FROM "JOHN BULL."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 229, 24 November 1916, Page 5 (Supplement)

FROM "JOHN BULL."

HOLLAND AND GERMANY. Apropos of our recent "Plain Talk to Holland," figures tell their own story. We allow maizo to go to the Dutch to feed cattle the neutral sells to the enemy. Apologists for Holland point out that 100,308 tons less maizes went into that country in the first six months of the year than in the liko period of 1914. But, at the same tim«s 101,066 tons less went from Holland into Germany. MEAT FOR THE HUN. Now note the sequel. While from thv. above figures it will be seen that. Holland maintained her own consumption of maize, she helped Germany ov sending into Hun-land 34,428 tons more of meat than in the first half of 1915, while allowing us 32,504 ton's less. By permitting Holland to take all the maize she wanted this year, wv> enabled her to fatten stock and feed the (Germans. Clever, aren't we? EIGHT YEARS AGO. That private letter which the Kaise> had the artfulness to send to the lata Lord Twcedmouth in 1SK)8, when hw was First Lord of the Admiralty, was a deliberate attempt to influence the British Minister in a direction favourable to German interests. That the Times put the right interpretation on it everyone would now admit, even 'neluding, we should think, Viscount Grey. He held a different opinion it the time—and indeed went out of his way to say that the very unusual correspondence v;as calculated to foster a good undertsanding with Germany. We are reminded oi that eight-year-ol'l event by a corespondent, who sends is the contemporary attack of the Christinn World on the Times. Poor Christian World! AN INNOCENT OFFENCE. A youthful defendant at the Shrewsbury Police Court had joined the Army when oniv 16, being subsequently "claimed ont" by his parents. The indignity of being ''sent home to mother" seems to have worried the qiirit-ed youngster, and, fearing the I sneers of his companions he got hold of , i blank form, and filled it up "discharged medically unfit." When •barged with the forged entry, the lad explained that it "seemed childish to >o claimed out," and this, evidently vas the whole reason for his offence. In .Itpse circumstances, the Magistrate decided ; to fine the boy, "only £'3 ,? clritli. all things considered, was just ;ixty shillings too much. POISON BULLETS. [iERMANS FSING A DEADLY LIQCIO IN THEIR RIFLE AMMUNITION. i Po : son bullets are among the savage levin s with which the Gentians areili*\avouriiig to win the War. ; A little description of them is given , iv one of our wounded. "I had a fii!t l pocketful of >ouveers," he said, "but my jacket- was linehe-d. "T had a. clip of Bocho cartridges .vitli liquid in 'em : poison. I reckon. "You can screw the bullets out. and hero was the chamber full of tins ■ luff. " \Ye all reckoned it was poison: ound a. lot of <in on three Bodies v o icupperud. "I was hif. carrying S.A.A. up t> I'rones Wood. Yi»s; w'e managed to ;et rations up fairly regular. The .vater 'va-s the worst trouble."