HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5737, 4 November 1905, Page 10

HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS.

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During trio pimti poor o ■’. I.;.’iSlncf.ry o' ••"■ :..n’.jr-:i,!o rri:-r.. ;' no i gpraiif'; op ; t V, l-r.i r, i... W., o. XXarrL, but A u /- •of Nfmv. -.'.mit;. 1;:*: mmi b;i.-: <ff tWC'ri..- , a/itj f'-V-U w r r ;_ ' r ; ’ 1 ‘‘ ' try which ?•• provim' v->vy \ ♦*> the _ Kvm-y puri m <be whaßs i» (n-nod to account. Dmoil ia tho chief source of profit. All tb-> workers with IL’ cf iiw are ignorant of lorign.h, und tbo tilling station i> qujio a, UtliO foreign. town. A IWLLOONTf??’ BLOV/N UP. Tim fono'A'ing probably ivfum to a WirilTmrvn m-Rmaur who tou-.cd A--' Zealand wimo it c-r It y<*a!v» ami p.'as tbo first nmo w]>'i >■>;!: tiO t ;n wlor.y tho u.-*> nf /;■• : -A <' m per./bn”’ i''"in ■'. br-bomi • A tuc-jv rorijfii'k;: bm orcrurrod •on Aiifr. 3i ‘i; a b.l-oon ir- '-n -.un -A Orofrnvil!©. Oho. An mvouatß r»airr ■! Baldwin ww bh>'*n ir, by <1 yimmato hi /r.*: balloon while ho was at a height of about 1-A.Oft. I'io oicruion was a fair at Onmnvslk>, v/Inch ;s a county scat, ami Baldwin was to lot off small ox plosion;; of dyoamito from jarioas heights. Ho carried several pounds of the oxjposixo with, him, and by muw accident tho whole exploded at once, wrecking baDoon, and blowing Baklwln to pieces. The force of tho explosion was 00 groat ihnrt portions of tho man’s body wore afterwards picked up thauttUida of feet apart. Tho incident took plaoo in sight erf Mrs Baldwin and the balloonist's two children, who were Ang the ascent. Baldwin had made many ascensions previously, discharging dynamite with oocoeea, and was wed known throughout ■jaraefcohing the aooeut.

(lEBMANS AND SHIPUUrLDEES. It was tbfl Gormans who wrested tho Olne ribbon of tho Atlantic from the English linos, and thoy have given ns another example of what thoy cun do in ahipbnikling. In the presence of tho Emperor and Empress at Stettin an-, nJthsr big liner has been launched and V added to the largo fleet of the Hamhnrg■American Lino. Tho now vessel will SecaDod the Kaieerin Augusta Victoria, and whan completed will have a carrying capacity of 1(1,000 tons. Sho is 700 ft tenor and has a beam of 77ft. Her cnsjnca are of 17,300 horse-power, suffiront to drive tho monster through the srator at a speed of eighteen knots an hour. With passengers and crew eho trill bo able to accommodate 4000 persons. A novel arrangement on tho ship la an electric lift and a restaurant, where passengers can dine at will. In tho Matter case, travellers would only pay the bare passage money when buying their tickets. In referring to this now vessel, however, one must not forget the fact that when the now Canard turbine liners axe ready the blue ribbon of the Atlantic will moat probably revert again to an English line. ASIATIC CHOLERA IN EUROPE. The spread of Asiatic cholera in EurDne is creating some alarm in England. People recall earlier visitations of that terrible plague, and point out that each of those began in tho same way as the present outbreak. In Prussia already many dentils have occurred, and other countries of Central Europe have .had a proportion of oases. Tho British Local Government Hoard lias issued a circular to certain port sanitary and riparian cnnitaiy authorities of Biritidi out that ‘'the authorities of British ports trading with the_ IhiUic and tho North b'ta poris should ho on their guard arrdust the ifuuoruniioTi. oi cholera, into thiir districts by means of vessels coming from such porm.” Tho Heard's glud tra order of Movorabor 189il is to ho enforced if nooessary. Every vessel coming into the Thames from ports widen arc iniccued, cr suspected of being ii.-aa-ti’ii, wiiii eholera aro stopped, at Gravesend, and visited by ouo of the niwlusd officers of the, Port of London ftmitarv Auihovity, wire iiro always on duty. Every person on board is medically examined, and if all aro found to bo ! n:-o of dEciico they air allowed to go on. But their names and the addresses to which thoy aro proceeding aro taken, and the medical oilioora of these districts a: re able to keep them under observation for some time.

A PRISON REVOLT AT LADYSMITH.

