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Otago Daily Times, Issue 16276, 8 January 1915, Page 4

Judging by the experience of a wellknown Wellington business man who is now spending a holiday in Dunedin, pocketpicking is rife- at present in the St. Clair bathing shed. On two occasions this week our visitorwwea e robbed of small sums in cash whilst he was bathing, and, on making complaint, ho discovered another gentleman who had to recount a similar experience. So far as can be judged from the complaints made to a Daily Times reporter last evening by one of the victims, the depredations arc carried out systematically by expert thieves, who apparently have access to the various dressing /ooms whilet the victims aro in the -water. Bathers should take precautions to guard against a similar experience, and the authorities might deem it worth their while to adopt some measure* to afford greater security to patrons of the St. Clair bathe.

Tho inmatee of the Mount Eden Gaol, with the speoial permission of the Justice Department, were recently given an instructive lecture on the present great war by Mr F. G. Ewington. The 200 men who wero present gave the lecturer a very attentive hearing whilo he made it clear what tho real issues of the war were. Mr Ewington pointed out that there was no other nation that did more than Britain did for tho care of the weak, destitute, and oppressed. When ho asked the young men present whether, if they were free, they would not feel it their duty to stand by those who had already gone from tho dominion to fight for the Mother Country, the answer went up in prolonged applause. The men sang the National Anthem, and tho organist played " Thn Marseillaise" and the Russian 'National Anthem. At the close of the lecture tho men accorded Mr Ewington a hearty vote of thanks.

With reference to tho recent paragraph from the New Zealand Herald, which alleged that in the far north much resentment was ■felt at the way in which a German postmaster handled tho official war news, giving prominence to Gorman successes, but providing evasive answers when the settlers inquired about British victories. The Post Office authorities and the police looked into the matter, and the Secretary to the Postal Department informed the Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Star that there wae absolutely no foundation for the report. The postmaster is a New Zealander of German parentage, and the settlors so far from rreenting his attitude over war news, state that ho has gone out of his way to communicate news, and in some cases has gone to tho trouble! of delivering written copies. Evidently there can be too much suspicion of a foreign name occasionally in these trying times. ,

A deputation from the Auckland l'nintei*.' Union waited on the. Prime Minister, the Right Jl<in. W. I' , . .Massoy, on .Saturday, and slated that there w;i« much unemployment, amount iiainters in Auckland (reports the Herald). The deputation, which vviis introduced by Mr A. IC. Glover, M.1.'., asked that, the Government should endeavour til provide more work fur painters on public works. 'Jiie Prime Minister refilled that he would communicate with the Minister of Public Works and see what could he done.

The steamer Aldenliam, from Japan and the Far Kas-.t, brought to Australia a party of Russians from Siberia and Manchuria. Jn the party were five "women. All remained in Sydney except one woman, who wont on to Melbourne to join her husband. These, immigrants had imich of interest to tell regarding .Siberia and tho sidelights on the present war in that far corner of the Russian Empire (says a Sydney paper). They state, that, whole districts have been emptied of their young men, who have eagerly volunteered to join the colours. Tho dietrict of Yukhoust has been almost depopulated owing to the fact that the population is largely composed ot men of military, age. These men are not conscripts, but volunteers in the truo senee of tho word. They enlist with cnthusinsm ae to a great hunting expedition.

