NEAR AND FAR.

Evening Star, Issue 14688, 4 October 1911, Page 3

NEAR AND FAR.

The monthly meeting of tho W.C.T.jL 1 . was hold in the Y. W.C. A. Rooms yesterday afternoon. The attendance was not so large as usual, as many of the members were taking part in a drawing room meeting. Mrs H. H. Driver gave a detailed account of the crusade work, and told of the coming of Miss Anderson Hughes, and of the mass meetings of women to be held during her visit. Arrangements were mad (if or the distribution of literature, for a spectacular display, for the printing of special badges, and for the coming convention. Mrs Chisholm was elected to represent the union at the Band of Hope competitions. Some new members were enrolled. At Monday's meeting of the Bay Town Board a deputation of resident* from Tainni waited upon the board, asking to have the water supply carried down to their houses, a distance of about three chains. The Chairman pointed out that it was a difficult position, as the houses lay outside tho boundaries. He promised, however, that the matter would be taken into consideration at a later stage, and tho deputation withdrew. It was afterwards resolved that the, deputation be informed that the board bad decided nob to grant any further services outside their boundaries in the meantime. Tho estates of 190 persona were certified for duty during tho month of September. The largest were those of Maria L Dawson, of Wellington, £67,255; William Travis, Canterbury, £65,705; and Henry E. Holder, of Auckland. £54,966. Tho following is the list of Otago estates over £soo:—Alexander Thomson, £8,595; Matilda A. Coull, £6,719 ; Thos. Mcc, £6.267 ; Richard Kingston, £5,806; Jahez Beck, £3,792; William F. Smyth. £5,484: .lohn Butler, £3,227; Thos. tlewilson. £5.181 : Emma Burton, £2,657; Samuel Cony, £2.074; Anders Anderson, £1,958: Geo. C. Brown, £1,710; Robert Thomson, £1,621: Adam Bussell, £1.410; Robert W. Brown, £1.299; William MT-eod. £1,224 ; Williarnina M’Kenme, £354; Rosalie Kroft, £9cD. The Bakers’ Union of South Cantc-rhuiy came to a new agreement yesterday before the Conciliation Council, Mr TTigg presiding. It is six years since tho last award was made. Tho chief points am that the hours arc reduced from 50 to 40. Instead of three classes of minimum wage, one minimum was adopted of £2 15s, employers to pay better men more. Apprentices’ wages were fixed as before, but the term of apprenticeship was extended from lour to five years. The preference clause was accepted.

Some uncertainly lias prevailed throughout England as to tbo exact meaning of ilr Asquith’.' promise to give racihtk-K next, year to the Woman Suffrage BillQuit o recently it was assumed Unit tins could mean only the “ Conciliation Bill." the Bill which' is supported by all the Women's Suffrage Societies, and has twice passtxi its second reading hy enormous majorities. But on August 16 Mr Lloyd George, in tlio absence of the Prime Minister, in an answer to a question by Mr Leif. Jones, raid that facilities might be given to any Suffrage Bill which coukl secure a second reading. In other words, the. device of the BUI to bo considered would depend solely on the luck of the ballot. With the object of removing what he assumed to be a misinterpretation of the pledge. Lord Lytton wrote a letter to the. Prime Minister on behalf of the Conciliation Committee, recounting the history of the pledge, and pointing out that it could apply only to the “ Conciliation BilL”' Ho asked for an assurance that whatever other Bill may be introduced next year, the Government will give to the Bill promoted by the Conciliation Committee a day for its second reading should it fail to secure a place in the ballot, and facilities for its further stages when it has passed its second reading. Mr Asquith has reElicd under date August 23, stating: “ I are no hesitation in saying that the. promises made by and on behalf of the Government in regard to giving facilities for the ‘ Conciliation Bill ’ will be stnoth' adhered to both in letter and in spirit.” The militant suffragists are quite satisfied with Mr Asquith’s pledge, and in consequence will cease from interfering in any byelections.

In one of his chatty letters to the Sheffield ‘Telegraph’ Dr Coward save: “After the warm welcomes and cordial greetings received in oilier places, it seems almost ungracious to say that these were outdone in hospitality by New Zealand, but such is the fact. _ Of the country it is hard to speak too highly. The scenery is charming, the climate sunny and invigorating, the people free and hospitable, while all the cities axe laid oat on model lines. It should b© said that neither, in Brisbane, ' ,'dney, Auckland, Wellington, Christ- • utu'di, Dunedin, nor Invercargill did I ,e anyone hanging around to pick up a banco job, as at our railway stations, or did I see anyone palpably ‘down on their uppers.’ For while there are fewer very rich men than in, say, England • and America, there is a much wider distribution of wealth. . .’. The papers you have probably received will show what a

string of successes we have had all through New Zealand. Therefore, no comment on the musical side is necessary; bm I_must mention the general satisfaction felt and the keen interest shown in tb_e performance of ‘God Save the King. Mo usually sing the whole three verses ( Elgar’s arrangement), and it -seems to be like a breath of life to our roionial brethren, which is quite refreshing to sec." A terrible scene occurred on August 22 at Eddyville, Kentucky, during the electrocution of Oliver Locke, a negro, for wife murder. Ihe negro was strapped into the electric chair, and 2,000 volts were sent through his body. But he began to struggle and shout curses at his executioners. He continued to struggle in the death (hair for 28 minutes, while the electric current was repeatedly switched on. Finally, with superhuman strength, ho broke the straps holding his arms and Jogs to the /-hair, and tried to jump upon his feet. iiu’. topprid to tho floor. The witnesses bvlieied he was dead, but the doctors. oner examining him, announced that the murderer was slowly reviving. Tho body was again quickly strapped to the eh air and the current turned on. This time death ensued. A cable from New York states that Mr George Young, a millionaire broker, ami husband of Madame Nortlica, the opera singer, has had serious allegation* made against him in the Supreme Court. Dr Baruch, a. well known practitioner in New Tork, alleges that iho financier has mismanaged his estate since 1904 ; that Young retained a considerable sum of money belonging tohim (Baruch) ; and that Young made an incorrect report of his financial transactions, showing Baruch to have made heavy losses. Young stoutly denies these allegations of fraud on his part. A New York cable in the Australian papers says :—Mrs MTlca, wife of the railroad division superintendent, of Opelaitsas, Louisiana (U.S.). shot and killed Allan Garland, a prominent resident of that city, at her home cr trie night of September 25. The couple were in the house togutner. and Mrs M’Rea assorts that Garland tried to assault her. She is twice an old a* the murdered man. Mr MT’eu has elected to remain by the side of his wife while she is in gaol. At Molverhamptnn (England) on August 21 a. lad named William Price, aged 10. while gathering acorns, fell from a tree and became unconscious. He was placed in a trap by a policeman with the intention of taking him to the hospital, but on. tho way the bd to all app-aran. rs had died, and the vehicle was stopped at the house of a doctor. Ihe duct,or examined tho boy’s eyes, and concluded that he was lifeless.' but when placed in the mortuary the boy’s right leg and his mouth, were observed to move. Ho was taken to the hospital, whore ho died from cerebral laceration. The hospital surgeon did not think the delay incurred hi having been admitted had accelerated the boy’a death, and at tho inquest a verdict "in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.