No escape from responsibility

"The general policy of our country," said President Coolidge in his annual Message to Congress, "is for disarmament, and we ought not to hesitate to adopt any plan that might reasonably be expected to succeed." There are good reasons for assuming, however, that the initiative in this direction, which for a while appeared to lie with the United States, is passing into other hands. From Geneva it has been reported that the Council of the League of Nations is paving the way for a Disarmament Conference, in which America, among other nations, will be invited to participate. President Coolidge recognises that the Locarno agreements have diminished the need for fresh armaments, because they have strengthened the guarantees of peace. Perhaps the most significant statement in President Coolidge’s Message was his admission that there was absolutely no escape for America from the responsibility of bearing her share of the burdens of the world. This is tantamount to saying that the United States is unable, in the nature of the case, to maintain an attitude of aloofness from European polities. — editorial

Ambulance performs well

A splendid performance was put up by the St John Ambulance Association’s new Austin machine on Wednesday and yesterday. The ambulance left the Central Fire station at 5.15am on Wednesday under the charge of Driver W. Black, on the long journey to Queenstown for the purpose of bringing a patient to Dunedin. Queenstown was reached at 5pm on Wednesday. The patient was placed in the ambulance shortly after 6am yesterday, and a start made at 6.30 on the return journey. Dunedin was reached at 8 o’clock last evening. The patient bore the journey well, and complimented the driver on his meritorious performance. The machine made a non-stop run on both journeys. On the homeward trip the ambulance carried five persons, including Dr Kingston, of Queenstown, and a nurse, who were in charge of the patient. The total mileage covered was 361, and the average speed throughout both journeys was over 15 miles an hour.

The trip completed yesterday by the ambulance is one of the longest yet accomplished by any of these machines, and when a patient can be conveyed over such a stretch of country in comfort it speaks volumes for the work carried out by the St John Association and its driver.

‘Devil-fish’ despatched

An evil-looking creature caused a shudder to pass through a few people who visited the cross wharf at 6am yesterday. Several long, sinister-looking, dark-brown arms threshed the water. Those arms belonged to a large "devil-fish,’’ or "sucker," as they are better known by fishermen. It was an ugly monster, and its ugliness was enhanced as it made desperate attempts to escape by forcing its way under a big boulder. In the meantime, however, one of the trawler's crew had poised himself with the boat-hook, and with a well-timed thrust he pierced the squirming body with the sharp iron point. The sucker threshed the water with its numerous arms until it was thrown on the trawler’s deck, where it was quickly despatched. Another was then seen near the bows of the trawler. 

Again a quick, sure thrust was made with the boat-hook, and the second intruder also received a speedy despatch.  — ODT, 11.12.1925

Compiled by Peter Dowden