TOPICS of the DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 12, 14 January 1905, Page 9

TOPICS of the DAY.

1 (From Onr Special Correspondent.) : LONDON. December 2. -"A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED ! WISTBR. ,, The first touch of winters icy grip always brings a. sharp reminder to Londoners that they have the poor alway3 with. them. In the mildest of ■winters the ordinary distress which exists in the metropolis, year in and year out, always becomes more acute than in the summer months, but the aj-rival of what our com-sortably-clad citizens of mature years declare with exhilaration to be "a real good old-fasbioned -winter" causes misery untold. Frost and snow in proper season are no doubt beneficial to the agricul-tara-Hsi. but in London the evil they do is incalculable. A hevrv snow storm provides, of coarse, a certain amount of work in tlie metropolis, but for p.very man it gives brief employment to it throws dozens temporarily out of work. and almost c-ntirely those men whose occupations preclude their saving much money against the evil day. Frost also puts a stop to a largo number of outdoor operations, especially iv connection with the building trade, and altogether the ingredients of tho -old-fashioiwd winter" are jo=t what Londnu'- manual workers can do best without, for they mean want of employment at a time when plenty of good food is most necessary to them and their dependents, and when the cost of liriug is at its highest.

The distress this year promises to be exceptionally severe; indeed, the suburbs already show that it is so. for in nearly every street one passes through may be met respwtable men—aye. and women, too—peddling cotton, tape?, and such domestic odd-s and ends from door to door in the hope of being able tc make enf"i<rh to pay for a night* shelter and a little food. These genuine out-of-works arp easily dUtinj-rnjshable from the usual hejrgars -who simply use their peddler* tray as a tor unblushing mendacity, or the "unemployable , who seek to make ha.rvr-st whilst ch;irit v's sun brines briehuy. Jt is doing -o :ii present, thinks to newspaper efforts to bring I home !.u the well-to-do, and oomforrafoly si mated, the bitter poverty that abounds on every side. Possibly some or" the papers arc the present, condition of affairs. Philanthropic clerics, manager* of soup kitrhens. and others -Rith institution* badiy in want of funds wherewith to extend their cood wurk are not. prone to err on the erde of optimism ■uhen interviewed by newspaper representatives, but any man who walks abroad with his oyes open can sec that things are very bad. and likely to be worse, amoug th*» poor this winter, especially if the promise of Novnnher* rlosi-iu day-; is fultilletl. In that f.vni. if will not be a case of "a grpen winter msikrth a. fat churchyard.'' but lack of raiment, food and fire.

Jn almost ew?ry trade there is a soarcity of work, and consequently tbe ranks of what we call the unskilled labourer? arc being heavily reinforced by respeotable artisans who. finding their ovm tools useless for the time being, turn to pitk and shovel, or an}- other kind of work which promises tn keep them out of the poortacnise. You can see them round the docks by the hundreds anxiously waiting for a. t-kant eof a fp\v hours' work. But liu'fu* Knd .Mpt'cAs of ti>e unemployed have al.vav- plenty of repultir ".!c>e.kers'" skilled in the handling or' all kinds of oversea produce to pick from, and the casual docker stands a poor chance indeed of finding work there.

