrative to be fair to both sides. Whether one agrees with his view or not, if his facts are correct, then he has done the Navy a good service. STATISTICS i INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN CEK- | TAIN RAW MATERIALS AND FOODSTUFFS, 1937 A new volume entitled Intel national Trade in Certain Raw Materials and Foodstuffs by Countries of Origin and Consumption, 1937,” which is me third ot its kind, has just been published by the Economic Intelligence Service of the League of Nations. This Volume gives an account of the movement from one country of another of the commodities dealt with. ' The new volume is more complete than those which preceded it. It contains provincial statistics for 1937 as well as revised and completed statistics for 1935 and 1936 relating to 3a commodities in place of the 3t> dealt with in earlier volumes. These commodities include wheat, sugar, rubbei, wood in various forms, hides, wool, cotton, silk, iron and steel, copper and motor spirit. Several improvements have been made on the earlier , editions. The table for hides now distinguishes between wet and dry. The table for wood has been recast and now shows not only conifer but also hardwood, each of which is, as lai as possible, subdivided into sawn and hewn. The number of importing countries covered by the various tables has been increased to 123, as compared with 42 in the first volume. The statistics are thus practically world-wide, the 123 countries dealt representing 98 per cent, of the total world trade, whereas the 42 countries covered in the first volume represented only 84 per cent. The work is designed to meet the wishes expressed by business men and others, who pointed out that in many cases the import statistics given for a particular commodity by the importing country did not correspond with the statistics of the exporting country relating to the same transaction. In June, 1934, the Committee of Statistical Experts of the League, set up by the International Convention of 1928 relating to economic

January 14. Hunterville v. Marton, at Hunterville. | Taihape v. Porewa, at Taihape. Old Boys v. Taihape Railway at Marton. The remaining fixtures will be pub-; lished at an early date. The Rangitikei representative team I will be engaged at Hawera on Janu- i ary 20, 21 and 23. Negotiations with Horowhenua for j a game at Marton on either January | 21 or 23 are taking place. If these I are successful a Rangitikei B team <

statistics, took steps. which were approved by the council and agreed >.u by the Governments Parties to the 1928 convention and led to the preparation of the present work, which shows the ultimate destination of exported goods. The divergences between the trade statistics of different countries, whicn were complained of by business rncn and economists, arise largely from the use of different methods ot registering the source and destination or goods. In the case of imports, the statistics may show either the country of origin or production, the country to which the goods are consigned or the purchasing country. In the case of exports they may show the country where the goods are finally consumed, the country to which they are consigned or the selling country. In order to improve tlie comparability ot statistics oi the external trade ot the various countries, the parties to the 1928 convention made an experiment relating to the different systems of registering the course and destination ot goods. The Committee of Statistical Experts drew the necessary conclusions rrom this experiment and these are described in the report presented by the committee after its session of December, 1933, which sets lorth, in patticular, the numerous reasons why it I is not possible in the case of certain categories of goods to determine world trade movements by a comparison ot national import and export statistics. The chief difficulty arises from the fact that, while import statistics refer I to an accomplished fact, export statistics giving the country of destination show only an intention or a presumption of fact. The Committee of Statistical Experts, with the help of governments, has been successful in its endeavours to obtain more satisfactory information than it was formerly possible to procure on the basis of ordinary national statistics of external trade, concerning the flow of goods from the producing to the consuming countries. This attempt was made in connection with a limited number of raw materials and foodstuffs. A comparison between the three volumes now published makes it possible to measure the progress made, and leaves no doubt that tne volume just issued represents a considerable improvement in every respect and is of the j greatest interest. HISTORICAL FICTION “CALAMITY JANE OF DEADWOOD GULCH,” by Ethel Hueston (Hodder and Stoughton), pp. 286. This is a much better book than the title would indicate. It is not a wild west thriller, but a line piece of writing about a lady who married many men and had more husbands than she married, had a vocabulary whigh was in excess of a bullockwaggoner’s best, had a thirst which was excessive, who was prepared to go anywhere for a drink or for the chance of showing off, but this last trait enabled her to combat disease and peril when others would have failed. Her heart was in the right place, everybody liked her, but most people had the sense to keep away from her after standing her one drinx Her friend, Phoebe, is another kind of hero, one who saw the Sioux Indians despoiled and did all she could to help them bear up against their injustices. It is not pleasant history and some characters in American history arc here required to walk the stage again, before a world which will not approve. It is first-rate historical fiction with a solid foundation ot biography. FICTION "WHITE WOMAN,” by Dorothy ! Black (Hodder and Stoughton), pp '286. I The burden of this story is that of a young English girl who meets a man on a voyage to Norway where he was the life oi the party. He returns to Burma engaged, but keeps putting off sending ior his bride to be. She coming into some money, goes out to him without telling him of her arrival. The result is that both get a surprise. A new country, where new problems await a white woman receives her kindly, but her husband is not a gallant knight, unfortunately, very much the reverse. On this thread is spun much which is of interest concerning tropical life, tne Burmese people and as every novel has a hero, the author supplies a very good one. It is a very good book. “THE MARSHALL OF SUN- : DOWN,” by Jackson Gregory (Hodder and Stougnton), pp. 255. , This author is a first-class writer who had be decided to embark upon , any field of literature would have succeeded. He has chosen the Western yarn as his medium and in it he evolves remarkably strong plots ana ; characters. He can write graphically ■ and consequently he always gives his readers a treat. In “The Marshall ot Sundown" he provides plenty of adventure, good scenery and excellent characterisation. It is a thoroughly enjoyable story. The story centres [ around a western town to which the ; law had not properly arrived, result- ■ ing in the proprietor of a gaming • saloon being the town marshall. However, another takes his place and the r battle of right and wrong for control of the legal machine makes stirring [ reading. “SILVER WEDDING,” by Ruby Ayres (Hodder and Stoughton), pp. 233. The title and the author's name give a good indication of the kind of book this is. The lady in question married the wrong man, he was a decent tellow for all that. The right man for the bride was none other than tlie best man at the wedding. The silver wedding came round and thereby the story found its foundation. The author will tell you the rest in her delicate way.

; will be chosen for that event. ■ The position of the teams in the I competition now concluded, is:— Points. j Old Boys IS ' Marton 15 ; Taihape Railway 12 l Hunterville 12 1 Porewa 10 SENIOR MATCH. I Two full elevens did not turn up for I the senior practice on Saturday at the County ground so it was decided to

field everyone and give all a bat, while most of those present had a turn with the ball. No scores were kept and towards the latter part of the afternoon play was of a picnic nature. The selectors (Messrs. H. F. Arkwright and J. H. C. Broad) were present to view the talent in the hope of finding a good all round side for the Hawke Cup elimination match against Taranaki at Hawera this month.