CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7016, 3 January 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

HOLIDAY TRAMWAY REVENUE. ' The traffic on the Oity Corporation tramways on New Year’s Day was. very heavy, tho Kilbimie, Miramar, Lyall Bay, and Seatpun sections being particularly well patronised. Several thousands of people visited Lyall Bay, the glorious weather experienced tempting them to the seaside. Saturday’s cash takings on the trams amounted to £623 14s Id, against £5Ol Is 7d for the corresponding day last year, an increase of £122 12s 4d. Yesterday (Sunday) the .receipts totalled £293 Is sd, against £224 15s for the corresponding Sunday of 1909, making a grand total of £3371 Is 5d for the week—a record.

FRANCO-PBUSSIAN ■ WAR HEROINE.

The Paris correspondent, of “The Times” announces the death at Clarens. in Switzerland, of Mile. Juliette ■|>odu, who risked being shot fay the Germans during the Franco-German war, while she was rendering the greatest possible service to tho French army. In 1870, when eighteen years ■of age, she and her mother were in charge of the French telegraph .office at P:thiyiers, which was in direct communication with Orleans. On September 20.. when the Prussian scouts entered Eithiviers she informed the Tours Government, and succeeded in concealing the telegraphic apparatus from the enemy. The Germans cut the wires near the 'tation but failed to -ut those at the disposal pf Mile. T)odu. who continued te ' • Orleans yu touch with ah th' 'offtils' -Rsian army L> -thi-i

viers. It vas during the battle of November 29th that she conceived the audacious scheme of establishing a telegraphic connection with • tho German wires in order to obtain the secret of the German military correspondence. She attached tho German' wife, i ran near her window, by the short wires to the apparatus in her bedroom, and managed during seventeen nights to read and to transmit to the I’rench general staff important fragments of the German telegrams. She was finally discovered and arrestd, and, but for the intervention of Prince Frederic Charles, she would havo been shot. In 1877 Mile. Juliette Dodu received from the French Government the military medal and the Cross of the Legion of Honour. DRAPERY "WAGES BOARD. A new departure in Wages Boards was made a week or two ago, when the determination of the Drapery Wages Board came into. operation (writes the Melbourne correspondent of the “Otago Daily The determination caused some consternation in the trade, because tho effect was in some cases to raise Mages by 100 per cent. unusual effects, too, were produced by tho fact that wages were -fixed not on experience alone, but mainly on age. The rates fixed by tho board are:— Adult males, twenty-one years of age, 37s Cd per week; adult males, twentytwo years of age, 43s*. seniors (twentythree years and over), 50s. Women, twenty-one’years of age, 20s; twentytwo years of age, 255; twenty-three years of age and over, 27s Cd. Women employed in the dress, drapery, and Manchester departments, the handling of heavy rolls of stuff is involved, are to be paid the same rates as men. For females under twentyone tho rates range from 5s to 17s Ga per week, while for impales unde? twenty-one they range from 7s 6d to 30s. In many largo establishments tho effect was to raise tho wages sheet by £IOOO per year, and the result was that there were a good few dismissals. There would have been more, indeed, had (it not been that* advantage was taken -of the provision by which permits to work below the rate fixed may be granted by the chief inspector. Mr Ord was deluged with applications of this kind. In some oases he found it impossible to allow the girls to work for the wages they wished to accept. The girls then saw the Premier, who (is the Minister of Labour, but he could do nothing but express the hope that they would not lose their places, as they feared. The outcome of the ogitataon was that tli© Minister asked the board to reconsider its l determination. It did so, -and now proposes that the rates of pay shall be made -dependent on experience in .the case of an employee starting in tho trade at the -age df twenty years or over. The board propose© that such an employee <sliiall be _ given eighteen months in which to gain the required experience and attain the ordinary wage ‘of an adult. This proposal is to b© considered by tho Ministers, tlioiifflt Tt is feared that there are legal difficulties in the way of its adoption. THE YOUNG MAORI PARTY. • The Young Maori Party was entertained at tho residence of the Hon. G. Fowlds, Auckland, i on Tuesday afternoon. Dr Buck, M.P. . (To Rangihiroa), the secretary, commenced an address with an incantation in the soft-tongued language of the Maori, as follows: Piki mai; heke mai Homai tc waiora Ida au To tu tehiia aria Te mo© a te; kina it© po Ho ao! he ao! He awatea! "Which, translated into English, means: Como hither, draw nigh. _ Bring unto me tho living waters of Hie. Ah I Weary has boon the rest of the aged at night. ■ ■ ‘ . But now it is dawn! It is dawn! It is light! The incantation, explained Dr Buck, ivas used by the Maoris in expressing joy, and on such an occasion as this it could he well used. The Young Maori Party which they were 1-epresentmg, was endeavouring to help the Maoris to reach, the highest and best positions in life. It had to bo remembered that to compare the natives of this country with themselves they would have to go back tc the Stone Age. The Maoris of two generations hack were on about the same level as their European brethren were 2000 or 3000 years ago. They were happy enougSh before the white man came* but since the advent of the European the natives of New Zealand had*had to assimilate, in the course of two generations, what the pakehas had taken 3000 years to come through. The Young Maori Party had had much to do; and if they could see some glimmering of success ahead they must bo satisfied. NEWS NOTES The Maheuo, which arrived at Auckland at 8.40 o’clock yesterday morning from Svdney, brought an English and an Australian mail, which left Sydney last Wednesday afternoon. The Southern, portion of the mail left Auckland at 9.16 o’clock last night by tho Main Trunk express, which is due at Wellington at 4.30 p.m. to-day. The Chief Postmaster has been advised that the Moeraki left Sydney for Wellington at 10 p.m. on Friday with forty-three bags of Australian -mail. The vessel should reach Wellington by to-morrow afternoon. The second class cruiser Challenger sailed from Lyttelton at noon, yesterday for Wellington. The Fire Brigade was called out to a small grass fire at Hataitai yesterday afternoon. No damage of any importance was done. The Marine Department has made arrangements for the steamer Hippie, which leaves Lyttelton this evening, to search the outlying'islands for any traces' of the steamer Ducu. ■ ■ . . Dominion boy. scouts are reminded that their general camp will be held at Gollau’s Valley from to-day until next Monday. Scouts are to, meet at the Ferry Wharf at 10 o’clock this . morning. The weather in Wellington was delightful for the holiday on Saturday, and again yesterday. In the far south, however, the elements were riot so kind, a rough south-westerly, with rain,, being experienced. : . . The annual 1 meeting of the New Zealand Educational Institute will commence in the hall of the Y.M.C.A. tomorrow. The afternoon session of Wednesday is to.be devoted to the reading of short papers on subjects of -interest to the teaching profession. The Commonwealth Minister for Customs has directed that a Germfm pistol, some consignments of which had been ordered to be detained pending inquiry, may be imported. The pistol is intended as a -surprise and a check to burglars. Though it explodes with a resounding report, it fires merely a pungent irritant. The theory seems to be that a burglar or other assail-ont will think that he lias been shot. Probably the worst effect mil _be a fit of sneezing. After some experiments (says the “Sydney Daily Telegraph") the Customs officers are* satisfied that the weapon is aucli less, deadly than they seem to have thought- 1 ;