To indulge in figures concerning T.on(ion's out-of-works is more or l«?ss folly, for thp amateur eerrsus-takprs who sepk to givp u~ information on this arc never rrliablc. One 3 urr- indira-iion of t.h<> (li-ires.< prevailing in onr Hast F.nd pari.~l) is to he found in rent returns for the py>t month of an estate ajjcTit who lias tiif ruanaj/rment. uf a aiiiiMint. ot small hoasf property. In one wi'Pk b<? failed t<"> rpi'Pive v thirrl <if the rPTii-' d>)i'. and bis rfturn* for ;i rloar month am le>s tlian 50 per cent, ot trtiat f.hoy should <>p. thoucrh the ii>Tiajif= arc for thr , mo?t part Koneft artisan? and labourers usually rcsuiariy praployrrl. in another ctii* , I wot of. thirty >m:il! Latre.- in ;i suburb at. t.hp other sidi l of the i-ily let at from ti, to 7 f> a week, and tenanted by pcopW can-fully sclpoted by thr owni»r himselt'. have produced daring thf> pact month an ront of than 3,'fi a W(>ek. A further sure indi<"ai:ion of tho *p\«ere nature of ;ht- disctrw.i is to bo found at rhr Board schools. Inspef-tor.s 100-kincr up of have discovered tlial ir: a large perc-entiigo of the fa_"es the father i-< f>iil <if work, and utterly unable to find the inotwy ■whfrp-writh to hay a <iift\-I'ieni-y of fwd fur hi-: < hildreii. let alone replace ■lohnnrV worn-oiii boot.-; or ■ii.*-<v" piixcheri - pas; - nienriinir fro<-k >o)iif of Lhe poor do lHit mind th«'ir children to tlie rigours of fro-t. ■•now and drivinjr .~!eoi. The-<- poor mite* ii sM-hool or lirtie betti-'r. ■lad in liimont tluit rftakes iiie of 'heir teacher* ache virh pity: but tcpovcrtv prefers to hid' , ii>»|f .is far a- pu-*-iihi". and ha* to in- hunU-d up by ; n.' -cliool board inspector. A; a time like the present urn , would iTOiipine thai iriaffiatrates would b<- inelriipil to deal very leniently with those β-fafw consist, putirely of beinn , unable 1u pay debts ro the Statx. Vet it was only the other flay tha.t a labourer wa.s -#nt; 11> prison for stvp.ral wseks be-ea-use he had nesrler-ted to pay 1/ a wee!c towards tin? keep t>f his son in the truant -ichnol. The rnan"s record was but be had lia.d no regular work for nrany Weeks, and it was only with thf as.si-n----ance of hi> wife's eirniiip at, charing that they had b<ien able to kf(;p their children out of the workbons« and their home together. l*p to the time he had been thrown out of employment he had paid the -hilling regularly, bnt in «pu e of all he was sent to gaol!

IA QUEER TAKE FBOM RUSSIA. A few minoi-es before Iβ in -&« forenoon of JtAj 28 iamt, the Russian MiiiiiTsfcer of bh& Interior, M. de Ptehite. was Wwwn into efcernttty by am AuaawW's!, b&mb-timvwer. TW asrassc*n. liimsph* wouaMfed by the expl-osaom of the t.wo boffths with. Trha-eh lv* demofiehed blw Minaster-'s caaria^f , , was arrestrd at oiu-e. ami a few hours later it \va>s oifteiaUy iatdmatad Htart; he. beien ideoliti«i ses oji-e Pcurosaietf. and I tlia-t lie had niwde a. <.tmfession itnpiij eating c/tiiers. Tw*slre hiwiTs after it I was given oat ttot tltc assassin had oompatsed his o-wn death, by 'teertng off tihe placed upon his -wmmds. Two daws after bbc assassination it was officially stated that one of ForozaiefPs accomplices hlaA bean cxaght. -wiiiltat trviug to drtrvvn bombs in tlie Obvcdiny GaasaJ. On Joly 31, hewewr, an amaztng «hing ootsHTdd. for the polioe ieeeed to astamished oomßespondfents a statement -wirJch mexh- it appear that wtto bad &rA <m Jtdy 30, bad jxmtt $A i«fe agneai aad irserie ■a.-oaafcm-.

