NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11856, 7 January 1902, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The ; remarkable letters oil the " Crisis in British Industry," which are now appearing in the Times, reveal a condition of thiugs (says the Pilot) which, unless the writer's statements can be disproved or shown not to be so alarming, asi they appear, demands the serious attention alike of masters and workmen. The objection that the writer is anonymous is of no weight. The importance of the letters consists not in their reasoning, but in the facts stated in them. It makes no difference who it is that says that bricklayers are onl> allowed by their union I to lay 400 bricks a day when they could easily lay twice that number. The only point worth considering is whether the facts are as the writer describes them. If they are not, if, that is, there is no restriction as to the number of bricks laid, or if the prescribed number is all that can be laid without injury to the bricklayer, there can be no difficulty in showing that the writer in the Times is misinformed. So again with the restrictions on the use of machinery which are attributed to the Boilermakers' Society. The rules which are alleged to operate in this way are quoted in full, and if the interpretation put- on them is a wrong one, it is in the power of the society to explain r where the mistake lies. If, , on, the other hand, the facts are accurately given,

tout the trade unions have a justification Iw-:-them the force of which has escaped the correspondent of the Times, it is for th«fr, ; friends/ whether "in" trade or in the press, to put that justification forward. At the present stage of the controversy we shall . express no opinion on it beyond saying that ? ;~ a very serious indictment has been brought I . against the practices prevailing in some.of the great industries, and that it will not be " wise either for the workmen or for. the nation to allow the charges contained in it : to go unsifted.

The London Times learns from a trust* worthy source that according to recent advices from Persia the Russians have debided "7, J to proceed at once with the construction'of ' ! a railway which will connect their TransCaspian lino with the Persian province of j Khorusan. This line will start from Aska- ] bad and be carried to Meshed, which is only • : J a short distance from the Perso-Afghan bor- 4M der, and the construction is expected to be pushed forward rapidly. 1 The line will ves enter Persian territory 'at Kettechinar, 71111 j up the Deregez Valley, and keep along the river side until it strikes the existing main road to Meshed between' Durbadan and Imamkulieli. A large * party have been at work pegging out the line, and attached to - \ this party have been M. Stroieff, Dragoman of the Meshed Russian Consulate, and the Ikram-ul-Mulk, late Karguzar of Kuchan. >vil Difficulties were met with in passing through ■SI villages, but it is said that these have been . \ arranged, and the Ikram-ul-Mulk has been 'Hp given 12,000 roubles as a present. It is understood in Askabad that the money for the' i railway has been sanctioned and is ready, and that the Russian Bank will ; open a. branch almost immediately in fe Meshed to " assist the financing of the works. A- gen- ■■: tleman from St. Petersburg was named manager of the bank in , Meshed, another official was to come from Teheran, and Ali" Askar Khan, the interpreter of the State Bank, Askabad, was also under orders toi " proceed to Meshed. There .is a- feeling oft great uneasiness amongst the official classes' in .Meshed, as it is: impossible to predict , what the advent of this railway means. London is not the only sufferer by the alien invasion. In Lancashire (says , the '- ~ London Daily Express), when the Lancashire coal trade was in the zenith of. its' I 1 prosperity, there was a scarcity of,colliers in the County Palatine, and.numbers of col- ' liers from Belgium and Polahd invaded home 1 - of the coalfields in South Lancashire. They. were engaged in the collieries there, and. there are now close upon 200 Polish colliers, employed in the mines in the Haydock dis-! trict alone. A correspondent, commenting; 011 the suggestion of the Law. Journal thati " aliens convicted of indictable offences,or be* coming a burden on the poor . rate should 1 ' : be deported, says : " This is an idea which would lead to retaliation. How should We" like it if foreign countries gave us tit for; : tat, and sent us back every.. British immi-. : >• grant who broke the law or became depen- ' , dent on charity? • We are the greatest emi- : grating race in the world; - and with us* '-yf; as with other countries, the people who mostly tend to go abroad are those who have failed to make a living at Home, or have become unpleasantly familiar to the police.- "5 The suggested law; of expulsion, if met by corresponding legislation abroad, would bring many' undesirables' back to us." The prospect (says the" Express) need not daunt us. It is quite just that the country which . raises a criminal or a pauper should take . care of him. We recognise the principle in / ■ the working,of : the poor law, under .whiqli ■ paupers are sent back to the parish of their V , birth. And we . have long outgrown the ideas of the period when we used to ship r! . our .convicts to. Australia and New Zealand. _ Let us only get rid of the foreign criminal and the foreign pauper, and we can stand • our chance of getting back a British cquivav lent. ' We can make a better job of reclaiming British human material, and we should at least avoid the deterioration of our race by admixture with the worst of foreign-, blood. Some significant figures are forth-, coming from the medical officer of health for, Stepney-as the result of an early , morning! •; house-to-house visitation in St. George's-in-; the-East, which was made with the view to- v?. ascertaining the extent of overcrowding in,' ' the East of London. It appears that in l ' Waterloo Place overcrowding was found to exist in 20 houses out of 21 ; in Wellingtonstreet 11 out of 13 that were visited were ' >; found to be overcrowded ; while in St., George's-street, St. George's Buildings, Can- • . non-street 1 Road, Cable-street; . Christianstreet, and other important thoroughfares , in the parish were found to have far too V: .. many occupants. In many cases the over-, crowding was found to be very acute. Al-. most the whole of the houses were occupied by aliens. ■>

