HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5731, 28 October 1905, Page 10

HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS.

SUICTXJA L AMERICA. Mr Frctktrick Tv. Hoffman, a wollJcno'.vn Anvorican .'■itabisticiau. ''•ays llio "British Mwliciil Journal,"’ lias analysed th« official returns of suicides from 50 A,morioan to(lollcokivcly ims.o report 2,927 eases* of suinidca in !9AI. Tills 'O'l a rate of 19.5 per 100,050 of population, which is 1 lio hiph'-.u alnco 1890, wiion lino a.mimil tabulation wav begun, and when Wm rate was 13.0 pur 100,000. Tho increase haw been constant. San Francisco stands liighest. with a rate per V (0,1.'00 of 29.7 in XoBO, 10.9 in 1900, and 72.0 in 1901. STANDARD OIL AW-RTISSION. At the end of Augnsl it was annr-unc-«l that Mr R.cckctVlU r’s represont:v-tii-os \vero ill .St. I’ct-or-ilnirg with a vhav oT making overtures f.O 1 1 h«i ch’N4 hi f; 1 1 0 petroleum Industry in Mm (‘:mcasus, which i-i threatened with un economic crisis, aggravated by Iho scarcity of railing rdock. Mr Rockefeller’s emis. / -'.ari(NS have mnee firriyed in Pant-; to treat with certain French induntnalwls who po.-i- - o irnmont'fl intern'd in t he- If is ,a further stop on the way toward*? the Fcrizuro of tho European market by Mio Standard Oil Trust. HOW NEW YORK TREATS TJEfiO STREET MASHER. A New York paper of July 10th says: A six 1x10011157’ rentenre ro prison jur attempting a street fliHal \ on with > a X&amV.d woman was imposed by Magistrate Steiner yesterday on (len.iaiuiu E. ißmtih, who camo hero from St. .Loins. JiaKt Friday evening Mrs Gntco M. ’Gamble, who is handsome and dresses Jrfcylishly, was waiting: by appointment jor her husband, a MrnoMyn busincro man at the Madison avenue end Forty,second afreet subway entrance. Smith was passing and spoko to her, Mrs Gamble resented this and struck Smith in tho face and caused his arrest. In Court yesterday, allhough Mrs Gamble herself requested leniency to the prisoner, the Magistrate imposed i-mi-bonco, and at tho same timo invited ■other women who suffer from ‘•mashing’’ Vo act as did Mrs Gamble.

