The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 11, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1016, 11 July 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JULY 11, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

As aa evideace of the strong attachment some boys have for their school and teachers, we may relate the following : Recently a lad attending the local State school met with a serious accident. When consciousness returned the first question the little fellow put to his medical attendant was whether he could go to school ou the morrow ! His record of attendances during the year and up to the time of his mishap had been unbroken. Compared with this his injuries paled into insignificance. It may be that teachers of to-day take a more sympathetic interest in the work, hobbies and play of the scholars. Anyhow, the writer, when a lad, like hundreds of others, would resort to any excuse to dodge school. We have known boy malingerers of old cheerfully swallow castor oil in order to “stay, away.” School methods have changed since those days, and while teachers are just as strict disciplinarians to-day, children are not subjected to the same amount of intimidation, and there is a distinct absence of standoffishness on the part of teachers. It is a common sight at the local school during “play time” to see the teachers indulging in healthy games with the scholars, and coaching them. Possibly this comradeship obtains elsewhere. Boys now enjoy greater encouragement to “ play the game and the man,” and our State schools under such improved conditions should produce a healthy and highly moral manhood and womanhood.

j Last week’s cables informed us that Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, had announced that the arbitration treaty between Great Britain and the United States would shortly be signed. The text of the treaty between the United States and Britain shows how far-reaching the effects really are. The preamble contains the following cx-

pressiou of the desire to avoid war : The Governments of the United States and Great Britain finding it advisable and humane to settle all differences which may arise in the future without resort to force in order to preserve order and peace in conformity with existing arbitration treaties and understandings, hereby agree to consider and enforce a settlement of all questions involving the vital interests, independence and honour by the two high contracting parties by means of arbitration and peace, under such conditions, and tor such a period of time, as shall hereinalter be fixed. The first section provides that all differences that cannot be settled by diplomacy shall be referred to the Hague Court of Arbitration. This clause is qualified, however, to exclude from its operations matters affecting the “vital interest, independence, or honour of the two countries,” and matters that concern the interests of third parties. When diplomacy fails the matter in dispute “ shall be held in abeyance under continued amicable relations,” while the representatives of the two countries are being selected to reach a settlement through the Hague tribunal. Section 4 contains a highly important clause. It runs as follows: —‘‘During the operation of this treaty the United States on the one side and Great Britain on the other consent not to become parties to any convention, treaty, understanding, or alliance with any Power or Powers except by consent of the other.” Disputes which go to arbitration are to be put before the court by plenipotentiary commissions. The British commission shall be appointed by the King, and the United States commission by the President, Both appointments shall be subject to the confirmation ot the respective Governments, which shall ratify the sittings and findings of the High Arbitration Commissions. Section 9 ordains that “it is agreed that all differences not affecting the vital interests, independence, and honour ot either Jof the two contracting States shall be submitted to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, in accordance with the existing arbitration treaties not superseded by this agreement, and that the two Governments will observe the stipulations of such treaties as may concern the sub ject in dispute.” Sections 10 and n have far-reaching effects with regard to the framing of arbitration treaties with other countries, and as to the duration and termination of the Anglo-American treaty in particular. They are as follows : “Section 10 —Both the high contracting parties are at liberty to agree to arbitration treaties under these terms with any other Governments, in which case both the high contracting parties shall be bound to the new treaty. Section ix —The present treaty shall go into effect immediately upon the signing in duplicate, and it shall remain in operation for an indeterminate period, although it may be terminated at the end of every fifth year from the date of signing upon six months’ notice from the Government desiring to withdraw.” Speaking at Baltimore, President Tatt, referring to this treaty, said it would not end war, but would be a step in that direction. Arbitration treaties were simply steps towards universal peace, which would be followed by other steps, the necessity for which would develop after the arbitration compacts became effective.

IT is stated that the petition in favour of the release of Lionel Terry, on the grounds that he is now sane and has been sufficiently punished, is meeting with a large amount of public support. The promoter ot the petition has had a number of sheets returned, fully signed, with requests for more. In general, copies of the petition are placed in newspaper offices, and are signed without any canvassing or solicitation. In two weeks a sheet at the Southland Times office received 2x6 signatures, and in an even shorter time 191 signatures were affixed at the office of the Greymouth Argus. From all over the Dominion encouraging reports are received, and it is expected when all the sheets are returned, by July 15th, that they will contain many thousands of names. The agitation is not looked upon with favour by the Chinese. Mr W. Tong, an Auckland Chinese court interpreter, told a pressman there were no two opinions among the educated section of the Auckland Chinese on the matter. “In fact,” said he, “I have been instructed by a number of Chinese residing here to write to the Act-ing-Consul at Wellington, Mr T. F. Shah, urging him to interview the Acting-Minister for Justice, and generally to do his utmost to prevent any effect being given to the. agitation for the release of Terry, They consider it is only just that Terry should remain in prison, and that if he were released and went away from New Zealand it is quite likely he would do mischief elsewhere. They argue that a man whose action has shown him to be so strongly prejudiced against the Chinese race is not sate to be at large. As a matter of fact, the Chinese in Auckland say Terry deserved to be banged just as much as did the Maori Tahi Kaka, and at the time of the movement for the reprieve of Kaka many of them expressed the opinion that the reprieve of Lionel Terry was a very good argument for the commutation of Kaka’s sentence. But as to Terry’s possible release, the Chinese contend it would be a very grave mistake.”