THROUGH OUR HOME FILES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14704, 3 June 1920, Page 6

THROUGH OUR HOME FILES.

• An -order has been approved by the British Agricultural Wages Board, to come into operation, on April 19, increasing the minimum rates of wages for male agricultural workers in England and Wales.., The general effect of the order is that in areas where the ordinary minimum rate. has been 36s 6d, 37s 6d, or 38s, it will now be 42k, and in areas where, the minimum rate has been higher than 38s, it w.ill be raised by 4s in each case. Proportionate increases are made in the overtime rates. Notice is to be given by the Board of proposals to increase the rates for female workers and male workers under 21 years of age. London is to have a novel "safety first" exhibition. It was stated by a Government factory .inspector, at Southwark inquest recently, that- the Home Office is forming a museum of unsafe devices, the use of which often results in injury or death. .Dr Waldo, the City and Southwark coroner, has long advocated this scheme. He has visited nearly ever big city in Europe and America, and, struck by the large number of accidents from the, misuse of mechanical contrivances which come before him in his official capacity, has urged that workpeople in this country as on the Continent, should be able to study "unsafe" methods of working maehinerv. *** * .

There seems to be" a rooted impression, which sometirhes finds its way into print, that ni'ore girls are born into the world than boys. So far as reliable, statistics go the opposite is the case. In all the communities of western civilisation more boys are born than girls, the excess ranging from 20 to 60 per thousand. This excess invariably rises after a war. The last quarterly return of the Registrar-General shows that in England and Wales the births' of males numbered 115,419, and those of females 108,150. So there was an excess of 67 per thousand, compared with the average excess of 45. More boy babies die than girl babies,' and the numerical equilibrium between the sexes is established in early youth. After 16 years girls outnumber boys, and as age increases woman's preponderance becomes larger.

In common with several other wellknown theatrical managers, Mr Oscar Asclie has expressed his determination to boycott German music and plays, other than the old classics. "Of course, we want to trade with the Germans and -get money from them," ho said to a Daily Chronicle representative, "but I don't see why we should play with them, or kiss them." Asked whether any leading theatrical producers were contemplating staging post war German plays* Mr Asclie replied that lie believed the matter had been considered. "As soon as a big success comes along, .someone will very likely stage it' in England, and then other managers may follow suit for commercial reasons," he said. "But personally I look upon-it as a matter of good taste not to produce anything written by a German since the war broke out." A poignant story underlies the fate of a war widow who was found drowned lately at Bathampton, near Bath. In January, 1918, Miss Seldon, a Swansea girl, married .Private Victor Brewer, of Batliampton, and shortly afterwards he went to the front. He returned with a shattered leg. Operations followed, from which he did not recover, and he was buried in his native village last May. Mrs Brewer returned to her home in Swansea Valley, and got employment in a drapery store, but the loss of her husband preyed upon her mind. She set off to Bathamnton, and on her way posted two letters to her late husband's relatives. One ran : "I cannot live without my husband. If you don't hear from me, search Bathampton, as I shalf be there'somewhere." Another letter asked her relatives to let her mother in the Swansea Valley know. She reached Bath, and it is thought that took a taxi to Bathampton. She then paid a visit to the cemetery, and placed her hat and handbag oh her husband's grave. At the canal side nearby she laid her fur coat on the bank, and, it is supposed about midnight, plunged into the water.^

The agitation which wholesale meat traders have been carrying on in England for some time culminated lately in a unanimous demand by the National Federation for a great reduction in the price of imported meat. It was made it the annual meeting of the National Federation of Meat Traders' Associations at Bradford. Mr Pilling, of Portsmouth, who moved the resolution, maintained that if the price were l'educed by one-half there would lie no real loss". Stocks would be cleared instead of being allowed to go bad, demurrage and cold storage charges would, be saved, and the way would.be cleared for further supplies of good meat. The position was very serious, and if something were not done soon the loss to the Government would be far greater than if they cut their losses now.- It was decided to send a strong deputation to the Board of Trade on the subjectOther resolutions were passed calling for the removal of the embargo on the importation of Canadian cattle, and for the. decontrol of cattle and meat. An important scheme was put forward for tlie licensing of meat traders and the registration of their premises. This scheme, which includes regulations for more cleanlv and sanitary methods in the transit "and sale, of meat, is to be submitted for the approval of the Ministry of Health. Miss PickfordV real name is Gladys Smith. She was born in Toronto, Canada, on April 8, 1894. At the a ore of five she acted as Little Eva- in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and she was only 16 when she achieved world-wide fame ,as a motion picture actress. Douglas Fairbanks was born in Colorado in 1883. It was intended by his parents that he should take ,up the profession of mining engineer, and he was sent to a mining college. He preferred to become an actor, and later took to the cinema business. He is an all-round athlete and says that- there has never been a. "fake" in any of his films. He has had many narrow escapes from death in his work before the camera. Long before Miss Pickford divorced her late: husband, the American Press had discovered a love romance between her and Fairbanks, and the marriage fulfils general expectation on the other side of the Atlantic, despite recent denials on the part of both popular favorites that they, had any matrimonial intentions. It was in 1917 that Fairbanks, in conjunction >■ with Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and D. "W. Griffith, set up the "Big Four," whose pictures were released as "Artcraft" by the Famous Players Company.