CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15899, 10 April 1912, Page 8

CURRENT TOPICS.

Pathetio stories of the misery produced by famine in many parts of Russia during the past

STAEVIXG IX BTJSSIA.

few months are told by a correspondent of the Loudon “Daily Express.”- He does not hesitate to blame the apathy of the Russian Government for a very great deal of the distress. Food, fuel and clothes are lacking in many instances, and the Government apparently has refused to utilise the means that are available to supply the needs of the people- In some villages in the Ufa district, the correspondent states a little fuel remains in a few of the cottages. The sick have been carried to these places, and the villagers flock to them for warmth. Thoy have no money and have to do without lights at night. In the Simbirsk district the offices of the district officials a ro besieged by priests, school teachers and representatives of the local communes, who are begging that free kitchens may be opened; but there are ho funds available, since the Government }iaS refused to help. The “Novoe Vroiuy a ” has published an article from Tobolsk, in which the callousness of the

local authorities is bitterly denounced. It is stated that they will not establish free kitchens until the peasants actually begin to die, and the peasants are too proud to beg until they are reduced to extremity. The last horses have been sold in tho Tobolsk region, and as there is no means of transport the few people who have little stores of wood which they might barter for food are unable to carry tbeir Only property to market. The writer in the “ Novoe Vremya ” states that in seventy-five cottages that he visited there was not a single pound of flour, hut, notwithstanding the terrible distress, the people’s appeals for doles from the reserve supplies of corn were unheeded by the authorities. In another district, it is reported, the authorities vetoed charitable attempts to help the Cossacks on the ground that it is shameful for Cossacks to complain,” and a philanthropist at Balakoff has declared that the police have prevented him from providing hot meals at his own expense in the schools. The protest against the callousness of tho authorities appears to be justified.

AMAZING CEEDULITT.

A solicitor named Syms, who had a good practice in London and

Manchester, became bankrupt last year, and subsequently admitted having misappropriated clients’ money. He was convicted, but sentence was postponed in order that certain statements made during the bearing of the charges against him might be investigated. The result of the investigation was the disclosure of an amazing story of credulity in a London police court a few weeks ago, an Australian, who was described as a racecourse follower, a professional “punter” and writer, and his wife being charged with having obtained money from Syms by fraud. Syms was deeply affected six years ago by the death of a lady to whom he was attached, and he conceived the idea of communicating with her after death. He became acquainted with a lady who advertised herself as a “medium from Australia,” and she and her -husband the professional “punter,” undertook to carry out the solicitor’s plan. In three years Syms attended fully one hundred seances, paying a fee of five shillings for each, and “ communicated ’ ’ with a deceased clergyma n and a doctor who had died in Melbourne seventy years before. Syms wrote letters to both spirits, addressing them to the care of the medium, and finally the solicitor was led to believe that he was in communication with the deceased lady, whom he addressed as M.L.0., the initials representing the phrase “My loved one.” The deluded man kept copies of his letters, and once he actually sent a catalogue of fashions to “M.L.0.” through, the medium’s “post office.” Presently it became necessary to employ a spirit postman to damaterialise the letters and deliver them in the other world, and a Frenchman who had lost his head during the Revolution was appointed to the position. In 1908 Syms formed the idea of creating a hand of spirit workers who were to reform people in this world before they “ reached the Other shore,” and the prosecution of this .scheme proved to be a very costly business. The “spirits” apparently bled Syms systematically, and ho continued, to supply their requirements until his funds were exhausted. It remained for his bankruptcy to reveal the history of his almost incredible delusion.

WHEN FRENCHMEN DISAGREE.

The latest Paris dhel seems to , have been a really sensational affair, -judged .by. French stan-

dards. One of the combatants actually received a wound in the arm. The quarrel arose from the discussion of the thesis, “Given the downfall of the republic, what regime will take its place?” A newspaper propounded this question, presumably with a view to keeping its readers amused during -the silly season, : and at once the Royalists began to exchange hot words with the Imperialists. M. Paul de Cassagnac is director of “ Autorite,” which is the chief organ of the Napoleonists. M. Mourras controls the “Action,” which is faithful to the Duke of Orleans. Each of these journalists answered the question in his own way and each resented bitterly the unwarranted assumption of the other. A challenge was offered and accepted, and early one morning the combatants mot at a secluded spot on the outskirts of Paris. They were, accompanied by a small army of friends and supporters, doctors, newspaper representatives, photographers and cinematograph operators, and it had been arranged that the public of Paris should see the fight on the screens of the picture palaces that very night. M. de Cassagnac is a famous swordsman and M. Mourras evidently is a gentleman of determination. “They fought ferociously,” said one of the reporters who watched the duel. “M. Mourras showed desperate courage. At one moment it looked as though M. de Cassagnao’s sword had pierced his throat, but it had only pierced his beard. Then M. do Cassagnao disarmed his adversary and made a terrific thrust. M. Mourras ought to have been run through, but fortunately for him his arm got in the way and received the point. The duel was over. The doctors attended to the wounded man. The combatants went their ways without shaking hands.” The wound is described by an English journalist as a slight scratch on one arm, but Paris was thrilled. M. Mourras, it was announced, would be unable to fight again for at least a fortnight. When he had recovered he would meet on the field of honour the eldest son of M. de Cassagnac, sinoe the quarrel had become a family matter. Tho duel is indeed a strange feature of French life.