CURRENT TOPICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6362, 9 November 1907, Page 8

CURRENT TOPICS.

MADAME ALIDA LOMAN’S CONCERTS; We desire very specially to remind the citizens of Wellington that to-night they will have their last opportunity of hearing Madame Alida Loman, "a Dutch singer who has been thought by competent critics not unworthy of mention along with Melba and Dolores. Her repertoire is at once extensive and varied, whilst the combination in her voice of power with rare sweetness and perfection of intonation make her singing such a rare musical treat as lovers of music do not often have placed within their reach. This gifted vocalist is a singerof many parts. Although she mainly affects the concert platform, her voice is so uniquely adaptable to all musical expositions that,she might, had she wished, have taken a leading position on the operatic stage. She is called a ’Tyric soprano”; but some of the numbers which she has already delighted her Wellington audiences with evince unquestionably the fact th'at she has a dramatic. intuition and power which makes one almost regret that era had not selected grand opera as her metier, instead of oratorio and concert music, ,admirable as her achievement is in these. It is a great voice; but some would say its capabilities do not find their full scope in simple ballads, however beautiful those eonge may be. Madame Loman, we think, will find her true position in grand opera of th'fe noblest class. The terms ir which w T e have spoken of Madame Loman’s singing will certainly not seem too laudatory to those who have heard this lady sing. Wo entirely agree with a correspondent whose letter appears elsewhere that the association of Herr Soherek’s name with any musical undertaking should be ample guarantee that the music provided is of a first-rate kind.

AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS. The old , post office at Palmerston. North is to be converted into offices for the Department of Agriculture. The sum. of ,£BOO is on the Estimates for the purpose. One thousand pounds is also provided for buildings at the Weraroa fam, and a like amount for buildings at Wallaceville. There is also an interestingly indefinite item of .£IOOO for a dairy school. DEVELOPING WATER POWER. The Government has evidently come to the conclusion that the generation of electricity from the water power of rivers and lakes is too large an undertaking to be proceeded with at present. Last year £53,000 was voted for this purpose, £IO,OOO being allocated to Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. Of this only £l66 i was expended, more than half in the Wellington district. This year the vote asked for by the Government is only £2OOO. ■THE BEST TEST OF ALL. It has long been a recognised fact that potatoes vary considerably in their edible qualities according to the locality in which they are grown, although, strangely enough, this fact has been overlooked by those engaged in their cultivation. Experts have judged largely on appearance alone, and it has sub-' scquently been found on cooking certain prize samples that they were of inferior quality, though possessing good appearance. With a view to arriving at definite conclusions as to the edible qualities of a number of the best-known varieties of potato, it has been decided by the Victorian Agricultural Department to conduct a series of cooking teste at tho Australian Natives' Exhibition in January next, following upon the lines that have proved so satisfactory in recent years in connection with the Royal Agricultural Society of England. It has been learned, by investigation that certain varieties of .potatoes that give splendid results when grown in some localities have but second or third rate food value when produced; in other districts. The variations are due to the differences in the classes of soil, and the object of the tests is to enable the expert named to prepare a comprehensive list of potatoes adapted for cultivation in the various districts of Victoria. i

A NATIONAL UNIVEESITY. Speaking in Melbourne and referring to the notice of motion which has been given by Mr Fraser, M.H.E., affirming the desirableness of the educational systems of Australia being brought nnder Federal control, the Federal AttorneyGeneral expressed the hope that the Commonwealth would, yet do for the people of Australia what was being done by the United States, with its Bureau

of Education. The Commonwealth had tho power to establish a national university, and, in his opinion, tho establishment of a national university was an event of the not too far distant future.

THE PLAGUE IN’ INDIA. Mr G. G. W. Forest, C.1.E., in an article in the October 1 'Blackwood” on the plague in India, supplies some startling statistics. After being free from the disease for 184 years, Bombay was attacked with plague in epidemic form in September, 1896, and in seven months it slew 11,000. Every year there lias been, a recrudescence, and the total number of deaths from plague in the .capital of Western India since its appearance till tho end of 1906 is 150,000. From Bombay City tho plague spread to the Bombay Presidency. It has continued ever since in this Presidency, and during the past ten years it has slain 1,500,009, or .very nearly half the population <3,120,241) of all tho towns in Scotland. From Bombay the disease has spread to tho other provinces of tho Indian Empire, and the grand total of deaths from. plague in India since 1836 amounts to over 5,000,000. During eleven years the number of' victims of plague in India exceeds 5) millions, but tho mind staggers when we i.earn that of the 5i millions 4) millions died during tho last five years and four months. The population, of London is 4,536,541. What would bo our thoughts if 4,500,000 deaths occurred in London in five years, and the • vast city was left with 36,000 inhabitants?

