OBITISfI FOR RIG*

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 24

OBITISfI FOR RIG*

LONDON, August 18. The Government has granted £37,000 this year to assist small holders to improve the quality of their farm stock.

The fall of a derrick aboard the Australia, after leaving St. Vincent, killed a petty-oflicer named Holmes. British agriculturists «re gravely concerned owing to the prolonged drought, especially in the Midland counties. August 19. The Local Government Board returns state that 17.8 per 1000 receive old-age pensions, the annual cost of which is £7948,016. Three-fifths of the septuagenarians in England are old-age pensioners The agriculturists and horseowners in the Black Country are alarmed at the renewal of horse-maiming at VVednesbury and Darlaston. A postcard was received at Wolverhampton signed ‘‘ Darby, captain of the Wyrley Gang,’’ stating that thy next outrage will be at Wolverhampton. The Scottish Miners’ Federation has unanimously recommended that steps be taken to secure a minimum wage of 7s a d“.v- / 'i he President of the Egyptian Society at Oxford indignantly denies the existence of a plot against Lord Kitchener. The Daily Telegraph calls attention to the fact that Britain's pre-dreadnought ships are rapidly diminishing. It says the Empire’s naval outlook will darken as the older ships drop off until Britain is actually in a position of inferiority to Germany in respect to pre-dreadnoughts. August 20. Sir Samuel Griffith states that he is not aware of his reported appointment to the Court of Appellate Jurisdiction. Forty-three members of the Royal Artillery Band will represent Engli id at the Auckland exhibition. Dr Lumholtz, a Norwegian, who conducted a zoological expedition in North Queensland a quarter of a century ago. is organising a scientific expediti m to New Guinea under the auspices of tin: Norwegian and British Geographical Societies. It is reported that the artists in the suburban music halls will decline to appear it Jack Johnson’s engagement is persisted with. At the Rochdale sports Baker, the highjump champion, cleared 6ft 4in. The marriage of the daughter of the Gaekwar of Baroda will take place in London. The Gaekwar is touring in Switzerland, and will not attend the ceremony. Tunstall, who, it is reported, has in-

herited a fortune, was found wandering aimlessly at Rochdale. The story regarding Tunstall’s fortune is stated to be a, complete myth. August 21. The emigration figures for the first seven months of 1913 show that 146,012 persons went to Canada, 37,490 to Australia, and 7902 to New Zealand. During July Australia received 4609 newcomers (a decrease of 3789) and Canada 17,515 (an increase of 3000). The Board of Trade is organising a far-reaching inquiry into the relations between the railways and the Btate, with a view to preventing strikes and locksout. The Murex, which went ashore rt Celebes tm July 19, has been refloated. The Spanish pavilion at the Ghent Exhibition and many valuable exhibits have been destroyed by fire. Mr Milne’s report to the Board of Trade directs attention to the striking advance in the British metal trade with Australia. Joseph I’lii 11 ips, second cashier at the Bank of England, who was arrested on a charge of forging transfers of stock, was committed for trial. He admitted that he had got into the hands of money lenders owing to stock exchange speculations. August 22. The Daily Express states that the American Tobacco Products Company, with a capital of £10,000,000. is about to make a bid for the English market, which is controlled by the Imperial Tobacco Company, which has a capital of £18,000,000. A great tobacco war is threatened. The Swedish battleship Odin collided with the gunboat Uad. The latter sank in shallow water. The crew were saved. The sum of £200.000 has been raised towards the £260,000 required for the celebration of the Wesleyan Missionary Society’s centenary in October. The number of passengers carried cn the railways of the United Kingdom during 1912 decreased by 32.000.000. compared with 1911. The causes are said to be the coal strike and the belter omnibus sei vices. John I-ong is publishing “ The Story of My Life,’’ by Evelyn Thaw, Private Basham was arrested for fatally knocking out Harry Price, the South African boxer, at Liverpool. He was remanded on a charge of manslaughter. August 23. The Japanese cruiser Kongo is conveying 48 Whitehead torpedoes, which are propelled by n motive power. They travel 12,000 yards at the rate of 48 miles an hour.

The United States Government has placed a large order for these torpedoes. A preliminary estimate is that the hop crop of the United Kingdom will be three-fifths to four-fifths of that for 1912. The Daily Citizen reports that as an outcome of the search for the missing necklace the English, Continental, and American police have discovered a jewel thieves’ trust, embracing several scientific thieves. The trust has established a world-wide network of agents for the disposal of goods. Five pearls which were stolen a year ago were sold three months since in an Australian mining town. August 24. Another horse has been maimed at Wednesbury, near the scene of the previous outrage. The Derbyshire Miners’ Association resolved to secure their political freedom in regard to the selection of parliamentary candidates, and expressed their astonishment at the attitude of the executive of >the Labour party over the selection of Mr 'Kenyon as the candidate for Chesterfield. The Northumberland coalowners have advanced wages 3;J per cent.. •making an increase of 25 per cent, in the past two years. An All-for-1 reland 1 ,eague meeting is being arranged in Dublin to protest against the Cun a rd Steamship Company abandoning Queenstown as a port of call. Albert French, local secretary of the National Union of Sailors and Firemen, who was arrested after the fatal affray at Glasgow in which James Martin was shot, was acquitted. August 25. Delegates representing 130,000 societies with a membership of 20,000,000 have assembled in Glasgow in connection with the international Co-operative Alliance’s Congress. Earl Grey is presiding. BAR IS, August 20. M. Emile Ollivier is dead. August 22. M. Sarticux, administrator- of the French Channel Tunnel Company, who advocates the proposed new scheme, regards the present sea passage as the greatest obstacle to close relations between England and France and the whole Continent. August 25. Field-marshal Sir John French and a British Mission spent several days at the manoeuvres at Chalons and Rheims, inspecting the military camps as the guests of’ the Minister of War. BERLIN, August 21. The municipalities of Berlin, Charlottenbnrg, and other suburbs have decided