siota ■which bad res_~_-e_. in a t_to_sar_i larr-ests or thereabouts. This startled j the jo_-sr_s__si_ not a little, b-t the | rrsorrrow 'held _M-othser shock -__■ them in übe shape o-f a PoMee Bureau. _Lrwi__- ■ {.ion b_foa-rning tthem that "tiie assassin •of M. Plehve died to-day. £_____-____y j ref msing to m_tke a. confcsftki-n-,''' and i that the mystery of 'his identity remain•ed unsolved. By this time the pre_s__Hi -were pretty | well fogged, and the paragraphists of the , Polk-* Bureau mercif__ly gave -them a j Hibtie time in which to try -to get th-eir i b____t-gs before fu_ri>h*r o__c__Tng t4_e_r imeißtiasl vision by issacii-g, on August 4. ja public mt_r-__bk>n to the effect t_t_-t i the a.-_*b»ritjes, being- ajixions -_h*_t no ■ hospital "a-t-jh-es-it"' -shootd be broagbt j about by a sy~~paiina__rg doctor d-taring ! the op_r_it_on xusioes-Btatted by tbe- assaas- ' ssin's -wotticdß, bad been repreaeuted ; thereat by _e__r__ police o___ers, vrho l T-smswaad him to it_____. p___ioe -nsßfiT-B-_ry so soon as the operation -was eoeixptletcI Thsis news co«BCETT_injr a -fcww-e dead jrots-i dsSCK-ed *lre jo_ari__S___B thait aomej i.h-rrisfi-s -ra-ikally mmgr t=iamie_sh*»re. j and when, three days later, tbey were io.rn_i.lly -cold that IvL Pleirve's asasassin. liad been idsenti&ed. tbey only smiled. They de-eidad to regard poslice comnnnij<_ues u-n the subject as *a» rnaaiy iil-di-reeted effosts to reiver up some bad bliinsies- ip. comßeciaon with tbe affair, anil uheRT decision was amply jutstitied when, on August 19. the Police Bureau returned to übe subject iv an a__i_t»uneemerat scaling that fite irtasr-d-erer"' -had beea .-deni-ftied as a sbrntejit ni-med Sas-on-off. tdie sea of a Saxatoff timber ir-CTch-int. It rliti not fail to j attract the notice of the pressmen that the ;tKSiis.stn said to have been caught red-l__nded was referred to as -the "si»=pected mutderar."" and the pressmen- be•oaime very keen, to know what was really t.be maitter. Their intqirisitiv-enss 2 w__? esi_ian!_ed -when, on At-pusst 21. t.'he Police Bureau issued azis_c-hen- nry_.i«e st__.trm_j i_hs_t tire iderrtity of M. Plehv-e's imrrderer had been de_rr_iiery ascertained, tha*. his name w__i JifßtvevefT. a nil that lie would be included a_-nonsr. the c-iin_T_als grans-e-l par-bal amnesty- on st-hc oceas-si-otn of the e.li_ristserrh_g or the Czarpwiieh. tbe- death -sjea-teaK-e to owe of penal ses-r-t trde for life. i On tiie folk)win? day t!i« Polieie Bureau dsEaoeri a. note stating _h_Lt the rumours that SasoruorT was dead were unfotsaded. being- "fra-K- coo-va-les-icen*-"! This in brief waa the police tESLXy: — J-aly 2S— A*sassgin coiisrhi red-liaaided. ~ 2!)