Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 19 August 1915, Page 34

Notes

Something in the Rumor It is a general rule that affirmations made in pleadings in a court of law must be proved or supported by evidence. An exception is made in the case of matters of common knowledge but it is left to the judge to decide whether or not a particular item comes within that category, and some curious rulings have been given. We have a hazy recollection of a Dunedin case in which a lawyer contended that it was unnecessary to produce evidence to show that it was daylight at six o’clock in the morning in a particular month, as that was ‘matter of common knowledge’: but the opposing counsel insisted on proof, declaring that he himself, and most members of the profession, had no ‘ common knowledge ’ whatever regarding six o’clock in the morning. A judge has now been found who has even refused to accept the existence- of the war as ‘ a matter of common knowledge.’ At a recent trial in a Brooklyn Municipal Court, in which a young woman was suing a tourist agency for failure to deposit her in Germany last August, the defence pleaded the European war as justification ; and the Aew Itepith - lican gives the following account of the proceedings. ‘“War?” said the attorney for the plaintiff. “The court knows nothing about this alleged war.” The judge had heard of the war unofficially, but ruled that it would have to be established if it were to be dragged into the case. After some delay the defendant obtained from Washington several volumes of diplomatic correspondence so convincing that even the counsel for the plaintiff had to admit that there was something in the rumor,’

German Intrigue in Athens Germany is ‘ evidently moving heaven and earth to overcome pro-Ally sympathy in Greece, and a wellinformed Greek correspondent of the London Telegraph gives some extraordinary facts about German intrigues in Athens against M. Venizelos: There has been a lavish expenditure of German gold in Athens on a scale which can only be paralleled in recent revelations of Teutonic intrigue in Rome. The object has been to obtain the exclusion of M. Venizelos from power. In order to effect their object those who are a , party to the intrigue have not hesitated to represent that M. Venizelos is the enemy of the dynasty. It is suggested that the Cretan statesman is in reality anxious to establish a republic and overthrow once and for all the Royal House. I need scarcely add that accusations against M. Venizelos’s loyalty are absolutely absurd, in view of the fact that it is due more to him than to any other living man that the Royal authority stands as it does to-day. It may be hoped that the Greek people, who understand the responsibility of freedom and independence, will know how to deal with tLis shameless endeavor to overpower the exercise of their free volition by force.’ * Apparently the Greek people are quite prepared to deal with these intrigues; and the Venizelist newspapers, Pair is and Hestia, have opened a violent campaign against the doings of Baron Schenk, the wellknown chief of the German propaganda in Athens. The Hestia writes: ‘We appeal to the Government not to permit the further sojourn among us of such vipers (meaning Baron Schenk 'and his satellites), whose mission it is to bribe Greek consciences and pollute our morals. These miserable vipers have now gone so far as to question the result of the elections, in which the popular will in favor of M. Venizelos so emphatically asserted itself, by boasting that they will cause the majority returned to vanish by the time the Chamber meets on July 20, implying by this that they will attempt to use with success, in Greece, the same dastardly means of bribery and corruption which they tried in Rome, but which failed, and which the Italian Premier, in his scathing speech from the Capitol of Rome, denounced to the world.’ for Hospital Ship As we anticipated in our previous comments on the subject, a satisfactory adjustment of the mistake which had been made in regard to the allocation of the fund for the benefit of the sick and founded soldiers on our New Zealand Hospital Ship has, through the good offices of the Catholic Federation, now been effected. Under the original arrangement, the whole donation of £2oocontributed by all sections of the communitywas to be handed over- to Major-Chaplain Dutton, while the Catholic and Anglican chaplains were ignored in the matter. The Catholic Federation courteously pointed out that it was not an equitable, fair, or reasonable arrangement that the Catholic chaplain should have to go, as it were, hat in hand to the Presbyterian chaplain for money for Catholic soldiers who might need it, and it was suggested that Major Dutton should be asked to place a sum at the disposal of Father Segrief. In concluding his. communication on the subject, the secretary of the Federation said : ‘I do not think it is too late yet for an alteration to be made in this matter, and I think you will see that it only fair .that at all events the Catholic chaplain should have funds placed at his disposal for distribution amongst men of his own faith. My executive trusts that you will see your way to write to Chap-lain-Major Dutton directing him to place at the disposal of Chaplain-Captain Segrief such an amount as your committee may deem equitable, to be used, at his discretion, for the relief of such cases as may come under his notice.’ - . * As the following letters will show, this request has now been complied with. The first, addressed to

the secretary of the N.Z. Catholic Federation, is from the hon. secretary of the Mayor of Wellington’s Patriotic Fund: ‘Dear Sir, —Your letters of the 16th and 28th ultimo were duly laid before my committee, who, after considering the points put forward by you concerning the amount handed by this committee to Chaplain-Major Dutton for use on the Hospital Ship, Maheno, or in other hospitals where our wounded soldiers, or those from other parts, might be needing assistance, decided that the difficulty raised would best be met by asking Major Dutton to confer with the other chaplains on the ship so that together they might constitute a board for handling these funds. A copy of letter sent to Chaplain Dutton on these lines is enclosed. This was despatched by last week’s mail and will, I am sure, be acted on without delay. ‘ Yours faithfully, ‘ C. R. Smith, ‘ Hon. Secretary.’ The following is a copy of the letter referred to: ‘ Wellington, ‘ 4th August, 1915. ‘ Chaplain-Major Dutton, ‘ Hospital Ship Maheno, ‘ Colombo, Ceylon. Dear Sir, — In regard to the £2OO placed in your hands to be used for the benefit of the sick and wounded soldiers, representations have been made by the New Zealand Catholic Federation that men of their communion will not come into direct touch with you, and consequently will not receive the benefit intended. My committee has implicit, confidence in you, and they are quite satisfied that you will equitably use money for the benefit of all irrespective of class or creed : but in order to secure allocations to the men from the chaplains of other creeds my committee have requested me to ask you to constitute a board for the disposition of funds, the board to be comprised of yourself and other chaplains on the ship. If you will act in accordance with these desires 1 am sure all parties will be satisfied. ' Yours faithfully, ‘Signed) C. R. Smith, ‘Hon. Secretary.’ There is every reason to anticipate that this arrangement will work smoothly and satisfactorily : and the Federation is to be. congratulated on the success of its efforts to secure justice and fair treatment for our sick and wounded men.