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Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1821, 30 July 1906, Page 3

When requested by a Post reporter for information about the source of these periodic appearances of leprosy among tho Maoris, Ur. Pomnro mentioned that they wero traceable to an event that happened about twenty generations back. A canoe with lepers came from Hawaiki, landing on the East Coast of Now Zealand, round about tho Thames, and spread to Taiipo. Those were the two places whoro leprosy was known in the old days. When the natives noticed a case in those times, they sent the patient oil to a cave, and that was how the malady had been kept down. Isolated instances had, however, occurred ever since:—Cne of the most pathetic laments in a language which lends itself to the melodious voicing of sad themes has a leper for its subject. The verses were composed by ft poet, To Bolm, about ten generations ago, says Ur. Pomnro It is the cry of a woman, a beauty in her day, who sees herself smitten by the fell disease. Her eyes loso their lustre, she knows that the gracefulness of her limbs is marred beyond all hope, and she secs the leper's cavo gaping for her. a dungeon of darkness and liideousncss for her who was the sunlight of her

tnbe Ur. Pomnro lias thoughts of translating the song, and pnkehas may well hope that deed will follow his intention.

Germany is still forcing her naval programme, is still working openly and undisguisedly to become the first naval as well as the first military Power on the Continent. And her offers of rex stored friendship have only been made since Mr Chamberlain inaugurated his preference campaign and since Mr Balfour spoke unreservedly of “ retaliation/’ During the last British elections the Germans were enthusiastic pro-Liberals, simply because the triumph of “ free trade ’’ meant that they could continue dumping into England while they themselves excluded British goods by their protective system. Since then many attempts have been made to cultivate British goodwill, but this German kindliness does not seem to extend to British preferentialists. Most certainly we would wish to seo Britain and Germany good and true friends, but a little practical friendship—such as France evinced—is more convincing than many empty protestations.—New Zealand Herald.