—1.1c-irLitied a> Porosuar-fl'. .. 30—Died of haiPttuoTTbagie. ~ 31— Made ectrw'fstsJKm cansrnsr IftOo :vrre-?u=. Aiurnst I—Diexl1 —Diexl unid-e^Pt^fied. 4 — Rn'oTts made, t-i kerji him alive. „ 7—iflerji'ihed. -figaisii nntl twoi more arre*t.s ntndc. n IP —Identified as Saaorjoff. m 21 —IdessTEtifted as MatveyefT. ■a nd dearth senteDee 0-0111----mr?ted. „ 22— Re-identified as. Sasoirofi'. 22—Orhr-Jally de_ 4 i-aTed rrot dead. Fjtmii tshffi it is e-vaiiMut that, csmifuskni supreme in rhe Poln-e Birrwwt'-i jc«u_-Tr.U_s__c TiiLs e-uiuot he wrrmierwd oi. if the- jsstorj' boid by lin 4 fxurdtnt '•T l ;xr>rf 4 !s*;' , is e-ven appioxi- - msis-cdy true. According to tl__l jouruxtJ t-iie fact is nhaa. the pofrroe bad hst thesr pntfaofirir sJrp tai_«u_li t-reir hanrU wion alter hie craptrcre. How ruhlsit enure about ran l_« ckkhi Cold. Ones- ervenjiigr sliorHy afcl-er Poro7-!efrV arrest the? Chvd" of Pettier 4 frtwvsed on ur;?en.t, t>n_u-tßO-ts to tlie Paiace. At the ssunn hour tire of tilre prisson in which Poroxneff \c_is ooittined wir aJso csdl-ed *w_.v. Ten minirtfl? later two ._en-(hnm'-s preseTrted to the dep-_l-y-«n.vißr!n- |- --- aai orrlfT tn> dr4ivf-r y>vwr t_> tiiran the pnT-rfrn of t-he prfe__frerr. Tht- ordnr bore ihe siirnssa-nre of flue Chief of Police, to.rether with the offVoial dpher. sso i|te lLea.vi!y raaj-ar-l-ed. _-as>; ha__dnl over to the ■two irenid-wmcss, who. with loaded rT 4 \o!v< 4 r.=: in t.heir hojmis. follou_'.i Mm into a closed <s_rrinfre, on the hove. 4 . of whsic'h w-a<-. astro;-hear roan in olirrial uniform. The vehi-de w__ then rapirHy off. An hour Inter fiie .ToveirnrH- of tthe prison rettrared angry and perturbed. Fie had been sum3rdo-T_?jl 011 a fooJ's erraaid. Almost sknaxlt-Tiiieonsl y the r3tie.f of Policp iirrived ait t lie p-ao-I and asked for tlie prisoner. Tlm- order n-sas slhown txi liha. asnd was iastßrariy prx-nounce-l to 1-e a rla-ing forgery. Wltihouit de-Juty Knsßiia's pabee rrjaert_nx3ynet m motioii, an«l St. -vjonred for traces of the fugft-trvea. Tl_? guest w*as vaiti. Qcjai—tznt&, prusoaiier. i_nd drrve.r had vaimaSjetl jn'Lo t hi-n air. Of (larutse. if Che. aasassiu of M. I'lebvc demanded by auny peTsou h'_h in amihorrty a prisso_-T \_Hl be 'IThe St. pcAic-e a.n j never a.t a 1-os? over a deti-il of that Tijtrt. H;t"t tbe nm.ll produoed will mot be the man aiTc_iterl the raoruenst after M. sic I'leltve was- niurrrcTiMt.

