Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY. MAY 4 1917 A SPLENDID LEAD.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY. MAY 4 1917 A SPLENDID LEAD.

The oabled report of General Smuts’ speech when receiving the freedom of London, shows it to have been an inspiring utterance. It is a vindication of Britain’s causa whioh is at once supreme and unanswerable. A few short years ago, and General Smule' was the rather distinguished leader of Boer foroes against the British in the South African war. Since then, along with that pillar of the South African confederacy, General Botha, the two have played a gallant pare in maintaining the Boer side of the peaoe whioh olosed the war.. When intrigue and bribery on the part of the Germans was rampant in South Africa, both Botha and Smuts were superior to the temptations and coped with the inoipient rebellion with firmness and energy. Following that they took the field against the German enemy, and went through their respective campaigns with oonspicunus success. Now General Smuts is in England as one of the representatives of Gape Colony, and all honor is being paid tbe distinguished visitor. If the citizens of Loudon needed auy requital for the favors shown their vis tor, surely they have it in the inspiring speech General Smuts has delivered. It was truly Imperial in spirit, and keyed in the true tone of patriotism. He snms up the position very sanely when he en< joins on the nation not to be “ elated by victory, nor depressed by illfortune,” Ho suggests the British -way of ** seeing the war through” in that brave, confident spirit whioh has ever distinguished the rioe. The speech has a m oral for the shirker and anti-eonscriptionist where the General talks of showing to the world “what free men eonld do in the greatest conflict in the world.” The free men took up tbe Empire’s burden most gallantly, and tbe result to-day is that a victorioua conclusion 1 to the war is in sight. General Smuts ■ has realised how much has fallen upon ! Great Britain as her part in the war* j

She is, as be expresses it, the financial, moral and military mainstay of the Alließ. It is fitting in relation to the part Britain haß played in building np her Empire, that it should be to. Those who are truly British would have it so rather than that it should be said, when the world’s freedom was in the balance, our nation looked on indifferent to the consequences. As General Smuts pointed but, the enemy calculated on this latter condition of affairs. Germany looked to Britain to be apathetic, and expected even diai option among ibe free nations of the Empire. Indeed they tried and are trying to sow seeds of discord (o biing the Empire into disunion. Bat the effort is doomed

to failure, for “tho Imperial freemen,” as General Smnts aptly put it, - “came forward aad did their duty.” That duty must be carried on. Ia all walks of life alt can help. The Premier of England looks for individual aid in odß form or another from the whole nation. An effort so mighty as that is Bure to achieve a lastiog victory. Here, in New Zealand, we must show the utmost loyalty and give the fullest support to every call.: : for national service. Those who relax

effort are playing the part of the enemy within and these folk shonld be read a sharp lesson so that they will quickly realise their duty to their country.

The Harbor Board meets to-night al 7 o’olock, the business including the election of Chairman. The new Borough Council meets tonight at 7.45 o’clock, when the Mayor (Mr Perry) will also be again installed in office. Two men named John Joseph Hussy and Francis Hussy were arrested yesterday at Greymouth under the Military Service Act* The Jane arrived in the roadstead from Bruce Bay this morning before noon and will oome in this afternoon at five o’clock. The announcement of the Returned Soldiers’ grand ball appears in this issue. It is to be held in the Drill Shed on Thursday, May 17th and bids fair to attract a very large attendance. A strong committee have the arrangements well in hand fora successful gathering. The funeral of the late Frank Cassidy, which took place yesterday afternoon, was very largely attended. The body was borne from the Central Hotel to St. Mary’s Church, the pall bearers being Messrs A. Dowling, E. Dale, J. Kavannagh, and D.' Hunter, attenda/nts at the Montal ’Hospital. After a short service at the church the funeral procession, headed by the Hibernian Society, proceeded to the cemetery. The services at the church and graveside were conducted by Rev. Fathers Bowden and Creed.*"

A gentleman with a practical knowledce of Southern Hawke's Bay informed a reporter of a northern paper that a remarkabls response had been made by farmers ia that district to the Governmeut’s appeal to grow foodstuffs. Many men who had never cropped before were putting in an acre of wheat, oats, etc, and though the quantity individually might not be large, in the aggregate it would mean a great increase and have a distant effect upon the feeding problem.

Surgeon-General Henderson, Director General of Medical Services, reported on Monday that the patient who is suffering fronj cerbero-spinal meningitis at Fea* thsrston passed a bad night, but was somewhat better yesterday. The enteric case at Greytown was improving. At Trentham a member of the 28th Reinforcements was being treated for chicken-pox, and is doing well. The two pneumonia patients were much better, and the general health of +he men in both Trentham and Featherston camps was very satisfactory.

' Referring to the last season’s crop of f cocksfoot on Bank’s Peninsula, a Cau- . terbury piper says : —As evidence of the [ money there is in grass seeding for the ] man who is not afraid of long hours and hard work, mention mav be made of a few ec<ual cases, For six weeks' work. | a young fbllow, not yet twenty years of ege. drew & cheque of £63 10/, while 1 his mate, a sturdy lad, three years ycuuger, carrie 1 a similar sum. Another boy, working with them, had nearly £4O placed to his credit for the same time. La c tiy, a man, accustomed from his youth to the work, pocketed £llO, the result of not quite seven weeks’ toil. For Children’s Hacking Cough at night Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 1/6, 2/6. Mrs M. Gooch strongly recommend “ No Rubbing ” Laundry Help in 1/ cartoons for washing silks, linens, tnusUds, woollens, etc. Thinker Note Book free with every packot “ No Rubbing.” A eheering cordial that restores mental vigor—WOLFE’S SC HR APP3. The cable news in this issue ay,' credited to the “ Times” baa appeared in that journal, but only where expressly stated is such news the editorial opinirn of the “Times.” The syßtem is strengthened by the use of WOLFE'S SCHNAPPS.