They have unearthed another house at! Pompeii, the dwelling of I*l. Lucretiusi Pronto, unknown to history, but evidently a wealthy man. His name is recorded on a marble slab found in situ, where ho is said to have been a strong and worthy man. The building is in good preservation, ■ the ashes of , Vesuvius having efficiently protected it from the ravages of time. It is highly decorated, and the mural paint- . 4 ings in the triclinium are remarkable for excellence of design and ' freshness of colour. Three of them are considered to ' . be masterpieces. One represents Bacchus ; crowned with laurel, seated on a car driven life 'by oxen, and pouring a cup of wine on the head of old Silenus, who is riding behind on a donkey. Ariadne in a blue tunic sits by the side of the nude god. The other painting portrays Venus Aphrodite " seated under a bright red awning, and! ■ wearing a gold diadem a yellow tunic, and a violet-coloured mantle, discovering the left shoulder and breast of a beautiful car« Venation. The third, and perhaps the best* painting, evidently due to a Grecian, artist* represents Perona offering her breasts to j her old father Micon, condemned to die of | starvation. The expression of the features ' j of the loving daughter is simply exquisite.. There stands the elegant, silent, tenantless home, and imagination evokes what it must have been in the dim past before ! dark Vesuvius buried merry Pompeii. ' _ ,iG

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS, ' .

The colonial mails which left Melbourne is per 11.M.5. Britannia on December 4 ' arrived in London on the afternoon of the) 4th inst., one day early. ' Tenders for Auckland City loans amount* ing to £45,000 will be received by the town ; - clerk until four p.m. on Thursday next, and , on . the same evening the tenders will be opened in the presence of the members ,of ;;ss-s the City Council. Several tenders are al- V ready in, and the indications are that the . £45j000 required will bo more than subscribed. One of the most severe droughts in the ... history of Hawke's Bay is at present being r experienced. For the last four months"',.".: there has practically been no rain in thayu* country between Mokotuku and Mohaka, a> - circuit of about 40 miles around Napier. Grass has been thoroughly dried up and; -"' stock is practically unsalable. Strangely enough from Mokotuku to Masterton the fall. of rain has been fairly satisfactory but» lower down the Wairarapa dry weather has been experienced. . , •' ' ■' ; V 'it v-ivK;--A v.... >-y't''Vv.Y

