The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1208.

Evening Star, Issue 13146, 30 December 1908, Page 4

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1208.

Ihe year bids fair to close with one of the most stupendous seismic disUalj* turbances of modem times. Appalling At this hour of writing Catastrophe. Calabria, tire southernmost province of Italy, and the adjacent island of Sicily, are rent and torn; their cities have been overthrown; the earth has heaved like the waves of the sea, leaving thousands of dead and dying in its wake; fire has sprung into life to add Us own peculiar terrors to those wrought by the convulsions of Nature; and from millions of human beings ascends, the piteous wall of despair. It is impossible at this stage to estimate oven approximately the aeutal loss in life. The Roman newspapers are reported to have placed the death roll as high as 60,000, and recent experiences unhappily have taught us that, if anything, the later and more accurate estimates aro in excess of the first imiried summaries. What the world does know is that.the largo and important cities of Messina and Catania, in the island of Sicily, each of which has over 100,000 inhabitants, have felt the full force of the earthquake, Meesina, we are told, is practically destroyer]; hotels and residences, palaces and public halls, fell like packs of cards; and among the thousands of dead are the General commanding the district and the Archbishop. On the mainland the story, too, is one of devastation, ruin, and death. The villages in the department of Reggio di Calabria have been shaken to the ground, barracks have been toppled over, prisons have caught fire, and the Angel of Death is .abroad in the land. Needless to say, the Italian people are rising to the occasion. From King Victor Emmanuel and the Pope down to the humblest there has come an intense eagerness bo do something towards the alleviation of the awful mass of individual suffering and want the mighty upheaval has left behind. It is in the face of tremendous cataclysms such as this that the best in men and women is brought into play; ami, alas! that it should be so, it is also amid the havoc of these overwhelming visitations that the primeval brute in man springs forth. Italy and .Sicily have not been spared the shame that disgusted humanity when San Francisco and Valparaiso and Santiago were laid in mins two years ago. Fortunately for the race, the majority of mankind are on the side of the angels, and there is softie satisfaction in knowing that the Imm,an ghouls who began to plunder the dead and dying as they lay among the ruins of their homes were shot like the worso than doge that they were. Before these tcrnble workings of a pitiless Nature all are alike dumb, powerless, and impotent. Wo cannot predict when or where the next crash will come; we cannot stay its course if we could ; and we can do very little to modify its ravages. All that we have or are is but as dust in the balance when the unseen and unmeasured forces that arc above, beneath, and around us arc momentarily let loose to work their will. There are, of course, theories and partial explanations as well as timely suggestions. Dr Charles Davison, for example, tells us that the greater abundance of earthquakes during the winter months is very distinctly marked, and that in the Northern Hemisphere the number of earthquakes during December or January is about half as great again as during Juno or July; and Mr \\. H. Garrison, F.R.G.S., has shown that when sun spots were at their maximum or minimum volcanoes became active and earthquakes occurred on this planet in unusual numbers. Statements such as these do not put men either in the way of controlling or of preventing earthquakes. Professor Milne, however, has stated that their effects can be mitigated, and he quotes the policy of Japan in this regard as worthy of emulation. Wherever a great earthquake has been, Japanese engineers, architects, and seismologists hurry there for the purpose of making notes of the buildings that fell or stood, their object being to direct their builders to put up structures capable of withstanding future shocks of the same kind. In practice it ds proved that bridges, chimneys, piers, and buildings so coir tnicted are able to bear the strain that may be put upon them. Wiiorber at some future day it will be within the compass of human, skill that in all cities there shall be nothing hut earthquake-pvoef houses we cannot say; but at present we seem far removed from its [mssibilitv. The towns and cities of the Old World must take their chance; their greatest hope (based on the history of the past) is the improbability of their being within the danger zone. They have outlasted the centuries. and may outlast yet more. But there can be no certainty ; every country i> liable to seismic disturbance. The year 1902 was a tragic one in this connection. Russia, South America, the West Indies, and Aria were each visited in turn, and at the lowest estimate the death roll from volcanic outbreaks and earthquake shocks numbered 130,000.

Ix another part of this issue will bo found the ixqiort of the -Registrar A Satisfactory of Friendly Societies (acSlzlag Up. coinpanied by the preliminary figures) regarding the quinquennial investigation into the financial position of the Independent Order of Oddfellows. The figures speak for themselves. We content ourselves at this stage with congratulating file Executive and members of the Order op the excellent results disclosed by the official sizing up. On reference to the Registrar-General's report it will be seen that the surpluses in the individual lodges amount to £9,786 in twenty-nine lodges, while there are deficiencies totalling £2,925 in eighteen lodges. The surpluses vary from £1,750 to £ll, and the deficiencies from £951 to £l4. Of the total deficiencies, £1,687 arises in two lodges, and is duo to ascertainable causes—in ttre one to speculation in linll j>ropetty, and in Ike other to abnormal sickness—while seven of the lodges that exhibit deficiencies have only been a short time in existence. These latter may therefore be set down as deficiencies of estimation,

which will shortly disappear. ■ Wheaihd full valuation has bean declared we ehijSl take an opportunity of setting .forth. toe figures in ’detail, together with the actu-ary’s-deductions therefrom.

