THE AUSTRALIAN REFERENDUM.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1918, Page 4

THE AUSTRALIAN REFERENDUM.

SCENES HATID TO FOIiCFT (Our Special Correspondent.) ■Wellington, Jan. 2. New Zealanders who have just, returned Ironi Australia speak <vif!i went of (lie referendum campaign. Tbniwere not surprised at tlie success of the anti-reinforcement, party at tiie poll. "The better elements in Australia were simplv submerged for the time being by a wave of lies, vilification, disloyalty, and ignorance,'" said one man yesterday. '"Von people in New Zealand can have no idea of what was iroina on there, i'on wore told that the facts about your own country were being misrepresented, lull the lengths to which the 'antis' wont were almost beyond belief Am! the frankly disloyal elements that exist, I nippose, in every country, were allowed to come to flio top, and Hood the country with then- statements and their opinions. ''There were scenes that Australia will Mild it hard to forget. Mothers of soldiers. trying to address public meetings in support of the scheme that wcu!<l*ensure adequate reinforcements' for lW„* hoys at the front, were bowled down by mobs of able-bofli"d men who wanted to stay safely in Australia. The 'won't works' and the 'won't lights,' the proGermans, the cold-footed individuals, snd the Sinn Feiners, made common cause ter once, and by sheer noise they carried the Australian workers off their feet. The leaders of the 'unti' agitation did not pretend to believe that reinforcements could be maintained by the voluntary system It was terriblv clear that very many of them would "rather the reinforcements were not maintained."

•Another returned New Zealander produced gome samples of the printed mattei that was circulated by the "No" party. New Zealand appears to have tieen quoted very largelv and without any regard at all for truth. Here, for example, is a portion of a manifesto that was issued under the heading. "New Zealand's Appeal to Australia": '-'Well on towards five thousand of our young men are fugitive in their own country, or, mayhe. some other couutry. They arc punned from place to place; they are hunted through the hill, and tracked clown in the towns. Both the military police and the civil police are employed against them. Private employers are forbidden to give them work, under heavy penalties, although there is an enormous shortage of labor as the result of the draining away of the ablebodied workers. A boy's own mother may be sent to gaol for long years with hard labor if she fails to inform on her sou if he happens to ho a fugitive. "YVe have almost exhausted the First Division, and the military Moloeh reache? out for every kd as' lie attains his twentieth year. 'The married men are being forced into camp. Anxiety and trouble fills oVerv life; sorrow overshadows the days of every mother, every wife, every sweetheart. 'The transports that, steam west and north month by month carry away a living freight of uiiwillmguens. The parting scenes would bailie description," This particular sample of "anti" argument purports to have 'been written in New Zealand,

The Hon. A. M. Myers, answering a pressman's query, said: I venture to prophesy that we are entering on the I iaat year of war. From all indications 1918 will a victorious culmination of (he Allies' concerted ( Torts in the proclamation of an honorable and lasting peace on terms for which we d>ew the sword.

The deatli occurred last week of Mr. Patrick Brady, a very old and respected l'eslitfni of Takapau, Hawkn's Bay. He was born in County Cavan, Ireland, seventy-five years ago, and came to New Zealand in the year 1877. He had been a resident of Takapau for thirty-six years. The deceased leaves a widow raid two grown-up children. Already considerable mischief has been done by birds among standing crops in the Canterbury district, and with the ripening of the grain a greater toll than over will be taken. One gentleman of some experience, who has just motored from Timaru to Christcliurch, states that he has never previously seen go much damage done by the birds. At Lincoln three acres of Cape barley were destroyed by birds. A heavy toll lias also been exacted from berries and small fruits.

A writer in an Auckland paper says: The anti-conscription vote in Australia is having consequences which are likely to affect this country. Already letters have been received from residents in the Commonwealth asking for particulars regarding conditions in New Zealand, and stating that if the referendum says "no" they will shake Jie dust of the dry country from their clothes and throw in their lot with the island dominion. It will have wider effects still when the war is over, for the hundreds of thousands of gallant fellows who have fought so long in the Empire's cause and look for new spheres of activity will not be drawn to the "no" country. A remarkable story is being 1 told by a New Zealand nautical man who has sailed in many seas, and who is at present in Dunedin (says the Otago Daily rimes). Ho says that on one occasion the captain of a steamer, which was crammed full of war material for Mesopotamia, complained of illness just before Uic time the vessel was to cast off from au English port, and was taken ashore. A hurried search was made to secure a captain to take the steamer out, but, aa no one was available, the first mate, though he did not possess the necessary ticket, was promoted to captain, and the lines were, cast off. The steamer, however, had not proceeded far or. hey voyage when she was hailed by tho commander of a German submarine and ordered to stop. The commander thcii, according to the ©unedin sailor, wanted to know what had happened to the steamer—"she was eight hours late." The steamer was then quickly destroyed, and a number of the crew were either drowned or killed by the explosion of torpedo. The captain who complained of illness was subsequently examined by several doctors, who could discover nothing wrong with him. either organically or mentally, and the sailor who tells the story says that he was then committed to take, his trial for murder.

Ask distinctly for SANDER'S EUCALYPTI EXTRACT, or else yon may receive one of the many substitutes. The GENUINE SANDKR LXTRACT cures colds, fevers, indigestion; prevents infectious diseases and heals ulcers, poisoned wounds, skin diseases, burns, sprains, etc. It is much more powerfully antiseptic than the common eucalyptus and does not depress or irritate like the latter.

Heartburn and (sick headache is re> %*"< i hv Shwlaad'a Magnesia.