The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1915. THE BALKANS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 14, 20 December 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1915. THE BALKANS.

It has been estimated by some who claim authority on the question that Germany has now actually exhausted her efficient reserves and is really in a much worse condition than appears on the surface. Estimates arrived at by elaborate calculation go to show that, at the outside limit, Germany’s uncalled reserves can now only yield eight hundred thousand men. The fact /that; the enemy military directors have avoided launching any big ’offensive for a long time, and are trying by every possible means to stir up diversions in other. places, lend some colour to the assumption. It is . undoubtedly an effort to relieve the great pressure that has caused the Austro-Germans to take the offensive in the Balkans, and thus, by embroiling all the neutral States possible, keep a large Entente force engaged. Germany has cunningly calculated that success in the Balkans will probably mean the consolidation of existing allies and the impressing of such doubtful neutrals as Greece . and Rumania. What the Germans hoped for was the linking-up with GOO,OOO to 1,000,000 Turks and 300,000 to 400,000 Bulgarians, and if all went as they desired with 400,000 Rumanians and 300.000 Greeks. The Balkan campaign, besides opening the road to ‘Constantinople, and ultimately to Suez, was designed to relieve Germany at a time when the pressure was '.very , great, and the tremendous demands for more men could hardly he met. Britain, slow in movement as uajflp* visually is, was not quick to realise what -was being prepared by German intrigue in the Balkans, and the Allies have, in consequence, lost ground to some extent. But to-day the outlook is better, for we learn that Bulgar reports of successes have been exaggerated, and that now the troops of the Allies are pouring in. There are many reports from German sources regarding a projected great offensive by the Huns before the end of the year. This may he merely bluff to keep the Entente’s attention, hilt, if* iioti the effort will be welcomed by the FVancn-British troops because they' wh'i'd’ never better-prepared and lidveC in better heart tlfaii at this time to deal a crushing blow on the detested enemy.

LOCAL AND GENERAL. ■ ■ The monthly meeting of that S|ra(U.U ford Scliool Committee will be held at r 8 o’clock to-morrow night. The Home Defence Corps and Na- , tional Reserve will suspend operations during the Holidays. i \ The Post Office offers the usual facilities for the transmission of Christmas and .New Year greetings by, , telegraph. j A pony sold at Newton King’s Hbp’-A, market on Saturday afternoon, on be- ( half of the Scottish Society’s Patriotic Fund, brought £lB. The animal was sold and re-sold many times. ! At the Stratford Magistrate’s Coujdj \ tins morning before Messrs J. Masters and S. Ward, J.P.’s, the evidence of Ronald Shotter was heard in- *o«nection with a sheep-worrying case to I he dealt with on January 28. The sale of a flag at Carterton patriotic baziiaf last Saturday night real-f ised £3788,. . This brings the total amount raised in Carterton by all patriotic purposes to • over £lo.o<H>.-— 1 Press Association. I A female who appeared before 'Messrs J. McCiuggage and C. D. Sole J.P.’s at the Stratford Magistrate’s Court on Saturday afternoon, was, on the certificates of Drs. Paget and; Steven, committed to the Porirua * Mental Hospital. On Wednesday afternoon, the Ladies’ Patriotic shop in Broadway will be conducted as a strawberry and i cream refreshment room. If the wea-j tiler continues fine, and with the large crowd of people who are in tcMA'itb&.j the Christmas season, the room should be an unqualified success. j The special troop train-.conveying the members of the knd ./Jtljj Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, who are on extended leave till January 3, arrived in Stratf a_ few minutes to five o’clock last night.! Only a very few men alighted from the train, but these, were welcomed by j a large number of people, who gathered on the platform. •>’ to ! .: ... t i-.it: : >,- A vetiy ,^ad-fatality is recorded b f v the Press Association agent at Hastings to-day. The details show Arthur Kessell, son of Mr Robert. (KeSsell. fujQit|en.tal|g.j s]iqt s dead. his,j ■ brother yesterday jinorn- ( ■irtg’.' • ThJ yopth (had) ; b ee Y sho,atii}g| hhli¥s,' 'laid ip,, getting into a nuito;: I Cab 1 i'tlie i j Wijiichestep.. repeating, r|fle j ■' wCentf off,! tjie j bullet, .pfnep-{ping ; - il t < h 6) ■ fm'Chhad 'of the j(}hild j was sitting 1 An * thj hick seat between its mothejr ' and Alts’ .Be van. .