One of tho chief iesucs before the Sltate of Arizona in the. recent election was that of tho abolition of capital punishment (says tho San Francisco correspondent of the New Zealand Herald), and tho people, by a large majority, voted to retain hanging as tho penalty for murder. Governor Hunt, who is strongly opposed to the death penalty, has since his induction into office reprieved every convicted murderer, in the hope that the voters would abolish capital punifhment. There are in consequence now 11 men awaiting execution. Tho people also voted to abolish the Governor's power to commute sentences and reprieve prisoners. Apparently with tho expectation of revolting the people against the hanging penalty. Governor Hunt announced when the verdict of the voters became known, that he would order the 11 men to be executed on the one day, December 19, but it was since announced as probable that the dates of execution would bo scattered along after Christmas. The Governor was so deeply affected that he cried when the adverse decision of + he people became known to him. " The death of these men will rest upon the heads of those who voted against the abolition of capital punishment," ho said. " The defeat of the measure may be attributed to journalistic and corporate influences unfriendly to me, and three or four of *he unfriendly parties who helped to defeat it should bo made to pull the rope. Also, if the death penalty is- a good thing, the executions should be made more impressive hy erecting the gallows in the public square." It is often claimed that the small birds have done away with tho caterpillar pest in New Zealand, but the periodio visitations of tho latter show that this is not so. In tho Wairarapa caterpillars have recently appeared among tho crops, and a numbet of farmers have been compelled to cut theil oats while etill green in order to save them for feeding purposes. Practical farmers contend that it is tho cultivation of the land and more or less heavy stocking with sheep that has done more to get rid of the caterpillar pest than small birds, and the best evidence that this is the correct view is that the invasions of caterpillars come from uncultivated knd where they have found a safe harbour. Notwithstanding that the caterpillar does considerable damage periodically, it is surprising how little is known of its habits, except when they become obnoxious, and no explanation has been forthcoming why tho pest should make its invasions into crops only in occasional years.

Some interesting .particulars of, the work of the Legion of Frontiersmen were contained in a letter from Captain D'Esterre, and read at the Wanganui Squadron's dinner on Friday night. Since July, 1912, over 1300 members have joined in New Zealand, and the badges, which have arrived from London, ehow that the 11,000 mark has been passed, the increase being over 5000 in two years and a-half. In the North Island nine squadrons hare been established, also three troops in the North Island and one in the South Island. There is a feeling amongst the Legion of Frontiersmen that they were badly treated by the authorities when the first call wes made for an Expeditionary Force from the dominion. The legion offered to fill a transport with 1000 mounted men, and man the vessel from the bridge to the stokehold if necessary, a feat which would probably have been outside the ability of any territorial organisation. The authorities stuck to their quota system and refused the legion. It was. surmised that the quota system would break down, and it did.

A Napier gentleman was very much annoyed at the action of the Railway Department on December 31. He had occasion to visit the camp at Trentham, an<] after transacting his bueincse he telegraphed to his people in Napier to expect him home that night. He then boarded a slow train for the Upper Hutt, at which station the express was timed to stop. Although he had a return ticket to Napier, the officials would not allow him on the express—because it -was advertised that no passengers would be allowed to get on at this station ! He would not have minded so much had the train been full, but as it was half empty he thought this was " red-tape" to breaking point. Had he continued in the slow train as far as Masterton the regulations would have allowed him to board the express at that station. As it was, he was compelled to go back to Wellington that night and journey to Napier next morning via the Manawatu line.

During the holiday season numbers of houses in the city aro empty, the owners being at the seaside, and this is a chance for burglars to pursue their calling unmolested (telegraphs the Wellington correspondent of the Christehurch Press). A resident of Kelburn returned the other day to find that his house had been visited by someone who was not on the visitors' list, and ho decided to remain in the house in case a second visit was made. In the dark hours of the night ho was awakened by a noise at the back door, an<l stealing quietly along the passage, being guided by the flash of a bullseye lantern at the keyhole, he opened the door suddenly and let out a hefty right, catching the intruder fair on the right eye and sending him and hie lantern spinning across the yard. There was a howl of rage and indignation, and the householder received .1 shock when he discovered that ho had assaulted a burly policeman who was doing his duty by the absent householders. The policeman now wears the blackest of Mark eyes ae a testi-. mony of that effective right. The householder found a. way of assuaging the. constable's pain and mortification, but the latter will not do street duty again for a few davs.

