It stands to Germany's eternal dishonour that the Allies have had to face the fact that the hitherto sacred emblem of the Red Cross no longer affords protection to nurses and wounded soldiers on shipboard in this unprecedented war. As ships marked with the Red Cross have become targets sought for by enemy submarines, the uselessness and even the danger of such marking have become apparent.
How it happens that hospital ships have been sunk on several occasions - two of them recorded this morning - while hundreds of troopships have crossed the Channel in safety seems difficult of explanation. Great Britain, however, has decided in future to transport her wounded in ships bearing no distinguishing marks. Her hospital ships will not carry in future their familiar emblem.
Germany has been apprised of this fact and has been left to digest the information that as a large number of wounded German prisoners will be crossing over to England for some time to come, attacks by submarines upon vessels conveying British wounded will amount to attacks by Germans on the lives of their own countrymen, since practically every vessel acting in the capacity of a hospital ship will be conveying a proportion of Germans.
Already a hospital ship, which included wounded German prisoners in its human freight, has been sunk by a German submarine. Whether this occurrence took place before or after the communication by Great Britain to the enemy of her decision to remove her wounded in vessels that do not bear distinctive markings is not clear.
The incident is one which should, if anything will, have the effect of tempering the German Government's policy of super-ruthlessness. Experience has shown, however, that little humanity can be relied upon from the German authorities, even in relation to German soldiers and sailors so long as they have ceased to be useful in a military sense and so long as, in her insensate fury, she has the chance of involving foe with friend in a common ruin.
•What is probably one of the first Iron Crosses to reach New Zealand has been received by Mr W. M'Cathie, of Upper Waiwera, from his son, Sergeant D. S. M'Cathie (says the New Zealand Herald).
The latter was in charge of a troop which took one of the first advanced trenches at Rafa early last January. Three German officers were taken prisoners together with some 20 Turks. After surrendering the German commanding officer handed over his Iron Cross to Sergeant M'Cathie.
The medal is somewhat like a Maltese Cross in shape. The iron is encased in plated white metal, and is of very neat appearance. In the centre of the cross is the letter ''W'', the initial of the Kaiser's Christian name; above the ''W'' is a crown, and below it the figures 1914. At the back of the cross is a strong-plated pin for fastening it on the uniform of the wearer.
•The Alexandra Herald, of which the late Mr J. J. Ramsay was proprietor and editor, has been acquired by a local company, under the title of the Alexandra Herald Company.
The shares are being readily taken up by residents. The provisional directors are Messrs W. Black (chairman), W. Duncan, and J. Holloway.
- ODT, 24.4.1917
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