THE KAISER'S SILVER WEDDING. , Tho twenty-frith anniversary of tho marriage of tho Kaiser v.'ith tho Empress Aivgusta-Yietorin., at Ui.it time Princess of Schleswig-Holsti'in, will noour on February 27, 190(5. Preparation* (writes tlio London “Daily -Atail") are inmv being made to eeiohrafo the Imperial wciEling. The Kaiser has. liov,--ovor, oxpre.-?: il the do-ire (hat oo porjional Rifts sliall ho made. On the other inuid, both tho Kaiser ami Kaiscrin will regard with satisfaction any movements by private societies towards the founding of instltnticms which would ■!io for the national benefit, "THE SIMPLE LIFE.” A ease showing that even the simple life can bo carried to extremes was beard recently in tlio Rhondda Valley Police Oourl." A wife summoned her husband for desertion since February last, after a marriocl life extending over six years. The solicitor for the tic Fen co alleged that a complaint had been made that the husband had boon practically .starved. Under cross-exam-ination, tho wife admitted that during their married life she and her husband bad saved .C 2-10, but she q nos Honed tho accuracy of the statement that inn' husband had eaiTnat an average of only £1 os fid a week for tlio whole period. Tlio husband's solicitor, however, said ho had a return supplied by Hie man’s employers, showing lint the amount earned was rather under than over Hie amount stated, A maintenance o::i. r of Cs a week "Wris unde, and an ngre'jnonfc wees entered into under which “I is to bo invested In the joint name of tho parties, the husband to be handed £IOO now in the bank. Dii snnrosE. Dr Gan Shimose, the chembt inventor of that wonderful explosive Shimose . powder, used by the Japanese army anti navy, wc« bom in the humblest circumstances tn tho province' of Hiroshima, forty-seven yeans ago, when railway - land steamships wore xiracticaliy unknown to tho island empire. Very early Shimose determined to win an education, made his way to the capital, borrowed books vo ~ «tntly, aud 3> though often on tho verge of starvation, was graduated from tho Imperial Vniverfdty with the highest honours. Hi? invention was a curious ink, now used in Japan for bank-notes. The >:e.crofc of U« composition is absolute and counterfoils arc instantly detected. 3*ecognising that vho powder in use iu Japan was extremely, unsatisfactory, BhLmof-o turned Ins attention to the invention of a new powder and spenc cloven years in. perfecting it, oil tyn working entire days and nights in ids laboratory. BIG GAMK PERILS. Details have been received of the death of Captain Jocelyn TJellor, RJT.A., which occurred at tho Station Hospital at Secunderabad, as a result of injuries received in a tiger bunt. Particulars of tlio accident show that Captains Mellon and Symon bad mark'd down a tiger, and that tho former had put in throe shots. The brute maidenly sprang out and knocked Captain MelPr over. Although considerably hurt, the captain raised Ids knee to- nroteeb Ins ■head, and fired a shot in the chest of tho beast, which i nnnudiat*'iy .seized him by tho thigh and clawed his arm and hand. Captain Symon then came up, and put in three nhot* before Hi” animal loosened if* hold, Tlio captain was very seriously injured. His three fingers were first Amputated, and then tlio left thigh. This proved too much For him. and he died without recovering consciousness. ROOSEVELT ENDED. MATER, The following wore among the incidents of the American President’s recent submarine experience:—While the submarine Plunger was resting cm the bottom of Long Island Sound, a storm raged unnoticed by the crew 40 feet Above. Rain fell in torrents, and a north-east gale whipped the surface of the big rollers, but where the submarine lay all was quiet and peaceful. Tin* mechanism was fnily explained to the President, after which the Plunger was put through her paces at porpoise diving, ascending repeatedly to tlio surface long enough to get her bearings, and immediately disappearing again. Twenty feet below ’the surface the engines wore stopped and reversed, and the vosse! Ascended backwards. She also remained motionless 20 feet below the_ surface, thus demonstrating her ability to lie

in v/ail for huiirs for tho parage 01 a I vro:-(.-i of a blockrulin!', r.|u:.<!ron. 'Alien tho lights were older.’'! to bo cxtirI j'utc.iiod, tho crow worked [a-ffcc-tly in inky djirlaicfs. * Otto suLim.-rsiou la:-,tod 50 min lues. Tho tender Apache rcI.minod a short distance away dorins (ho three hours tho President wts „ r P hoard tin- r.ubmarine, lull limn' rvoro no untoward iucidcutf;. 'Xhn/dis;tin<'u!shc<l pasw-ngcr was ranch impressed "by Iho qualities of the Plunger. HOW LONDON XS MISMANAGKX). A recent -vidf( riu (> T,A.T.” (‘ Talcs and Talk’’l: London's obsolete train sys--1 cm is tho langhing-'t r ttdt of tho world. There aro more miles _of horso-drawn trams in T.-ondon than in the whole oi Ocnnany. Go to Dublin, to Glasgow, to Paris, in Nov.- Vork, to far-off Tokio oven,’ami you will find swiftly-moving electric trams, convoying passengers without a hiUh to and fro between the most distant, outlying points and tho (,'(‘ld’'(n of th(> Cities.