BEHTtTD THE VSIi. Tho.-e v. ho are anxious to get a piin»ps« j into the fntin-n. and others who are only happily of a of. tuimour. must-really wr-lcom* , liie appearanr-e of Old Mijom's Almanac f«u- li>or>. At th' j time of writing. IJM)4 has still another, month to run, but "Old .Vtoore-" has alrc:idy revealed for us the seewts of the yau: to <"»jn.>e. peopling the fntmv tweJve months with "rumours of war"— tht* pTophet seldom gets nearer u> hostilities titan that — epidemics, storms, death?, and :i long list of other disasters.

• lanuury gives v.-; a thrilling y-fn\ It. is a naval pi«*ture. the forefront of which is occupifid by an arm and hand boldtng tip out of the sea what appears to be a n;oiwptra.p —apparently an oeruft reference to another submarine disaster.

In February the death of a great "writer whose books hare been translated into many languages, and have had a "far - reaching moral effect./' Whether "Old Moore" is hinting the not improbable departure of Tolstoy, or is preparing for tho premature end of dear Marie, is a matter for speculation.

March is to bring us a strong revival in religious nutttexs. a wonderful discovery of great public utility, fresh ,: ruc tions" in Armenia, and a fearful outbreak ot fever in one of our large military depots.

April is to give us something more than showers in Europe. There is to a big smash, in whieb. several important people will be killed, and in May a serious Alpine accident will occur, which "Old Moore" assures us will lead to step* being taken to prevent recurrences. Tourists in the Alpine regjen may therefore be prepared to see their favourite c-limbe decorated with such notices as "Beware, the Awnri *i nakiiiiiu " "This Slope is Dangerous." <r Ware CxCT»sec," and the like.

For leafy Jane the picture oaaststs chiefly of naked youngeters '*m^r i ng be^

neath the outstretched wings of a dove, which carries in its beat a linge placard inscribed with the words, '-"No Spitting." whilst Death, in chains, is beinjj removed from the premises by a ehaxmiiig nurse. This indicates that strong measures will be taken to stamp oat the expectorating habit. Also, Aaa-rriiists arc to a.ttempi the life of the King of Spain in this month, and '"a cable conveying surprising good new 1 from the Far East will sion great rejoicing all the world over, •'especially in England, for it will be an open secret that; pressure brought to bear by Great Britain had the desired effect."'

•Inly is to bring trouble in Sonih Africa (which, however, will be speedily queDed). and a terrible increase of leprosy in India; also, we shall hear of America's deciaon to add largely to her navy, the new ships being designed on a different plan to tbat upon which the modern battleship is buijt.

Angust will bring us news of the loss ai a ▼ainabic servant of tho Crown, whoa: death will "cause grief to all who knew him."' Whether this refers to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, or merely to P.C.X., we are not informed. A Yankee attempt to '"corner corn, cotton and otheT prodnee-' , (a big order thisl is to corae to unutterahle gfief in this month, and in September .John Bull is to have a. lively time combatting foreign competitors for his trade. Racial troubles in America, a gTave card scandal in high life, a dev&Ttating cyclone ir. Ceylon, and cheaper bread, ar-2 to be other leading features of this month, whilst October will be disttngniahed by reports of serious trouble between Norway and Sweden, a marked revival in trade, the encouragement of female emigration to the colonies, and the death of a highiy-respected M.P.

November is to b? marked by rioting by the unemployed (where, "Old Moore" fails to statej, '"an entirely new departure in journalism" introduced from America, and an '"outcry against the pet-do^: -.

December is to bring 01 a fresh outbreak of Christian Science, a bloody cowboy fracas in Texas, the death, of thr J wad of a big Jewish financial house, and "a real merry "Xxaa-" 1 lor the British

"Old Moore's" principal for 1905 would bo a Chinese puzzle with<Ktt hi- oxplanat.ionj!. In tlie foreground .John Bail, dressed in the garb of an ar robat. tapped with a coachman's ecc'xaded hat, i< standing on a four-lfcggi?d bench, ii'huinisterinf; to a kangaroo, ihroujrii ;i jreneroua , niniiol. what might pa?s iiiu? ter lor or piHs. whilst an otter looks ojr' "Old Moore"' explains ttsia peculiar piece of An meaning that John Bull is in a position to dress as he pleasi-s. and that ■""»* >hail a »ood deal from the colonies with reference, to monetjirv aid, naval he-ip. and many otber important tmperiaJ matters." The middle ground of the pw*t»irp portray? a British tar. eenEtort:ih!y seated in an arm-<;luiir, and waiu-d tspon by obsequious aproned p.ttendantF. evidently meant to represent Russia.; France and (iermany. This reigns that in 1005 the British navy vill ho in its proper "W-'em-all-come" rondition. In the Irjelcfrrotmd stalks .1 sorrowfill bear, jrenoronslv decorated witJi the .'irrow of "oatrajjpons fortune." hr.t there is no Jap in sigrlit. and we are It-it in the dark as to thr meunirn; of this omission. Surely "1~)ld Moon , " does not mean to hint that .1-a.pan will be wiped out after all. The Ix'ar certain'v wears a well look.

