THE EMPIRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 116, 8 February 1908, Page 12

THE EMPIRE.

SOUTH AFRICA. The election of members of the Johannesburg School Board has resulted in a marked victory for tho Progressives, sis of whose nominees havo been returned. The two remaining seats went to Independents.: No member of, Hot.yolk, was elected, and' tho Labour Party, whose refusal to co-operate with the other parties-was the primary cause of the contest, was equally unsuccessful. Only oneiifthof the electorate voted. Ballot'papers had been posted, by tho Government to every registered voter, but practically four-fifths of them-failed to reach their , destination. This proves how quickly a register on the Rand becomes out of date—a point which was urged, but unsuccessfully by tho Progressives who gavo evidence before the Ridgoway Contention. . , . CANADA., " . .«■ "La Presse," tho leading French journal in notes with satisfaction the general appreciation of the British Press.of King Edward's "splendid act" in giving his support to Earl Grey's appeal for tho'consecration of tho Plains of Abraham as a national park, and 'adds: — ' "Tho name of Wolfe has left no rancour along the shores of tho St. Lawrence. Moreover, in Lord Grey's project, tho exaltation of the 1 hero is associated with, an equal tribute to the name of Montcalm'. 'Thus the national consecretion of tho Plains of Abraham and Ste. Foy can in no.' way; grate upon French feeling, for tho revengo subsequently" taken by De Leyjs in.the last 'battle under the walls of Quebec brought about tho preliminaries, of tho treaty which'was signed , on the very field of which stipulated the safeguarding of our institu-. lions, language, and laws. . , "The Plains of Abraham and Ste. Foy were the grand stage On which') in an epic struggle, ( tho two races disputed the possession of Ame- I ncav The national consecration of tho plains . converts.''them .„ into" the . 'last vosting place 'of . bitter hatreds which; for too many , years'' has . divided French and English; but let the truth, the whole truth, and nothingi but tho truth, bo road in tho bronze inscriptions and throughout' every political rito associated with; the consecration." . - Tho Press, of all' Canada pay tributes to tho memory of Mr. J. I. Tarte. : Although varied in character, all regard ihim as a great figure in tho political history of Canada.-,'i'he "Ottawa .Journal" says Confederation there-have been only two FrenchCanadians iii public life who have commanded a greater interest, than. Mr. Tarto, namely, Sir George E;; Cartier and Sir Wilfrid Laurrier." . .. - . r -. ' -

Christmas .trade throughout Canada .has been satisfactory! indicating little or no impairment of the, prosperity of tho country.' Somo indignation 19 felt by .Canadians at the exaggerated reports current abroad as to trade depression and. financial stringency in tho Dominion. ■ ■ '

• The Canadian' Government have applied the same immigr&tion regulations to the Pacific as exist upon tliQ Atlantic Coast; one stipulation being that each immigrant must have £10 in his possession.';.: continues in, force till February, after which the qualification is reduced to £Si i Tho result will be to atop immigration during v the; wihter.' The arrivals for last. November on' the Atlantic Coast- were over" 2000 more than ' they wero during' November last year. •: -; ; ' In a by-elcction for tho Central Division of York (Ontario), a Liberal' has been elected, making no change in the representation of the constituency. :'. • ' „r' r ' The Grand Trunk' Railway, which had beeii ordered by-thtf ' Railway Commission to run third cla's3 carriages with a penny a mile faro between Montreal, arid Toronto, havo been' givon until March'l in which to appeal to the Judiciar Committee of tlio Privy Council.

