The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING GISBORNE, MARCH 29, 1901. IMPRESSIONS IN CHINA.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 73, 29 March 1901, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING GISBORNE, MARCH 29, 1901. IMPRESSIONS IN CHINA.

To an interviewer in Wellington, M.r Arthur Adams, poet, journalist, and war correspondent, has given his impression of affairs in China. “ The Russian soldiers,” says Mr Adams, “ are big, hulking fellows, more like the Australians in build than any of the other troops. There, however, this comparison ends, for they were barbarous pure and simple. Some of the worst atrocities committed by the Allies were the work of the Russians, and were committed by them out of pure savagery.” Continuing, Mr Adams states: —“ Atrocities were also committed by the Japanese out of Oriental callousness, and by the French because of their want of respect for the moral code. One of their own soldiers described this as ‘ gallantry.’ ‘You cannot restrain the gallantry of the French soldier,’ he explained. But the Russians and the Frenchmen do not appear to have been quite alone in this respect. Even the Germans and the Indians occasionally took advantage of the license allowed them. As a matter of fact many Chinese women committed suicide by throwing themselves down wells rather than submit to the bat-barities of the troops. In other cases women were bayonetted in pure wantonness. The Russians were badly officered. A Russian officer himself told Mr Adams that it was impossible to keep an eye on the Russian soldiers. These soldiers are simply land serfs, who receive very little pay and arc very low in the social scale. ‘To give you an example of the position they occupy in relation to their officers,’ said Mr Adams, ‘ I may tell you I have seen an officer cuff a soldier on one side of the head and then on the other, and the soldier took it all as a matter of course, and, in fact, stood at attention all the time.” An interesting comparsion of the various soldiers is made by the returned correspondent : —“ The British army did not appear to advantage simply because it was composed almost entirely of Indians. Some of the Indians were entirely big, line-looking fellows, except that, they were very thin in the legs. A point not quite in their favour was that they had such a heterogenous collection of camp' followers, who were not much to bo trusted. It was a pity we had so few of our white troops there, If we had we should have cirt a more respectable figure in the face of the other nations. As it was we were not on a par with either the Germans or the Japanese. Indeed, the Chinese campaign went to show that Japan has the best soldiers in the world, I cannot say enough in admiration of them,” added McAdams. •“ This is not my own opinion alone, but the opinion of every newspaper correspondent up there, Their scientific equipment, their transport, their commissariat were excellent. Then in stamina and reckless, absurd bravery, the Japs, were right ahead of anyone. Tlioy were better soldiers because of their greater animal vitality, and they could, in consequence, stand hardships that would make other soldiers knock under. Then, too, their Intelligence Department was very successful. They had an excellent Secret Service. This was, however, not so much to be wondered at, because they were so much akin to the inhabitants of the country in which they were operating, Indeed, the Chinese regard them almost as cousins. The Japanese quarter in-Pekin wa a the first to resume work, the British next, and then the Russians. The Chinese did not like the Russians, even though amongst the Cossacks there \yere many of the Mongolian type. In connection with the fine work done by the Japanese, it must not be overlooked that they were playing to the gallery all the time. They knew the Western armies were looking on, and they made a point of excelling them in everything they did.”

Mr Adams says that the American soldiers were simply useless and absurd. They were too well looked after—pampered, iu fact. “If we have the Japs with us,” added Mr Adams, “ we shall do very Vy'eJl. We are, of course, very friendly yvifii fP the East, but in the China f §how v ‘fhf> Ajjierfi Qjjifjjf j"i?re still more so. That W.as because ’“the”Ainerf.Qaus' v/ere white men, and tyc had so feWiiyftfie &en out there. The Japs took greatly to the Australians. Wherever you saw aii Australian, you were sure to see a Jap with him. They hobnobbed and fratornised, and tried to learn each other’s language, and it was quite amusing, The natural division of the troops out there now resolves itself into Japanese, Americans, and English on one side, with the French and Russians on the other. The Germans stand apart as a sort of third party, partly because at first there were not enough of them to make a good impression. The Italian!?, if anything, had British leanings, and the’Austrians naturally fraternised with the Germans. The Australians seen!' to have made a splendid impression. In build they were the finest men out there, and they were Universally regarded W the handy men of the campaign.' Wherever' tfny special -British corps was weak, a few Australians’ were drafted put into’ ft. jft' was" sonjewhk't jstjijuige ig §ed them—naval' ipen mounted on- horsebacitiWftli fftg pompoms, whatever they undertook they .did Mr Adams, whose opinions are entitled to much weight, states that he thinks the little difficulty between ffie Russians and British will soon Mow oyer,

The band contest will be lipid next year at New Plymouth, in 1903 at Nelson, and 1904 at Gisborne. A conference of Mormon elders will be held at Murewai during the Easter holidays. About fifty elders will assemble at Murewai fr/ftn all the colonies.

