Taranaki Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1903. THE BALKAN TROUBLES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12343, 27 August 1903, Page 4

Taranaki Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1903. THE BALKAN TROUBLES.

The situation in the Balkan | States is daily becolning more \ serious, and it seems as if nothing short of a miracle can now prevent the smouldering fires which have shown themselves in the last few weeks from bursting forth, into fv huge conflagration, enveloping the whole peninsula, and effacing not only, villages and towns "but also boundaries, and a new map of that corner of Europe will follow. It is a long story to recite the causes which have operated in bringing about the situation and are still operating- in the direction of war. The Times apparently goes very near to charging Russia with indirectly fostering the insurrectionary movements and all history points to the same conclusion. The other day a Greek gentleman, Who is Consul-General for his country in Australia, on bis return to Sydney from Europe, was interviewed on

the matter and he, without any hesitation, stated his opinion that Russian intrigue and Russian roubles are behind all and through all the present troxible. It was, he says, through Russia's influence that Turkey gave the bishops who now form part of the committee to Bulgaria, and these bishops were placed in Macedonia, where, instead of being heads of the churches of the districts in which they were put, they were really the heads or chairmen of branches of the Bulgarian Committee. They opened Bulgarian schools, and brought teachers from Bulgaria to make the children learn the Slavonic tongue. But without much success, for there are many more Greeks than Bulgarians in Macedonia and the majority of the schools and churches are Greek, and most of them are flourishing. The Committee are also endeavouring to encourage the bands of insurgent Bulgarians to make out a case against Turkey for consideration by the Powers, in order that Bulgaria may take Macedonia. Asked how,, in his opinion, it will all end, this gentleman replied that he thought Bulgaria would go to war with Turkey and get thrashed. If, however, Ritssia should come to the aid. of

Bulgaria, then the whole of Southern Europe would "be in the fight. Greece and Servia. would go into it. Every Greek in the whole world, he said, would'fight for Macedonia. He, however, did not think, it would go so far. That depends," it seems, upon whether Russia deems the time opportune to make a bold bid for the control of the Dardanelles. That is her whole object in fostering trouble in that quarter. She would like to see the various nations in the Balkans fighting among themselves, like the -Kilkenny cats, till there was nothing left of -them to call a nation. Then, she ' would feussianise the whole region. But it is unlikely that she will openly take a<, part in the struggle? between the insurgents , and thel Turks. What, however, principally concerns us is the attitude* Great Britain will take. There are those who regard Great Britain as the protector ol Christians the world over, who would., h.^ve her at all costs interfere to prevent <the atrocities which at intervals /'stagger humanity,", now in Armenia,, again in Macedonia, and in "Bulgaria. It is, however, sincerely'to be hoped that her statesmen will jno.t aUow the country to become involved in this, business:. After all, -it is worth?" considering whether all that disturbed region ■ would not be much better off, much more free from^ these horrors, if it were all Subject to' Russia, instead of to Turkey, which '''is unable to: xrfain& tain order amongst them. One thing is quite certain, that a worse condition of things- than -that which rules now is almost impossible.

The dead: cow that was recently Wuraied at the Mayors orders was' lying near! Mr Ikiqktfoought's property near the new intake on tjhe Waiwa)bai'ho ri,vei", but Vas -not f in ' the water channel.. • , ' ' ,' A curious err6r lias been 'discovereil by'.JSr.C. Lewis in the tables attacjh^d to the Financial Statetment, where xt is stated that 253^322 sheep, sent to South African ports from tlhis. colojiy^ weigiheii 141 > 05(>,032 lbs. This gives an average of 5501 b .apiece, the weight of a good- heifer,- 'aud-vMr -Lewis wants to kniow if this is i-he clasb of sheep Mr Seyjdon proposes to retail at his meat shops in England-

A running match whidh was rioi reported in the Christtfhlurqh . papers t,ook place in that city one nigjht oWing the recent National week. Messrb Hartzill, the well^knowri racing juHge, and F, Watson, ag-reefcl to measlurp strides as the Quioome of spine ialk^' # and all the arrang-eme'nTfcs were matie ffor the match at once'; A track "of some 100 yards* was measured off oil the road, and the two oontesftants Tan over the distance, Mr Watspn, winning siodnewlia't easily from his biurly op> ponent.