SURGEON'S FIGHT WITH A •MADMAN.

Dr French, the surgeon of tlio White Star liner Majestic, had a most alarming experience ,during a recent voyage from Liverpool to New York, narrowly escaping with hie life at the hands of a mad stoker. On the third day out one of the stokers wont to him in his surgery for treatment. The doctor had no reason to feel. alarmed at the man's appearance, but was surprised when the latter turned and locked the door behind him. Then, without any, warning, the stoker threw himself upon the doctor, hurled him to the ground, and attacked him with a madman's desperation. The stoker held him by the throat, and the# unfortunate doctor was ; being. rapidly strangled when one of the ship's officers, finding it impossible to effect a rescue by means of the door, fired a revolver down through a grating and shot the lunatic. ; - NEWS NOTES.

~On Monday, which .will be observed as the King s Birthday, the Post Office will be closed in all its branches. The mails will be despatched as usual by the express trains on Monday morning. The letter-carriers' delivery will take place this afternoon. r

A Brindisi mail for Wellington is on board the Mokoia, which left Sydney on Wednesday for Auckland. The mail should arrive here on Tuesday evening.

~^ 'joint committees of the Wellington Harbour Board and the City Council in respect to the Evans Bay reclamation scheme will be held at the Harbour Board office on Tuesday next, at 2.15 p.m. j Last year the Government expended .£13,498 in assisting immigrants from the TTnitod Kingdom by means of reduced fares, and £854 in passages for separated families. This year the Government is anting for a vote of Jiio, ooo for the same purpose. . At the annual meeting of the Wellington Stock Exchange, held yesterday afternoon, the chairman, Mr L. H. B. Wilson, preside*). The following officers wore elected for the year Chairman, Mr L. 11. B. Wilson (re-elected); vice-chairman, Mr W. C. Stephens; committee. Messrs. A. Bucholz, A. T. Bate, and S. C. Leary; auditor, Mr E- C. Hjorring; secretary, Mr C. I). Morpeth.

This afternoon a team from the College Rifles will leave for Palmerston North to take part in the military tournament to be held there on Monday. The team will consist of Colour-Ser-geant Bvatt, Sergeant; Millar, Corporals Cowles and Eonaldson, Lance-Corporals Kieman .and Geyger, Privates Smvth, Doherty, Highet, Lambert, King, Meek. Wilkening, and Buglers Warren and Cimino. The Lower Iliitt Post Office was visited on Wednesday by a labourer named John William Knott, who appeared to be under the belief that, he might stay there as long ns he pleased. When' requested to leave, he refused, and used insulting language Ultimately Constable Patton removed him. Yesterday he was brought before Messrs Chapman and Peterkin, J.P.'s, who ordered him to pay AOs, or in default to go to gaol for seven days. Knott said, "I will take it out, because I cannot earn 40s in the time."

A meeting of the Auld Lang Syßo Club in connection with tho Presbyterian General Assembly was held in Godber's yesterday, under the presidency of the Moderator. The club consists of ministers who have undergone the whole or part of their training in New Zealand, and has in hand the undertaking of providing a scholarship. A very enjoyable social gathering took plaoo over tho afternoon tea provided. The Moderator was elected president for the ensuing year, and the Rev. A. B. Tcdd (Geraldine) hen. secretary. Australian steamship owners have decided to grant in Melbourne and Sydney an increase of 2d per hour overtime to wharf-labourers. This will brintf the rate up to Is 8d iper hour. Some'time ago the Arbitration Court in Sydney fixed overtime at Is 4d per hour. It was subsequently agreed between the representatives of men and of companies that tho amount should be Is 6d. Becently Mr Hughes, M.U.R., conferred on behalf of tho men with the representatives of the owners, and as a result of the conference the rate of Is 8d has been settled. Mr Hughes thinks that the advance will compensate in shme measure at least for the higher price of commodities.

