Four years of war

The fishing company's freezing works and office at Waitangi, on the Chatham Islands. - Otago Witness, 7.8.1918.
The fishing company's freezing works and office at Waitangi, on the Chatham Islands. - Otago Witness, 7.8.1918.
The fourth anniversary of the outbreak of the war finds the Kaiser in a somewhat chastened mood. In face of the fact that American troops are arriving in France at the rate of 10,000 a day, he consoles himself with reflections upon the ''gallantry'' of the unsuccessful efforts of his submarines to prevent the United States Forces from crossing the Atlantic.

Inferentially he admits that the numerical strength of the Allies is now weighing the balance against him, but he places his reliance on the spirit of the German soldiers and sailors to fight on until the enemy's will to destroy Germany is broken.

For their part, the nations allied in a sacred crusade against German aggression and wickedness will this weekend renew their solemn league and covenant to continue the struggle at all costs until the defensive aims with which they set out have been achieved until, in short, humane civilisation is released from the likelihood, or even the possibility, of a repetition of the egregious menace to its security, if not to its very existence.

German morale low

The United Press correspondent, in an optimistic review of the situation on the west front, says: Both officers and men taken prisoner by the Australians around Merris, in north, and around Morlancourt, eastward of Amiens, were extremely depressed.

After the first few weeks of the German 1918 offensive the enemy's morale appeared to be higher than it had ever been since 1914. The prisoners taken then strutted round inside the prison cages as though they were already the owners of the world, replying even to kindly treatment by condescending and contemptuous smiles, while they sneered at the idea of the Americans as fighting men.

But today - and I believe this equally true of the Germans in the field - the prisoners are more depressed than ever they have been since the war broke out. Prisoners admit that the German supplies are low and ammunition scarce and that it is difficult to obtain recruits.

Anderson's Bay woes

The residents of Anderson's Bay are among the more long-suffering of our suburbanites. Not only do they endure the inconveniences of a 20 minute car service and the absence of the public telephonic facilities, but the irony of their circumstances is such that even at this period of the year, after a winter of snow and deluge, they never know when the water supply is going to fail absolutely on the higher levels. This failure was in evidence for some hours yesterday.

Maniototo connection

Telephonic communication between Dunedin and the Maniototo district, by way of Palmerston, will be possible shortly. The wires have been carried to within a few miles of Naseby, and the work, it is expected, will be completed in a week or two.

Huge snowdrifts

The gale which accompanied the snow which fell at the beginning of last week was responsible for some strange experiences, the drift in places being piled up to a great depth.

Mr John M'Donnell, of Fruitlands, reports that at his back door the snow was drifted up to 12ft high with about 4ft at the front of his house. Other residents had somewhat similar experiences, a way in and out of the houses having to be made

- ODT, 3.8.1918

COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

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