Drastic changes have been made in the constitution of the Parliament of the Island Kingdom of Tonga. In a- letter received from Nukualofa by an Auckland resident, it is stated that the representation in the Legislative Assembly has been reduced from 31 nobles and 31 people's representatives to seven nobles and seven representatives. Tongan law formerly provided that the King might appoint nobles to the number not exceeding 31, and that these nobles should have seats and vote in the Legislative Assembly, but there should be in the Assembly as many representatives of the people as there were nobles. It was further enacted that Parliament should meet after two years, and before the expiration of the third year since the previous meeting, but it has now been decided that Parliament shall meet once a year. The amending Act, which was expected to meet with much opposition, was passed after a little, discussion during a session which was probably the shortest on record. Parliament assembled in Nukualofa with the usual pomp at 10.30 a.m. on the 17th December, and the seesion closed the next day at 4 p.m.

Referring to the question of annual leave, the New Zealand Hailway Officers' Advocate, just issued, says:—" There are approximately 100 members of the first division at .Samoa with the advance guard of tin: Expeditionary Force, and perhaps 40 or 50 have, joined the main force or its reinforcements. We do not think that, the absence of 150 members, (lie majority of whom, having , been selected from the Kailway Territorials, must be juniors, is a sufficient reason for the stoppage of annual leave that has been insisted upon by some district officers, indeed, tho fact that in most districts the granting of annual leave was resumed some lime ago ift sufliciont evidence that faulty staff arrangements are at the root of the trouble in those districts where annual leave is still being withheld. Inetiinecs have, come under our notice where the places of stationmasters and clerks who went to Samoa arc still being filled by relieving officers whose relieving expenses must be costing the department a very tidy sum. Surely it would b<! worth while to make pe.rmanent appointments to these poeitions, and so set the relieving men free for the performance of their ordinary relieving work."

A few inquiries made by a Wellington reporter 6erved to indicate that the plumbers' bill is one which has perforce been materially increased since tho outbreak of war, on account of tho all-round increase in the prices of metalg employed. Belgium was the home,of tho thin-sheet iron industry, on whirh the tin-plato industry of South Wales largely depended. It is not known definitely if this trouble hae been rectified by establishing that industry more firmly in England, but in view of the fact that the price has only risen 2s per ton it looks more than likely that the cutting out of Belgium supplies of thin-sheet iron has been overcome. In the case of other metals, the increase has been greater. Plain and corrugated iron has advanced from £18 to £32 per ton, and zinc has advanced from 36s 6d to 455. Copper and plain braes, which was Is Id per lb a few months ago, is now Is 6d per lb. Lead rose very suddenly, owing to the big demand made by the ammunition factories. From £18 10s per ton it rose to £31, since when it has dropped down to £27—which is still £4 10e above the pre-war quotation. Planished and tinned copper has advanced from Is 5d to Is 9d per lb, and ftluntz metal from 10£ d to Is Id per lb.

An interesting decision, bearing on discriminations practised against the negro, has juct been rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States. This court has, on several occasions, sustained the constitutionality of State laws, permitting railway companies to furnish separate coaches for white people and coloured people. But tho State of Oklahoma went a step beyond this, and passed a law forbidding railway companies from furnishing sleeping or dining-car accommodation to any but those of tho white race. Oklahoma is settled largely from the Southern States, which explains this instance of race prejudice. Five negroes appealed to the courts against tho law, and a few days ago the highest court of tho nation, by a majority decision, found the law to be unconstitutional. Howover, owing to a defect in the position, no decree to this effect could be made, and it will be necessary to etart the proceedings all over again.