There has been another siege of Ladysmith. This time ifc has not been Briton V. Boor, but, pnscncre v. wan'ers. Tho gaol contains 120 prisoners, erf whom quite ono-third have » "dangerous" reputation, and it is Inadequately staffed, there being only three Kaffir warders, two white warders, and the gaoler. Four of the prisoners arranged that one morning, n-i soon as tlasy wore released troin their cells, they should revolt. These Who could uso firearms west’ to obteiu them, and the others were to he content .with pikes. Thus armed, they hoped ■to overpower the warders. shoot the man at' the ({ate, and make a dash far freedom. But for the fulling-unt of two of the confederates at tho last moment the scheme would in all probability have succeeded. Two prisoners on being released from their cells made a dash for the office, and having secured a rif3o and revolver apiece, they locked themselves in, and began to hunt for ammunition. The Natal police . camp were immediately informed of the occurrence, and sent (town reinforcements, while the gaol staff kept the other prisoners in check. Directly help arrived an onslaught was -made on the office, and an entry was effected. Thereupon the prisoners retreated to an inner room, and although nnoortoin whether the desperadoes had found such ammunition as was kept in the office, the second retreat was invaded. After a struggle the door was broken in, and a fearful fight took place between tho convicts and the police. At length the two prisoners, who had net loaded their weapons, were overpowered and securely bound, when they confessed their plot, which would doubtless have succeeded had they been, able to find ammunition. MARRIAGE AS A HOBBY. A yo mg lady possessed by a mania for marrying is the latest “freak” in the American courts. She is Aire Hepler, dainty and fascinating, and generally all that a man could want, so her husband said. Of husbands she has eight. They all admire her clear complexion, regular features, good figure, and nice wifely ways. Tho only approach to a fault lay in. her cooking, Winch was weak. It is alleged that within the last four ijeam she mis been married in four <Ef-

1 fetvnt churchy in one ririrdibourhood. ; by four dilfercnt mini-’*m:>—one Banr.ist, 1 oijo .Met one and • •/(in 'K-iihivopal. ’ (>ub o« »;er eight a .Mr i i'A'CT :h.it hn ha-s known jof her : f ;;g married *:o other men in i,iv; rrdglila'.-nr'hood, but thus explains ;\by In h '• oo : . hraug’.it -r-d action : i :Y Yv'., i h.-.r.rd of the cliifertmt rnar- ; r . they cc-c-irrrcM, or soon • rdv'.a.rd, in each ho told an ! ‘ I went to one hnoband I f:,- .- Ok* arid I could not get j tho:/» lo ,-.:and up and ;avear in a case ilO ho brought, dome of them were I jihng to sevj her go on marrying, as they wore di~pc*<;d to do likewise them.fd/C'S. Ihaving been deceived, they did not. wsem to fe-d like going to the oxponi'e of a divorce.” V/kUko many irho have been, mar* riae.'..- nJaralists, Mrs H»*nior is not no cu.-ad «'f jay-hhtg but bigamy. Tho raon aho luarraM ~ay “Thoro » nothing bad abcur her, Xt- is just a hobby.” I*T.ATTv AVO.MAX LIVTS A 3 A MAX. At -Ik: aiaadon Hou<-o on Seyit. 0 Ai-de-man Orod>y. tbe nrreidlng magi'j tj-.d. \ vras informrd that owing to unfoie-‘a-u ciria-riistanros the eshar/e against ‘Thiuf Dira'iiijtL',” aged 30, of not Vang responsible for hi:> actions, could not bo Tho story is a fdrnngo or\o, being cvr.r/i i .>r of i.bo many rcavirkabla instanccs of :i v/oman adoocing man’s clothes ami working a living as & man. “Paul Downing” was -arrested earlier in the week in Choldiirm-'Dlace by tho Ofty police ns being a person of unsound mind. Smartly dressed in a jacket suit, brown leather loggings white shirt and collar, and white fedt wideawake liac, ‘die” was noticed running after the ’busses crossing Blackf riars-bridgo, mmmtdng tho stop and engaging the camluctorw in conversation. .His acfciors became to conspicuous that in‘piirixs were made, which revealed that the supposed man wag searching the ’busses for his lost wife. Being taken to Bridewell police-station “ho” was questioned, and. from tho story told and tne answers “ho” made, it was discovered that tho supposed man was temper a r ily insane. A search for property and weapons at Bridewell did not reveal the supposed man’s sex, and “Paul” was sent to the Bow Infirmary to await an appearance at tho Mansion ITo use. After having be on in a male ward for three days, something prompted -a further examination of tho patient; an examination which, proved that “Paul” was a wolldovolopcd woman about 30 years of age. Tho woman refused to give any other name hut that of Paul Downing, and stated that she cam© from North Georgia. Sho has a coal-black compiexiou. dazzling white teeth, is well built, and has a very pleasant manner. It has transpired that for some time past eh© liais been working as a man in London, her last employment being with a Bermondsey undertaker, by whom she was employed to do odd jobs, gardening, and stable work. “Paul’s” work was fairly bub ‘Tie” r»ftid too much attention to the maids ‘about tho house, and t so his services had to be dispensed with. The woman, apparently sane enough in all other particulars, still persists that she is “Paul Downing,” that “ho” is married, and that his wife went away on a bus, leaving “him” with a small parcel, covered in coarse canvas, containing some male working apparel, as hio share of a beautiful home.

