We are so specially exercised about the danger to our own security which would be associated with the restoration to Germany of her colonies in the Pacific that we have not shown any large measure of concern respecting the future of the colonies that have been won by the Allied arms in Africa.
In his lecture this week before the Royal Geographical Society, General Smuts has clearly pointed out the menace to which the peace of the world will be exposed if the grandiose scheme of Germany for the establishment of a great Central African Empire, supplying Germany with native armies of enormous dimensions, is not checked.
There is, in reality, no escape from the logic of the conclusion at which he has arrived, that the restoration to Germany of the colonies she has lost in Africa would deprive the world of guarantees for its future peace.
Air raid casualties
The latest particulars which have reached us unfortunately show that serious results attended the series of German air raids this week upon London. The city appears to have been subjected to three visitations - two on Monday night, and one on the succeeding night.
The list of casualties due to the prolonged attacks of Monday night last has been officially stated as 47 persons killed and 93 injured. About fifteen enemy machines participated in the raid on Tuesday night, more than one reaching the outskirts of the city ''but none penetrating to the capital''.
The most painful episode of the experience to which London has been subjected this week is indicated as having occurred in connection with the dropping of a bomb upon a large establishment, used freely by the public as an air-raid shelter.
Artillery confidence
The confidence felt by the New Zealand Infantry on the Western front in the New Zealand Field Artillery was expressed by a returned infantry officer to a Wellington Post representative on Friday.
The officer, who served in the Rifle Brigade, stated that when they were in the front line the New Zealand Infantry never felt so comfortable as when they had their own artillery behind them.
This was the highest praise he could bestow, because it was on the artillery that the welfare of the infantry depended. He doubted whether there were better gunners in the British Expeditionary Force.
Protecting rock art
The necessity of taking steps to protect the interesting rock shelters in Otago and Canterbury on the walls of which are paintings executed by the early inhabitants of New Zealand was referred to by Professor Benham at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Institute.
At last year's meeting he had suggested the setting up of a committee on the matter, but he did not know if anything further had been done. It appeared to him distinctly within the province of the institute to persuade the Government to take some action to protect these interesting records.
- ODT, 1.2.1918.
COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
