The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1909.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10105, 24 March 1909, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1909.

The attitude 01 the Government in regard to the naval situation indicates the possibility that they may thank Now Zealand for its generous patriotism ami decline the gift 011 the ground that there is no immediate necessity for additional ''Dreadnoughts/' and that if tliey became necessary, their more rapid construction, which could not be affected by the proposed gift from New Zealand, and not monetary assistance, which is virtually the essence of New Zealan :> oiler, would be the important cor'-iteration. The offer may place the British Government in a dilemma, inn-'imich as its acceptance would' imply the usefulness of the prolt'erecl uift, whereas the Government has, in meeting the agitation of the Opposition and the Navy League for an accelerated construction of warships, professed .that there was 110 necessity whatever to take such action. To-day's cablegrams on the question indicate that this is still the Government's attitude. Jint, if j the Government refused New Zealand's offer it is possible that it might incur sufficient unpopularity to seriously impair its position: and, whether the offer be accepted or not, New Zealand will have shewn that she knows how to do the right thing, whilst another remarkable proof of the solidarity of the Empire will have been provided as an object lesson to the world. Besides, it would be 110 insult to New Zealand to refuse the offer, if those to whom it is made, and who .should know more than anyone else as to the situation, really believe that tlio gift is not necessary.' If the offer should be refused it will bo New Zealand!§ duty to increase her contribution to the Imperial navy from £IOO,OOO to £200,000 a. year, and this, after all, would be a- very substantial way of recognising her obligations. What- the Government of New Zealand has offered, to do to augment the British navy is being done by Australia's wealthy citizens. The cablegrams tell of intense enthusiasm in the cause and profound admiration of New Zealand's action. It is only the Governments that -io not approve, and that is natural, seeing that they delayed so long that little New Zealand rushed to the rescue while they were thinking about doing it: and that they do not "relish the idea of. following where they might have led. The English mail, via Wellington, Sydney, and Brindisi, which left Uamaru 011 Thursday,.llth February, arrived in London on March 19th.

At the. battalion parade ot the local volunteers last evening, Lieut.-Colonel Jla.han, V.D., presented to Sergeant Bee, of the Garrison Band, the New Zealand volunteer service medal for twelve yeare' consecutive service as a volunteer. Sergeant Bee joined the Band on March 17th, 1891, and has therefore been a member for 18 years. In presenting the modal, Lieut.Colonel Malian spoke approvingly of Sergeant Bee's efficiency, a.s a volunteer and as a bandsman, mentioning that in years gone by, when the Band was able to put into the field a first-class shooting team,, the recipient was .one of the crack shots and won several trophies. The battalion, after a. short march, were exercised in the hall .in posting and relieving guard, the drill being in view of the approaching Easter manceuvres. The following was the parade state: —Staff: Lieut.-Colonel Jlahan, V.D., Major Forrester, Staff Sergeant-Major Bishop; Queen's Rifles — 1 lieutenant and 18 rank and file; O'amaru Rifles—l lieutenant- and 21 rank anil file : lung's Rifles—l captain, 2 lieutenants, and 15 rank and file; O.imart! Defence Cadets—l lieutenant and 27 Tank and file; Ban-d—l bandmaster and 22 bandsmen. Total of all ranks present- on parade, 113.

Tihe' s.s. Pukaki is due at Oaniaru tonight from Timaru "with 130 tons of coal to land. After discharging, the Pukaki will proceed to Dunedin. The man arrested' in connection with the forgeries committed on Saturday last by which two local tradesmen were victimised to the extent of £lB, has been working as a gardener at Windsor Park since" September last under the name of Atholbane, and it was there that Sergeant Griffith and Constable' Madden apprehended him. It would seem that he has made frequent efforts to' obtain a chequebook, having approached' several local business-people' with that object, but without result. At IsSst he opened an account at one of the banks, and was thus entitled' to a cheque-book. Among his effects was found a block of cheques from which two had been removed, coinciding in numbers, with those presented. Atholbane was yesterday remanded' to Thursday, bail being allowed, and to-morrow he will no doubt be further remanded. The police deserve credit for their expeditious arrest, ; ' Mr J. D. Familton reports having sold, on account of Mr Alex. Russell, his Athenaaum reserve of 102 acres, Ardgowan, with buildings, Crops, stock, etc., to Mr TI. Lister, Weston. 1 ; The "usual meeting of the Waitaki High School Board: of Governors was held this morning. Present: ; Messrs Sutherland (chair), Brown, Mitchell, and Milligan.' The minutes of the last meeting were read and adopted. Mr John Bulleid took his seat qs a meniber of the Board, qnd wns

welcomed. The outward correspondence was approved arid the inward rea<k Accounts and claries amounting to £47U 13s 4d were passed for payment. Miss Ferguson wroto notifying hev rotnvn and that she had charge of tho g ll 'l* .school. 'Die Chairman and Mr Mitchell wore appointed a. visiting committee Jor the month. Miss Ferguson advised having •purchased- stereographic views in Melbourne for tiie use of the school, and the action was approved. It was resolved that pending arrival of the chemicals ordered from England, a supply for immediate requirement be obtained. The matter of further seating accommodation was left- in t-lio hands of the Visiting tec. with power to act. Several details were attended to, and the Hoard rose. The people of Oaniuru arc beginning to realise that ill -Mr Hugh Talon they have an evangelist of rare ability and power. The attendance grows nightly, ami last evening's address 011. "1. Am the will long be remembered by tho hundreds who listened to it. Another meeting will be held to-night at 7.30, and to-morrow afternoon at 3 o'clock a Kible reading on "Baby Christians" will Ik.' given in Wear .Street J lull. Everybody will bo welcomed.