■ •—i -mil*—iw«w —- -T • A' party of Scots Greys' at Bronkhort's Spruit were attacked by the Boers, and six were killed and 13 wounded, i After an engagement lasting twe hours the enemy retired. . General Bruce Hamilton has captured many Boers. The London Times says more men and horses are required, also light railways along the line of blockhouses. The Boers in ■ the concentration camps are treated better, than loyalists. The Boer leaders in Europe insist that any terms of peace which do not include complete independence must bo rejected. The Chin3se Court will return to Pekin to-day. The •Empress states that the Emperor will receive the representatives of foreign Powers, and that she herself will receive the Indies belonging Vto the various legations, an honour which the ladies in question are net likely to be in a hurry to avail themselves of considering the part which the Empress played in the attempt to massacre them and all the other inmates of the ! legations. Chinese merchants in America are petitioning the Emperor to protest against the reenactment iof the Chinese Exclusion Act. They complain that Chinese immigrants are treated like criminals, and subjected to odious insults. A political crisis has occurred in Bulgaria, and the Sobranje or National Assembly has been dissolved after refusing to vote supplies. A military-re-volt has occurred at Torres Novas, in Portugal. The military plundered the town nnd killed several of the inhabitants. Troops have been sent from Lisbon to quell the ievolt. ' • The Arbitration Court resumed its sittings at the Supreme Court yesterday. The bakers' dispute was partly heard, and will be continued this morning. The hearing of the dispute between the Carters' Union and masters has been fixed for this afternoon at half-past two, and the dispute the plumbing trade will be heard to-morrow. (Yesterday afternoon His Honor read the award of the Court in the dispute between the Carpenters, and Joiners' Union and the employers. The wages asked for by the union were Is Id per hour, the present wage being Is 2d per hour, and the Court fixed the rate at Is 3d per hour. In the mills and factories the wages have been fixed at £j'A lis per week. No limitation has been placed on the number of apprentices, but all apprentices must henceforth be legally indentured.

The Department of Agriculture's latest report on the condition and prospects of the fruit crops, shows as was stated in the Herald the other day, that fruit supplies are likely to be larger this season than usual. The Department's report embraces details of the quantity and quality of the crops in all the fruit-growing districts, and in nearly every case fruits are reported to be growing in average, or over average 'quantity, and of good quality. . The Ijest known fruits are in fact in this condition in every district around Auckland, while in the few cases in which a particular variety of fruit is short in one district the shortage is compensated for by heavy crops in other districts.

Yesterday morning about 250 men, who Were working 011 the northern end of the Main Trunk railway, prior to the recent •dismissals, left by train for Ongaruhe, to resume work on that section of the line. -Several others returned during the week, •and when Work is commenced on the line this morning it is anticipated that employment •will be found for the best part of 300 men. It is alleged that the men were dismissed for a fortnight during the Christmas holidays, because a number who were last year retained through the vacation were discontented, and did not work well, but this is open to question, as no complaints Were made at the time.

At the ordinary meeting of the City Council, to be held 011 Thursday night, the >Mayor (Mr. Alfred Kidd) will move — That with the object of securing as quickly 'as possible a permanent water supply for the city, ample for all requirements, Mr. R. I." Mestayer, C.E., be engaged to report upon the proposed extension of the Nihotuput auxiliary, supply, and its conversion into a permanent source of supply from the Huia and other available . streams in that districtsuch report to 'specify the whole of the works required for carrying out a complete scheme, and the estimated cost thereof. That pending the arrival of Mr. Mestayer, Mr. H. M. Wilson, C.E., in charge of the auxiliary scheme, and Mr., Carlaw, waterworks engineer, be instructed to procure without delay all necessary data, such as gaugings of streams, levels, extent of tunnelling, sites of dams, and other such particulars for the information of the consulting engineer, and that Mr. Pond, analyst, be asked to report upon the purity of the water available for such supply to . show whether 01 not it will be necessary to provide for filtration." There has been.a continuous flow of visitors by rail and coach t; Rotoru? during the holidays (says the Hot Lakes Chronicle). The sights have been visited by hundreds ©f people, Harmirana, Mokoia, and Rotoiti, .with its cherry grove, receiving their quota, whi'e coaches running to Wairoa, Waiotapu, Wannangu, ana Tikitere have been crowded. v Whakarewarewa, being so easy ©:; access, was one of the favourite resorts. Tamatekapua, the Maori meetinghouse, was crowded nightly by visitors to see the poi dancers. The hotels and boardinghouses were all connortably full, hut quite able to meet the demand for accommodation.

