The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd, 1916. THE WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 2 September 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd, 1916. THE WAR.

(With which is incorporated The Tai hape Post and Waimarino News.)

Each week now seems to provide new sensations in this war of the nations agiainst the modern Attila. Another nationality that has all the elements of caution and stamina that goes to the building up of a great people has decided that German desire for world hegemony must be killed out right; that Prussian Militarism must no longer be allowed to exist as the terror of the small nations of Europe and of the world, and the Roumanians have thrown themselves into the conflict with a preparedness, spirit anc determination that must mean disaster to the common enemy. The situation bas been temporarily met in Germany; the dismay and consternation of the /German people has been allayed by the Kaiser, who has appointed Hindenburg, the people’s demi-goa, to the chief command of the German armies. For the moment, this appointment has overshadowed the terrible evil that has befallen their armies; the entry of Roumania as one of Germany’s avowed and active enemies has been belittled and the people or Germany appear to have been completely fooled by a slight re-shuffling of the military cards. If the German people are in such desperate straits as to think, at this stage, that the right bower of any particular suite is going to win the trick they have really

become objects of pity, for all the world knows that the joker is held by Germany’s opponents. Admittedly, a great leader may be able to- do great things, but he must have forces somewhat commensurate with the task that is set him. Such forces Germany does not now possess, and Hindenburg will find that after he has shuffled and reshuffled, bluffed here and bluffed there, he will have suffered immense losses that cannot be replaced, while the forces of his opponents are visibly swelling from day to day. Britain will go on pouring in new armies gathered from every corner of her im mense Empire; other nations will join in the struggle in an effort to lay the mad dog of Europe as rapidly as possible so that peace may again reign in the world; and although Hindenburg’s appointment may act as a tonic and narcotic to the German people in their temporary excitement and insanity,

return to true understanding will not be delayed for long. Then the German people will commence to reason out their position, and the obvious facts will burst upon them in their real significance, revealing t\eir merciless plight, disclosing their impotence to stay the thunder of rapidly oncoming retribution of a world they thought they could fly in the face of. It can now be definitely stated that the Central Powers have failed; that they have been beaten, and ‘it is only a matter of a little time when they will be pushed out of the lands they have invaded and their own countries will be overrun by the multiplicity of enemies their greed and treachery have brought up against them.

Since her declaration 6f war last Sunday the Roumanians have shown beyond doubt a preparedness that must make the civilised world marvel. Immense armies were in the war places assigned to them in the great strategic scheme, and in accordance with the co-ordinated efforts of the Entente Powers; huge supplies of munitions

had been accumulated; every officer was in his appointed place of command, and before the ink was well dry the guns were pouring death into the Austro-Hungarians, resulting in passes over the mountains ‘ into Hungary being forced and*many miles of territory and some important towns captured. So well and-'effectively managed was the thrust that Austria is seriouslydiscussing the abandonment of the whole of that portion of Hungary, leav ing the Roumanians in unchallenged possession ,of ! thousands of miles of magnificent,country. So sudden and so well planned • was the Roumanian entry that even I German spies in Bucharest had no inkling of the pending disaster; Germany could not believe Ir, equally stunned were Germany’s friends, the Bulgars and the Turks. Bulgaria and Turkey instinctively feel that defeat is at their doors, and when they have recovered from the flounder ing and stupefaction which the shock has caused, .they will do one of two things, they will either be guided by the obvious facts that are facing them and lay down their arms, or they will in fatefulness succumb to Germany, who will not hesitate to make use or them to the last minute, regardless of the death and misery and loss of territory it may mean to them. It is rattier early yet to see through the confusion sufficiently clear to determine which way Bulgur and Turk feeling is tending. Yesterday it was cabled that Greece would leave neutrality behind her within forty-eight hours; that Constantine had arranged a conference with the Russian, French and British Ministers; that the collapse of the Greek Government was imminent; that Premier Zaimis had definitely refused to accept responsibility in the present position; that pro-German mil itary leaders had been replaced by friende of the Entente, that Yenexelos at the head of the anti-German section of the Greek people had addressed the King in a way little short of being mandatory, and whatever significance may be attachable to these cabled re-poi-ts, it is obviously true that Greece has now to either go to war unassisted, practically moneyless and munitionless against a huge allied army at Salonika, on the side of Germany, or she i has to set to work alongside the Allies and clear her country of interlopers in the quickest possible time. To the Greek people it is truly a matter of life and death, and if sanity prevails there can be no doubt about the course Greece will adopt. The entry of Rouraania, despite the German bogey, Hindenburg, has brought the conflict very, very much nearer an end, and the world may still reasonably hope for peace or cessation of hostilities before another Springtime arrives.