And as i*- i ; whli tho trams no it is with .nice', othr r tilings. Th-re is really no central authority to control and look after the interests of London ns a whole, (’oinity go-verinnen', city government, nml hoi-ocgh govermnent arc all re-pre'-.n!c-'l wilh'n her bo.-<!er.--. And the rc.-.idt is .-orm-: Idr.g very like chaos. .Tost to m.cni lon a few of the bodies who between their, manage, or mismanage, her affair: Pil'd- there is the (lonnly Council, elected by the parochial and Parliamentary electors: then there is the City Corpe.ration, elected t.y city volers; the We-tininster City Council, elected hy parochial electors: plus 27 Borough Councils and 31 Boards of Colndians, also elected by parochial eleefors, 111 addition there are Water Board-, Coiicr-rvniiey Boards, Asylums. Boards, the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police, and many others. This is had enough, hoi as if to make confusion worse eoufuoded. in no ease do the areas or administration eoine-de. ■while in mod instances they overlap. The admioistral l ve County *;1 I.ondon, for instance, which is t Id s.nnire miles hi extent, only, i.s a very different London from that known as “(liwater London, ’’ which covers an area of (-.93 square miles.

Tho Mctrr.polilan water area agree? with neither t.f tin vo, being 020 xqnaro mile:, in extent. The poor law area? do not agree with the borough Conned area,-. For criminal jurisdiction the Metrnpoli,—the Hi drift of tlio Central (.Viirdiutl Court-—I; nut identical with tlio police area. Tito County Court and Police Ccurt areas do not correspond with any of theve. uor with earn other, while Pc.-fc Office London has no relation to municipal or any other boundaries.

CANADIAN CHARACTERISTICS. After a tour through Canada a correspondent of the "Washington Star” s.iys:—“lt is a trait of tho Yankee to believe in irts country and brag about it—perhaps not a bad habit at that, for it gives him confidence, andatiranlatos him to unahe good.’ lint it is not well to overlook tho fact that tho Vankeo lias a neighbour on the north, a rather conservative unassuming .person, but with a tremendous amount of latent energy, dogged determination, and a magnificent domain with, wonderful resources. ft is not to bo denied that tho Canadians arc up and after us; with a Canadian gait, to ho sure; but it is a gait that, never flags and. never takes the back trail. Besides, you remember the fable of the tortoise and tbo hare. ’As the lifth century was the cuilurv of the Ended fjtatcs,’ says Sir V.'ilfi-ii Laurie.-, the Premier of tho Dominion of Canada, tso wo may expect the “ill 1 1 century to be the century of the Canadians,’ and they arc living and working up to it every day. Xu this gloriously boauiiful city of Montreal, where tho historical past and tlio commercial present arc iu daily contrasi, can lie seen Hie portents of tho approaching gr- atnv: - of Canada. Imagine an ocean* port TOO miles from tho sea, with Tran --at laid u: line;,? lying at tho doc!;:?, and this jr.vt at the edge of an empire, Canada, should not be called a Dr minion—d is an empire whose ■wheat field.; wiii soon be extensive enough t” suppi ? the world. It is inevitable that tin- I nited States inns! fool Uds cniiir-f" itiou. and must prepare 1.0 meet it. Perhaps it suits tho Yankee egotism to picture tho Canadians as jealous of us. Far from it. They gwe us credit for being swift and sharp, bn' they would nob iswap characteristics. They look wi(h numbed .scorn upon hurrying and scurrying. They will chase (he dollar as dcggcdiy, but not as feverishly, and they will pause iu their olin?o to tako a. httle refreshment by the (v:iy. An autoinobihst would bo in gaol if ho ran his infernal machine through their .Mount Koval Park. They arc building up tboirp,emu;re eub-tanli-aliy, rather than haotdy.” THE PANAMA CANAL. It is now considerably more than ?. year since the I'nitcd States Government came into control oi the Panama canal route, and all that lias been accomplished in that time has been to bring the Government and tho people of tin? country to a somewhat fuller realisation of ihe gigantic task that is before them. No work lias been done. Tlio Commission first .appointed by Mv KocisovcUr to carry on tho work was soon found incompetent, and a now Commission was named. The chief engineer loft the wort: for a higher place, and a new chief lias boon named. It has been *a> far impossible for the Commissioners and Engineers employed by this Government to say whether a sea lord or lock canal sliall bo constructed, and so the President lias been obliged to call an international convention of engineers to advise on that point. The meetings of tho convention began iu September. Probably many months will ho required in (die work of making the decision, and so it will be another year at least, before tbi« Government can got really at the work of connecting the Atlantic and Pacific at Panama. The Government is not entirely at fault for tho delays. For many years legislation looking in the Construction of an Isthmian canal was fought and delayed in Congress by the railroads of this country. Tho railroads aro now blocking tho work in ovary way possible, and they arc most astonishingly ingenious iu finding ways to make trouble. Men upon whom tho Government places reliance for making and executing plans nro hired by tho railroads at such big salaries that they cannot in justice to themselves refuse to leave the canal work. AVhcn tho Government bought tlio Panama canal it was estimated that the work could he finished in from eight to ten years. It is now con coded that if the task is completed in from twenty to twenty-five years it. will bo fortunate, and there are many engineers who say openly that a canal never can and never will be completed and kept open at Panama. These men claim that the torrential rains of tho Isthmus will fill the canal with silt and sand as fast as it can bo shovelled out.

