WAR ON THE CHILDREN.

Evening Star, Issue 23688, 23 September 1940, Page 4

WAR ON THE CHILDREN.

The German war on children has not been confined to the land. The latest exploit of a U-boat commander in torpedoing an evacue ship bound for Canada, with heavy loss of life, must send a thrill of horror through every civilised community. This was not a new form of warfare for the Nazis, even at sea. Only three weeks ago a like ship, carrying 320 “ child guests ” •to Canada, was torpedoed by a submarine, but happily all its children were saved, no thanks being duo to their inhuman assailants. We do not know whether the ships which carry these helpless passengers arc specially marked, or ■whether such markings would be any sort of protection for them from Nazi ferocity, but in other ways the Children’s Overseas Reception Board takes all the precautions possible for the safety of its small charges. No child is permitted to be berthed below the waterline, for at least every fifteen children a trained escort is provided, not more than three children arc allowed to every adult in a ship, and boat drill is enforced from the start. In this latest assault n high sea added to the difficulties of the situation, and 294 adults and children were lost. The children who wore attacked—and saved—in the first assault were reported to have “ borne themselves like Guardsmen on parade,” and they arrived hack in England in high fettle. The announcement of that earlier crime found the Germans already prepared with their excuses. 11 Obviously,” the official Spokesman declared, “ Germany, which values and loves children ” —it has learned how to debase its own —*‘ is not in the business of sinking child refugee ships.” It was left for the world to imagine that Mr Churchill had clone it. Neither of the ships attacked could have carried any menace to Germany, since they were going to, and not from Canada. A few weeks ago it was reported that President Wilson had signed a Bill authorising American ships to cuter the war zones in order to evacuate children. In this suggestion may lie the possibility of a new and very real service by the United Stales to Great Britain. Certainly the latest horror which ontHitlcrs Hitler will rouse feelings not at all in keeping with Germany’s war interests in the United States.

Heavy spring rains and the warm, sunny weather experienced in the Bay of Plenty district during the past few weeks have away the growth far beyond expectations for this time of tho year, and conditions promise well for the dairying season.

Despite the fact that some of its best markets have been closed because of the war, Canada’s output of new motor vehicles has not shown any sign of decrease. In the first half of 1940 the great Canadian motor industries placed 110,912 vehicles on the market, as compared with 93,759 during the corresponding period in 1939. This increase was achieved despite the great contributions that the industry is making towards the Empire war effort.

Although it was considered unlikely that New Zealand would ever be bombed by the enemy, the members of the council of the War Memorial Museum Institute have decided to take no chances of having the most valuable of its exhibits destroyed. It was reported at a meeting of the council that three “ shelters ” were to be excavated, each 6ft by 4ft by 4ft. They would have cement walls, protected by sandbags, and the doors would be of steel. At the first suggestion of a possible air raid the most valuable exhibits in the museum would be collected and placed in tho “ shelters.” A propaganda leaflet dropped by Italian airmen in Egypt has been received from a member of the Now Zealand Expeditionary Force. Printed on coarse paper, tho phraseology and spelling are rather remarkable, the following being an exact copy:—Englishmen. Egyptians, and Arabs of the Western Desert! France surrenders arms and stops fighting against the Powers of the Axis. The hour of England and her allies as struck at last. Italy and Germany will fall on you and punish tho obstinate continuators of a ruthless struggle which shall forever mark the decline of Democratic Plutocracies. Englishmen, Egyptians, and Arabs of the Western Desert, you slaves of the criminal 'Government of London, lay down arms, because wo will allow no respite tho those who will resist.”

New Zealand troops in England are becoming experts in recognising- various tvpes of British and enemy aeroplanes, according to an Auckland member of the Second Echelon in a letter just received by his parents. At his camp a remarkable variety of aircraft was to be seen overhead, and at times it was impossible to hear oneself speak owing to the noise of huge bombers in which crews were being trained, he said. Among enemy aircraft which had become well known was the Junkers 88. “ although he has not done us any harm.” The' soldier referred to enemy damage up to the time of writing, August 2C, but indicated that there was another side to the picture with the remark, “ Piles of scrap iron and piles of Messorschmitts and Junkers quite spoil the effect of the downlands.”