There are now an exhibition at the Etfoication Boarid offices specimens, of sewing wotfk from sdhools under tjhe School Boar® for Lontion,.Einglami. TJhere are two large cards bearing specimens of work from llie Charing Cross Road School, there being sdveb standards represented. Tha average age pf iiKe* lowest standard, is 7£, years, , and , the average age pf ifae highest staiwlai'id 12?/ : The sjpecjpVeiiis sihovf 'that the pupils are WellHatag^t in nee&le wordc/ A ifo'ufi. card, bears specimens of the woUfc of the infant classes in t&e H'artper street School. Miss Figgfoi-y.. who went from here to ,st(Hdy in' London, forwarded the specimens to Mr W. El.' Spencer^ the las/pector. . <

'F.ollinvimg is from trie repiort of "the Napier Telegraph's interview with Mr McMillan* Government road inspaotor : — " I suppose you think that Hwe had a good road we- could l.un motor vehicles, with electric power . derived, perhaps, from the HukuTfalls V* " I don't know about that,? was the rejoinder,/'but let me tell you that if it is a question of obtaining electrical power the Huka Falls are not in it with the Vaikaremoana Fails, ' "Why, at W<ai)lcarein)oan«, there is a fall of a thousand £eet to the -valley just below the lake — for in tfciis case, let nvo tell y;o!u, tlhe lake is 6a top and the valley below, and so far as fall is .concerned it is like having a bucket of water on top of a high tabled— and from the val* ley to Wairoa is another thousand feet. They have only 300 feet at Niagara.** "Do you think the power couJU be easily harnessed V "I dp not set up as an authority, but in my opinion, for what it is wqrth, it -would be mt«cn easier to harness than Huka- at«d \ ih« power is nearer to Napier than' would be power from Bsu&a, to s.ay nothing of Wair6 a and Gisborn- '*

The Borough Council invite tenders for alterations to the Central Fire Brigade Station.

Mr J. S. S. Medley reports the sale of Mr Bransgrove's fine residence and 10 acres oi land to Mr Home, of Tarata.

The Government has purchased Mr Fred. Bayly's estate of 885 acres . between Toko and Strathmore, and will cut it up into five or six farms. ' A reply to Mr D. o' Sullivan on! Tontine Assurance, by Mr R. ChaseMorris, is unavoidably held till to-morrow.

Judge Conolly, it appears, wai* taken ill on Monday morning .with a seizure .which deprived liim of the power of speech....

The joint tender < of Eraser and Son and Seager • Bros., of Auckland, at £6000 has been* accepted for the repairs to the steamer' Niwaru, wihich will occupy six weeks.' " '

Captain Edwin wired" at IKSO plm.-to-day : — Gale from between west and south and southeast ; glass rise ; tides very high ; sea heavy ; weather very cold.

Nought, it is ,said, stands for no titing, but the absence of a cypher in an editorial in Wednesday's issue made the estimated cost of the „ proposed municipal buildings £500 instead of £5000. Miss Borlase notifies that she will nieet pupils and intending pupils for her dancing classes in the old Masonic Hall, Brougham-steeet, oh Saturday morning., »

The Mayor, Mr R. Gock, has Mndlj consented to superintend the drawing of the art union at the Tukapa .social on Tuesday. Messrs F. Thomson and B. O'Dowda will act as MiC.'s.

v The New, Zealand Budget shows that', £15,201 -6/ 2 w as paid Messrs Bayly and M. Mills for 'the Spbtswooft estate, - 1 and' the ' expenses were £77 17/10, making £15,279 4/ . the total cost . to ' the Government-

Mrs A. Bough announces that she is prepared -to receive a limited number ,of pupils for lessons in painting. Mrs Rough, it will be remembered, painted the pictures for the recent Guards Art Union. ,

A final remlffder Js given of the concert to be held in the WMteleyHall-. this evening. Several' items will- -be given by performers new. to New. Plymouth audiences. Those who wish for a musical treat should be present s early. The concert" will - commence . promptly at 8 o'clock.

' A correspondent writes suggesting \ the Police Department should station, a detective at New Plymouth, in order to cope with sneak thieves jand dog poisoners, and also points out that a plain clothes officer would also beuse:iul to the Department in detecting criminals from bther centres who mayC be faying to, effect "their escape from. . ; justice by way of the port.

Mr Kistle Cornwall has engaged for .the Banjo; Mandolin,, and Guitar Club' Concert, to be held at, .tie. Theatre on "- .Thursday, • September 3rd, little Victor Harris, violinist, a child of only 8 years of age, ; who was recently commanded to play before - Lord andLady Banfurly at Government Housey ■ Wellin Hi*' tio- - k '

.c. gtqji., , as /execxixiQn , tjtqs spoKen of as mi&rvelitfuis' for^a r cfciild of such tender years. ''•*>'.

