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Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1923, Page 2

Tint British elections are taking something of a spectacular turn. The Prime Minister seems to have a good press agent, and Mr Baldwin is being extolled over the eahl-s iii respect to little incidents which are magnified into great events by reason of their world-able publicity. Mr Lloyd George seems to he "coming hack” in popular esteem. His speeches lack nothing in vigor and incisive declamation. No doubt he is encouraged exceedingly by the magnificent inceptions he is receiving. II th" Liberals are to retrieve their political fortunes at Homo on this occasion, it will be due to the platfoim brilliance of Mr l.loyd George, it 's suggested that the seats or lith Mr Asquith and Mr Churchill are in jeopardy. The latter was defeated at la-1 poll. But both are prominent free traders, and unless they have made a had choice in the selection of a constituency. their return should not he in doubt.. Tin* House of Commons w ill 1 e the poorer if they do not grace its: porta It as members next month. Judging lev the tone of the cable news the Idberal stocks appear to lie rising .steadily. But Mr Baldwin is game, and will light on. He had not a united party in his protection policy, and that will he a severe handicap in the strenuous contest he is engaged in.

“Tith change in the appearance of the 01. l battle grounds of the British front front Amiens to Ypres is amazing, alniosr incredible, lo anyone, who know the country at the end of the war,’’ writes Bovd Cable in the London “Times.” "f have found it easier to truce on the gtiuind the story of the liaiih' of Waterloo than to follow the course of the lighting on *hj Somme, although I was there for nearly sj\ nioiirhuent over most of the ground again and again, studied it on the maps often scores of times a day. This is not because the battle-ground of Waterloo is a tiny spot compared to the Somme, because I found it just as difficult to trace out, one corner of a battlefield in Flanders personally familiar to me

and not as big as Waterloo. It is lather because all our old familiar 1 landmarks have almost disappeared, l;0'-:tuse where we could see from u thousand yards up to live miles without anything to obstruct- our view, there are- now clusters of farms, rows, <•1 houses, complete villages crowning the heights, iow hut dense clumps of "ood and hush where we used to know only low mounds of brick and stone, ghastly naked tree stumps. Where wo picked a way and recognised a route to the front line through, say. Cuin city tillage, we now find a trim, order ly street of brand-new cottages, estajuinets, farm houses, a full width of cobble-stoned streets, fields without a sign of a trench in sight. It is the same almost everywhere I have gone, although there are spots here and there where the scars of war are still tin healed and remain ugly and disfiguring.”

On; goixl friends in Canterbury continue to take .■» close interest in the question of railway freights westward. They have the commercial view of the position to support them, notwithstanding that if their effort is achieved they will profit by business relations by extra trade with the Const. But benefit in that- direction must be passed on

more or less to the consumers here, who will enjoy a. wider market, and ns a consequence greater competition for the trading possibilities. Actually then the Coasters can afford to take a closer interest ini the campaign, for while its success would bring greater traffic to the railways, which are a national concern, it would mean also greater local prcspeiity. 15ut while this seems to ap--1 ear obvious, there are those on the Coast who view the matter with a blinded vision. There seems to be inherent prejudice and selfish interests brought to bear in the hope of discounting the Canterbury efforts. It is rather unlike tiie Coast that this should bo so. As far as this distiict is concerned there is a feeling of very grateful gratitude for what Canterbury lias dune by loyal co-operation to help the Coast ahead. The motives in the past wen- never questioned and least of all should they b > now. ii licit, as a result of that splendid help the district has achieved the groat convenience of the Midland railwav.