To-dav serves to mark the thirtythird anniversary of the declaration of New Zealand as a dominion. When the country’s status was raised from that of a colony to that of a dominion on September 26, 1907, the occasion was one for widespread celebration, and for a number of years thereafter a holiday was observed. In latter years fewer concerns than previously have observed the day as one for holiday festival, and to-day only the banks and the Stock Exchange were closed. The declaration was contained in a proclamation issued by King Edward VII., dated at Buckingham Palace on September 9, .1907, and reading: “Whereas we have, on the petition of the members of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of our colony of New Zealand, determined that the title of the ‘ Dominion of New Zealand ’ shall be substituted for that of the ‘ Colony of New Zealand ’ as the designation "of the said colony. We have, therefore, by and with the advice of our Provincial Council thought fit to issue this, our Royal Proclamation, and do ordain, declare, and command that on and after the 26th day of September, 1907, the said Colony of New Zealand and the territory belonging thereto shall bo called and known by the title of the Dominion of New Zealand, and we hereby give our commands to all public departments accordingly.” For some time now it has been the practice to designate the_ fourth Monday in September as Dominion Day, that usually being near the 26th, so that today is really doing duty for next Thursday. On Wednesday next —the beginning of the week on the waterfront, as far as labour is concerned —it is expected that the bureau system of labour allocation will come into operation. The only reason for it not being introduced last Wednesday was that agreement on a few points had not been reached between the union and the employers. The Waterfront Control Commission has full powers, however, and these points under consideration are merely to facilitate the working of the system locally. Naturally, conditions vary at different ports. Dunedin citizens should be proud of the display offered at the Queen’s Gardens at present. Spring has wrought a surprising transformation from the dormant state of a few weeks back, and the small area is a pretty picture with neatly-laid wallflower plots in full boom; the trees fringing the borders assuming a fresh green mantle; and the bare patches where -many feet have passed have been returfed, with the whole area well grassed and tidily kept by the reserves department. This morning, at 7.55, the City Eire Brigade was called to Asquith street, Caversham. whore slight damage was done to one wall of a detached outhouse. The outbreak was caused by sparks from a copper fire. At 9.8 the brigade attended an automatic false alarm from M‘Lcod Bros.’ soap works. There wore a number of other calls in the week-end. At 10.15 p.m. on Saturday the ‘Brigade attended to a chimney (ire in Grater street. A fire in a washhouse attached to a dwelling in Goodall street was dealt with at 11.48 yesterday, damage being done to the building. Last night a call to a gorsc fire in the Main North road was responded to at 10.93, and at 10.55 a chimney lire was attended to in Filleul street.

Seven clays’ imprisonment and his license cancelled lor a year was the sentence passed by Mr Molding, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court on Thomas Arthur Daley/ company director, for being in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motor car. The police said that at 11.50 on Friday night the car collided with the safety zone in Symonds street.—Press Association.

The Hospital Committee of the Hospital Board reports that approval has been received from the New Zealand Crippled Children Society (Dunedin Branch) and the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Bed Cross Society of the appointment of Miss Walden as the bursar for training in occupational therapy. The thanks of the board have been extended to these societies for assistance given, and the former assured of the board's continued co-operation.

"’The tender of the Love Construction Company Ltd. has been accepted for the erection of accommodation for nurses at the Talboys Home. The Benevolent Committee of the Hospital Board distributed £67 16s 8d among 43 casual cases for relief during August. The Hospital Committee of the Hospital Board recommends acceptance of the offer of the Director-General of Health of a grant to be made for alterations and additions at Talboys Homy. A condition is that when the Minister decides that the additional accommodation is no longer required for the purpose of providing for sick and wounded soldiers, and can be used for the ordinary purposes of the board, the latter shall bo required to repay to the Government the amount of the grant provided that such repayment may be by equal annual instalments over a period not exceeding 20 years, with interest charge at the rate then current for hospital board loans, From the secret information it receives daily from London, the ■ New Zealand Government is able to gain an oven far more impressive estimate of the heroic work being done by the Royal Air Force in the defence of Great Britain than can be gauged by the general public. This was indicated by the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, in an address at the Welcome Club, Christchurch, on Saturday evening. “ Our inspiration comes at the moment from the men in the air,” Mr Nash said, “ and from their great deeds night and day over London and across the seas separating England from her enemies. We know, from the secret cablegrams which we receive daily from London, what amazing things the Royal Air Force is doing. Three and a-half German aeroplanes are brought down for every British aeroplane destroyed. Yet our airmen are going up into the battle as one machine to three. Even with those odds against them (hey can bring down three and a-half enemy machines to every one of ours destroyed.”