NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 March 1918, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

REORGANISING THE MILLIIS INDUSTRY. \ [ WELLINGTON, March 23One serious phase of the Main Trunk bush fires is the destruction of nine sawmills and a quantity of millingarea, as this district provides the chief supply of timber for the- southern part of the North Island. Mr. Moss, the Wellington member of the National Efficiency Board, with Mr. Ferguson (chairman), will visit the devastated area to report on reorganisation of the industry. Mr. Massey- states that, as there i sstill a certain amount of smoke ard fire in some areas, it is difficult to estimate the timber losses, but they appear to be serious.

GERMANS IN PACIFIC.

DESIGNS ON NEW ZEALAND.

FORTIFIED PORT WANTED.

CHRISTCHURCH, March 23

A former vicar at Fairlie. the Rev. H. N. Roberts, who has returneijtErom* the front, states that before leaving England he saw the following in a German paper, which he helieves to have been the "Berliner Tageblatt":— "After dealing with England it will be necesary to finish the United States, and after that there will be only Japan to oppose German dominion of the world. We have spent a great deal of money at Samoa, but it is not a good harbour, therefore it will be necessary for us to secure New Zealand, where there is a harbour; Akaroa, that could easily be made impregnable. Banks Peninsula, where Akaroa is situated, is a mountainous peninsula that could easily be fortified so that it could not be taken. "The inhabitants of New Zealand" are an indolent, pleasure-loving people, and we would make them work to complete the fortifications that would make Akaroa impregnable against any nation, and a base for attacking Japan or any other Power in the .Pacific. The New Zealanders are so indolent that they do not utilise the magnificent; : ri vers they have, which, if harnessed,, could produce power to nra many manufactures for the .production of munitions or anything else theyllked."

The paper'Contained a splendid map of Othe- port hills and Banks Peninsula, showing how Akaroa be made a fortress safe from attack either by land or sea.