.Mr Schley, of New South Wales, wli.i is visiting Now Zealand, cal 1 - 1 on the Hon. A. W. Hogg, Minister lor Lalior, to discuss matters of miitmil interest (says the Dominion). Mr llogg was considerably impressed bv what his visitor told him of some of the work of tho New South Wales Labor Department. Some years ago Mr Schley tried to get a number of youths, who scoined to bo -growing up to be meiv loafers, placed as employees at some ol the agricultural colleges, but the college authorities absolutely relused to have an} - thing to do with then;. He, therefore, took them in hand .himself on behalf ol Iho Government, and sent them to a Slate farm some livo miles out ol Sydney. There they were taught to work and instructed in all hinds of farming operations. The scheme had been gradually extended, so that now a. number of immigrants who re<]uiro some training in a"i'ieultural and pastoral work are taken at the farm. 'They receive 110 wages, but after being two or three weeks at the institution they are usually oll'ered situations with farmers, and cam at the start 5s to 10s a week and their keep. three or four hundred men have lieen fully equipped for work 011 the land by these means during the last thrco years, and there have been very few failures among them. At the present time the farm has scores ol' applications from pastorahsts and agriculturists "seeking -employees, and Mi Schley considers that his experiment lias amply justified itself by results. M. Francis Mury gives in the Paris Kevue details, which he claims are from an unimpeachable authority, of how the <lvin.iT Empress-Dowtiger of China resolved that ~the lCmperor Kwang Su must 'accompany her to the tomb." It. was given out officially that lie was suffering from heart disease, but offers of assistance 01 the doctors of the foreign legations were refused. A high palace official visited the Kuiperor and told liini of the Empress decision. At the same" time (says the Kevuc) he placed by the Kinptrors side the opium pills, iiobl leaf, and yellow stlk cord with which the Chinese of high rank commit- suicide. Then he withdrew, \ announcing that he would return l.il* 1. If by that time Hie Emperor Kwang Su had not swallowed the opium pillsor asphyxiated, himself by inhaling the fine "old leaf, the Grand Eunuch would have bii-ii strangled with the silken cord by two attendants wdio were to watch at his door. When the official returned the opium pills had disappeared and the, Kmperor was stretched on his couch breathing with ilniieiiltv. bis heart" feebly beating, ami Ills limbs' already cold. Presently be expired. The Empress could now die in peace (says the Kevuc). and. did so twenty-four hours later. Lord Rayleigh has introduced a system of profit-sharing 011 his larnis at lM'rling. Essex, which has proved very and hciielicial to bis employees. l.'or several years past he has given his workpeople a bonus based on the years prohLs, and shared out in the ratio of the wages paid.', This vear. in addition to the bonus, a dividend has been paid to all the workpeople who were in a position to accept his invitation to invest capital in the farms. Amongst the investors are several laborers, whose average wages are under Jjl a week, who have been, able to invest sums varying from £5 to £l5O. 'At the annual distribution 250 workpeople on the estate, from the steward to the jiloughman, received either bonus <n* dividend, or both. A minimum dividend of 4 per cent, is guaranteed whatever the years profits may be. This year il was considerably over 4 per cent. Slot machines for vending accident instir ance policies were erected in many Anieri can cafes and hotels to-day (says the New York correspondent of the Daily lelcgrapli on February 4), and attracted considerable attention. The purchaser places 10 cents (about sd) ill the slot, pulls a lever, and out comes a card with a. counterfoil • attached. Oil this counterfoil, which is already stamped, Hie insured writes his name and address, and after posting it lie has* the benefit of insurance for a week dating from the time stamped thereon by the sending post-ollice. lie retains the card on which bis contract is printed. These policies insure against most perils of the city, provide indemnity for various injuries, and. £2OO in the event of death. Oil the basis of popula tion, ?Cew York has less vehicular tiallic. and a greater number of accidents than any other city in the world, and Ibi-ise slot insurance policies will probably become popular. Cigarette smoking in Austria is increasing "at an appalling rate, no less than 4.348,000,000 of these having been sold in the year—an increase of more than 200,000,000 over 1906. Cigars fell off number by 11,000,000, but the sales totalled £5,500 more, as compared .with the previous year, thus showing that more expensive brands were in favor. Pipes and homc-mado cigarettes seem very much 011 the down urade, as the sales of smoking tobacco were 700 tons below the figures for 1906. Snuff-takers are also either gradually reforming or else dying off, the consumption being 30 tons less than in 1906. Thirty-three years ago the yearly consumption per head of the population in Austria was 49 cigars, 2 cigarettes, 390z of tobacco, and 4oz of snuff. _ In 1907 it was 44 cigars, 163 cigarettes, 30oz tobacco, and ljoz ol snuff. Pale, nervous -women with littlo strength and failing appetite aro among those who receive tho greatest benefit from Ste.irn 6 W ; ne, tho matchless tonic and' strength restorer. Try it. Tho ©iving-up-Business Sale at Penrose's is still in full swing. As the end draws near the bigger the. bargains tho people get. From now till tho end of our term in Oamaru wo moan to give tho people some value that they will not soon forget about. Those who have not alrea3y visited our store should do so at once.—Penrose's Drapery Establishment.