The work of forming: a Clerks' Union in Dunedin is going on slowly but ’ steadily, and those who are ’ interesting themselves in the movement have hopes that it will be brought to a head fairly early in the new year. Quito a number of male clerks have already signified their willingness to become members. The captain and officers of H.M.S. Challenger entertained a large number of people from Christchurch on board the warship on Friday night at Lyttelton, a special train from town taking the guests alongside the vessel. Dancing was indulged in until 1 a.in. to music supplied by the ship's band.

Mr J. T. Mowat informed the Blenheim "Express" on Friday that, in conjunction with Messrs Dovereaux and others ho had effected the .sale of the Upton Fells estate, comprising 19,000 acres and carrying 9000 sheep, to Messrs Keene and Reid, of Wellington. Included in the estate is . the celebrated Chalk Range.

In spite of the allurements of seaside resorts and various public gatherings Mason's Gardens and Bello Vue, the well-known Hutt Valley picnic grounds, attracted a large share of attention- on the holiday. In both cases the gardens and shrubberies were, despite the attention of the recent gales, bedecked m gay summer apparel and visitors found plenty to feast their eyes on during the intervals between feeding time and games.

In these days of mixed crews, it is refreshing to chronicle thut the Italian Barque Boride, which sailed up into Wellington harbour yesterday from Marseilles, has a complete crew' of Italians, eighteen all told. The barque presented a very fine sight, beating her way in under command of Pilot Hayward. The crew seemed a fine healthy lot of men, •and judging by the clean appearance of their vessel on arrival, they had put in plenty of work during the voyage. There was only one bankruptcy in the Masterton district for the month of December, «as 3 against four for the same month last' year. There were eight bankruptcies during the quarter, *ana a, similar number for the same period in the year 1908. During the year there were twenty-seven bankruptcies as against twenty-five * for the previous year. Only ten of the former actually occurred in the town, six coming from Marfcinborough and the surrounding district.

