Thoughts For The Times

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1920, Page 2

Thoughts For The Times

The Scarcity of Goons.' It is* a. known fact that scarcity In some lines exist as a result- of the war, which will he gradually remedied as inindustry becomes normal. The production of sugar on the continent of Europe was down about 4,000,000 in 1919, and sugar is dear all over the world in consequence. The proper action for this situation is for every person to do with a little less sugar, each accepting his share of the deficit. Instead of this, through ignorance and thoughtlessness of course, the people of the United States consumed more sugar per capita in 1919 than ever before in their history. That has been a factor in making the price high. Economy in use will help to reduce prices, and make the commodities spread further afield.

There will be a meeting of the Rimu Football Club in the Supreme Hall tonight at Beven o’clock; members yre requested to attend.—-Advt.

The Art Union in connection with St Mary’s Bazaar - ivus U.aun last night, and the list of prize winners appears in another column.

The ferry boat Walsline, from Wellington to Lyttelton, connected this morning with the overland train at Christchurch.

The Returning Officer for Ross, (Mr A. W. Peebles) notifies.that nomiatious to fill two vacancies on the Ross Borougl'i Council will’ be received up tp Tuesday June 16th at noon.

The New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association has resolved to request the Government that the regulations for the protection of soldiers’ businesses administered during the war by the Efficiency• Boprd be revived for the protection cf businesses established wth the assistance of the Repatriation Department', and that the Repatriation Department be charged with the administration of such regulations. •

Every school board in the big towns of the Old Country,” said Dr Neil McDoiigall, in the course of a lecture on 1 “ Radium and its Uses,” given at Auck- i land, “ has its own X-ray plant for cur- 1 jug head ringworm in school children. The children are put under a five-day treatment, one' portion ol the scalp being treated on each occasion, and each , sitting lasts about six minutes, The diseased hairs are thus caused to falj out, and with them the ringworm fungus.

The interesting fact that the warship Chatham, which has recently been offered by the Admiralty to the New Zealand Government for the Du.h.'iiou’s Navy, was the vessel from ■ which Sir William Birdwood supervised the evacuation of Gallipoli ,wns mentioned by the General in the course of his remarks at the Wellington Town Hall .recently. General Birdwood said that he had spent in the Chatham three of the most anxious nights' of his life during the evacuation operations. Inorder to make the thorough preparations necessary for the successful embarkation of the troops, ho had to travel from one part of the coast to another. Hus anxiety was far greater two months later, however, when he had to evacuate the tjoops from Cape Helles.

When the paper shortage causes the newspaper to nuspend publication, what are we going to do—about lighting the fire; for something to line the shelves in the jam clipboard; for another excuse at breakfast when one is too grouchy to converse with the wife; in the summer, for a fly-swatter; about a substitute wrapper for little Johnny’s school lunch; for a screen to conceal oneself behind, when a lady enters a crowded car and pointedly stands in front of the seat one is occupying; about something to put under father's feet, when he will insist on taking those afternoon naps on the best bedspread; for something to read. —“Life.”

A grave English historian of the next century may, I think, sum up the present relations between'Britain and America in one phrase (says a writer ip the London “Daily Express”). “A friendship”, he will write, “that on 'our side was proof against malicious misrepresentations. A friendship that, on 6ur side 'survived even their ibaepn and whisky. Ido not propose that all American whisky is bad. I have read a Kentucky senator’s speech when the Pure Food Law was pending. He showed the House how some of the whiskies of the day were made and held up a concoctipn which he had prepared before their eyes. ‘This,’ he said, simply and finely, ‘will make a howling dervish out; of a monk, and make a rabbit spit in a bulldog's face.”

There has been a dispute between the Deputies Union and the mine owners in regard to wages, and as a result of their demands not having been acceded to, the deputies have each given a fortnight’s notice to the management. The men demand £7 per week for the day shift, £7 10s for •the afternoon shift, and £7 15s for the night shift. A conference was held at Westport a fortnight ago, and the owners made an offer of £0 10s, £6 15s and. £6 15s for the three shifts. On the day shift this would mean an increase of 621 per cent over pre-war wages. The offer was refused, but it is understood that an, other conference will be held on Wednesday, when the matter will be again discussed. The fortnight’s notice given by the men will expire about the middle of this month.

Leeds has adopted u's a slogan (the war-cry.of the Maoris of New Zealand beginning “Ivomate, Koniate,” and ’ ending with the grand clinufi:, “Ake, ake, ake.”’ The c ry was introduced at the university many years ago by someone who had met the New Zealand Mounted Rifles during the .South African War. Its origin may probably he traced to the time of the Maori War when at' the siege of the strongly fortified Gate Pa, the , Maori leader returned to the British officer ip charge of the besieging troops tlie proud message concluding with the words, “Ka whawhai tonu, ake, Tike, ake.” “We shall fight on for ever and ever and ever.” The most historic occasion on which the war-cry has been ever given was at Suvla Bay in the great war, when the Maori Battalion made its historic attack and settled the oft-debated question whether . the. finest of the coloured races can fight as well wbb flic rifle and bayonet as with the old -greenstone club.