Men of military ago (twenty to forty-six years) should read carefully an advertisement in this issue so,tting out the obligations of Rcacervists unden the Military Service' Act.i in regard to enrolment in the Expeditionary Force Reserve, if they have not registered under the National Registration Act, or to notify their new address if their place of abode has changed since registration. Every man of military age who comes .within the foregoing category has a duty under the Act. Neglect or delay in this matter makes of-

fenders liable to heavy penalties, including imprisonment. A Reservist who fails to report a change of abode may be charged with desertion. The employment of non-enrolled men for deserters is prohibited. A warning is given that onus of proof in every ease under the Act is on the defendant. Another important reminder is that it is safer to register than to attempt evasion or duty. Enrolled men have the chance of the ballot; men who are not enrolled may be sent straight into camp. Cards, forms, information, and assistance are 'obtainable at any post- „ ~ 11 office. ■“ ■

1 A “Gazette” published last night announces modification of the schedule of staffing to be observed in State schools during the continuance of the war and for six months thereafter.

New Zealand products entered for export last week were valued at £509,320, including cheese £11,600, frozen meat £175,766, gold £108,631, hides £36,090, flax £29,258, tallow £36,244, and wool £120,929.

Yesterday afternoon a cable message was received from Sir Harry Wilson, K.C.M.G., secretary of the Royal Colonial Institute, London, stating that the British Empire Land Settlement Committee had appointed Mr W-. J. Napier as its New Zealand representative 3

There are some 250 applications before th e Wellington Land Board from discharged soldiers for sections of land; In order to save expense, and to give the men occupation as early as possible, applicants are to be examined at Marton and Wanganui.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands, at the last meeting of the Land Board, when referring to the purchase of land for selection by discharged soldiers, said that on going round the district he found that owners of land were giving nothing away, and asked a good price for their holdings.

An elderly lady took into the Palmeston North Patriotic Society’s office the other morning three pairs of hand-knitted face washers. The washers were home-made in the truest sense of the word. A lamb which had been a pet was slaughtered at home, and the lady spun the wool from its fleece to make the washers. The donor declined to give her name.

A meeting of municipal representatives in Wellington yesterday discussed the matter of continuing the voluntary recruiting movement. It was decided to do all possible to encourage voluntary enlistment, and to use the best efforts to carry out the provisions of the Military Service Act. Those present represented the City Council and suburban boroughs. j

At the inquiry concerning the shooting without trial during the Sinn Fein revolt of Sheehy Skeffington, evidence was given by Lieut Bobbin that he sent a messenger to: the adjutant'to say that Captain Colthurst intended removing the prisoners’ guard from the room for execution. The adjutant sent a message that they must not be removed, but the messenger arrived as the shots rang out.

While the Northern Company’s small steamer Tasman was cm her way from Tauranga to Whakatane, says a message from the latter place, she struck a submerged rock in the vicinity of the Rurima Rocks, a dangerous cluster, five or six miles to the westward of the entrance to Whakatane. The accident happened at an early hour yesterday morning. The boats were swung out, and the passengers put on their lifebelts, but the Tasman slid off the rock, and continued her journey to Whakatane, where she arrived at about six o ’clock. The steamer sustained little or no damage.

The Dunedin District Racing Committee considered the Sombrero case on Thursdaj'. The horse fell dead in a race at Riverton at Easter. The Government analyst gave the opinion that death was due to arsenical poisoning. The Riverton Club enquired into the matter, but failed to come to a decision. The stipendiary steward took the matter up, the result being the enjuiry held. It was resolved that Alexander Chisholm, practising as a vet. at Otautau, be disqualified for life, and Thomas Ambrose, stable lad employee, and Hymers, the horse’s owner, be disqualified for five years.

