CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14976, 23 April 1909, Page 6

CURRENT TOPICS.

THE AMT.VAT. OF THE BIOSCOPE.

Tho growing popularity of bioscopo entertainments is one of the most remarkablo do-

vclopmonts of recent years in the world of amusements. Like many other simple money-making ideas, tho notion of presenting a programme consisting exclusively of moving pictures originated in America. After tho closing of the Chicago World’s Fair one of tho proprietors of tho many little bioscope booths which did fairly good business at tho Fair, despite the primitive naturo of their films and projecting apparatus, decided to open a picture show in ail old shop in a thickly populated district of Chicago. He mado money, and his example was naturally followed. To-day it is estimated that there are 15,000 biograpli theatres in the United States, permanently established in tho various cities and towns. New York alone has over 650 of them. In the older countries the same remarkable talo is told. In Central Russia alono there aro said to bo 10,000 picture shows open, and no ono is rash enough to ovon hazard a guess as to tlie number in tho United Kingdom. In most cases special theatres havo been built, with luxuriously upholstered scats and all tho conveniences of theatres designed for dramatic purposes, notwithstanding that the price of admission to the best scats in tbo house rarely exceeds a shilling, while in some cases there is no highor charge than sixpence. The subject matter of tho pictures and the methods of their preparation and reproduction havo also undergone vast improvement. Tho “picture-drama” has rapidly found its way to public favour, and French and British manufacturers aro vieing with each other in tbo elaboration and completeness of their production of dramatic films. It seems highly probably that in the near future the most eminent actors and actresses in the world will bo pressed into the service of the biograpli. M. Lo Barg.y, in France, has already shown tho load iu this direction, and an Italian syndicate lias been formed to prodneo films of plays in which tho great tragedienne Eleanor Duse will play tho leading parts. The function of tho moving picture will not, however, remain ono of more amusement. Already tho pictures of foreign lands and customs are doing something to show tho stay-at-hoino person tho ways of countries ho never visits.

There is probably nothing in tho world in the way of general State enterprise to equal tho “department store'’ run by the United States Government on the Isthmus of Panama, Stato railways and such like public services being left out of the account. Uncle. Sam's store does business to the extent of £900,000 every year. Ho is running a big laundry, manufacturing ico and distributing it over a route fifty miles long, baking bread, making pies and freezing and selling bis own ico cream. Through the Commissary Department Uncle Sam supplies most of tho 35,000 employees on the isthmus with the necessaries of lifo at littlo more than the cost price. Through it the canal employee is enabled to buy his food cheaper than ho could if he lived in Now York City, and that, too, in tho face of the fact that tho hulk of tho food supplies are carried to the isthmus from tho States. An actual comparison of tho prices charged bv tho department with the retail prices charged in New York City showed that in nineteen instances tho prices charged on tho isthmus were slightly higher than those charged in New York, in thirty-seven instances they were lower, and in eight instances equal. Through .his Commissary Department Undo Sam conducts fourteen hotels and a string of fifty-five messes and kitchens. These are scattered along the line of the canal lroni tho Atlantic to the Pacific. At the hotels the canal employee can get a good, wholesome dinner for 30 cents. At the messes, which are patronised chiefly by tho Spanish labourers, Undo Sam serves meals at the rate of 40 cents a day, and at the kitchens, where many of tho West Indian negroes eat, his rate is 30 cents a day. All told, Uncle Sam feeds daily between 8000 and 9000 mouths at his hotels, messes and kitchens. Tho Government takes four million pounds of beef, mutton and veal from the Chicago packers every year, 2.V tons of chickens a week, 1230 dozen eggs, 8001 b of butter, Of tons of potatoes, 20001 b of ham and a bon of bacon a day. From New York comes pasteurised milk to tho extent of 500 gallons a day, and of condensed milk tho- isthmus takes 4500 eases it month. Tho bakery turns out 15.000 loaves a day.

A STATE STOltli.

Tho most efficient white workers employed by the Panama Canal Commission are Spaniards. There arc 6500 of them. Tho Commission tried Greeks at first, but they were a failure. The Italians came next and they wero no better than the Greeks. There are only about 500 Italians left on tho Isthmus now. Tho Spaniards stand the climate better, and they have the advantage of being in a country where their own language and customs prevail. The Spanish labourer gets 1 dollar 60 cents a day. Living in Government quarters freo and boarding with Uncle Sam, he saves 1 dollar 20 cents a day. Tho negroes who board with the commissary department are fed on rations. They each get daily a pound of meat, a pound of bread, ono-sixth of a pound of flour, half a pound of sugar, half a pound of rice, a pound of potatoes and coffee. It is an interesting fact that tho native American in the Canal Zono gets his mechanical energy out of tho meats just as he docs in the temperate zone. The Spaniard and tho West Indian negro, on the other hand, rely on the starches and tho sugars. This explains, it is said, why the latter are able to resist the tropical climate. Tho American wastes too much energy on his digestion and other internal operations. Tho West Indian negro is the only employee on the canal who shows a disposition to slight the Government quarters and messes. In the last year there has been a steady decroase both in the number living in Government quarters and in the number eating at the Government messes. On .November 1, 1907, for instance, 11,920 West Indians wero living in Government quarters and 13,279 outside. On November 1, 1908, only 7569 wero in quarters, while the number living outside had risen to 16,000. The negroes go off into the native villages or into the bush and build shacks for thomselvos. They are apparently homeloving and want eome place where, after the day’s work, they can pick the banjo or play the bones in peaco. There are labour troubles on the istlimus, of course, but on tho whole tho Commission has had singularly few difficulties with the men. Dealing, as it does, with thousands of hands, it regards local differences as of small moment, and so far it has not had to face a serious concerted strike.

LABOUR AT PANAMA.