The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1910. LORD KITCHENER'S REPORT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2759, 14 March 1910, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, MARCH 14, 1910. LORD KITCHENER'S REPORT.

'The main feature of Lord Kitchener’s report on New Zealand defences is that he favor.* compulsory military training: only he wants more of it than we were preparing to .undertake according to the Defence Bill passed last session. The proposals he makes will, it given effect to, cost the country approximately £IOO,OOO per year more than was provided in the Government measure, and the compulsory clauses, instead of ceasing at 21, will operate on citizens up to 25 years of age. Another point is that our training system should be made to work hand in glove with that of Australia, so that whilst separated in commercial and political matters, we shall be for purposes of defence members of an Australasian military organisation. We may say at once that we favor the adoption of Kitchener’s scheme in its entirely. Mr. Massey, the Leader of the Opposition, who did splendid service in educating Parliament and the. country up to the point of compulsory training, seems strangely timid concerning the practical application. of the principles lie has supported. Ho fears the expense, which is likely in the future to amount to nearly half a million a year, it is true the amount is large, and during the yearn, whilst we are still paying for the Dreadnought, the burden will seem heavy, but, after all, it is not an unduly heavy insurance premium to pay on our £35,000,000 worth of foreign trade and our £300,000,000 worth of private wealth. Air. Alasscy would skimp the scheme for the sake of £IOO,OOO a year, and quite likely would at the same time render it ineffective. Then again, our visitor has advised that our defence forces should largely include, men between the ages of 20 and 25. Under last year’s Bill 21 years was the limit, and Air. Alasscy fears that to extend it will be to render the scheme unpopular and interfere with industry. Tt seems to us that Air. Alasscy himself is doing more by his dismal foreboding to prejudice the popularity of the proposals than to advance the interests of the . country. Air. - -assey, having, investigated this matter, must know that the. low age limit of the Government scheme was its weakest feature; for we do not want an army of boys or of men who have been permitted to leave off training just in the years when they could do the best work. The 21 years’ limit was merely a concession to the opponents of compulsory training, and the straight-out dictum of Ixnd Kitchener provides an admirable excuse for wiping it out and starting our defence system under really sound conditions. 01 course, there will be some interference with ordinary industries; this is'inevitable, but under the now' regime employers throughout the Dominion will have, to realise that they cannot have their property and their lives safeguarded without making some sacrifice. AYe are glad to note that Sir Joseph Ward, who lagged sadly in the rear on this all important subject, having readjusted his views, is now' prepared to go the. whole way to provide the country with efficient- defence. He supports liOrcl Kitchener’s scheme in its entirety, as does also Air. James Allen, the wellknown Oppositionist of Otago. Really, there would seem to be no alternative to the thoughtful person. We know our defences have in the past been merely' a farce, and having wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds in sundry foolish ways, we invited the greatest export on military matters to tell us what to do to place ourselves as quickly as possible in a sound condition. Lord Kitchener lias made his .visit, and in his short, sharp, decisive way has pointed (>ut our necessities. To refuse to accept his recommendations would be madness, and to attempt to accept some and reject others would* amount to about the same thing.

The (half-yearly sittings of the Supreme Court are to be opened this morning before Mr Jnstiee Cooper. Jurors and witnesses are required to be in attendance at 10.30 a.rn.

Tlie swimming prizes won in conm-.c-tion with the Young Men’s Christian Association will' bo presented at the rooms of the Association at 8 p.m. today.

The attractive kinderspiel, “The •Happy Family, 7 ’ is to be given at the children’s concert an aid of the funds of the Kaiti School on Friday next, March 18th., in His Majesty’s Theatre.