AN EXCITING MOTOR RIDE. An American lady, Mrs J. R. M, Dillon. and her mother, wore recently on their way from Cherbourg to Paris to catch the liner St. Louis for New York. They had to take, tho express train from the Oare St. Lasa.ro. Air Dillon and hi;! children preceded them to tho station and boarded the train all right, Tho cabman encaged by the two ladies droves rhem in the meantime to tho Oci.ro du Nord, thinking they warned the Loudon '.mat train. When the situation dawned on Airs Dillon else drove with her nutehor in all haste to tho Garo St. -juxarc, only to find the Cherbourg ■sc-cp.TS-i gone. Siio offered to charter a a. no rial train, but it could not bo prepared inside an hour. Somebody then suggested to the American lady to hire tho Mercedes motor-car which carries newspapers to the sea coast in two hours or so. Airs Dillon took tho hint, and drove off to tho Mercedes palace, hut was coldly received there by At. Charley, who said that ho only sold machines. Aire Dillon wept, and AT. Charley relented when ho heard her story and saw tho tours. Tho ■iO-h. p machine was ordered out, tho ladies wont, on board, and at half-post twelve in tho afternoon they were flying from Paris at a terrific rate, pilSted by Delaville, who rushed on in a fearful storm of wind and rain. Cherbourg, which is distant, from the ■metropolis 350 kitonvolrcs, or 217 miles, was reached at five inhiutcß past six o’clock in the evening. The average rate of travel was therefore almost 39 miles an hour. Tho liner .St. Louis was si ill in tho roadstead, and tho L-idles were carried on ho i oil almost exhausted after tho tremendous and exciting run. Tho ALwcedcs had done the journey in a little over five hours, with one slop for petroleum. A MILLIONAIRE’S AIARRIAGE.

Severely simple was tho ceremony at St. Margaret's, AVe.itminster, recently, when Air Alarshall Field, one of the world's richest men, led to the altar Airs Deha Spencer Caton. tho wealthy Chicago widow of Air Arthur Caton. Air Marshall Field is the head of one c-f tho largest dry-goods stores in tho world. He employs no fewer than 10,000 persons, and there are branches of tho business in New York, Paris, Calais. Chemnitz, St. Gall. Alanohestor, and Nottingham. Air Field, who is over seventy, is remarkably well and a devotee of golf. Ho is probably worth £40,000,000, and Chicago contains many objects of Mr Field’s munificence, such as the Field Museum and Permanent Exhibition, which Air Field acquired from the authorities of the World’s Fair Exhibition in 1803. He intends to turn it into a permanent exhibition of arts, sciences, and industries.' Air Field was formerly a partner of Air Levi Z. Leiter, the father of Lady Curzon. His employees call him a very strict disciplinarian, but he is also known as “Field tho Just.” Ho confines Ins generosity to public life. The bride is also a lady of millions, and is a leader of Chicago society. She mado a striking figure in a lace-covered grey crepe de Chine gown, from the waist of which to the hem of the skirt fell broad bands of velvet. Her glossy, black hair was crowned by a white hat, turned no at the side and trimmed with one whit© ostrich feather. A pair of pearly ©arings and a pearl brooch circled by great blazing diamonds were tho nly jewels worn by her, and these were the present of the bridegroom.

