Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star SATURDAY JANUARY 5th., 1918. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star SATURDAY JANUARY sth., 1918. THE WEEK.

The week has produced long screeds of verbocity from the Premier and Minister of Finance under the guise of New Year greetings. Just why the National .Ministers should go to the expense of all this in war time keeping telegraph staffs working far into the night, and taking up valuable newspaper space except for the self-glorification of the .Ministers in question, is not clear. The lion, gentlemen have not suggested a single practical step to help win the war. We are wondering what- they are denying themselves personally as an ex ample of the thrift they preach but do not practice. We are wondering what they think of their topsy-turvy adminis tration to help win the war, and how it is not working out. They want revenue they say, a'nd increase the customs on spirits, then adopt anti-shouting to prevent the congenial souls drinking the spirits. The beer duty is increased, for revenue purposes, and six o’clock closing enforced to restrict the good folk in their efforts to help the revenue. An amusement tax is put on, and the department refuses to run trains to the races to help swell the tax. Railway fares are increased to assist in reducing the* monthly railway deficit yet the Department will not run trains to earn the revenue available in thousands of pounds at holiday times. A dividend tax is imposed on totalisator investments for revenue purposes yet the Government cut down racing and refuse to run trains to racecourses to augment the taxation so necessary. And so this gilbortian farce by the Government goes on. New Zealand is not the laughing stock of the world only re* the Gorman escapee incident.

Tlon. William Fraser a Knight! "Why? Can it he for his ability to say No with a resounding voice that is for ever a negative?* Probably it is a political reward pure and simple for services well and faithfully done— for his Party. Mr Fraser has been a crusted Conservative and Reformer since the early days when he was n pioneer settler in New Zealand. Fie, has lived long and now gained an honor from his King for negative services nt< a time when the King’s honors should he given only I<> those who n're doing mighty deeds for Empire. We cannot, on any account regard Mr. Fraser as an Empire builder. Tie was always a flour pessimist, soured greatly no doubt by his long sojourn in the Opposition camp, as it was during the, progressive reign of Liberalism as organised hv the Ballanee-.Seddon Ministries. There was some talk of Mr. Fraser going out of the Ministry when the National Ministry was •constituted ■ by his party claims stood him in good J.ead at a time when Party was supposed to be dead—the farce of it~~and

so Mr. Fraser, has lived to be honored with knighthood. Perhaps his colonial services as an early-day pioneer who helped to settle Otago, give him some public claim to the high honor, but regarding him as the Minister of Public Wodks who deceived and robbed Westland of the Ross railway extension, ami has since deserted the district, one wonders at his preferment for he left Westland derelict so far as the bridging, of the Mikonui river is concerned, thereby handing over a national work and national revenue to private enterprise. Communing on these facts we sitll wonder why Mr. Eraser is equitably appointed a knight.

The administration of the railways continues to be something which passes all reasonable understanding. On Thursday last when the thousands were trooping to the Grey races, (he railway yard at Grcymouth wa s congested with vehicles and engines all resting, while a golden harvest of revenue was lost to the Dominion and passed on with excess profits to the motor car owners who plied their calling for all they were worth. Many railway hands guarded the railway line to prevent pedestrians walking along the line to escape the dan ger and dust of the narrow road blocked with motor traffic. Railway hands on the Grey wharf had a difficulty in filling in the day in the country’s service in preference to employing themselves profitably in running trains which would have paid handsomely. The height of the public boycott was demonstrated by the Department refusing to stop country trains at the Omoto platform. Passengers for the races were deposited at the next station, and had to find their way as best tney could to tlio grounds. The thousands who gathered on the Oreymonth racecourse in spite of all the restrictions put upon them by the Department ,were so many voices cast in condemnation of the Government in this matter. It was a prohibition which did not work, except disastrously to the Government reputation and to the throwing away of thousands of pounds which New Zealand will yet need to help win the war. The Government seem bent, on alienating the best sympathies of the sporting public, the readiest supporters all through the war of every measure deemed necessary to achieve the main object.