The secretary of the Blenheim Rowing Club has received a. reply - from . the Council of the New Zealand Rowing Association in regard to the appeal lodged by the club against J. M. Jacksons suspension. The council set out clearly that it intended adhering to its original decision, and that no notice would bo taken of the appeal. This means (says the “ Express ") that Jackson will *not be entitled to compete at the championship regatta, or, for the matter of that at any other regatta. The Blenheim Rowing Club have lodged a further appeal with the Marlborough Rowing Asiscoiation, and with it. the -sum of. 10s and a protest against Jackson s suspension. ■

On New Year's Day an excursion to Picton’ was made by the Union Com-, pany'is steamer Mararoa. The vessel carried between 800 and, 900 passengers, a number of whom journeyed through to Blenheim by train. Leaving the Queen s wharf at 7'-45 a.m., a very smooth trip was made across Cook Strait, and Picton was reached shortly after 11 o’clock. At 3.4-0 p.m. the return journey .was commenced, and a fairly strong north-east-erly breeze prevailed until arrival at Wellington about 7.15 o'clock. A good deal of annoyance was occasioned passengers at the Queen's wharf in the morning owing to there being only one ticket-box provided, and it was just in the “nick of'time" that many people caught the boat. 'South. Canterbury dairy farmers are re-; joiciug over a new era in the history'ot their produce*export trade. For years past dairy factories have been obliged to ship their butter and cheese from Lyttelton, owing to the absence of cool stores; and grading provision at Timaru. The loss of money involved in the payment _■ of railway freight from Timaru IQ Ljtteiton (l*s per ton) has been a-very considerable item, and hap resulted, more particularly latterly, in str-eiuuus ehorts being put forward by the business men interested to have Timaru made a grading port. These efforts. have met with success, and last week the Delphic took away 6UO cased of butter, the first direct shipment of the kind from Timaru. About 7.30 o'clock on Saturday morning a number of excursionists on the steamer Mararoa, which was about to sail for Picton, observed the corpse of a man floating in the harbour near the centre of the outer tee jof the Queen's wharf. Before the police were able to secure the body it had disappeared. Four constables in shifts of two men were engaged throughout ■ Saturday in dragging in the vicinity, but without success, xesterday from 9 a.m. till .1 p.m. Constables T. Kelly and Dempsey made a thorough search around and under the wharves, but no signs were seen of the body. It £s believed the corpse was brought to the surface by the action of the Mararoa’s propeller, and that it may remain submerged for some days yet. A peculiar study, involving the question, "How much brain- dm a man do ■without?" has presented 1 itself in the case of the man. Biggs, who (tried to commit suicide on his wife's grave in the Rotorua Cemetery on Christmas morning, . states the Auckland "Star.*' The bullet emerged : florn the top of tho head above the right temple, carrying away some of the substance, of which tho doctor, estimates the patient h*as lost seven or eight ounces. In spite of this loss, however, the man is making a good recovery, and the wounds are expected to be healed in a week or two. Apart from the interesting illustration of a man living after having lost several ounces of his bibin-, there arises the question whether Biggs will be able to walk when he recovers, as experiment "with birds and animals has shown 'that the frontal lobes of;the brain control the movements and adjustment necessary to the balancing of the body, Und their removal has rendered the animal operated upon incapable of regulated action. In Biggs's case it is expected that he will be unable to walk, through Incapability to balance himself.

Why do young men seeking a career in life fight shy of the teaching profession? The answer to tills question was promptly afforded: in the discussion at the annual conference of teachers in Sydney (says the "Telegraph"), when on _ all sides complaint was made of the miserably small remuneration offered to those in the.lower ranks of the service. The president (Mr Alanson) sounded a definite note of alarm on. the subject, asserting that with so few , men teachers offering, education was in danger in- the State. The great purpose of education, he said, was the formation of character; hut that great purpose could never be accomplished while the service ftiiled to attract -men. Several speakers protested that while the tariff had increased the cost of living, salaries had not grown, but in many instances had been reduced. One man told of a teacher who received jElOt a yetir, while the cleaner in the same building got .£120; and other instances bo like effect were quoted. A delegate from the country declared that the liithgow branch intended to obtain the opinions of all candidates for I'aril ament as, to whether they were prepared ito do justice to teachers; "and,' ho , added, ‘'we 'are quite within our rights in doing bo.” The Lux Light Company . wish it known that the Lux Incandescent Kerosene Gas Lamps give the Cheapest and Most Brilliant Light on Earth. See Te Aro House. Bates and Lees’, Wardell Bros.’ Lcydon and Co., Caterer and Carey, E. Pearce and Co., K. Hannah and Co., Eetone Workshops (where Lux replaced the latest devices in lighting). House Lamps 22s 6d. Lamps up to 2000 candle-power; 35 , 37 , 39, Old Customhouse street ..(back of Opera House), Wellintfhwu *