SEVEN YEARS' SOFT.

Taihape Daily Times, 15 May 1918, Page 5

SEVEN YEARS' SOFT.

Cabinet has at last taken the general public into its confidence regarding its appointments to the Upper House, after the city pressmen had successfully tipped off almost the complete list. The list shows a group of personages and personalities much more interesting that valuable. It is representative of party, rather than patriotism. The men who have spent themselves in war work within our own borders and the men of business brains and commercial ability are conspicuous by their absence. There are included upon the list men who ha.ve not the instincts of statesmanship—and it must be remembered that every member of Parliament 'is at the foot of a ladder leading to the platform cf statecraft. There is always room on top of that lander, nor is the space likely to become crowded by the men who have just received a sentence of seven years in the soft shades of the Land Where it is Always Afternoon. Some of the new legislators are not even politicians, in the ordinary acceptance of the term. They have been chosen by party leaders, but they are unknown as local party leaders.— Feilding Star, - "f- r;

. COMING TRADE WAR. HUGE ENEMY COMBINE. LONDON,; April 27, Reuter's correspondent at ..Christ-: iania states that he has learnt frortian excellent source that a number of 1 great German and Austro-Hungarian concerns, includig the German Oriental Company, the North German Lloyd, and Lohmann’s have formed a huge combine, named the Europacische Handels Gesellschaft, at Bremen. Its objects are to control the Central Powers’ import trade of war products, animals, vegetables, textiles, minerals, and raw materials from Russia, Persia Manchuria, China, Turkestan, Eoumania and Finland; to organise a union of all exporters in the above countries who did business with. Germany before the war, also to cut off neutrals who deal with the Allies from the products of those countries and from all commerce with the Central Powers.

The combine will also organise a boycott to undermine the financial position of pro-ally neutrals, and- form a - Central Powers commercial block, including friendly neutrals.

The company will be officially liquidated a year after peace is signed, but will continue unofficially. The Times correspondent at Amsterdam states that the Kaiser has sent the following message to the Reichsbank:

“Your unparalleled financial. successes are due to the victories with Divine grace has bestowed upon the leaders and the fighters of our army and fleet. These will prove the foundation of a strong future. We are conquering both militarily and economically.”

“The message,” says the Times, “contrasts with the lukewarm reception in England of the report of Lord B’alfour of Burleigh’s committee on post-war trade, which has not revived interest in the Paris resolutions.”