BRITISH VACCINATION LAW. Applying at Penge Police Court on Aligned 29 for a vaccination exemption cori ilicaty in re-p.-qr of his son, Henry IX. Peeve, of Beverley road, I’engo, a Poor Law clerk, when asked if ho had any ground for the belief that "vaccination would he detrimental to his child, said: ‘dVilainly. I know eases where it has heen abolutely ruinous to the health of people.” The Chairman (Mr J. Walker): I want u> know the basis—-the foundation of your belief. Up to now you have only theorised. Applicant: The foundation of my belief is that X know cases personally where suffering has been inflicted. My work as a I’oor I.aw olTlccr brings me into contact with vaccination almost ever.- day of my life, and I know so much of cases wlievo it has boon prejudicial that I don’t want my child to run tho risk of a possible ill in tho hope of gaining a chance good. The C'hairmr.n; We cannot go into all those side issuers. Yon must show to our satisfaction that you have some basis for yolir belief. ou don’t suggest that vaccination is as widespread an evil as smallpox? Applicant: I do not say that smallpox is no siiglib now that more evil Is done hy vaccination than by smallpox. I have relatives ’.vho have suffered. Tiio Chairman: Vic are not satisfied that there is any basis in your belief, and wo decline to grant tho certificate. Applicant: Not when I tell you that relatives have suffered, and that I know from personal knowledge of tho ill effects of vaccination? How am I to satisfy yon? The Chairman: You have failed absolutely.

Applicant: And f have tvaeted my time cr>rriinc; here for nothing. The C'lci-k (Mr Liddlc): Yw; and yon camion v;aste any moro time of tnts Court.

Tho Chairman: Next case, plcaso. Applicant: It won’t make any difference. X shan’t hare him vaccinated.

IS NIAGARA doomed? Our American friends have become really concerned about Niagara, says •'Tho Electrical -.Magazine,” or, rather, about what is transpiring around it. Such large draughts of water arc being now made, and oven larger arc still to ho made on the water destined by Nature to tumble in majestic masses over tlio lip of the Falls, that were further extensive concessions given to power concerns the Falls proper would quickly disappear. It is not difficult to conjure up in tho mind a picture of tho imposing rock tra versod fly a few trickling streams, while lines of power houses in greedy array engulf the diverted waters, darning tho tourist's ciiTso ami tho. citizen’s blessing in their constant endeavour to become useful. At tho present moment something like 20(5,000 h.p. is being utilised for all purposes at the Falls, and tho developments in hand provide for nearly double this amount of power being drain: off in tho very near future. Part of a plant aggregating 200,000 h.p. has recently been inaugurated, and work has been pushed forward to tho extent of getting one of tho 12,000 h.p. units running, while the other sots aro being erected as rapidly as possible. Tho turbines arc the largest of the horizontal typo' yet constructed, and have been built in Germany. DEADLY SUPERSTITION. Tho superstitious fear, so common among provincial people, of touching a body in ca-cs of violent death, was shown at an inquest at Chelmsford on August 20. Bryan Scnlthorpc, a labourer, aged •IJ, was discovered, face downwards, in ten inches of water in tho Chelmsford Recreation Ground. Although a number of people saw the body, fully ten minutes passed before it was recovered, when vt was still quite warnv. The man had been subject to epileptic fitfl. and had recently been discharged from tlio infirmary. He had been doing odd jobs, and on the morning of his death had left home in search of work. "While on this quest, it was suggested, ho had a fit as ho passed long the edge of the lake. Ho was soon by two young men, who hurried to the railway station, where they told a porter of what had happened, and the latter told the police. In the meantime George Walden, one of tho recreation ground workmen, pulled deceased out of the water. Deceased was carried to tho mortuary, and his wife was sent for. On arriving she wa» greatly distressed on touching the body. “Oh, my God!” she cried, ‘‘if any one had turned him off his face ho would have been alive; lie ir< quite' warm even now.” Before 'Walden rescued tho body from tho water a crowd had assembled on the bank, and, although deceased was within arm's reach, nobody ventured to pull hinv out. Tho jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death,” and expressed the. opinion that tho witnesses who first saw the body in the water should have recovered it, and sent for a doctor. The Coroner agreed with the jury’s opinion. But he said that he knew that people had a fear of interfering when they saw “anything of that sort.”

