TABLE TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 147, 22 June 1915, Page 1

TABLE TALK.

Sydney police will in future work in eight hour shifte. There were 4000 casualties in the British Army during the pa6t week-end. Mrs. Purchas. wife of Dr. A. Challinor Purchas, died in Alexandria last Tuesday. Australian casualties now total S0!)4, of which 1500 are killed,. 7109 wounded, and 385 misning. The Montenegrins tare occupied tho heights or Tarbosch,-dominating Scutari, which is their objective. The Hungarian Government is said to have taken over~the whole of the -wheat harvest, and put the people on an allowance. The Austrian;; facing the Italians crossing the Isonzo to attack Tolnrrno had rigged up imitation trenches rwith puppets. The Auckland. University College ia establishing a roll of Jionour containing the names of students -"wih'O have volunteered /or service. The Niagara, from Vancouver and way ports, is due in Auckland on Sunday next. She is bringing European and American mails. Berlin is much concerned about the construction of the aeroplane in which. the late Lieutenant Warneford, [V.C., brought down a. Zeppelin. A deputation of Auckland '* farmers, freezers, and commercial men *will -wait on Mr. iMassey to-morrowto~-nxge Auckland's claim, for more shipping- space. A Sydney merchant has been iined on a charge Oi supplying the troops with adulterated coffee. The article supplied! was alleged to contain 04 per— cent of chicory. A German naval officer eaysvthat since the war began Germany has built two battleships of 26,000 tons, mounting 15-inch guns, and steaming at-the ratn of twenty-five knobs. "We, however, had got our teeth in ■with a bulldog grip, which would not come away without tearing out the piece," writes an officer describing the fight on the Givenchy brickfields. When the Dargitville Uorongli was ■formed, in 1908, the unimproved value of the sections was £63,659, wWlsfc- this year's assessment is £228,340. The ca/prtal value -of the town is £380,260. With a view to en3uring strict impartiality in the allocating of shipping space 'tjhe Council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce has suggested the appointment of a Minister for Commerce. The Arbitration Court lias declined to increase the rate of 1/2 per hour paid to members of the Westfield Chemical Manure Workers' Union in Auckland to the 1/3 per hour rate paid in Christchurch. Exceptionally heavy rains that have fallen in Galicia are helping the Russian campaign by increasing the area which is in a state of bog. The rivers are in a state of flood, with wide marshes on either side. There has been a desperate struggle north of Arras, and many of the villages have been reduced to heaps of bricks and mortar. The French nicknamed the German position at Buval "Hell's Gate/ The Auckland University College Special Committee, which has considered the proposed estaWisliment of a chair of ■history and economics, has reported that the' proposition is quite feasible and eminently desirable. Advices from Borne say that the idea of an understanding between the Servians and the Austrians is quite unfounded. Servia explains her invasion of Albania as being dictated merely ~ by military considerations, without any political significance whatever; There -was- a—touching demonstration at the graveside of the late Lieutenant Warnefcrd, V.C., and Mr Xeedham, who were killed in an aeroplane accident at Paris. The French people brought many wreaths, including one with the words, "Honoured by the King, admired by the Empire, and mourned by all." ■ Threatening letters addressed to a number of. public men in -Melbourne concerning a story that Germans to the strength of an army corps were waiting the word to rise were brought under the notice of Mr. G. F. Pearce, the Federal Minister for Defence, who says that he is not anxious, as all the German reservists have been interned. At flret the Kaiser interfered with the plans of the German general staff to such an extent that he with some of the failures that the army has met with, says a neutral traveller. Xow the Kaiser has ceaeed from giving advice that was not wanted, and is flitting about ,to the different theatres, until his figure has become something of an occult mystery—seen everywhere at once. Mr. Bryan, the United States Secretary of State, who recently resigned because of a difference of opinion with the President concerning the Note sent to Germany, makes a novel proposal for bringing about peace. Mr. Bryan says that Mr. Roosevelt ami Mr. Taft are the leaders and sponsors of the organisation standing for force in international affairs, which is inimical to the true interests of the United States. Arthur Kidman, contractor, Major P. W. Page, Major A. G. O'Donnell, and Sergeant E. Leslie have been ehanred before the High Court in Sydney with frauds in connection with contracts for supplies to the Australian foTcee. They are alleged to have conspirerf to defrauit the Government by charging excessive prices. The case turns on tho point whether the Court has power to deal with the charges under an Act with retrospective clauses. Tudehope's, top o' Symonds Street, for good value ladies' winter underwear. Let us prove it to you.— (Ad.) Scarce lines at Tudehope's, top o , Symonds Street. Heather knitting wool and plain gilt buttons for costumes an 4 coats.—(Ad.)