The contractors for th" laying of the new tram ; lines commenced work 011 Karangaliape Road yesterday, and for some time the bulk of the passenger traffic 011 the Ponsonby route will be carried 011 by 'buses. The rails brought by the Rivtrdale will enable work to proceed rapidly for some time, and advices are to hand of the departure of the s.s. Jupiter from New York with a further 800 tons of rails, and the steel framework for the power station. Another steamer has left Great Britain with the first portion of the machinery for the power station.

On Sunday evening the attention of the police was drawn to the fact that a young woman was lying in the Albert Park in great agony. Constable Montgomery proceeded to the scene, and Dr. Goldie was also called. The latter stated that the woman was on the verge of confinement, and a cab was immediately secured, and she was driven to the Salvation Army Home in Hepburn-street.;, Before arrival the woman, ; who-gave her name as Alice Rooks, and stated that she was a recent arrival from Christ church, gavr birth to A male child.

-- A shocking railway fatality occurred at the Rhodes platform, New South Wales, on December 29, the victim being r young ,Woman named Eliza Ann Starkey, 22 years of age, who resided at Concord. Deceased is reported ito have left home during the afternoon to visit- her brother in Sydsey, and was known to have returned by the eight o'clock train that evening. - It is believed that, in : accordance with e usual custom, she endeavoured to cross the line near the platform, when the Newcastle Express, which was running late, overtook and cut her to pieces. She was found to have sustained frightful injuries, the head being crushed to a pulp, and one of the "arms being torn from her body. Death .must have been instantaneous. An inquest was held, at Concord, and a verdict of accidental death recorded.

' An enormous quantity of summer fruitis wasting .on the Hawkesbury River, New South Wales, at present for want of hands to pick it, also owing to the low prices in the Sydney • markets. One - fruitgrower recently" sent 40 odd cases to his agent, and the net return amounted to 14s 4d. He estimated that 600 cases of fruit are going to waste in his orchard alone.

Mr. Thamas Brouglitoil, a native of Hawkesbury, New South Wales, who died the other day, aged 02, wi\£ Mayor of Sydney 40 years ago. He owned large stations i in the Murrumbidgee district, and _ had • packed his bags ready to pay them a visit;« when, feeling unwell, ho retired to his room, and called his wife, who is over 80 years old. As she entered the loom he said, "Well, good-ble. I'm (lone. God uiess you/' and expired..

An elaborate Shinto shrine has been presented to the Auckland Museum by Mr. L. D. Nathan, who recently returned from a visit to Japan. It has been erected in the Maori Hall, where it may be viewed by.the public, and it is well worthy 01 careful inspection. The shrine is an original one, not a model, ; and ? inside is an image representing Benzaiten, or the Goddess of Benevolence. The shrine, which is said to be a miniature of a famous temple in Japan, is Bft 2in high. It is lacquered and gilded inside and out, and is at least 100 years old. It is a very welcome addition to the museum, and Mr. Nathan deserves _ the heartiest thanks for his unique and interesting gift. Ail inquest was held yesterday, before Mr. • Gresham, coroner, upon the body of the infant Joseph Harris, who died at the house of Mrs. - Fitzgerald, Grey-street. Dr. King , deposed thai' death was due to marasmus, or wasting. He was quite satisfied that Mrs. Fitzgerald had taken every care of the child. Mrs. Fitzgerald's evidence was to the effect that she was licensee of the home in Grey-street. The child was born on September 16 last, prior to which the mother, a single woman, had lodged with witness for five months. She told witness she was a domestic servant, and that she was not an Auckland girl. After the child was born, she remained with witness nearly till the end of October. She never Saw the child or asked what it was like. Before she left witness' house, the mother paid the expenses. She left no address, ; and witness had no idea where she was at present. On the application of Sergeant Walker, the inquest v.as adjourned until Monday, January 13, to allow the police an opportunity of-ascer-taining the whereabouts of Gertrude Hams, the mother of the child. * Our Otorohanga correspondent writes : — I regret to have to report the very sudden death, on Christmas Day, of Mrs. Charles King, wife of a well-known resident. She had been attending a wedding, and had; just left for home, when she was suddenly attacked with hemorrhage of the ' lungs, and died in a few minutes. j; Much sympathy is felt for Mr. King in his bereavement. '

