WAR TOPICS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 255, 8 January 1941, Page 3

WAR TOPICS

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k_ r OVER 700 YEARS

THE GERMAN THEN, AS NOW

A voice from the 12th Century gives! a clear statement of what European peoples are fighting for and what they are fighting against. In the year 11(>8, King Sverre, as recalled in Sverre's Saga, spoke to his Norwegians in terms which showed that oven then there was a challenge against a free country's right to- trade as it wished and to live its own life:— "We wish (said the King) to thank all Englishmen who have come here with wheat and honey, flour and home-spun. We thank those wiio have brought wax and kettles. We mention with friend ship those who come from Orkney and Shetland, I'iom the Faroes or Fceland, and all those who have brought to this country what we cannot do without. "But the German men who can| f e here in big numbers in big ships take away our butter and our dried fish; and because of these outgoings there arises great destruction for our country. In return they bring wine which has caused many of our people to lose their lives, or their limbs, or to sutler shame or be wounded or beaten. I can only be ungrateful to> the Germans for their conduct; and, if they wish to keep their lives or their goods, they must leave at once. Their errand has bene of little use to us or to our land." In lf)40 the Germans did, not take wine to Norway; they took bombs. Otherwise King Sverre might have been speaking of the present day.

GOOD SHEEP SEASON ANIMALS IN GOOD HEALTH FIRST-CLASS FEED POSITION Reports from most districts indicate that this season has been one of excellent licalth for sheep and lambs. in the early spring there were signs of sickness in ewes and in some parts' it looked as though there would be serious consequences but the dry weather came just in time. Ejwes arc in splendid order, and so are lambs, and unless there is a spell! of wet Aveather about the end of ifiis month, there should be no trouble. A. wormed ram is wot wow \ikcly '.lo do much damage but a period of soft Aveather might bring on trouble. The feed position recently has been first class. There has been plenty of feed, and it has been of good quality. SOUVENIR HUNTERS CIVILIANS "LIBERTIES" LOSSES BY SOLDIERS Sailors and soldiers arc apparently not immune from "liberties taken by a certain section of the souvenir hunting public in appropriating badges from caps and hats left in cloak rooms of public halls." A complaint to this effect has been mad'e by "Victimised Sailor," avlio, in a letter to a Christehurch paper, lias* emphasised, how embarrassing such irresponsible actions can be.

"Perhaps it is not generally known," his letter states, "that if a sailor returns to his ship after a night's leave without his cap or cap tally lie is liable for punishment. even though the defection is the result of pctlv thieving by some irresp on.si J> 1 e citizen." There were times, he said, when coats:, caps or hats had to be left unattended in cloak rooms, and reliance' was placed on the honesty r >f other parsons not to interfere with these belongings. He had twice been the victim of souvenir-hunters, and replacement of the artieles had caused no little embarrassment. As many soldiers had. ; he belieA r cd. .suffered similarly, lie hoped some deterrent action would be taken.

INTERNATIONAL, ROADS

AFTER WAR SUGGESTIONS CHANNEL TUNNEL AGAIN Super motor roads linking the French port of Calais, with Istanbul, .Lisbon with Moscow, and Rome with Stockholm form one of the many constructive building plans envisaged for that future time "when the war is over." This particular plan has been outlined by Mr E. E. Looming, surveyor to the urban district council of the town of Urmston, near Manchester. Under the plan motorists wouldbe permitted to travel along these international higlwvays at 100 miles an hour, passports would be dispensed with, and by facilitating busi ness relationships Mr Leeming be j lieves that the scheme would 1 contribute to European goodwill. Britain's contribution to this great highway chain would, take the form of a £60,000,000 double-width arterial road from Glasgow to Dover. This "backbone of England" would link up with Calais via a Channel tunnel. The Calais to Istanbul, Lisbon to Moscow, and Rome to Stockholm highways would skirt big cities on their way and there would be a system oif subsidiary roads which would complete a great international link.

BOWLS IN MASKS A TRY-OUT GAME VERY SEVERE TEST Bowlers are not easily deterred from participation in their pastime, and players in Britain are not going to allow German raiders to drive them to shelter when they could be trying to kiss kitty. A few weeks it go men in gas masks played a game of bowls in Kent oni the Gravesenxl bowling green. Some of those who saw the match did not realise the serious nature of the experiment. The bowlers decided to give their town and count}- a lead in getting used to gas masks, just to show that the wearing of a gas mask really presents little inconvenience when one is accustomed to it. According to a member of the club the idea met with enthusiastic support. The Mayor of Gravesend, president of the club, Idd the masked bowlers on to the green. Service, civilian duty and civilian masks were worn, and though tlTe heat made the test a severe one, the plav ers came through the ordeal with flying colour. Visibility was good, and the lettering on the country scoreboard, 187 yds away, discernible through the mica of the masks. The players conversed without difficulty and, there was no embarrassment in breathing. There was one "snag"' however —the players could not smoke, but they could make up for that at some futuro' time. Just as those who sin must suffer, s:o must those who play bowls during war raids put up with temporal deprivation.