Attention is drawn to an advertise/ment in vthis issue relative to a Band of Hope Competition .to be held in October. -Parents, music teachers-' and others in * the education of ' the young will find, this an,opportunity^ for developing the , talefits of their " children, and pupils. Jsy. thus assisting ,the promoters in their' object, the public, will be conferring a boon on the | young folk -which may he of great service to them in their future career., lAs competitors are expected from all Bands of Hope in Taranaki, and ' the ' interest already evinced is very, great. The contests should .be a huge sue-

cess. . - / A very , interesting: meeting of, .the '• Women's Christian Temperance Union was held in the Whiteley Hall on Wednesday afternoon. After the usual devotibnal exercises, it was, reported that the ladies' sitting room, in the Borough Council Chambers, which the Union, have charge of for the use -of visitors, had- been rearranged and made comfortable. It was noted with satisfaction that, .this; room was be-, coming better known, and the hope was expressed that friends coming in from the .country would ay'ai| themselves of the accommodation provided- 1 Rev. Mr Buttle attended as a deputation from the Jfo-License League. Mrs Douglas gave a very interesting report of her railway signal' work. The subject ;of literature was discussed, and the meeting closed.

If the London correspondent -of the* "New Yiorlk Jouiriiial" it, to be believed {Royaijty to. hdngers-onjon-.the fringe, of •Mayfair/^is- permeatedLwitK the .^icake-" walk craze. Ragtime and ease-walking he says, are now as much a faiti: of London society as. they were in New; York and Chicago, a few years ago; The King himself approves it AH hbsrteslses entettaining his Majesty, at dinner privately provide a cake-walk to amtuse him' after dinner. Americans hoateslses in the King's set wfere qjuicjk ibo detect 'his Tffajes^y's fondness for negro melodies and cake-walks, an« provide both "whenever the King visits their houses. Mrs Chauncey is said to be the most graceful cake-walker. At Princess flatzfeldt's dinner and. dance in honour of Jhe Duke arid Duchess of Connaught, the other night, Mrs Chauncey, Mrs Keppel, and Mrs: Townsend cake-walked, while ~flie Duke and Duchess were so carried away by enthusiasm that they patted time. Princess Hatafeldt and Marquis de Soverel led the cake-walk, followed by all the men and women "at the ball who ' had learned the step from Mrs Arthur

Paget.

Mr T. P. Lister armourices ■ that Jiis Mot'uroa amid Hospital Gate stores carry sftocjks of up-to-iiate -groceries at town prices.

&X rfelix Tanner is making all necessa^* preparations to exhibit his Ark the Taranaki Hotel' on Saturday. The Ark is creating a good deal of interest among the public.

<Dur Waitara correspondent wiites ;oiat on .Wednesday morning Mr Charles Old, son of Mr J. Old, of 2Haixoenui, was brought down by the steamer Manukau, suffering from a severe cut in the leg received while fcush felling. The cut is just below the knee, and is a very bad one, the axe apparently striking and glancing off i.ho bone. It was understood tnat 'Mr Old was to be brought *nto the Hospital, but on enquiry at noon to-day "tfhe authorities at the Hospital, stated he had not been brought in.

The dog poisoner is playing havoc among- the dogs in town. On Wednesday several doge were found dead in the Central and West parts of the town.. A valuable Irish terrier, which was never oft the chain, except when foil-owing his master, was found dead outside his owner's gate. The dog was seen to pick up something resembling part of a sheep's head when following his master early this morning, and shortly after the dogsuccumbed. There could be no doubt that the meat contained poison, and that some person had wilfully placed St in the road. At the rate the poisoner is going to work there will be few dogs left in the Borough in a month or so, aud the Borough Council's estimate of dog tax will show « big shrinkage. It is a pity that the police cannot sheet the crime, for crime it* is, homo to the perpetrator. Someone is the possessor of a large cp:ianti iy of deadly poison, and under the stringent conditions as to the sale of poisons, the purchaser of this particular poison may be traced by the police^

A meeting of Temperance and Band of Hope workers was held on Wednes* de»y evening- for the purpose of meeting Mr TV. J. McDermott, a veteran "worker, who for many years was secretary of the Auckland Band of Hope "Union. Mr A. Pikett presided. Mr McDermott addressed the workers present, and stated that during the last 9 months he had been all through the colony and had had ample opportunity ol noting the various phases of temperance work. He spoke very hopefully of the good work being done by the Kechabites, Good Templars, and/ Band of Hope Societies, and in answer to a question considered that the latter was quite holding its own as compared with former years throughYrat the colony. He strongly advocated educational work among the young, and spoke of the good done by competitions such as will be held here in October, and also competitive examinations on standard temperance works. The secretary of the Whiteley Band of Hope * (Mr S. E. l Hulber£) spoke of the aggressive Band " r-f Hope work being carried on at present in I^ew Plymouth, and mentioned that it was intended to form a Band of Hope Union ' for the Taranaki Province shortly. On the motion of Mr Neal, seconded by Mrs Douglas, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr McDermott for his attendance and address.