NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10015, 30 December 1895, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Some time ago tho London School Board undertook an inquiry with the object) of ascertaining " the number of children at' tending school insufficient ly fed." Tha result of that investigation was reported to the weekly meeting over which the Marquis of Londonderry presided. To assist them in their conclusions tho committee ar« ranged that the children at ono of the poorest) schools in East London should write an essay on their dietary for one day in tho week. Ono fneb established beyond dispute was, that ovory boy at that particular institution had "an enormous amount) of food" on the Sunday, which, served cold, gave an amplo menu for Monday. The strain placed upon the youthful digestion on tho first and second days of tho week are indicated in the following lucubration by ono of tho boys: "We had fried ham for our breakfast oil Sunday, and for dinner wo had a brace of clucks roasted and some boiled ham and potatoes and peas pudding, and for tea, we had a baked seed cako and a pudding with plums and currants in it, and bread and biittor, with shrimps and winkles. On Monday morning, for breakfast, we had two largo haddocks and bread and butter and ton. We h*d for dinner cowheel and trotters, with potatoes ami turnips and broth. We had for tea bread and buttor, with three herrings and t6a." From another source the committee obtained some interesting essay* which throw further light) upon the way in which children in poor East End schools are fed. One wrote: "On Mondaymorning,at 8.15,1 had my breakfast; ib was composed of a cup of tea and threo slices of bread and lioad of a fowl. At ono o'clock my dinnor was ready, and I was ready, too. It consisted of hot potatoes, leg of fowl and pork, all hot. After this I had a basin of broth with a dry slico of bread. This finishod my dinner. At five o'clock I had a nice piece of Christmas pudding. ITalf-an hour after this I had my tea. For tea I had a large cup and four slices of bread and butter and a piece of currant cake. Nine o'clock was the time I finished eating for the day, I had a large piece of cake at this timo,"

-, rCe d as wholly satisfactory. It indicates, 0 doubt, on the part of the Congolese authorities, or perhaps \ro ought to say of the King of the Belgians, a desire' to make fiends to: what has happened, but if any 0 the persons concorned imagines that the Incident is thereby closed, we think that he ought to be at once undeceived. If we had to complain morely of an irregularity of formal procedure, as the announcement seems to ruj.'C cs t» thepaymontof a handsome indelimit}' to the family of the unfortunate T ictim initr'ib perhaps have been regarded 0 j fuflk'ioiit. But we have to complain 0 [ something much more serious. In f0 far .1? 'i prima facie case has been estab-jijhc-.l against Major Lothaire, the crime j, r which he should be tried is nob neglect f i imlicial formalities, bub murder, or at ] e a.it culpable homicide. And it must be rcDiernb- re.l that wo no longer live in those primitive times when murder and culpable hcur.i -i'ic could bo atoned for by bloodtw w\. Public opinion in England will j n .iit on Major Lothaire's being tried by a I- R.;.r: 1 and impartial tribunal, with all the trowary guarantees that publicity uliir.e can afford.

Mr. Wilson, in the Investors Review, yya in an article, entitled "Notes by the W..v on the Mining Market Gamble," that the spsculation in gold mines, which !:.i- pi vooied in London and Paris withtut intermission for more than a year past, is one of the most fascinating exhibitions of bctnati folly this generation has beon ptfi:!%'sd 10 behold." He postpones tho ti.-K of ilf-cribins; it until he can complete it by tho addition of an inventory c! ,}{v,..«ntiou that will follow the crash. Mr. \i:.-on thinks that tho average Brit;?', dunderhead was roped in by the g titling with which tho ingenious premier? emisted the nobility and gentry cf Fv'and in the magnificent gamble. "Ait nui-r be right when the 'usband of the I'rnrt of Wales' daughter tho't it good er .:."i tor ini,' a? grocer Jones and tailor S;.:*-.: w.'jld remark to each ether over their pipe* and beer. Mr. Wilson bays tr,.u prea/hers in churches and chapels h.vfl been known to thank tho Lord in p-« .: : His infinite mercy in bestowing sj.v. we .Mi on the people of England in o.;:- day and generation, while all the ::-:e.icrs gloated and leered with EC.:;;;.:y rendered eminently respectable by the P.iki#—fully licensed as correct by the upper classes. The ground for this tip: -:jval of the demoniacal passions ot h.:;.. ii i:y has been jrepared by two infijfnces. First, the privation imposed upon Lirfe numbers of people by tho Baring •c.j.-h: the other, the needs of the '•*pi:..ii.l pauper.-," not altogether of the iri-[v'.ra:ic order, who were living above their means. The financial press was lean sr..! hungry, and the South African adventurers paid, for leaders with £10 notes, :r secured quotations of manufactured jjire premiums for a fiver.

America is now showing a strong desiro to "climb down,'' Tho friends of the President are endeavouring to make out tin: his message which has created all the fuss and war scare, was really meant to avert war between England and America. I", is said that fearing Congress would declare war on the production of the correspondence on the Venezuelan question, ha suggested the appointment of a commission intending that the members of it should be favourable to the British claims, This is to say the least a remarkable statement, and shows with what little regard to 3traight:orwaid and honest conduct the d;ploma:y of the United S;ates is carried on. secretary Olney has tabled a motion that the Marquis of Salisbury should not cons.ruo the appointment of the commission as an act of Hostility. The political situation, however, is being overshadowed by the financial crisis, and in adjusting their tariff and currency tho Americans will r.o doubt speedily forget England, V»nerjela, and the Monroe doctrine. The capture of Zeitoun by the Turks accompanied with great Slaughter, 1;0" rebels being killed. In the TransJ f3al the situation is somewhat critical. Owing to a panic in a Baltimore theatre, causei by a fire breaking out on the stage, twenty-four persons lost their lives.