FORTY-FOUR YEARS AGO

Evening Star, Issue 16263, 4 November 1916, Page 11

FORTY-FOUR YEARS AGO

[For the Week Ending To-day.] Through communication between Melbourne and London has now been established, and the time occupied in transmission of mes--3\T S u, Uearly Z \ h ,° UrS " Bet wen London and Melbourne a telegraphic message passes through the hands of operators no less than i 0 times. There are 18 repeating stations, -taking the consumption of time in transmitting a message of 200 words, the delayon the Incliau and connecting lines, Loudon news 2+ hours old is not so bad. One of the latest messages advised that tho evacuation ot the Marne has commenced. **** * * * The 'Scotsman' (Edinburgh) savs there is likely to be a dearth of fuel in "the Island ot tslay owing to the shipment, ot lairc quantities of peat to New Zealand. We believe the spirited proprietors of the Du-i----eclm distillery are the importers of this peat. Are there no peat bogs in the province from which supplies could be -.'ra.vn: * * * * -x- * -xThe ' New York World' gives very flattering notice to the working of the "Du ,e- J "-j Gaol. Discussing Mr Caldwell's annual report, it points out that the total earnings of the establishment for the year were £7 364 17s 9d. '-If to this be added £1,145 12s the value of the prisoners' labor within the gaol limits, which Mr Caldwell lias excluded because some critics judged it was not productive, we have as total earnings £8,510 9s 9d. The expenditure was £6,021 6s. The handsome surplus of £1,589 3s 9d therefore remains to the credit of the management of the gaol. This is a very good exhibit, and when to it is added that no breaches of discipline to any extent have occurred during the year, we may rest assured that the gaol is managed on sound principles, financially and humanely. Wo may say that it is not tho first time that Mr Caldwell's management has had a balance on the right side of the ledger—it is usual with him." * * -:c- * * * * The Caversham road district comprises 1,340 acres. The gross annual value by the assessment roll is £10,750, being a little over £9 10s per acre. The net value is nearly £7 per acre. **** * , * * People arc easily frightened. At the conclusion of one of the acts of a play in the Auckland Theatre, when Rose Evans was playing there, a few men in the pit began shouting most vociferously for Ryan! Ryan! which many persons mistook for Fire! Eire! About 20 persons made a rush towards the doors, and one lady in the dress circle fainted. Order was speedily restored upon the appearance of Ryan in front of tho curtain. * * * * * * * Importers are to reap a decided benefit by the opening of the Dunedin-Port Chalmers railway. The owners of lighters, determined to compete with the Port Railway Company offered to convey freight to town for 4s a ton, or 6d less than tho company's first offer whereupon the latter have reduced their price to 3s. A couple of months ago lighterage from the Port was 8s a tou.