Arising out of a recent inquest in which the near relatives of an old man were a little reluctant, not from lack of affection, but from sheer dread of the expense, to undertake tho cost of his burial, the Christchurch Coroner, Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., has expressed the view that a reform of the practice of funerals is urgently needed. According to Christchurch papers, the average funeral, Mr Bishop points out, is a somewhat expensive affair, and its standard is maintained by the habit of the rich and middle class of giving unnecessarily extravagant and expensive burials. In such a sensitive matter as a funeral the poorer people do not wish to appear lacking, and so endeavour to rise to a standard set by those better able to afford it. The outcome of this effort to maintain their respectability in the eyes of their neighbours is that they incur debt from which they would be saved if the habit of a simpler funeral were in vogue. To remedy the existing state of affairs two courses of action could be pursued. The first would be an appeal to the richer classes to adopt a plainer type of funeral; the second course would be more radical, and would go to the root of the trouble. It would consist of the establishment of a municipal crematorium, where the laet offices for the dead oould be performed at a minimum of expense. Of course, full safeguards against abuee would havo to be afforded by a provision for postmortem examination, but that could easily be clone. *' I feel very strongly upon ;his point of funeral reform," said Mr Bishop, "because my experience hag shown jne that it is urgently needed in the interests of the community as a whole, but particularly of that section- which is unable to bear the heavy expense of the average funeral. A municipal crematorium is a necessity; perhaps some day in the future Christchurch will bo provided with one."

There ie now under construction in New York a prison building especially designed for the detention of anarchists, industrial workmen of the world, agitators, and other lawbreakers who have defied all efforts to restrain them in existing city gaols. Prisoners of this class have proved amongst the- most difficult to control, and there have boon several prison uprisings headed by anarchists and I.W.W. convicts that have given the authorities much trouble and concern. Tho new gaol, now being built on Riker's leland, will have 6eparate cells for 80 prisoners, all of whom will be drafted from other city institutions, because of their propensity for etirring up trouble amongst their companions. For the worst of the trouble-makers thero will be absolutely eound-proof cells. Each cell will be Bft by 12ft, and will bo equipped with oot, wa&hetand, and other facilities. Practically the entire prison will be constructed by convict labour, under the supervision of experts. This is one of a number of innovations introduced by Miss Katherine B. Davis, who, ae Commissioner of Corrections, has control of the penal and reform institutions of New York City. We have to acknowledge receipt of a calendar for 1915 from the Sun Insurance Company. The Herald of tho Star for November 11 —a journal published in connection with tho Order of tho Star in the East —has reached us. It deals mainly with Thcosophical tenets and problems, and will doubtless be of considerable interest to members of tho cult. Entries will close to-day for the Taieri Agricultural Society's Show, to be held at Mosgiel on Thursday. The 1915 l-k h.p. B.S.A. motor cycle_ has proved its absolute efficiency and reliabOity. An ideal side-car machine. —Wilson and Co., Bond street. —Advt. During January Mollieons Ltd. offer to turn out a genuine tailor-made 6iiit to measure for 84s—worth £5 103. —Advt. A. E. J. Blaketey, dentist. Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859.— Advt Mr Ernest Boot, surgeon and mechanical dentist, 63 Princes street, Dunedin.—Advt. It's grauna whisky—eae saft and mellow— Watson's No. 10.—Advt Who ie Peter Diok?—The most reliable Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Certificated Consulting Optician, 490 Moray place (off Princes street), Dunedin. Chargos moderate. —Advt. RED CROSS AT THE FRONT! The cabled numbers of killed, wounded, and missing do not represent all of the damage that is inflicted upon our soldiers and sailors. Scores of men who apparently get off "soot free" receive minor wounds, such as cuts, bruises, and scratches. In fiuch cases Red Cross O.'ntmenfc proves invaluable, and knowledgo of this fact gave rise to the following letter:—-'"Thirty men have born enrolled at Oartorton for the Expeditionary Force, and the local committee of the Lady Liverpool Fund have decided to equip each man with a pot of your Red Cro«> Ointment. . . . Kindly send throe dozen to the enclosed address." Tho required number of boxes was promptly donated. Red Crose Ointment is sold everywhere at Is 6d per box.—Advt.