' The Government of Tasmania has let a contract on the plans and specifications of Mr. C. Napier Bell, M. Inst. C.E., to cut a ship canal through East Bay • Neck. This will admit steamers sailing from Hob art to -: reach the north-east. cOast at - Maria Island entirely through inland waters, and saving about 100 miles of navigation round by the open sea.

The coronation Will give an unrivalled opportunity for the display of diamonds and all kinds of jewellery. It Ims been stated that the wife of an American millionaire was to have a tiara made worth a million sterling, which would exceed in value the crown to be worn by the Queen. - The King, however, has ordered that the Koh-i-Noor shall be placed in the front of Her Majesty's crown, and this will ; make its value unapproachable. Messrs. Skeates Bros.', jewellers, Victoria Arcade, have imported a complete set of accurate models of all the most famous diamonds, including the: famous Hope diamond, the most valuable blue diamond in the world, and these are now on view in. their window. "

The annual conference of the Primitive Methodist Church commences its sittings in Wellington on Wednesday, and yesterday the delegates from Auckland took their departure by the Takapuna. The delegates Were: — Goldic, Watkinsoit, the Rev. 11. Williams, 11.I 1 . J. Hawkins, T. Moor, 11. Evans, the Rev. Potter, Mrs. Potter, R. Herbert, T. Booth, Olphert, Cut forth , Holloway. and three from the Thames. The principal question for discussion is that of Union with the Methodist Church (the name •' Wesleyan" is now discarded);. The point of difference in the organisation of the two Churches is the different power given to laymen. In the Primitive Methodist Church, the highest court has two laymen for every clergyman, and all questions are submitted to them. In the Methodist Church the clergy have much more power, and some 16 questions are reserved as being in their special jurisdiction. Mr. Boylan, engineer, and Mr. Ken 11, contractor, for the Corornandel waterworks, arrived at Coromandel yesterday, and active operations in connection with the work will be commenced at once. Sarah Jenkins, aged 57, wife of Mr. Jenkins, of Karno, died at the Whangarei Hospital on the sth inst.—[Own Correspondent.] Colonel Finn, the new Commandant of the New South Wales Military^Forccs, arrived in Sydney on December 30, by the express from Brisbane to take up his duties. A conference of provincial military commandants took place at the Commonwealth offices in the afternoon. Mr. Chamberlain, in a cable message to Mr. Barton, has stated that Colonel Finn had been recommended to the King for the local rank of brigadiergeneral. ■ ■ . Mrs. Edgar Boyle, of William-street, Sydney, had nil interesting interview with . an unwelcome visitor 011 December 21. Whilst upstairs, she heard someone enter the house, and 011 going to the ground floor found a man making himself at home in the diningroom. He endeavoured to escape, but Mrs. Boyle caught hold of him, and called for assistance. A lady friend responded, and whilst the latter took charge of the visitor Mrs. Boyle ran into an adjoining room and procured a pistol. She then relieved her friend, and, poking the pistol (which Impelled to be empty) in the face of the man, told him to stand still till the police, were informed, or she would shoot. A telephone message was then despatched to the police station, and shortly afterwards a, couple of officers arrived and placed the 1 captive under arrest. He was brought up at. the Water Police Court, and, under the name of Lawrence Mulling, described as a labourer, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, with hard labour, on a charge of being found in the dwellinghouse of Edgar Boyle for an unlawful purpose.