The following was the .amount of revenue loollected a.t the local Custom Home last week:—Customs’ duties, 604 15s; surtax £l3 14s 8d; beer duty £‘s6 10s 6d, light dues £4 5s 3d, other receipts, £1; total £6BO 5s sd. The Andrew Black Concert Company will .give their first Gisborne performance to-night in His Majesty’s Theatre. An attractive programme has been arranged, particulars of which will be seen in another column. The company arrived by the s.s. Monowai yesterday. RawJe arrested a young half-oaste Native on Saturday morning on, charges of breaking and entering, theft, and fo.ngery. The accused will he brought .before the Magistrate this morning, but will probably be remanded for a week, on account of the Supreme Court opening this morning. It is estimated that during his career 'd twenty years as a playwright Clyde Fitch won over £400,000 with his pen. bast year Charles Klein, with “The ATyisic Master” and “The Lion and the Meuse,” was reported to have obtained '/TT L‘150,000. It is stated that Hall ' dine , netted over .050 000 for “The Christian” in its dramatised form. Messrs W. D. Lysua.r, J. Maynard, F. Harris and G. Smith, who are candidates for the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, publish an address to the electors in the advertising columns of this issue of the “Gisborne Time-” giving a number of reasons which have induced them to offer themselves as candidates, and which they commend to the attentioni of electors. The management of Bathe Pictures received word by wire late on Saturday chat the new programme for their reopening on Wednesday night next would arrive by yesterday’s boat. Particulars of all the films are not to hand vet, but the- “star” attraction is a lengthy series entitled “Consul, the Great,” being a wonderfully realistic picture of the famous ape" who does everything but talk. <■•

An important social gathering is to take place at the Gam son Hall on the night of Thursday next. St. Patrick’s Hay, when St. Patrick’s Social will be held. The grand march is to begin at 5 p.m.. and Messrs T ita Bros.’ orchestra will provide music. The drawing f: ■>’ the art union, for which tlio.ro are twenty-five prizes, is to take place during the evening. Persons seMin.g tickets are requested to kindly return the blocks on or before Wedne-d ; >v next.

General Booth drew a lurid picture of a possibly imminent cataclysm in his address at the Congress Hall, Clapton, on January 9tu. His text was : “My spirit fdial 1 not- always strive with man.” “We have the world,” ho said, “despising 'chose strivings and setting God Almighty at naught, rushing forward reckless of His wishes and tineatenings as to their fate. Notwithstanding all that has been done in the gone by, men and women still pursue their wickedness. To-day all the nations of the earth—not only ouo nation, bu£ all the nations —seem to be banded together as one great jwople of rebellion, transgression, and wickedness until some think—l believe with a considerable degree of probability—that we umbo approaching rapidly the cud of all things, -with similar results, but fatsurpassing in magnitude anything .that lias gone before; that all things mav he wound up, but that instead of there being a deluge of water sweeping the world and its inhabitants, there will be destruction by fire. Sin and hell are pined together indissolubly.” In t’ne entertaining volume entitled.

Adore Tramps Abroad,” in which Mark I'ivain describes his latest tour round the world, there appears the following <•111 ry from his diary:—“October 23: G )t up at 6, left at 7.80 ; soon reached C.istlemain, one of the rich goldfields <-f the early days; waited several hours • a train ; left at 3.-ft), and reached Bendigo in an hour. For a comrade a Catholic priest, who was a better man than 1, but didn't seem to know it — a man full of the graces of heart, and mind, and the spirit; a lovable man. He will rise. He will be a bishop some day. Later an archbishop. Later a Cardinal. Finally an archangel, I hope. And then ho will recall me when I say, •i>o you remember tbe trip we made from Ballarat to Bendigo, when yon ■.'.•■ere nothing but Father C. and I re vs'nothing to what l am now?’ ” Now <r.-<ys the “New Zealand Tablet”) — while the editor of the “Tablet” is several thousands of miles away—it is safe for us to mention that the “Cath_ olic priest” referred to is Father Cleary, then stationed at Ballarat, and now nominated by the Auckland priests as “dignissimus” for the vacant Northern Bee.

The season for trapping rabbits in Otago Province opens on- March 14, and there is every expectation of it being one of the busiest on record. Blocks of land for trapping are at a premium, and so groat has been the rush for areas that it is expected that the number of men engaged in catching “bunny” this season will exceed 4(.u0. Several thousands of traps have already been forwarded to the country. As to prices (observes tbe “ c Otago Daily Times,”) it simply rests with tho trappers themselves to get the bestpossible money by falling in with the wishes of exporters and bleeding the rabbits and otherwise handling them carefully. Improved quality, of course, means improved prices on the London market. The market will open at 6cl per pair on the ground. The impetus which such wholesale trapping of the rabbits gives to the freezing industry and to the timber trade —for truck loads of timber for paclcing-cascs go to the depots almost daily during the*season—is very considerable, while it is calculated that- the industry brings into tbe country in one season alone nearL 7 £IOO,OOO. This refers to Otago only. The bulk of the money goes to the trappers.