Mr Marshall TTeSd’s son acted as best man. uir- Mr Augu>rtus f-ddy. the bride’s gjj.vo his riunc away. v.S’ro no bridesmaids, there was no -hum, no nod of bells. .Everything Ample. ; .VPEOK OP AN ELEVATED TRAIN. A terrible accident occurred on Manhattan Kievated Railroad on Sept. 11. Ton passengers were killed outright, and among the 40 who wore injured on© died shortly after admission to hospital, and many others are in a serious condition. ADer 33 years’ immunity from accident, th'* iuhabitanis had begun to think there was no danger in their much utilised elevated railway. Tim Manhattan F.lovated trains arc run by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, and the train in question was proceeding along the Ninth-avenue line, all its cars being crowded by people on their way to business in tho city. Tho trains are mn by electricity, tho driver luring seated in a small compartment in the first car. At Fifty--1 hi»*d-:*freet lliere is a junction line used lo turn train* into the Sixth-avenue iin-> v.iinji so »vjquircd. It v:ua at the juncrion that the accident occurred.

Shortly after o’clock the train arrived at Dm juncUon at a speed of alxnit 1A miles rn hour. Apparently Du? poin’« were wrongly placed, for tho train commeiirod to turn out of tho Ninth-avomio line into the junction rioriion which runs Fifty-third-street huo Sixth-avenue. 3he first car passed without disturbance, but it is supposed time the switchman mad© a belated effort to keep the train along its straight course down Ninth-avenue, for the poinds suddenly closed and the second car took tho Ninth-avenue route, and broke away from its loader. The force of separation, however, throw the second car off the line, and it smashed into the low parapet with such force that tho car turned a somosaulb and landed on one end in tho street below. This involved a fall of 30 feet, with the additional impetus ox the speed at which the tram had been travelling. Tho car was crowded oven in tho corridors, and tho force of the fall so smashed tho framework of the vehicle that tho passengers wore jammed together in a heap of wreckage. Tho scenes winch followed were shocking in tho extreme. Scores of hclpel's, including nil tho medical force to be obtained in the vicinity, immediately set to work to extricate those who were still alive in tho mass of struggling humanity. Ton were found to have been killed, but many others were carried in tho ambulances to the Roosevelt Hospital, close by, and to similar establishments, where they were attended to. The accident had possibilities of an oven mere terrible nature, for there is considerable traffic at this point. Fortunately, apart from tho train itself, no serious damage was done, and tho fact that the car fell on its end reduced the chances of accident to passers-by. Tho third car was jerked off the metals also, but shot straight across the street, which is narrow at this point, and the end crashed into a corner building and rested there, so that tho car hung balanced over the roadway. The passengers climbed out of the windows, crawled along the footboard, and gained safety. Even in their case the situation was most dangerous, and many suffered from bruises and shock. Tho terrible crash of the falling car startled the whole neighbourhood. For the first few moments there was an awful silence, to which succeeded a shocking chorus of groans. As speedily as possible ambulances arrived from a dozen hospitals, but they were all needed, for there were victims in plenty. Every seat in the ill-fated train had been filled, and passengers had been standing in the a-ifiles. Tho switchman and three conductors employed ou the train were subsequently arrested.

THE COST OP CHINESE LABOUR. An expert financial correspondent writing in tho “Pall AXnll Gazette” draws attention to tho costlinees of Chinere labour in the Rand mines as compared with Kaffir labour. “AVo used to hear,” writes the correspondent, "a groat deal about the benefits which tho mines would derive from tho employment of Chinese coolies, and wo have accordingly tried to discover what the effect 'of this employment has been on working expenses. Wo have taken tho average expenses of various mines for the year preceding the use of Chinese, and contrasted them with tho expenses for June, when the coolies wove in possession. The results are startling. “In every case where Chinese are employed there has been a more or less serious increase in expenses. Aloreover, so far as we can trace, no provision is being made for tho heavy capital chare;© for coolies (at least £2O per head), which must bo wiped off within three years. How it is proposed to liquidate this debt we do not know, but it has to come out of the industry in some form or other. As an indication of the actual working value of the Chinese, wo have taken tho results obtained by three mines using coolie labour in Juno last, and this is how they work out;— Tons Per coolie Coolies, milled, permth. Simmer and Jack 4,585 ... 50,380 ... 11 tons. Gien Deep 1.875 ... 15.300 ... 81 tons. Angelo 1.552 ... 12,052 ... 7itons. This gives an average of, say, 9J tons per coolie per month. Now-, in the report of tho Rand Alines. Limited, for 1903, the chairman gave tho average number of Kaffirs working during tho year as 8,895. The number of tons milled was 1,447,502, so that- tho work of. each Kaffir represented thirteen and a half tons per month. Other things being equal, therefore, tho Kaffir apparently docs nearly fifty per cent, more work tiian tiro coolio. “It must bo evident from these figures, that the Chinese have not been a success financially or economically, and, with tho social difficulties in addition, tho hope of any material improvement is extremely remote.”