It is understood that the trial of the Natives who were arrested in company with Rua, at Maungapohatn, will bo proceeded with this session of the Auckland Supreme Court, and that it will probably commence next week. When asked if there would bo as many witnesses for the defence in these charges as there were in the Rua trial, Mr J. R. Lundou (eounsl for the-de-fence) stated that he thought there would be more witnesses this time, as the tribe was at present in the throes of a tangi, and they might consider it fitting to conclude the ceremony with a tribal excursion to Auckland on such excuse as the Supreme Court case would offer.

Horse flesh is selling at two shillings per. pound in Vienna, and two shillings and sixpence in Berlin. The price before the war was threepence.

There wer e no bankruptcies in the Wellington district last month, and none in August of 1915. During the first eight months of the year there were five bankruptcies in Wellington, as against eleven for the first' eight months of last year.

Over £IO,OOO worth of loan certificates were sold on Wednesday at the principal post offices throughout the Dominion. In Auckland 351 at £lO and 179 at £1 were sold, and Wellington 143 at £lO and 331 at £l.

It seems that other spurious coins besides the 1914-shilling and the 1915 half-crown are in circulation in Auckland. A city business man states that he has in his possession a fraudulent

imitation of a half-crown, and also a florin, both bearing the date 1912.

The Land Purchase Board has purchased two estates recently near Palmerston North and Feilding respectively, for subdividing for selection by discharged soldiers. Applicants for sections are to be advised when they will be examined.

“There are unfortunately many criminals upon whom th e law' cannot lay a hand,,’ 7 remarked the Chief Justice, at the Supreme Court in Napier the other day, “while counsel manage to keep some of them at large. 77 “You were a counsel yourself once, Your Honour, ” retorted counsel to whom the remark was addressed.

A rather unpleasant experience befell a ivoman and her daughter while driving along the Taradale Road, near Napier,, from the pictures the other night. When the party arrived at Auckland Road, the horse swerved to the side and dropped dead in the shafts, with the result that the occupants were precipitated into a ditch, which was by no means a dry one.

The Canterbury Farmers 7 Co-op. Association balance-sheet shows a net profit of £22,649, a decrease on last year, but allowing for £SOOO cash discounts under (the; new..system the comparison is £28,119 .against £33',486; The difference is largely due to losses On wheat through ; restrictions on-- ; 'export, the large increase in income, tax, extra cost of labour, and the payment of wages to employees who have, enlisted.- -

Four members of the. Beuck family at Pukoekahu, offered their services to the Empire some time ago,, and their applications were referred to Defence Headquarters at Wellington. Advice has now been received to the effect that their services'cannot be accepted. It .is understood" that some people have cqmniented 1 dh ‘ the .fact that none of these'men have gone to. the front, and this statment is published to show that they Rave done all in. their power to serve the Empire!

W’hen : the 12.30 express' reached Palmerston last - Tuesday night (says the Standard) the coaching foreman on duty at the station noticed three boys in the doorway of the guard’s van at the rear Of th e train; On seeing they were observed the boys made off and escaped behind some trucks in the station yard. It was ascertained later that the boys were escapees from the Weraroa Training Farm at Levin, and Constable Boyd was successful in locating one of the runaways early in the morning, and took him into custody. It is expected that the other two will be apprehended in a day or two.

'As a sequel to a young woman’s death in the Wanganui Hospital Eiehard Patrick Pollard, formerly recruiting officer for, the Defence Forces at Hawera, w r as charged in the Supreme Court on Thursday, before Mr Justice Edwards, with illegally using an instrument with intent to procure a miscarriage. The prosecutor relied on the deceased’s depositions, which stated that an operation was performed by a strange man in a bedroom at a hotel in Hawera usually occupied by another Defence officer and a companion of accused’s. The defence was that the accused was a party to th e operation. The jury disagreed, and a fresh trial was ordered.

The grave responsibility of employers under the Military ..Service Act is emphasised in the statemnt issued by the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, as Chairman of the Recruiting Board. After stressing the pains and penalties employers are liable to if they employ unregistered reservists, the Prime Minister advises employers not to be satisfied that their employees are on the roll until they produce their certificates of enrolment,' which will be available on application. As, however, the preparation of between 200,000 and . 000,000 certificates is involved, it will be some little time before they can all be forwarded to reservists; but due . notice will bo 1 - given through the press to all employers so soon as these certificates arc ready for issue. Thereafter, any employer who engages or employs a reservist without satisfying himself that such reservist as -enrolled will do so at iihe .risk-.-.of The heavy penalties provided in the Act. *

As a result of negotiations started by the Spanish Ambassador, French civilian prisoners in Courland, Russia, have been returned to the interment camps in Germany. It is hoped |thaf a., similar concession will be jtta.de imt the case of the soldiers who. are prisoners.