to import Australian mutton in large quantities, to meet the prevailing scarcity and to counteract the present high prices. , August 22. Chiefly owing to the increased cost of living tile savings banks’ deposits during the year were depleted to the extent of £700,000. : /, BERN E, August 18. 1 One hundred and fifty thousand people witnessed the late Herr Rebel’s funeral. ! There was an imposing array of Socialist delegations. .Mr Kcir Hardie, IM.P., was present and delivered an address. MADRID, August 22. ' The approaching marriage of ex-King I Manuel of Portugal is causing an agitation ! amongst the Monarchists, who are believed to be co-operating with committees in London and Brazil. BUDAPEST, August 20. ! After a quarrel arising out of an allegation that he had attempted to influence witnesses at a former political trial Count Tisza, the Hungarian Premier, fought a sword duel with the Marquis George Pallavicini. Each was slightly wounded in • the bead, and a reconciliation followed, i August 24. Andrew Urs, the strongest man in Hungary, undertook for a wager to clear a restaurant at Betlana. He ejected all j the customers, and three police who attempted to arrest him were also ejected. An increased number of police managed . to manacle him and march him to prison. Shortly after a fall of bricks was heard, and Urs emerged through a hole in the | wall on to the street, down which he walked jingling his manacles.

VIENNA, August 19. I An officer's servant, named Bosnian, in I a fit of madness, ran amok in the barracks with a revolver, i He killed the Countess Mdriannc 801/a, fatally wounded Capt. Bisenkall, and wounded another officer. The murderer then flung himself from a window in the barracks, and is in a critical condition. August 21. j During firing trials at Pola an accident occurred to the breech of a 30.) centimetre : gun. Tnroo officers were killed and several officers and others (two seriously) are reported to be wounded. Vice-admiral Count Langus Von Wellenburg, president of the Naval Technical Committee, was terribly injured, and had both legs amputated. August 23. Vice-admiral Count Langus Von Wellenburg, president of the Naval Technical Committee, who was terribly injured, and Lad both legs amputated, as the result of a gun explosion at Pola, has succumbed j to his injuries.

ROME, August 20. The celebrated Italian Alpine climber, Marion Pincenza, accompanied by guides, is exploring the Himalayas He reached the summit of Numkan. 22,000 ft high, and bivouacked there for 10 nights, despite the intense cold August 21. A cyclone destroyed all the vines in the Milan district. August 22. A cyclone devastated the Italian Lakes district. Many mountain villas were demolished, and the country was buried deep in hail. The crops are hopelessly ruined. August 23. A band of outlaws at Palermo murdered a well-to-do Sicilian family consisting of the father, mother, four sons, and a daughter, whom they suspected were acting as police spies. ST. PETERSBURG, August 24. Seid Islam Chodcha, Premier of Khiva, has been treaoherouslv assassinated. BUCHAREST, August 18. It is stated that the following Royal betrothals, foreshadowing a great Panslav alliance, will shortly be announced ; Princess Elizabeth, daughter of the King of Roumania, to the Crown Prince of Greece; Tatiana, daughter of the Czar, to Charles, son of the Crown Prince of Roumania; and Olga, daughter of the Czar, to the heir-apparent of Servia. NEW YORK, August 18. The Customs officers seized the Davis Cup, which arrived by the steamer Mauretania, until the duty on it is paid. The officers argue that although the cup originally * belonged to America it became foreign property when it was won by England. The newspapers comment on the seizure as the crowning achievement of stupidity. August 21. The Mayor of Portland (Oregon) has instructed the police to arrest any woman who is seen wearing an X-ray dress in the streets. When the Mayor was requested to state what constituted an X-ray dress he stated that the necks were too low, the elit skirts were too much slit, and the sheath dresses were too much sheathed. August 24. Pensacola (Florida) reports that a contractor who is working at the Evergladebayou unearthed in shallow water an iron chest containing some pirates’ treasure in Spanish doubloons, which are valued at £2OOO. The council at Petaluma (California) have passed a by-law prohibiting the tango, turkey trot, bunny hug, and other freak dances. The penalty of disobedience is fixed at £lO. OTTAWA, August 19. The Liberal press criticises General Hamilton's report on the militia as being intended as a preliminary to the introduction of universal military training in Canada on similar lines to New Zealand. The Free Press declares that the engagement of General Hamilton was merely a move on the part of the Minister of Militia towards military service. CARACAS, August 24. Ex-President Castro’s revolution has completely collapsed. CAPETOWN. August 13. A South African school of aviation has been established at Kimberley. Defence officers will shortly commence training.

DELHI, August 19. Four Indians were sentenced to term ranging from 18 months to two years imprisonment for abetting a widow become suttee in the presence of 150 C spectators. The prisoners said they were terrified into helping the woman to commit selfimmolation on her husband’s funeral pyre because she threatened to invoke curses on them if they refused. August 23. A cage in the Edgar shaft of the Mysore gold mine fell to the bottom, killing 50 men. HONGKONG, August 19. Sixteen cases of plague, with 10 deaths, were recorded last week. PEKING, August 20. A German firm named Carlowitz, through its Hongkong manager, who is a director of the Hongkong-Shanghai Bank, offered the Governor of Yunnan £3,000,000 to construct a railway from Yunnan-1 1 u eastward to West River. Carlowitz, who represents Krupps, is also to receive a 20-years’ monopoly of Government contracts for arms, ammunition, and mining and other machinery.