TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 306, 23 December 1912, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

1 Dalton's for clothing. Christmas weather. Town full of visitors. Owing to a shortage of gold, the British Mint is working overtime. Wellington is advertising at Home for '. a. city organist at £240 per annum. : Tennis matches between British and • New Zealand tennis teams continued to- • day. ' It is estimated that 2J millions will > be spent in toys in London this Christ- '■ mas. • Forty-one fishermen were drowned, drowned during a storm in the Tasman '. Sea. Prospects of peace in the' Balkyis have made great strides in the last' two or three days. The new Governor is much impressed with the bearing and steadiness of the j New Zealand army. Special railway services to-morrow to help tired townsfolk to get into the country for Christmas. ; As an outcome of a quarrel over land • in New South Wales, one fanner killed' another with an adze. The total births in the four chief cities and suburbs last month numbered 758 ; deaths totalled 266. About 120 territorials left by. train i last night to take part in the military. - competitions at Christchuxch. , Eire at Bpoth-Macdonald's engineering works in Ghristchurch checked in time . to prevent serious-loss yesterday., New sections of the Baghdad- railway, ; from Aleppo to Radjiu and Aleppo to < Djerabulus, have been opened for traf- ; fie - ; . The Chilian Government is consider-. ing the expediency of spending £5,000,- ---\ 000 in the development of six secondary ■ commercial ports. During the-present season 51,667 crates of cheese, valued at about £206,000 net, have passed through the Government grading stores at Pa-tea. t Lord Roberts says that he advocates the extension of the Australian military model to Britain, and never advb-' cated Continental conscription. By a majority of 32 to 2, the Saskatchewan (Canada) Legislature -has voted 'in favour of a reduction of tariffs and increased -preference to Great Britain. Nine commissions as lieutenants *in the permanet forces in the Dominion will be open to ■warrant officers and ser- ' geant3-major of the New Zealand Artil*. ; lery and. permanent staff "by examination The Bishop of Khartoum has received' from the family of the late General . Gordon a prayer mat used by Gordon iin the Soudan. It is- made of woollen ■ needlework. The mat will be placed in the Khartoum' Cathedral. The French Chamber of Deputies is ' considering a bill to place a 2 per cent. i tax on the price of any picture each time it is sold, the price to go to the artist or his heirs during a period of 50 years after the painter's death. Sir Herbert Maxwell, president of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, has announced the discovery in a peat bed i south-jEesfcv of Scofia3<£ pi ',& T»oftrd of gold, silver, '■ agate and other objects and ornaments., . The dinner of the Institute of Journalists was held last night. A message was received froni the King, saying r , "His Majesty full realises how much.the . general public owes to those who follow •the strenuous career of journalism, and what heavy responsibilities devolve upon members of that great profession." The Turkish Government is calling upon reservists from!. Syria and Mesopotamia. . Many have cheerfully reported • to the anthorities that they ore dead. A i force of 800 reservists left Aleppo, Northern Syria, for Alexandretta, a town on the coast; only 320 arrived. Another force raised at Vraidjik was ordered to ' Beirut, but on the way the Arabs in the contingent escaped, and the rest of the , men disbanded. - New Plymouth. Blaze!— Big fire! — ' Histed's tender was accepted -for a large portion of Arch. Clark and Sons' salvage stock. Goods now -being shipped to i Auckland. Watch for sale to be announced. Drapery, only slightly damaged.—Histed, Ponsonby Road.—(Ad)