SHOOTING MEN TO SAVE SALMON,

A notable trial took place at Edinburgh on August 29 before Lord Ardwcll and a jury, John Shopper Phipps am! .tlcnry Carnegie Pliipps, sons of the Pittsburg millionaire of that name, were charged will) discharging guns at three salmon tellers, whereby one of them had his right eye permanently destroyed and his left oyo seriously injured. Mr Phipps had rented Beaufort Castle, along with the sporting rights, from Lord Levat, and the affair occurred on the adjacent river Beauty on the night of July 5. The accused entered the dock accompanied by two policemen promptly on their names being called. John Shapper Phipps is 30 years of age, and an advocate at the New York Bar, while his brother is five years younger.' Both were smartly dressed. John Macrae, head salmon fisher to Lord Lovat, said that he and his gang of five men went down to the Silver Pool at dead of night and took out about JO salmon from the nets. He and two of the men were about fire hundred yards from the pool when they hoard four shots. On going back lie could find nobody, but, aftenvards learned that the three remaining men had been shot. He admitted that he had no right to ho there fishing. His reason for going was that owing to the low water the pool was becoming overcrowded, and there was danger of disease. Donald Fraser said that when busy with the nets ho heard a voice from the other side of the pool. “What the hell are yon doing there?” No answer was given, and the shots followed immediately. John Fraser, whoso eyesight has been so badly damaged, was assisted into tho witness-box. He said that when shot he became absolutely blind. If they had answered when challenged tho accident would noror have happened. Everything pos-

si Mg had been don.o for him, and he had now an annuity of per week for life- and lor tho lifetime of hi.s wife. Far the defence, Mr J. I. GarrioeJi, Lorci Lovat’s factor, said that Mr Filipps paid £2,1a0 for three months’ entire shooting rights and certain angling rights, and £260 a month for the remaining angling rights. Messrs Fhipps had spent upwards of £6,000 for the benefit of the people in the district. Tho men had no right to take salmon from the pool, and ho regarded them as poachers. Ford Fovat gave evidence to a similar effect. He would himself have taken tho men for poachers. The jury brought in a unanimous verdict of -'Not guilty,” which was received with loud applause. CRONJE AS SHOWMAN.