The •‘high British military authority” who j reviews the outlook of the war takes a more optimistic view of the position than did Colonel Ropington in his summary. The “military authority” regards the western situation with comparative complacency. He regards it as certain that the Germans will not institute an offensive on a more considerable scale thn n formerly. For long past the enemy has not been able to assume the aggressive. The choice of attack has been largely with the British. Tf the position is changing at the West Front, wo may he assured that General Haig is making his dispositions accordingly. The aerial superiority enjoyed by the FrancoBritish for some time now will give them the advantage of discovering the real strength of the enemy at given points, and from this valuable information action will he determined. The fall of winter is now enveloping the European theatres. This is of more advantage to the Allies than the enemy. For the first few months of this year time will be fighting on the side of the Allies. The respite permits all available reinforcements to bo put into the various fronts, and stores of ammunition to be established in the various main theatres. A French writer confirms the views of the “'British military authority” where he remarks: “The spectacle of the Germans being powerless to obtain any success on the British front is extremely comforting.” That is the position af the moment, and it looks as if it will ho maintained. The British are very solid when o n the sturdy defensive.

Tiif.uk arc still many people who contend that the Allies should not depend solely upon anti-submarine measures and increased ship-building results in order to meet the menace of, t submarine warfare. Some of the older men of the navy, although they do not all advocate the hanging of the , German submarine pirates at the yardarm, think that some good" purpose may be served by showing Germany that she will not he permitted to commit acts of barbarism at sea without being called to account for them in some definite way. Lord Beresford, in his address as president of the Birmingham and Midland Institute recently, said that unrestricted sinkings by German submarines produced one stirring incident which made German defeat certain. Tt brought the United States into the war. The real danger in front of us was shortage of tonnage. Germany would fight to the last man she had got until three factors, which would shorten and eventually win the war. were brought into play. The first, was the economic question which could be made fatal to Germany by a stringent blockade; secondly, a statement

made by authority in clear and unmistakable terms as to the punishment Germany would receive for the atrocious crimes committed hv the assassinations of the sea : and thirdly, the utilisation of aircraft, which, when properly organised and sufficient in numbers would have a crushing effect upon the enemy and tend to shorten the war. “Through the patriotism of the people and the heroism of the officers and men of the {Royal Navy and Mercantile Marine,” concluded Lord Beresford, “we are well on the way to blue water.”

It is not surprising that immediately after the capture of Jerusalem by the Allies, we should again bo hearing rumours of Turkey’s intention to throw off German domination and seek peace. We have so often heard that Turkey desired peace that we cannot he expected to place full confidence in the latest reports. Front a military point of view there are reasons both for and against a Turkish break-awny from the Central Powers. T n the first place, she stands to gain very little out of the unless she receives a great amount of assistance front her Allies while there are ominous signs that if s.he remains a belligerent much longer, she will lose more than she ran hope to gain. The British successes in Palestine and Mesopotamia have contained definite proof of the serious intentions which the Allies entertain' regarding Turkey’s possessions there.

Since t-hft lato General Maude took over control of the Mesopotamia cam. paig n the fortune of war has been all against Turkey. The early successes which she achieved in the defence of flic Dardanelles and against General Townshend’s expedition have been more than counteracted by her subsequent reverses both in Mesopotamia and Palestine. 'She has lost Baghdad and Jerusalem and may lose much more unless her allies are able to come to her aid or unless she arrives at an early understanding with her enemies . On the other hand there is the general, situation in the East to be taken into consideration. If tho Austro-Germans are to be relieved of their responsibilities on that front they should have little difficulty in assisting Turkey in her time of stress. The Eastern front, however, promises to remain very uncertain for some time to come and those troops which the enemy is likely to be able to spare from that region in the meantime will no doubt- he urgently required in the West.