A brake will leave the Masonic stables for Murewai to-morrow at 10 a.m. ' Intending passengers are requested to leave their narneg at the stables at once. There was a large attendance gt the exhibition of native’ dances given in the Academy pf Music last night. The graceful dancing was inaoh admired, and’ the performers were warmly applauded, About 300 Maoris arrived in town yesterday from the Coast. They found considerable difficulty in securing lodgings. Etiquette prevents them going before to-day to the Murewai, where there j.s plenty of food and accommodation. A large batch of Wairarapa Natives will arrive by the steamer to-morrow morning.

Messrs Kedstone and Son will run a brake to Murewai on Saturday and Sunday if sufficient inducement offers.

An American newspaper offered a prize to the first couple married in the new century. David Perry led Sadie Elsie Mackay to the alter two seconds after midnight on December 81st, and so gained the prize.

The American Tobacco Company will mail, free of cost, a beautiful oleograph to any person returning 25 old judge cigarette boxes, or 12 old judge tobacco labels. A selection can be made from a variety of subjects.

Our readers are reminded of the Gisborne school concert to be held in the Theatre Eoval this evening, a full programme of which appears in another column. Elaborate preparations have been made for the concert, and there should be a bumper house. It is said that the Chinese fruiterers of Wellington have an aggregate capital of £IOO,OOO to conduct their operations in fruit and vegetables. In some of the towns of the colony they secure better prices for their produce than Europeans can command.

The Harbor Board lias decided to dispense with its Legal Committee, the committee having been set up for a special purpose, and now being no longer required. “ It might lead us into litigation,” said one member, and the committee was forthwith given the happy despatch. Mr B. S. Cox, of the Gisborne Photographic Studio, has 'an advertisement in this issue, drawing attention to the fact that he is prepared to execute enlargements, finished in water-colour, oil, or black and white. Portraits are finished in the latest and most artistic style.

At the Harbor Board meeting yesterday, there was some discussion on the subject of the expenses for the second election, Mr Clark saying that it seemed as. if the Board had to pay everything it was asked for. After discussion, the account was passed for payment. The Chief Postmaster (Mr Sampson) informs us that Chili, Nicaragua, and Peru have been added to the list of countries to which New Zealand letters may be forwarded at one penny per half-ounce. And still unfriendly Australia holds out, for fear that the people there would want penny postage. At the Band Contest at Wanganui, Mr

May, of the Whataupoko Band, played a tenor solo. He acquitted himself very well, but was at a slight disadvantage on

account of nervousness. Mr T. Aston, bandmaster of the AVhataupoko Band was unable to take part in the cornet solo competition on account of having very sore lips.

Mr T. G. Lawless has a number of choice city and suburban properties for sale. He also calls attention to the Ocean Accident Insurance Society, the agency of which he has recently secured. Upwards of twenty, cases have been obtained by him within the last fortnight. The Ocean is claimed to be the best and cheapest accident insurance that one can go in for.

The paragraph about Mr Hill having to go a journey over 180 miles of roadless country to inspect a total of 21 children is going the rounds of the press, some writers seeming to think that all attention should be given to the city schools. Still, it must be admitted that the present arrangement means a great deal of waste of a valuable man’s time.

