NEW ZEALAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 26, 17 September 1914, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS LEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS.

[Per Press Association.]

Wellington, September 16

The Minister for Defence to-day received a further donation of £SOO from the Bible-in-Schools League for the Empire Defence Fund, making a total from the League of £2OOO.

SIR EDWARD GREY’S DISPASSIONATE AND CONVINCING REPLY.

"AS IN 1870, SO NOW.”

XPer Press Association.]

Wellington, September 16,

The following telegram has been received from tbe High Commissioner by the Prime Minister:—

London, September 15 (9.50 p.m.) Official.—The Foreign Secretary tonight, in reply to the German Chancellor’s communication in the Danish. Press, says that England would undoubtedly have interfered to probed Belgium’s freedom against France. He had asked France whether she was prepared to engage to respect the neutrality of Belgium, providing no othei Power violated it. The French Go, vernment replied ill the affirmative.

Sir Edward Grey said the German Chancellor entirely ignores the fact that England took the same line about Belgian neutrality in 1870 that she had taken now. When approached lit England, Prince Bismarck had respected the treaty obligations in relation to Belgium. The British Government stands as it stood in 1870. Dr. Beth-mann-Hollweg refused to meet us in 1914, as Prince Bismarck met us in 1870.

The Imperial Chancellor finds it strange that Mr Asquith in his Guildball spoech did not mention the ueutr,i.’nty of the Scandinavian countries, and suggests that the_reason of_the omission was "some sinister design on England’s part. Sir Edward Grey said: “It is impos sible for any public speaker to cove: the whole ground, and the Genual Chancellor’s reference to Denmark and other Scandinavian countries can hard ly ho considered tactful. Regarding Denmark, the Danes are not likely tt have forgotten the parts played by Prussia and England respectively, whet the Kingdom of Denmark was dismembered, and the integrity of Norway and Sweden was guaranteed by England and,France in the treaty of Stockholm in 1855.”

The Imperial Chancellor referred t« the dealings of Great Britain with tlu Boer Republics, and suggested that she had been false to the cause of freedom. Without going into controversies now happily passed, Sir Edward Grey says ho may recall what Premier Botha said in the South African Parliament a few days ago, expressing his conviction in the righteousness of Britain’s cause, and expressing the firm resolve of the South African Union to aid her in every possible way. M) Botha said that Groat Britain had given them a constitution under which they could create a great nationality, and had ever since regarded them as a free people and a sister State. Although there might he many who in the past had been hostile towards the British flag, Mr Botha could vouch that they would ten times rather bo.under the British flag than the German flag. Sir Edward Grey added that the German Chancellor was equally unfortunate in his references to the Colonial Empire. So far from the British policy having been recklessly egotistic, it had resulted in a great rally of affection and common interest by all the British Dominions and dependencies, among which there was not one which was not aiding Britain by soldiers or other contributions, or both.

Regarding the matter of treaty obligations generally, the German Chancellor excused the breach of Belgian neutrality by military necessity, at the same time taking the virtue ol having respected the neutrality of Holland and Switzerland, and saying it does not enter Ids head to touch the neutrality of the Scandinavian countries. A virtue which admittedly is only practised in the absence of temptation from self-interest and military advantage does not seem greatly worth vaunting.

To the Chancellor’s concluding statement, that to the German sword is entrusted the care of the .freedom of European peoples and states, Sir Edward Grey says that the treatment of Belgium is a sufficient answer.

PRISONERS f ROM SAMOA ARRIVE AT AUCKLAND. Auckland, September 17. Dr. Schultz, ex-Governor of (until recently) German Samoa, his secretary, Herr Mars, the wireless export, Herr Hirsch, and a merchant, Herr Hansen, arrived by the Navua this

morning under the escort of Major Francis and Lieut. Maxwell, as prisoners of war. Herr Hansen is a.Hongkong trader who was visiting Samoa and was arrested as a possible German spy. Herr Schultz is naturally keenly disappointed at the fate of the erst.while German possession, but on the voyage was cheerful and entered into the social life of the ship. Practically no restriction was placed on any members of the Gorman party, of which treatment Herr Sfc-hultz expresses keen appreciation. He is, however, distressed to learn of his future residence on the lonely quarantine island of Motuihi, being under the impression that parole would have been offered him. The authorities are doing everything possible to make his quarters on the island thoroughly comfortable and remove the irksomeness of his stay there.

REINFORCEMENTS WANTED. FOR EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. Lieut. Crhwai’aw, 0.0. Defence Department, Stratford, has received instructions from district headquarters regarding reinforcements to the expeditionary force. Following are extracts from the instructions•

Immediately after the departure o f the Expeditionary Force Steps will be taken to prepare periodical reinforcement drafts. Reinforcements will be required from units as follows: Twenty per cent, six weeks after the sailing of the Expeditionary Force, live per cent, thereafter. Officers and men will be selected from the volunteers for oversea service taken from the Territorial force, rifle clubs, ex-volun-teers and civilians. All men selected must be enrolled forthwith in the Territorial force. Applications to serve as officers to be forwarded by units to district headquarters. Officers commanding units will make recommendations on each application when forwarding. Any applications received direct at headquarters will he referred back to Officers commanding units for report. To be eligible for selection officers arid men must fulfil the following conditions : Must have been trained (at least in concentration camp), be between the ages of 20 and 40, he above sft 4in in height, be less than 12 stone in weight, bo passed as medically fit for active service. Preference should be given to unmarried men, and in the case of those who bring horses and suitable' saddlery with them to enable training to be carried out at camp. The saddlery may be purchased by the government or returned to men’s homes if not further required. The horses will be purchased by the Government. Officers and men selected for the reinforcement drafts will be trained at a concentration camp to be formed at Treritham under the- orders .of Defence Department Headqurtt4ers;mfWellingtnn. \ Tire; i /course- of training will last for 36 working days (six weeks). Each man proceeding to the Trentham camp will bring with him rifle, cap, working-suit, kit-bag, and sea-kit bag, to bo provided under arrangements made by district headquarters. With this exception the men will be fully equipped by the permanent camp staff. Officers proceeding to the camp should he fully equipped for active service. Pay will be granted as laid down for the Expeditionary Force and will commence on the day of arrival in the camp at Trentham. Members of the Territorial force shall receive, in addition to pay for rank, extra duty pay at the rate of 7s 6d per day in the case of master cooks, and 4s per day in the case of regimental cooks, while performing such duties in camps. Cooks while attending camps or classes for instruction shall receive 2s 6d per day in addition to pay of rank. Volunteers should lie warned that applications must be made to their squadron and company officers or the nearest Defence Office ami that applications made through any other channel will not be received. Officers volunteering must do so through their 0.0., and in the case of unattached list B. through their group officer.