The Right Hon. the Premier .has been indisposed in Wellington for a couple of days, suffering from a chill. He leaves for the South to-night. Sir Joseph stays in Dunedin to-mprrow evening, and will go on .to Invercargill by the first express on Friday. The crop of-soft fruits from the Teviot orchards is very heavy this season. Apricots, peaches, raspberries, black and red currants are in abundance. A fruitbroker says that prices should be reasonable for each of these pleasant fruits. Everybody knows, of course, that the standard of reasonableness is a very uncertain affair, and the term cheapness cannot be used freely. It- is good to know, however, that Nature has done her best to make fruit cheap for man. Apricots are expected to be on the Dunedin market to-morrow. As a rule apricots do not come this way until January, and the ripening time this season is considered to be extremely early. The influences of favorable weather also ripened black currants much earlier than usual. The raspberry crop is very heavy,* and for that fruit merchants say that prices should be cheap. Although gooseberries sold at 8d about Christmas-tide,’ the >yield has been abundant. Strawberries have practically had their dav, and promise to remain a luxury to people with roomy purses. For nice strawberries one ftas still to pay over 2s per lb. But you can have your teeth set on edge for nothing. ° o>”' Christchurch correspondent wires: I have very good grounds for believing tnat Mr George Laurenson will be one of the new members of the Ministry.” , r C-- 0. Cuttcn, S.M., held a sitting of the Juvenile Court this morning, when three boys wore charged with assaulting a Chinaman. The same three offenders and another lad were ako charged with mischief by damaging vegetables to the amount of £1 2s. Sub-inspector Norwood sard that at 8 p.m. On the 16th in&t. the xour boys went to a Chinaman's garden in the Alusselbitrgh district and destroyed cabbages and potatoes to the extent' of irt Ze. When the Chinaman appeared on the scone three of them threw stones at mm, with the result that he was ..truck on tire hand, and had to have it twice attended to by a doctor, at a cost of 15s.' Mr D. D. Macdonald appeared for on© of the accused. His Worship convicted and ordered the lada to come up for sentence when called upon, on the understanding' that they paid £1 19s to tho Chinaman for expenses and damages incurred. Three other boys wore brought before His Worship charged with stealing £4 5s in money from the Primitive Methodist Church at North-cart Talley. They pleaded guilty. Iho eub-inapectotr said that tho boys got into the church by an open window, and took the money from the collection box. Two of the boys bought a cricket bat each with tho money and the other a set of wickets. The rent of the money was spent in lollies and pies. One of the boys had no parents and was apparently running wild. His Wars!rip ordered this lad to stand down until his foster mother could appear In court. The two other offenders were discharged on condition that their parents paid £2 each to the church authorities. Later in tile day the foster mother of the other accused attended the Court,, and he was committed to St. Marys industrial School, Nelson. Tho refloating operations in connection with the steamer Hawea, which have been progressing very favorably, have again been stopped by bad weather on tho West Coast.

The best choico of art wall paper and friezes is to be seen at Andrew Lees’s show room, 48 George street.—[A-dvt.] For watch, clock, and jewellers’ repairs A. J. Shaw, 13 Rattray street, is recommended. Absolutely the best in Dunedin.—[Advt.*] The lucky fish pond at tho D.I.C. (all prizes and no blanks) positively closes New Year’s Eve.—[Advt.] Maheuo is advertised to run a special timetable for New Year’s Day to Broad Bay regatta and I’ottobcllo. A. W. Martin, rupture specialist, can now be consulted at Stokes’s Buildings, 91a Princes street, Dunedin. All sufferers should make full inquiry regarding Dr Sherman’s method or treatment,- which has cured hundreds ;dn New Zealand. Fourteen days’ trial of appliances free. Consultations free. Hours, 10 a.m. to 12, 2 p.m. to 5. Extra hours; ’Friday evening, 7 to 9; Saturday, 10 a.m! to 12 noon. Send for two booklets.—[Advt.] A Iways an acceptable gift -. A bottle of Old English Lavender Water from Wilkinson and Son, chemists.—[Advt.] The ferry boat Maheno is advertised-to run inanno excursions twice daily during the holidays. Tho lucky fish pond at the D.I.C. (all prizes and no blanks) positively closes New T’caris Eve.—[Advt,] Speight’s ale and stout arc acknowledged by the Dominion public to be the best on the market.—[Advt.] Owing to the inclement state of the weather it has been decided to postpone the Kaikorai Band concert which was to have been given at the Curisbrook Ground this evening. J. Waters, chemist, 20 Princes street, has a sandfly lotion which will absolutely prevent mosquitoes or sandflies annoying you. Price 2s (posted 2s 3d).—[Advt.] Llio s.s. Ivotare is advertised to run excursions to Maori Kaik and outside Heads on New Year’s Day aud ihe day after. J • Steadman, manager and artist of Acme ” Photo Co., George street, draws the attention of connoisseurs in art to the excellence of the latest portraits in sepia. Specimens in vestibule.—[Advt,] The time-table to be run by the Portobello railway ferry steamer Tarewai on Thursday is advertised in this issue. The position of Mr Morris as a leader in portrait photography has for many years been well assured. His portraits are always soft and delicate, and are beautifully finished in every way. They have the merit of portraying people at their very best, without loss of character or individuality.—[Advt.] The worst drain or sink may be purified and sweetened by cleansing it with “ I.X.L. Fluid.” Use one teaspoonful to every pint of water. “1.X.L.” is sudden death to all germs.—[Advt.] Entries for the Otago Rifle Association’s meeting, jo be held ou January 1 and, 2, close at nine o’clock this evening. Tho lucky fish [Kind at the D.I.C. (ai! prizes and no blanks) positively closes New Year’s Eve. —[Advt,] Readers of tho ‘Star’ are reminded that Hutchinson's great jewellery sale is now on at 142 George street.—[Advt.]