At its meeting to-day the Cook County Council will consider the subject of a new cemetery, a report of which will be presented from the committee. There is every likelihood that the sandhill site will be adopted. The present cemetery trustees have had recently to fence in a fresh piece of ground, the portion previously allotted liavidg been filled. The shooting match yesterday was won by the Gisborne Rifles. The representatives of the mounted corps were not up to their ordinary form. The scores were : Gisborne 235, East Coast 207, the former thus winning by 28. The top scores were made by Wakelin and Kemp, the latter being victorious in the slioot-off, and thus becomes the holder of the Cup on behalf of the Gisborne Rifles. “ Ticket-holder ” writes :—“ Sir, —Can you tell me when the Whataupoko Band Art Union is to be drawn ? lam getting tired of carrying my tickets about, and they will soon be so frayed that if one happens to be the winner of Captain Cook I am afraid I will be unable to tell, and the beautiful picture will go unclaimed. The good old captain discovered Poverty Bay, can you discover the time of that drawing? ” At the meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday, the Chairman said that notwithstanding all they heard about the riyer being no Ijettpr than it was before the works commenced, there was now 8 feet of water where a few years ago there was only a depth of 2 feet. He had confidence that the new dredge would materially assist them ; it was superior to the J.D.O. used at Napier, and that had effected a great improvement. In Whangarei 161 miles of new roads have been constructed in the last ten years, and this without the raising of a loan or the over-taxing of the ratepayers. The Hobson County Council cannot show a record anywhere approaching this, although they have taxed the ratepayers to the full extent, borrowed £6,350 of loans, and spent up to an overdraft of nearly £2,000. The secret of the whole matter simply lies in the fact that Marsflci) Thpmpson, M.H.R., is Wliangarei Thompson, and the Government dollars baye a tendency tq’ fall that way rather than this. Strange, but true. 'Wairoa must have a resident M.H.R,; nothing else wili fill the bill.—Dargaville Bell.

An excellent specimen of the carriage painter’s art can bo seen in the work of Mr Elinsly, of Childers-street, who has just turned out Mr J. T. Cassidy’s coach with an artistic finish not often notice- ■ able. . The work on the whole reflects the greatest credit on the local tradesman, and should secure for him general approbation. Mr Cassidy, the genial proprietor and jehu of this popular coach, is also to be complimented on his happy recognition of the fact that as he carries the if Royal Mail 1 ,” the well-known “ V.R.” has been substituted by “R,R.;” the latter forming no smair 'a'ddi'nmdn : jf,"aj a mijnogram, to the general appearance of the vehicle, Certainly Mr Cassidy has been the first in Gisborne -to recognise the altered conditions, and it is doubtful if elsewhere the line has been so quickly fallen into, A meeting of the members of the Gisborne branch of the New Zealand Natives’ Association was held last night, the Rev. H. Williams (President) being in the chair. There was a large attendance. Several new members were elected. The special busjnass of the evening was to receive the resignation of thg Secretary, Mr C, F. Lewis, ’ On the motion of’Dr Williams a hearty vote aft banks; was accorded to Mr Lewis for t-lio valuable services ho had rendered to the Association; of which ho had been’ secretary since its formation. Mr Lewis replied; stating 'that though he was giving up the office of secretary, he .would still continue to take deep interest in JthCe work of the and would give all'jbbe assistance that he could. For the vacant ngsifion of secretary there were two nominations, and Mr J. Oumniing was elected. Mr !M. G. Nasmith, jijnr.j resigned the position of treasurer,and on hjs m'otjon Mr George Beere was elected to thaf'position.

At the M.agisU'ate’s Court, yesterday, before Mr W. A. Rarton, §:Mr.- judgment went by default in the following cases : Cook County Council v, Robert Bryant, claim £27 10s, rates, and costs LI 5s ; Common, Shelton and Co. (Mr DeLautour) v. George Pevereal, claim £3 4s, costs £1 5s ; H. Sandlant and Co. (Mr G. Lysnar) v, Matthew Cornwall, claim £6 17s, costs £1 3s r 6d f Cook County Council v. Mary Dolman, claim £2 15s sd, costs ss; B. Colebrook (Mr G. Lysnar, instructed by Chrisp) y. Thomas Cahill, junr., claim £4 8s 33, costs' 16s ; if. Erskine (Mr Er. ; Lysnar) v. Ifni. Wilkin, claim £o 4s, costs LI §s 6d W . J. Cox (Mr G.'Lysnar) y. Jofin Ryan, judgment summons, claim L 4 6s fid, order made for immediate payment, or five days in Gisborne gaol. W. H. Tucker (Mr Jones) v. Rliza -Jane Fox, a case for recovery of possession of premises which were occupied by defendant: ’-Possession to be given within 14 days, costs £1 9s,