100 YEARS AGO
FROM OUR ARCHIVES
Great hopes for League of Nations
THE draft of the covenant of the League of Nations has met with on the whole a very favourable reception. The scheme in the formulation of which the covenant represents the first great practical step has not yet been worked out in complete detail, nor has any perfection been claimed for it. Lord Robert Cecil has expressed the belief that it will preserve the peace of the world with the least possible interference with national sovereignty, that no nation will be able to go to war till all the means provided for the settlement of disputes have been tried, and that no nation will seek to disturb the territorial settlements provided by the League.
We cannot at present gauge the weight of the premises upon which conclusions like this are based. So far as can be discovered calculations are being built upon what is still largely an hypothesis. But the statesmanship that has produced the covenant is entitled to respect and reasonable confidence. Something had to be done to prevent, if possible, the recurrence of such a tragedy as the late war. The Allied Powers, to their credit, recognised this. It would have been easy for them to play purely the role of conquerors and divide the spoils of victory. But their vision was not so short that they imagined that it was sufficient to fight for an ideal and vindicate it for the time being. It was necessary that a resolute endeavour should be made to secure the great principles for which they fought against further wanton attack.
Kaitangata food appeal
Sir, I should like to appeal to the public, through your paper, for assistance to those who have suffered by the recent flood. The flood waters entered 64 houses to a depth varying from 2ft to 7ft, and as many of the residents had to vacate their premises hurriedly they have lost practically everything. Having been through nearly all the houses, and seen the effect, I can confidently say that assistance is badly needed. From a long residence in Kaitangata I know the people of the town have been liberal subscribers in cases of distress, and now that they are in this unfortunate position I appeal for generous financial assistance on their behalf. Sir James Allen, who visited these homes recently, got the Government, on his return to Wellington, to grant £600 for the relief of urgent cases, and, having seen the havoc and loss, has also prevailed on the Government to grant a pound for
pound subsidy on all money subscribed up to £1000, and has asked the mayors of several towns to assist in raising funds. Now, Sir, you have always assisted in raising funds for relief by opening a list in your paper, and if you can see your way to help us we shall be very grateful. I am, etc., T. S. Cairns, Mayor of Kaitangata. [We shall be pleased to acknowledge the receipt of any sums that may be entrusted to us in response to the above appeal. — Ed. O.D.T.]
Labour shortage at Otira
The Minister of Public Works, replying to the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, which urged that greater progress should be made with the work at the Otira tunnel, stated that he was having the same trouble at Otira as at every other place in the dominion — namely, want of labour. He would be very pleased to put more men on if he could get them, but so far this had been impossible. — ODT, 22.2.1919.