GENERAL CABLE NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14525, 12 November 1910, Page 7

GENERAL CABLE NEWS.

FROM THE AUSTRALIAN PAPERS. TERRIBLE INJURIES. A horrible accident occurred last week at Butte, in Montana, the seat of the largest gold, silver, and copper mining companies in the United States. Blasting operations were in progress in the underground workings of one of the mines, when through a premature explosion four men were shockingly mutilated, all of them having their limbs blown off. BOXING CONTEST. Battling Nelson, ex-light-weight • champion of the world, and Anton Lagrave fought a 15-rounds draw in New York last week. Several times Nelson worried his opponent, and attempted knock-out punches, but he failed to send Lagrave off his feet. Lagrave stood up unflinchingly, and handed back a good masnre of punishment. , ..';•"

PAYMENT OF MEMBERS. Writing to the; Daily Express, Sir Gilbert Parker says that Unionists would not be well advised in entering upon the wholesale condemnation of payment of members. He points • out that they cannot draw inferences from the evils attending the system in foreign lands without involving the colonies in similar condemnation, which would not be justified. " After having lived and worked in two great colonies, Canada and Australia, I have no conclusive evidence," adds Sir Gilbert, " that Parliamentary life has degenerated owing to the payment of members."

NO MORE PIGTAILS. The attaches at the Chinese Legation in Washington will clip their pigtails in obedience to the Imperial edict. The Chinese Consul-General in San Francisco and his staff have already complied with their Emperor's mandate. One official declared that he was not sorry to part with what, after all, was at times "a rather troublesome thing."

AN EXPENSIVE WHIM. " Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross, To see a white lady upon a white horse," is a theme on which an American grandfather is going to spend a fortune. To "stage" the story of the old nursery rhyme Mr. Busch, a multi-millionaire of Lcs Angeles, has just arranged for its reproduction on a scale of great grandeur. The performance is to be in the form of a pageant, upon which Mr. Busch is spending £100,000 for no other reason than that of gratifying his grandchildren.

PORTUGAL'S DESTINY. French opinion is that it is not at all improbable that within the next six months there will either be a dictatorship in Portugal or a return to monarchical institutions, with the Duke of Oporto, King Manuel's uncle, on the throne. It is pointed out that from the days of Louis XVI. it has always been a mistake for Kings to make concessions against prerogatives, and that Manuel's fate may be that of Spain's present ruler. ,

THE NEXT REVOLUTION. A revolutionary outbreak in Spain is declared to be imminent. The authorities have discovered the existence of a widespread plot against the Government, and it is admitted that King Alfonso's position is weak. It is reported that Madrid and 'Barcelona are in - the hands of the revolutionists, but all news is being so strictly censored that it is almost impossible to know exactly what developments are taking place. The gaols are said, to be full of the plotters who have already been arrested.