A curious situation arose at a meeting recently called by the Blulf Horticultural Society. By some'mean's one portion, of the committee held a meeting in one building,' while' the , other, .half Went 1 ahead 1 witlr thW business ii|X; anofhejr buildih^—each’oblivijis ptl ether; . ,Finkliy’''after f ‘ eafch' hdd 1 cohclu9ed|' Its 'business; tj|ft. ke ; was'* 1 discovered I .' ■ The question h’eh arose’ a!s : to Which UieeU [i/lg; was q-'be as valid. ‘ dir t}i£feiid;j i a 1 as decided tq declare both pulL t apsj void :i and’ to'Commence A ,fresh ,meeting, 'id •* . ' The details of reforhiSmvtfteJ&fblS catjon Department planned by the Minister for Education (Hoh.'t J. A. Hanan) will be announced early in the Xew Year. The Minister proposes to separate and finance the business side of the department from the professional side. A highly qualified accountant will be employed in connection with the financial branch, in order that there inky be closer supervision of expenditure and a clearer method of stating accounts that has prevailed in the past.

Thrift in war time is 'furnishing a fresh form of torture for British school-hoys, one of whom in his essay on ‘‘My Idea of a Good inyoine and How to Spend it’’ has suggested some very practical contributions to domestic economy. “My idea,” lie wrote,, “is to get 44s a week from every male in the house, if he was working, and in spending it I would get a book, and put all the provisions I had in the house in it, and their cost. I should first see that I and our family would get their stomachs full every meal time, so 1. should buy meat that would last. For a family of good eaters it takes a lot of bread, especially if you do not hake, and shop bread takes a lot of butter. But they should have it. I would also buy plenty of coal, with good shoes and stockings, and two beds to sleep on at night.”

Writing in tlip Daily Malta Chronicle, a correspondent quotes the following extract from a letter written by Mr Lewis Mitchell in the. London Times “May 1 illustrate the Miffeiv, ence between Culture and Kultnrr' In 1779, England and Fiance being at war, the French Admiralty, not knowing of Captain Cook’s death, issued the following rescript; ‘Captain Cook, who sailed from Plymouth in 177(5 on board the Resolution to make discoveries on the coasts of Japan, etc., being on the point of returning to Europe, and such discoveries oeing of general utility to all nations, it is the King’s pleasure that Captain C-ok shall be treated as g, commander of a neutral or allied- Pqwqr, and that all captains of armed vessels who. may meet that famous navigator shall 1 make him acquainted with,the King’s orders, etc! That was French culture IJ6 years ago. In this present month of August, a shipwrecked English vessel. stranded on a neutral shore, was shelled by a German destroyer, and ber drowning officers and men made j targets for machine-guns. That is I the German kultur of to-day.” I

The competition promoted by the Misses Skogluml, the prize being a Christmas hamper, consisting of a turkey, ham and Christmas pudding, jrjsUlted iu a win for Mr W. S. Cato. The prize was presented by.the young ladies’ mentioned. and the total amount of money collected, viz., £l3 os, will be handed to the Belgian Relief Committee, with a request that thdfirapiiev be devoted to the relief of i' ? •' ** they'Serbians. Good business was reported by Mesdames Sangster and Co. in connection with their Farmers’ Gift Mart, held |on' t ’jj|aturday. Many guessing competitions are being conducted, including a marble clock (donated by Mr Petrie), a Big Ben alarm clock, and a Persian kitten, valued at £2 2s. Tho Mart is plentifully supplied with poulFarmers are requested to forward contributions to the Mart, which will he opened at 10 a.m, daily till 'Christmas Eve; • v