BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 7743, 12 June 1903, Page 4

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

An interesting event occurred at the Ching-oho-fu (Shangtung) o(n Sunday last, when the first railway train in the history oi the place, which is 4000 years old, arrived from Tsingtao.

Chimney-sweeps at Hucknall Tokard, Notts, are combining against the local practice of householders in firing their chimneys to save cost of sweeping. Compulsory vaccination is the (Older for tramps visiting Ejppmg workhouse. Tney do not object, for the operation relieves them temporarily of the necessity of working. "We must not depend ota mere wealth and birth to govern us," declared Mr Hanbury at a Primrose League demonstration at Preston, " we must have talent."

The Icelandic Parliament has voted an annual payment of £2000 for 20 years towpirds the proposed establishment of wireless communication between Iceland and the north of Scotland.

Under the auspices of the Self-Help and East End Emigration Society 400 emigrants left Euston last night by special train for Liverpool, whore they will embark for Canada.

Sheep's parasites and the dips with which it is sought to exterminate them are to form the subject of investigation, kv a- clof>&*^naen-fc«tl committee of the Bjoard of Agriculture. A remarkable series of tragic events is reported in London. It includes a murder, an alleged manslaughter, and several suicides.

Mr Mosely, summing up the results of his industrial commission's tqur in America, says that uhe true-born American is better educated, housed, fed, and clothed, and nnore energetic than the Englishman. The delegjaltes express varying opinions in their reports.

Statistics read at a meeting in London of the Society for the Styidy of Inebriety show that the annual consumption of whisky in Scotland is at the rate of 1-85 gallons per head of the population.

While a wedding was in progress at a church in Atlanta, Georgia, the floor gave way. Bride, bridegroom, clergyman, and 200 guests were precipitated' to the ground below. No one was seriously hurt.

Colonel William Hope, V.C., who was puSbHicly examined' in • the London Bankruptcy Court yesterday, stated' that his assets included a claim for £39,200 against the Crown for his invention connected with shrapnel shell for rifled guns. " Whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad." Lord Coleridge quoted the proverlb last night at a mass meeting of the Brixton Liberal Association as a suggestion of the present Government's fate by way of punishment for its education policy. -

A factory is being established at Kansas City, Missouri, to tiiv Ainjgora goat flesh. Another will 'be established in Texas to condense Angora goat milk and make cheese.

"While 'bteing taken by train to Brandon, Manitoba, a handcuill'ed prisoner named Cleveiley picked the pocket of his sleeping escort, found the key to his handcuffs, unlocked them, jumped out of the moving train, and escaped.

Mr and Mrs George Cadbiury, of Northfield, Birmingham, have presented to the Society of FrfenSs their former residence, Woodb'roioke, Selly Oak, with a park of 12 acres, and also an endowment of £12,000 for management and upkeep, as a permanent settlement for training in religious work. Accommodation will be provided speedily for 40 students. An explosion ' to-day totally destroyed the plant of the NorthWestern Star Oil Company. Eleven men are unaccounted for, and it is feared that they have perished. A number of others were injured. •The State Attorney of California has announced that the uso of the Bible in public schools is " unconstitutional." Teachers may not even read from it to their pupils. Mr Pierpjont Morgan, in reply to a message congratulating him on attaining his 66th birthday, says : " I am good for many more years of wort. I have lots of it t|o do yet." Mr Kruger's house was sold for £4000 by public auction. Mr R. Moff, son-in-law of ex-President, was the purchaser. The familiar ornamental lions in front of the porch were not included in the sale.

During 1902 16,430,414 gallons of wine were imported into this country, a falling ofi of 115,792 gallons compared with the previous year. Spain still supplies us with the largest quantity of wine, her share being 4,117,094 gallons. Portugal comes next with 3,942,679 gallons, France third with 3,611,565, and Australasia fourth with 988,391. The annual consumption of wine per head in the United Kingdom is 0.37 gallons, in France 25.4, in Germany 1.45, and in tihe United States 0.31. The armored cruiser West Virginia, of 13,500 tons displacement, the largest American warship afloat, was launched at Newptort News. Va., yesterday. Five similar vessels are now under construction. One of them, the Colorado, will be launched from Cramp's during the present month. These vessels are expected to have a speed of 22 knots.

Two boys named Le Touche and Moyaan, 15 afcd ]2 years old respectively, have been arrested at Brest for placing obstacles on the railway line close to the fortifications. The driver of an incoming train only just averted a catastrophe. This is the 12th attempt at train-wrecking in the same locality.

There were 442 strikes arid lockouts in tihe United Kingdom during 1902, according to a Board of Trade return issued yesterday. The results were :— ln favor of employers, 30.4 ; in favor of workpeople, 31.6 ; compromised, 35.7. The report show* that strikes arid lock-outs have been steadily decreasing in numlter since 1896, when there were 926. Sixteen of last year's strikes and lock-outs were settled , by arbitration, and 13 by conciliation bind arbitration. Carmen Sylva, the Queen of Eouinsnia, has written a one-act drama vividly portraying .the endless sorrows of a Jewess; deserted by her own people and persecuted by all the. world. Her choice of subject atoJd its treatment are. regarded as a demonstrative condemnation of the violently anti-Jewish policy pursued by Koumajnia. The Roumanians are not likely to appreciate the Queen's latest work, which will be finrt produced, in America. . . .

The Genera] Insurance Company of Amsterdam has cancelled the policy on the life of King Alexander of Sorvia, as he has not' paid the premium. , , Mr Norris Mathews, librarian, to the City <o£ Bristol, presiding recently at a lecture,' told from the cjhair a story .illustrative oi the badness of some authors' handwriting.- An eminent divine otace remonstrated with a master printer because of very bad language he happened to hear in tibe compositors' rotom. " Sir," replied the printer, " the moment that your copy is distributed among. the compositors, volley succeeds volley as rapidly am& as loud as the cannon roared in Lord Nelson's victory." •^ Tn\ Ilhwtratea London News and. *]£?* ■, Comi Pany made a . profit in 1902 of £58,144, yielding a divdtfond for the last half of the year "at the rate of 8 per cent, and leaving £1148 to, be. carried forward. "Why do they call it 'fugitive' verse?".. "Because the people who write it. . are - fugitives from justice during the rest lof their lives."