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Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1918, Page 2

Till; submarine war carried across the | Atlantic shows that the menace is not 'all a negligible feature of the war. So far the onslaught on. the American const lias boon of a spectacular character, but to cope with it will make a demand on the Allied naval patrols in other waters. The large submarines remote from friendly harbours and refuges will not lie engaged on any mission of certainty. As far as the reports go to the damage done does not appear to have seriously interrupted i transport traffic, to the main seat, of ■ war. It lias to ho remembered, also, that the mission of the submarine in European waters is fast ending. It is being,“collared” there, and tho.se quarters being so dangerous it has moved to waters less infested with anti-subma-rine devices. The new situation create,, | in the Atlantic will be taken jn hand at . once, and it will not bo long before r that, region becomes no less “warm” i than the trade routes approaching Europe. The success in beating the cn- • omy. submarines around the United Kingdom, preeludes the possibility of starvation- to the people of Groat Britain. That would have been the greatest achievement the submarines could have accomplished and the danger is now past. In like manner the menace to the United States .Shipping bent on succouring the people of Great- Britain and the armies of the Allies will be frustrated. The first- news, like news naval intelligence about- the war, gave the worst side of the picture. The latest nows, published last night indicated that tho success was not over-mastering while the warlike spirit of the American nation was more intensified than over by the fresh challenge thrown out by Germnny to the United States.

Tiie account published to-day of tho progress and prosperity of the settled districts of South Westland is cheering reading. The upper portion of that important, part of Westland just visited by the County Chairman despue the untoward loir cum stances of the war, which have drawn so much on the district man-power, is flourishing, a-' apart from justifying its existence, gives promise of a permanent future in regard to land settlement for all time. T’ district must be classed as backbloe 1 territory. Any range of country such ns ■South Westland cut off and intersected as it is by so many large streams, suffers greatly from the isolation, so imposed. There seems to he a call from the south for more and moro bridges, and it is due to the men and women who have gone into that- heavily bush-clad region and carved out homes to give them now at this time, when they have probed the resources and possibilities of the district, some of those comforts of modern civilisation -"which those in more populous centres enjoy without first undergoing any peiod of privation and struggle to build up their homes. Now that the country is able to think in millions in regard to its e v ponditure, it does not seem much to ask for a few thousand pounds to give those people in remote places safe and ready means of communication. As civilian soldiers they have been material actors in building up the prosperity of the country our warlike soldiers are fighting for. Those services are no less worthy of national recognition, and that canwell be contributed in a generous scheme of assistance to help bridge the rivers of South Westland. In times to come the country will get back the money many fold.