Beauty in a mail or woman is a gift divine, yet the crowning beauty is thehair, lacking which there is no true perfection. No one will deny tne -assor turn that tho hair is tho crowning beauty of tho human form, and yet ninoty-nine out of every hundred persons treat it with the utmost indifference. We have always believed that is better to volunteer to do a thing than to wait until it becomes a matter of compulsion, therefore we guarantee with a fair trial of Para.sono to produce hair no matter how bad the case may be. Write or cal] at Morse’s, Gladstone Bead, Gisborne.

A special meeting of. the Gisborne Rowing Club is to be held this even mg. In this issue Mr J. Bettie, a candidate for the Hospital Board at the coming election, publishes a manifesto. Mr Pettie’s policy, broadly summoned, is continued support of the present hospital management, in which he has complote confidence. At the Ma,rt, 'Lowe Street, on Saturday morning, Messrs Williams and Kettle, Ltd., offered for sale several suburban sections. There was no demand for land, and all the lots were passed in, most of them without a. bid for them being received. The Friendly Societies’ Conferencehas an interesting advertisement in this issue iin connection, with the Hospital Board election next -week, asking the electors to support 'the candidature of Messrs Lewis, Johnston, and Lamb, and giving reasons for claiming the support of the electors generally.

The polling for the election of a member of the Hawke’s Bay Land Board will close at 4 p.m. on. April sth. The candidates are: Mr Eustace Lane, Napier, and Mr A. C. B. Munro. Hatuima. Mr Thos. Hyde, of Napier, was nominated, but has withdrawn. Voting papers must be delivered in a closed envelope, addressed to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Napier.

The time for receiving nominations for the bicycle events at Si. Patrick’s Sports (Ncis. 5, 11 and 14) wiki be extended till Wednesday .next, March 16, at 9 p.m. at the Victoria Billiard Saloon, with the secretary, Mr M. Segedin. It is intended to specially prepare the course for .these events. The grass will be rolled. Nominations will be published in Thursday morning’s “Times/’

The ringing of the fireball without sufficient cause was the subject of seme remarks by Mr W. A. Barton, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court cm Saturday morning. The whole town was often alarmed, he said, bv someone, seeing a blai*e and rushing to the firebell, when a bucket of water would put an end to the fire. Another thing bethought- should be stepped was allowing boys to ring the hell .without the direction of some adult person.

Three- theatre fires of a more or loss serious character occurred in New York on Saturday, December 18 (records the “'Era”). Earlv in the morning an outbreak was discovered in the Broadway Theatre, which was fortunately omptv. and the building was badly damaged. In the afternoon at the Windsor Theatre, whore a kinemaio graph show was running, fire broke out- while an audience of 700 people were looking at Hie living pictures. The manager and Iris attendants quiet]- notified the people, in the back rows first and let them crot out safely, and then row by row the people were told, thus preventing any panic. Not a soul was hurt, though the building was badly damaged. J.nte’- in tin? arcornoou. at the Murray Hd! Theatre in Lexington Avenue. an alarm of fir--’ was raised while <?n audience or 1600 filled the building. There was an immediate stampede for the doors, and, although the management did everything in its power to check it. in the panic some forty people were injured. The fire damage was verv small.

