ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20, 24 January 1912, Page 3

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

LUNCHEON TO SIR CHARLES • LUCAS. — • (From Our Own Correspondent. . LONDON, 15th December. The High Commissioner, Agents-Gen-eral, and permanent secretaries of the j many oversea States in London joined | in giving a lunch at the British Empire Club to Sir Charles Lucas, on his retirement from the position of Assistant Unler-Secretary for the Colonies. New Zealand was represented by Sir William Hall-Jones and Mr. 1 C. Wray Palliser. The Right Hon. Lewis Harcourt and Sir Everard- im Thurn, were also present. Lord Strathcona presided, and appropriately proposed the health of their guest. In ' responding, Sir Charles Lucas briefly referred to the history of his connection with the department, and, in dwelling upon the great interest he had felt in the Dominions beyond the Seas, he epoke, of the pleasant relations which' had always been maintained between the department and the Dominion representatives. COLD STORAGE AT WEST SMITH- * FIELD. The Port of London Authority has been considering the question of suitable uptown storage for -the increasing supplies of frozen and chilled ' meat. The Authority already has accommodation adjoudng ,West Smithfield Market for- 100,000 carcases supplementary to its immense stores for carcases at the Victoria andyjJest India Docks. In view of they-growing . demands of 'the trade it ha^, i however, become evident that i theTjixisting accommodation is inadequate, an<?. the Port of London Authority has determined upon an extension.This is to take the form of a new building capable of storing 84,000 carcases. It will be erected in West Smithfield Market, on a site which has been secured' on an eighty years' ltase from ,the corporation. The cost of the new building will be £44,000. The quantity of frozen meat dealt with by the Authority in 1910-1911 was 215,446 tons, as compared with 138,022 tons in the previous year. MESSRS.. BIBB Y'S GENEROSITY. Messrs. J. Bibby and Sons, of Liverpool, whose oil-cake works were recently destroyed fire, with a great loss of life, are behaving generously to the families of the deceased. In addition to the £10 allowed. already for funeral expenses,- the full' 'amount due nnderthe Compensation Act v will be paid into Court, and the firm will facilitate all applications. It i« their particular desire that the ' children of the deceased workmen' should have every* chance of becoming good citizens. Beyond the amount paid into Court a sum of money will be invested by them to make voluntary payments to mothers and guardians who faithfully discharge thejr duty to the children until sixteen years of age or death. Five shillings per week will be allowed for one child, 9s for two, 12s 6d for three, 16s for four, 19s for five, and '21s for six or more. Those having charge of children who worthily * carry out their obligations may also receive a Christmas box of £5 each-year until the child attains 16 years, and the mothers who survive until the youngest' child under their care hap been properly brought up to 16 years of age may receive at that date a further capital grant of £100, in recognition of their care and attention, and as a nest-egg for their own old age. DESTROYERS FOR NEW ZEALAND. Amongst the warships which are to be provided for New ' Zealand under the naval agreement of 1909 are a number of destroyers, which were supposed to be I under construction. Three of these, the Firedrake, the Lurcher, and the Oak, are being built under the 1910-11 estimates by Messrs. Yarrow and Co. They are special first-class destroyers of 32 knots speed, as against the 27 knot* .with which the Admiralty has been content for some years past. Unfortunately, the decision to send these vessels to New Zealand has, according to the Morning Post, been revised, and they will be retained in Home waters, their place in New Zealand being taken by three of the older-fashioned 27-knot vessels. A UNIONIST CANDIDATE'S PENANCE. On being defeated in December last in the Romford election, the Unionist candidate, Mr. W. P. Griggs, • vowed with Spartan fortitude that from that day he would not smoke, dance, nor play cards until such time as a Unionist M.P. again represented Romford, or at any rate until the present Government should be driven from power. The grim struggle between temptation and will power goes on week after week. Week after week friends and foes alike hold out to the unfortunate martyr all sorts of inducements to break his vow. Peopla accost him in the street and puff good cigar smoke into his nostrils. Small boys ask him for cigarette cards. Unknown enemies write praising the virtues of some new f mixture. Samples of cigars, both grave and gay, arrive at his house every week, and are studiously stored up against the dawning of the day when he may smoke 1 again. His letter-box is crammed full with invitations to dances or to bridge parties. But still the virtuous man is adamant. "I intend' to stick to it to the bitter end," he cays, with teeth 6et, " even if it means another twenty years. But, judging from the well attended meetings I am getting it won't be long before I am, tasting the joys of tobacco again."