ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 45, Issue 13754, 5 February 1919, Page 3

ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Mr Thomas Moss, of Ekctnhuna, who was nominated by the Farmers' Union, has been appointed a member of the Wellington District Repatriation Board.

At the Konini Public Hall on Friday evening, Mr D. Kelly, who has completed over twenty years' service as manager of the Konini Dairy Factory, was presented by the old shareholder"- with n handsome gold wiAeh as an expression of appreciation of his services.

Some overseas ships Avhich have visited Sydney recently have carried a. structure" on their bows resembling a steel girder. The "girder" is really a purovanc, used in mined areas. A vessel Avhen about to enter a danger zone lowered the paravane below the wutcrline, where it opened in the shape of a fan. The edge, being sharp, cut the wire on coming into contact with a mine, and allowed tho mine to come to the top clear of tho ship. It was then dealt with by the gunmeu..

The German population of Aix-la Chapelle, iv Rhenish Prussia, have

grievance (notes an American paper just to hand). They have been forced to accept occupation, by alien troops, and they don't like .it. They were shocked and inexpressibly grieved when Belgians first entered the city .and promulgated ironclad rules that civilians should leave- the side-walks and uncover when Belgian oflicers approached, and. that hostages should be given up. Their dignity was so hurt that they protested to the International Armistice Commission, but they then learned I hat the rules were the same as those of the Germans at the time of the occupation of Brussels.

The Chinese "Canton Times" reports that the Government received advices from the Chinese Minister in Paris, stilting that owing to the extensive areas ot the regions in Kurope which have been devastated by the war, the Allied Powers have expressed the wish that Chinese, labourers should be recruited to take part in the work of reconstruction. On receipt of the information, the authorities iv China brought up the question for discussion at a Cabinet meeting. A resolution was passed regarding the arrangements to be made in order to meet the demand of labour by various countries in Europe. .Instructions to this effect were also issue.! to the bureau in charge of the labour recruiting affairs.

Jt is not generally realised that the present bronze coinage is linked with the Imperial system o" weights and measures, so that the new penny, halfpenny, and farthing are required to be of the weight respectively of one-third, onefifth and one-tenth of an avoirdupois ounce, though the weights were not stamped on the coins. Nevertheless, for the mart who wishes to measure out an ounce of some commodity, three new pennies will form a handy substitute for a weight. Jn the same way, the halfpence are coined exactly of the diajneter of an Imperial inch, while a penny is. about one and one-eighth of an inch in diameter. Tim most surprising fact in relatiyu. to the weights ot.' everyday currency, howevei, is elicited in answer to the question, "'How many onepound notes weigh as much as a sovereign.'" Few people will guess that the answer i s "Four." One thousand sovereigns weigh about. ISlb, and 1000 .*i'l notes weigh 4Mb.

Wi- niiisf o-uard against the of stiiu-t- meinorii's. W'v i-ciik'hilkm' the trrin.s that the enemy meant to impose upon us had she been victorious (wrote the London rorrospondent of the Kveniu- Chronicle). I an, reminded of what (.Jennanv considered reasonable terms of peace four year.-, a,u'o, when she thought that lier ■_■ rip on Franco ;u],| J>t-ll:iwin could not be broken. These terms were state.! by ('(.nut lie!ustorff, at that time '.'ei-maii Ambassador in Washington. Briel'y they were as follows:--!. All French'eoldii'ies. _. All \orth-Kas-teni _i. An indeniniiv <>l >..p)ll,OUii.ilbu. -I. A tariff allowin- all <ierniau to enter France free \'<<v _■"■ years without reci-ironf-v I'm- Fieuch .*_onds entering (liiniiiiny. .">. Xn rccniiti -1.!_; in France for :!."> years, li. Destruction of all French fortresses. 7. France to .surrender :'.,1K>U,1.11.M) rifles, *_()i)li ■•■■nnoii, and t!),(K)(} (uiises. ,S. Protection of all 'leriiiaii patents used in Franc-.* w\\\\oul i'ei-i|>rocity on French |iafeiits in tbaniany. 'i. .'Fr: t nee to cut herself adrift from h'ussia. and (ireaf liritain. in. France to make an alliance with Germany for _"> yea rs. Maximilian llardei is another oi' tieiiist i Hi:uisl'.ed (ienuans who ''knew we could not be vicf-i'-inus'" even before Aimrica eulered tie..' war. and who was sure of ii when she did <_;o in. ".Mux,"' however, did not \va.! until (he war was o\'er bel'ore he told lii; "'rulers and masters" where to head in. ile advocated tin* acceptance of i'lesidonf Wilson's fourteen points, he Mays, -'because 1 knew we eould'not .act better and mow favourable terms." While exouerati iie. the i.'X-Ka.iser from jeersoiuil blame iv starting the v;:ir, li'irdeit was emphatic in arrai.LHiin*:- the Gorman and Austrian Governments iv J!)l I. lie recenlly told a correspondent of (lie London " X.v-

jire.ss'': —Tiie .Servians were nor guilty of the w;ti*. Ferdinuinl 's ass assinaiiou was. staged under the eyes of the Austrian secret police, ■•,,- Austrian

soil, "i.-jti; Austi'ians, disguised as Serbs, as chief actors. .Vltl.ou.uh the Gorman Foreii:u Oilice denied it knew t.ln* <*outents of the Austrian ultimatum to Sor via. it knew all that was essential." .Harden con tended that if the Allies concluded a. peace based on the armistice terms, "'then Geimany is ruined.'" "'Without Als.aee-Larraine and Silesia, Germany will never be an industrial country," he said. "Loss of the Lorraine iron fields would be disastrous."