Our now follow-subjects and former enemies the Boers wore wont to bo con.-.idhrcd the moot conservative of people. It is quite startling therefore to find some of tho most distinguished among them taking rery kindly to the role of public entertainers. To "fight his battles o’er again” is one of the most cherished privileges of tho old soldier, and General C'ronjc, whose defeat at Paardoberg was among the most thrilling episodes of tho South African .War, lias been engaged in that not unpleasant operation for some time in Now York. '‘Philip’s warlike son,” when ‘‘thrice ho routed all his foes, and thrice ho slew the slain,” doubtless found great comfort, in doing so. General Oonje’s pleasure must have been tenfold greater because ho has boon slaying tho slain at least onco a day throughout tho summer, and has been enjoying tho very liberal salary of £3OO a month for the operation. At least he would have enjoyed that salary had it been paid regularly. Unfortunately it seems to have fallen somewhat in arrcam, and when tho managers of the Boer Exhibition, which has been delighting New York for somo months, handed over tho .show to another firm they neglected either to pay the arrears or to have them provided for in tho now agreement. Thus it comes that Cronjo is suing for £SOO in the name of “arrears of wages,” while Captain John Hindon (“Dynamite Jack”), who •still mourns tho failure of Ids attempt to capture Lord Kitchener, has also made a. claim for arrears amounting to £SOO. The two heroes arc likely to succeed, for tho show cannot afford to lc,~o such distinguished performers. Mr Cronjo, who has now grown a.s stout as he is prosperous, makes Ins appearance daily, wo aro told, mounted on a white pony, “leading his men on,” while Mrs Cronjo illustrates tho mission of a Beer Seel Cross nurse. All this furnishes

very satisfactory evidence that some of the old iri'oconcilables arc finding the show business profitable. That something of the old .Adam lingers in the breast of the hero of Paardeborg is indicated hy tho fact that he still professes absolute ignorance of tho English language. Though this method of expressing contempt for Iris conquerors must pub him to some inconvenience, it has at least one satisfactory result, for it provides Hinclon with a'anug salary ns privac secretary to tho General. KIDNAPPERS KIDNAPPED. t_ _ Tho newspapers of Kazan, Russia, recount a strange case that is being fought in the Law Courts of that city. Emir years ago Baron Linpianoff, his coachman, and his valet, tho last a married man, disappeared mysteriously, and no clue to thoir whereabouts could bo discovered. Early last July, however, immediately after tho daughter of Ivan Ostrelski, a wealthy fur merchant, had celebrated her marriage, ail three men reappeared with as little warning ns had marked thoir previous exit. Baron Liupianoft, on reaching his country seat, found a cousin in possession, and was branded as an imposter: tho valet found that his wife, after mourning him as lost, had married a second time, and showed no inclination to renounce her homo and “husband.” Much, against his will the Baron brought an action to recover his estates, for, naturally, ho was forced by tho Court to explain his mysterious disappearance. Four years ago, ho admitted, all other means having failed, ho attempted to kidnap Maria Ostrclski, a girl of hardy IC, whoso wealth and beauty had long fascinated him. Ivan Ostrclski, her father, had declined his advances, and tho girl herself evinced no fondness for bis suit. The abduction was to have taken place at Easter, when Maria and her governess wore on their way to attend a midnight service at tho cathedral. Ivan Ostrelski, the father, however, got wind of the plot, and laid his plans accordingly. Instead of Mario, and her governess, ho placed two stout fellows, dressed as women, in tho carriage that sot out from his villa, and two other muscular bruisers were on tho box. When tho vehicle was, stopped hy Baron Linpianoff and his two confederates Ostrelski’s quartette of ruffians -acted with such promptitude and force that, in a trice, the Baron and his men were themselves kidnapped and driven off to tho Ostrelski villa. They had intended to gag and bind Marin and her companion and gallop her off to tho Baron’s estate in her own carriage.

Now, instead, they were themselves prisoners, and at Ivan Ostrelski’s mercy. The fur merchant did not mine© matters. “Till my daughter is married and protected by a husband, you and your men will stay with me' 1 ; and for four years, until the day of Maria’s wedding, all throe were indeed kept in a collar under lode and key. They were amply fed and comfortably clothed, the cellar being wanned in winter and well ventilated in summer. Tho baron and his servants even put on weight. Each night they were allowed an hour’s exercise in the villa grounds, duo precaution being taken that they should neithei* escape nor communicate with the outsido world. Such was the story told by Liupianoff and his two associates, and nobody in Kazan doubts but that he will win his case. Financially his position has greatly improved by his enforced incarceration; for his more prudent cousin paid off the mortgages on his estates, little dreaming that their rightful owner would one day return to claim an unencumbered Tho valet will probably divorce his wife and allow her to continuno the contented life that she is leading with her second husband.