It is understood that the price oy. which negotiations are based for the sale of the Wanganui Meat Company’s works at Castlecliff to the Wellington ■Meat Export Company is £IOO,OOO, of which £40,000 is to be in cash, and £60,000 in ten-year debentures bearing. 6 per cent, interest.

Parties' of police have been scouring, the district between Rotorua and Taupo for the two prisoners, McLean, anfl Spriggins, who escaped from Kaingaroa and Waimarino prison camps last week. Both men have now been recaptured, the former on the Taupo Road and the latter at KaanuL Both were taken to Rotorua for triaL

It is notified that a special train will run from Taihapc for the Mar,ton Races on Wednesday, 6th September. It will leave Taihape at 8.45 a.m., and will leave Marton on the return journey at 7.10 p.m., stopping where required at intervening stations. Excursion tickets, available for return »n the 7th September, will be issued. *

By a majority of 538, the members of the Locomotive Engine-drivers, Firemen and Cleaners.’ Association have decided in favour of bringing their grievances before the Arbitration Court. The voting was: For arbitration, 719; against arbitration, 181 The same ballot was used to ascertain the mind of the members upon a reorganisation proposal. This was also carried.

The War Office reports that in East Africa the Germans are retiring in several directions towards Mahenge. The British occupied Orangoro on the The coastal columns in co-opcra-tion with warships are engaging the coast defences at Konguelu, and are advancing to Dares-Salam, the capital.. British and Belgian columns are marching on Tahora from the west and the north. ' - ■ •> Cl

“Realising the seriousness of >whaf I am saying, and with full responsibility, I believe that.in tan years, from now the gold output* of ■ Auckland Province will be ■ negligible as things are shaping . now, said >Mr CRhodes, a. director* of. the Waihi Gold Mining Company, in the course of the hearing of a case ,iq the Court rccentl3 r , says a Press Association telegram from Auckland. Mr Rhodes added: ‘ ‘ That is my deliberate opinion. 77 , •

It is becoming increasingly obvious (says a Wellington paper) that hotel licensees are in’for a rather'tad'time by reason of the anti-shouting regulations. To-day tlihre :! was' little or no increase in the volume of business transacted,! and in one or two cases a reduction of the staff is said to bo imminent. Ministerial instructions have been issued to the police to use every effort to see that the regulations are observed.

If there is any doubt about what Motar. Cars enjoy the greatest popularity throughout the whole world, the following figures will quite dispel it from the minds of the most sceptical: —The annual statement of the Ford Motor Car Company shows a profit of 59„000,000 dollars (£11,800,000). The firm manufactured 508,000 automobiles. The gross business exceeded 206,000,000 dollars (£41,200,000). There are 36,000 employees,/ receiving five dollars (£1) or more per day. Mr J. G. Turnbull, coachbuilder, is the Taihape agent for the Ford Car.

There was a short and interesting discussion about patent medicines in the Supreme Court in Napier on Wednesday. The court was enlightened as to some of th e ingredients so mysteriously hidden beneath the white sugar coating of liver, and other pills. His Honour the Chief Justice remarked on. the foolishness of many people in being deluded into buying some of these remedies. He remarked that in England and America it was compulsory for patent medicine manufacturers to state the ingredients of which their wares wore composed. '‘There is no such law out here,” remarked his Honour, “I don’t know why.”

A buxom Scotswoman, giving evidence yesterday against three men charged with stealing her handbag and some £IG in money, constantly referred to the accused as ‘ ‘ gentleman. ’ ’ Mr L. Gy Reid, S.M., said it was doubtful whether they could bo called gentlemen, and thought it would suffice if they were referred to as “men.” This, too, was doubtful, for the evidence showed that "‘the little Scotswoman, 5 ’ as Inspector Hendrey called her, with the assistance of two servants,.kept the three “men” at bay, and prevented. ; them escaping from the resturant until the representative of the law arrived - and took the thief into custody.' The * three ladies certainly presented a heal-, thy, athletic appearance, which contrasted greatly with the sallow-faced, weedy men whom they had beaten in a . rough and tumble. ,