! Mr: ,; Nosso,." Japanese • Cotisul-Genoral, has left for'.Tokio, via Vancouver, ' and the impression; prevails in Ottawa: thai He' has been recalled -in connection with* ;the'immigration question. •'.. . j.r., "i;. ' . The.'Ere.hch-Canadian sPrcM continues 'to give.enthusiastic support' to.the pioposal for' the consecration of the battlefields of Quebec. . "Lc Soleil,!'San,'influential Liberal organ, says"lt is' clearly {ovjdeflt. to all that, the execution\ of' this hiagtoificent projtct would place 'a new': gom in tho oity's croiyn,! and mako',Quebec ,'ah'v exceptionally;. attractive shririo for historical pilgrimages': Earl Grey-a idea is assured'of' complete success. is no possiblo doubt' that; tho wbolo jiopula-! turn of Quobec mil hail the proposal with enthusiasm,' and exert , themsolves to put it 'into exdcutioh.' 1 ;;Tho' exampjo' given by the King is a sure guarantee of the triumph of tho' scheme,'., and'it only 'remains, therefore/ to got hedrtily/to.workto, carry'it' out." ■.'!

INDIA. The Factory Labour' Commission has con- , eluded its inquiries in Bombay. The Commis-' siori.' examined an immense number ,of wit-, liesses, including inspectors, medical officers, mill owners and managers. Among them was Mr. Bomanji Petit,: the head, of one of the largest factories in the Bombay Presidency, Iwho strongly advocated legislation restnet'ing tho excessive'hours of. work-in tho'inte-, ;rests of humanity' ')■ , .The. general opinion of tho -witnesses ap-' ■peared to bo hostile to legislative interference with labour,- but. favfiurod regulations for tho employment of womfin and children, tho contention being that,, as tho mills couldnot bb worked'without these tho'result would be an indirect restriction of working 'hours in.general. : ' - The; native guards on the Eastern • Bengal, Railway have, struck. ; | -. ; A coolio . arrested at Midnapiir -. has confessed to' having been concerned, with seven others,' in the recent bomb outrage when- the train conveying Sir Anc'irew Fraser, Lieuten-ant-Governor of Bengal, narrowly escaped being wrecked. His alleged accomplices nave been arrested. : ■ ..'• ! '■ In consequence of the drought the wheat :area in" the.Punjab has shrunk from nine' to five million Tho ; perennial canals are running short, and the inundation canals are quite dry. ;' ''. ' - '' 1 '' : - ' Mr. B. Allen, district officer of' Dacca, who was proceeding; on leave, was shot in the ,back on- tho-platform at Goalanda by a man ■ and two'lads, who escaped in the darkness.' Etis' : condition is; reported to be-grave? A; ; Calcutta doctor proceeded by special' train to Goalanda. Mr. Allen's' condition is serious. :No.arrests have been nlade. This is the first attempt oh the life of a high official iii Eastern Bengal, and it has caused a great sensation throughout Calcutta. The Governments of Bengal and, Eastern Bengal have each offered 5000 rupees for.information leading to the conviction of the assailants. The "Empire" says that political fanaticism ap- ! pears to have been the motive of the crime, and states that Mr. Allen has lately been occupied'in trying a case against the superintendent at Dacca of tho "National Volunteers." The "Englishman" declares that the outrage will open'the eyes of those who affect to, believo that there is no sedition in Eastern Bengal. : ' , ' - A coolie of Midnapur has made a confession; stating that tho recent explosion ;on the railway, whoreby the train in which Sir ■ Andrew Fraser, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, was travelling, was endangered, was pknned in tho hope of damaging the railway, and thus bringing intp' trouble the •gang responsible for that seotion of tho lino. Tho goods traffic on the ; Eastern Bengal Railway continues to be seriously hampered by the ftriko of native employees., A lockout has/been proclaimed. The passenger traffic, however, is maintained. EGYPT. It is stated that the anniversary of tho Khedivo's accession on January .8 was signalised by tho release of the Dcnshivai prisoners through the exercise .of His Higliricss's prerogative of -pardon, and that the opportunity was taken with tho concurrence of the British Government. This action, it is thought, will certainly contribute fn foste.' the improved feeling which has been growing lately betweon Europeans and Egyptians. The general opinion here is tjiat tho moment was wisely choson for tho exorcise of this act of- clott*enoy.