RELIGIOUS HYSTERIA IN WALES. It is possible to hare too mnch of a <;ood thing, and at the presr-nt trme "galliint little Wales" is snlferinjsr badly from an overdose r> f The Jirst do«<was administered hv that hijrh'v motioiuil younp revivalist preacher. 'Kvan Robert.*, a couple of weeks and today a Larirr part of the community srrii? to h<* on the verge of a .-on <>i religiuu* delirititu tremens. Thousands :irt> negleetinj* (heir daily duties i?i their efforts to "brine , God niore ilr.s.- ly into tlieir lives." to which ''lid tht-y sjjeud a great part of their tini» praying for themselves, preftchiujj at tlu»*.r neighbours, throwing ihemai?lves into paroxysm* of singing and sobbing devotion, or of howling »cl I*-condensation. (rig&niCT prayer-meetings are being held all aver the country. In some cases they List for Loars on end. and only oe&ae when ' h' , paa-ticipa-tors are exhausted through thn excess of their emotion? and tb« lack of physical justf-nano'. M:"n and uo men drop down on tli**it kiiee-i in fb<> snow-clrivon streets and lipids to pray, roujrh mintrs abandon thoir pii'kti and showls to pay adoration to the Mo.-t High in tin , inky darkness of coal .naileries brickmakers foliou- their pxamplr in the yellow dirr of their trade, and crowds gatlier daily in village road or city street to chorus (iod's ;roodi>css. and their own unworthiness. In some places puWie-honses ha t>'cii invaded by baitoU of. ecstatic iwn and wnmen wbo have dragged fortli the drinkers ujkl conveyed them by uuiin ionx , to meetinjr-hoMse-s, wrth their Ix-er mug* and cans still in tbeir lands.

Tlte revival may do niuelt LTood. hut the first fruits arc not fjcod Lo contemplate. An orgit , of spiritual emotion is u-s Liad fur >on;e people as a drinkins bout i= to ollicrs. acd Natnre i-* exacting from the Welsh revivalist** much tiie same penalty as she exact* from I host. , who give way to tJte demon Alcohol. Many of the "converts" have eonrmejicexl to "see thins"-' , —not pink rate with blw eyes or malti-eoJourpd tn-ikes, but visions of the Messiah, the Virgin Mary and other Scriptural characters =nitaljly clad in white —and some have jjvme sLark read Insanity, indeed, hits in<r-rpaa»d alarmingly in some quarters of Wales. Onn of th<- fir-Jt vietiins was a highly respectable chapel d«u>on who. after a iong bout of prayer, suddenly developed symptom? of insanity, and .a few hours iater was discovered lying naked as a new born babe under his bed and shooting "Salvation 1" He has been removed to an asylum. Afe Llauollr the polieo ran in a man who was found raving in the street*. his chi«»f offence being that he obstructed tht traffic by ever and anon falling on his knees in tLe roadway to offer up grotesque prayers for the salvation of some very worthy loraJ deacons whom Ims alleged were "filthy drunkards." On his release ke went to tiie oSwe of the works at which he is employed, and. dropping to his knees, prayed fervently for the manager and directors of the concern. Then he went abroad telling the wondering townsfolk of visions teea in the night, and shrieking forth messages he aJfeged he had reccired from tho Almigrlity. Finally he became so vioient "hat he had to be removed to an asylum. aujl thither in the course of a few days his wife had to be taken also. Tkeke are not isolated eases, for dozens of people have '•got religion" so badly that they to be kept under restraint, and. hundreds of women are in the doctors' hands, undergoing treatment for nervons preeuution, lollqiasm.a perisd ol spiriteai byeksotL. . •■.-.-•