What India has done has not only been a grievous disappointment to the enemies of Great Britain, but a surprise to the world.
It is questionable whether those who, from long residence in India, claimed to know with some degree of certainty the mind of the native races, could have given more than a dubious forecast concerning what would happen in the country if Great Britain became involved in a really serious war.
It has been alleged against British administration, even of late years, that it has not always been of the wisest kind, and Indian "unrest'' has certainly been more than a surface trouble.
Notwithstanding these conditions of local embarrassment, notwithstanding the gigantic extent of the struggle in which the Empire is engaged, notwithstanding the fact that thousands of native troops have been fighting on the battlefields of Europe, political malcontents have not been mischievously active in India.
In spite of the participation of Turkey in the war, the millions of Mohammedans in India, who acknowledge the spiritual head of Islam, have generally remained faithful to the British Raj.
• The Press Association reports that a conference of county and borough councils, held in Timaru on Saturday, affirmed that a speed limit should be fixed for motor cars and motorcycles for the South Canterbury district, and that all drivers of motor cars and motor cycles should be licensed; that the Levels County Council be empowered to apply to the Government to have the Act amended so as to give effect to this resolution, and that the co-operation of other districts be requested.
It was recognised that the same speed limits would not suit both town and country.
The majority thought that 25 miles an hour should be the limit, but the minority said that 25 was too slow for a clear road.
• During the past week blight has made its appearance in the potato crops in the Riverton district, and has wrought considerable damage (says the Western Star).
Some growers have resorted to mowing the tops to save the potatoes.
There is always the danger in this method of blight striking the bottom of the shaw.
It is stated that a more effective method is, where the potatoes are well advanced, to pull the shaws clean away and then to draw the earth over the top of the drill so as to prevent the rain from penetrating the potato bed.
The potatoes will mature and the blight-stricken shaws are so completely removed that there is no chance of contagion.
• A rather novel crop for this part of the world (says the Tapanui Courier) has been grown this year by Mr R. F. Kirk, at Glenkenich.
Mr Kirk has thrashed a 20-acre paddock of Sutton's Broad Leaf Essex Rape.
A sample of the seed, which is well filled, has been seen, and it appears to be quite equal to the imported article.
The crop was a heavy one.
This is the first occasion that rape seed has been saved in that district - at least to any extent - and it is a wonder that farmers do not pay more attention to the raising of the various agricultural seeds, as there is no doubt that many of the seeds that are always imported could be profitably grown locally. - ODT, 21.2.1916.