About three hundred guests accepted the invitation of the Eev. Dr and Mire Gibb to luncheon in St. John's Hall yesterday afternoon. The guests included the Bov. J. Seed Glasson, of the Congregational Church, and the Eev. J. J. North, Baptist minister. The Eev. Dr Gibb, presided. The Moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly testified his pleasure at seeing so many assembled. The Eev. J. Seed Glasson rejoiced with them in the manifest signs of success in their great assembly.' The Eev. J. J. North hoped the Assembly was not going to separate until it had said something to the Premier in regard to the jircscut agitation in connection with the gampling evil. Mr J. G. W. Ailkeu, M.H.E.; said he hoped the delegates present, especially those from remote districts, would receive such inspiration from the meetings of’the Assembly ’that when they went back to their own districts they might be able to work with greater vim and vigour than before. The meeting of PaciQc lodge, TT.A.OT).. called for Monday, is postponed until Wednesday, evening. The coalyards in the city will he closed on Monday. The ferry steamers will run excursions to Day’s Bay on Monday, commencing at 9 a.m. The attractions include the water chute and laughing gallery. A favourable opportunity presents itself to owners of land in Kent terrace. See advertisement on front- page. •

The St. Patrick’s College cadets, now in camp at Treutham, have been doing useful work during the week, and were visited by Colonels Robin and Bauohop, who expressed great pleasure at the manner in which various evolutions and duties were carried out. To-day the camp will be open to tho public, for whoso convenience all suburban trains will slop at Trentham. Advice has been received by the Tourist; Department from tho Chief Guide, who has just inspected the overland route from Lake To Anau to Milford Sound, that owing to the remarkably dry winter nil portions of the route are in capital order, particularly the passes. The snow' was confined principally to the high mountains during the winter, leaving the route on a hotter condition for traffic than for several seasons past. Tho Rev. J. G. Flanagan, Primitive Methodist evangelist, has received a letter from Archdeacon Grace, of Blenheim, wishing him success in his undertaking in New Zealand. Archbishop Grace said ho had been summoned to Wellington to attend a committee meeting of bishops and clergy appointed by tho General Synod to arrange for missions from England to visit Now' Zealand next year. It was proposed to invito forty missionaries. who should ipreach simultaneously in the Anglican parishes throughout New Zealand. The writer thought that other denominations should ho asked to participate in the movement. ~At the first meeting of delegatee to the New Zealand Sports Federation, held at Christchurch, the question of tho suppression of hotting at sports meetings was considered. Mr W. G. Atack, a representative of the New- Zealand Boxing Association, moved that the meeting express its approval of tho clause in the new- Gaming and Lotteries Act referring to the suppression of , betting at sports meetings. The motion was carried by 11 votes to 7. The chairman, Mr G, Dixon, stated that the delegates were all opposed to betting at sports meetings,, the only difference of opinion being as to what means should bo adopted to ,attain the end they desired. ' The committee of the Wellington Society _ for the Protection of Women and Children met last evening. Mrs A. R. Atkinson presided, and there were also present Lady Stout, tho Rev.' Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, Nurse Maokinnou, and Mesdamos W. Fell, M. F. Dor vail, Mackenzie, Bracher, Kirkoaldie, and D. Nathan. Several cases were dealt with. Tho following subscriptions were received with thanks:—Mr Newton King, .£25; Dr Trnby King, £lO 10s; Messrs C. Smith .and Co., 10s 6d; Messrs Vcitch and Allan, Mrs Boyd Garlick, and lira H. Duncan, 10s each; Mr Coveney and Mias' B. Baber, Ss each; Mrs Robertson, and Mrs L. E. Braoher, 2s 6d each. The annual meeting of the Colonial Co-operative Building Society of Wellington, which was to have been held last night, lapsed for want of a quorum. .The directors’ report shows that the society's affairs are progressing. The subscriptions received during the year amounted to £ll2l, and the redemption moneys received to £135 3s. Tho amount appropriated for loans to members has been £2300, which does not include an incomplete appropriation of £6OO, j for which a tender of £9O 0s has been accepted on the usual conditions. The balance in the bank is £lO3 13s lid, and there is £IOO in tho Post Office Sayings, Bank. i

Some time ago complaints wore made to the Wellington Boxing .Association; that at the Hastings show porno men wore prevented by the police from giving a professional exhibition of boxing, while others : wore allowed to go on without interruption. The association brought the matter .under the notice of the Commissioner of Police, who promised to make full inquiries. ' Mr • Dinnio has now written to the association as follows:—"So far as I can ing of the kind took place. Particular' attention, was* paid to the professional clement at that show, and no boxing could bo detected." The Commissioner has j/ssued instructions to the police throughout the Dominion to'keep a rigid watch on professional boxers of the kind referred to.