All wise parents keep Red Arrow Ointment in the house. 'The cost is only Is, and its value ni an emergency uimiot be estimated. For cuts, bruises, iud sores of all descriptions this ointment cures in a manner little short ot marvellous. All Grocers and Ohem [ ustsV ADOPTED BY IHE NAVY. For a long time past the Admiralty have been making exhaustive experiments with the object of testing the respective merits of oil and coal as fuel for warships. As a result- of these experiments the adoption of oil fuel iu the Royal Navy was decided upon some time'ago, but whether it is to be used to the exclusion of coal altogether is not known. This is. however, not- considered likely. -Months ago (.says the “Melbourne Argus”), extensive preparations had been made by the Admiralty for storing and handling oil. Near Pori Victoria four steel tanks, capable of storing :20,0u0 t-ons of oil were erected, and subsequently filled from tank steamers. While the use of oil among warships is a comparatively recent innovation, it has been in vogue in the mercantile, marine for a considerable period. Two lines of steamers, those of the ■•Shell” Transport. Company and the Royal Dutch Packet- line, which trade to Australia use oil as fuel, but they are so equipped that they can burn either the liquid fuel or coal, as occasion demands. Owing to the duty imposed upon oil consumed by the Dutch Royal Packet liners whilst they are in Australian waters, it is stated that the company contemplated reverting to coal for propulsion until they left the precincts of the Commonwealth. There is not, it- is said, a great difference in the cost of oil and. coal. The former has the- advantage ef being cleaner than coal, iuasmueJi as it produces neither ashes nor smoke ; whilst as one man can operate the appliance for “sprinkling” the furnaces the necessity for employing stokers is removed. It was reported seme time back chat successful trials of oil as fuel had been carried out in the navy.

THE WHALING INDUSTRY. The Bluff correspondent c-f the “Otago Daily Times” writes:—lt has been known for some time back that a north of Auckland firm has been moving for the establishment at one or other of the outlying islands Of an up-to-date whaling station and its adjuncts. The object is to utilise the fish in all its parts turning them to profitable- account and leaving 'hot-lung in the shape of refuse or valueless ’product. The choice of an island site occasioned a good deal of anxiety. It had to "be most carefully gone about. In the first- .place, the proinotoi’s had to consider proximity to the whale grounds, and as far as possible study the question of them permanency. At one time the locality that is still known amongst the old hands as the -middle ground, i. 0., the Tasman Sea- midway between Hobart and the southern coast of New Zealand—was the “happy hunting ground.” Steamboat aud other seafaring traffic, however, frightened the whales away, and until recently where they had gone to was a moot point. But now the difficulty has been solved. What anay be termed their Now Zealand habitat" has shifted to tbe ocean tract south of.the Campbell Islands, extending to- the avage limit of drift ice eu route to the great Antarctic ice gulf. There is absolutely .no. traffic of any kind in that quarter. So little, indeed, was known of it that the illusory Emerald Island was ascertained lately to have no existence. There the whaler is not- likely to be disturbed, and that- is just the sort of community he desires. In these circumstances, Campbell Island has -been selected for the station, and in all probabilitv Perseverance Harbor will be the chosen site. It is 412 nautical

miles due south from the Bluff. If the scheme is carried out on the scale (proposed, there is expert opinion for saying that it should add at leasu £IO,OOO per annum to the trade of the Bluff. An auxiliary engine craft constantly trading to and from the island is -talked of. THE OPOSSUM IN DANGER. ' What a minor industry of this kind may mean to a country is shown . by the fact that in recent years over £IOO,OOO worth of opossum skins hate been exported from Australia. liice.3 for this and other kinds of Australian furs are now so high that some people are said to be making from £lO to £2O a week trapping animals. The “Sydney Mornin" Herald” draws attention to the effect of this on the opossum. The valuable dark-furred variety has become practically extinct in some parts where it was once numerous, while the grey animal, oi which there used to be countless millions, will soon be very .source. The ru-bljit mid ill 9 iow >iuvo helped to decimate this interesting animal. So long as men waged war on the opossum alone, there was not a great decrease in its numbers, but v/ye.-i the rabbit became a nuisance, and settlers took to setting poison lor it, there was a heavy mortality in opossums. Then came the iox, with its cunning and skill in stalking, to make the opossum s lot still harder. ihe “Herald” says that whatever there is .settlement, and the natural sanctuary of the creature js swept away, theopos.sum must soon go. But there is ample room in the rough _ mountainous- country for the breeding of the animals on such a scale as would maintain the supply on something hke a permanent basis if they were given reasonable protection against unnatural enemies and trapping were properly regulated. As the opossum is mainly a tree-feeder, and does nut little harm to the man on the land, and its fur is .so valuable, the “Herald thinks it a great pity that it should be exterminated- If given a fair chance, and not obliged to contend in the strugle for existence '•wt-a an enormous array of natural as well as unnatural enemies, the animals would, in the course of a. few rears, again become sufficiently numerous to constitute a regular and important source of revenue..