MULTUM IN PARVO

Otago Witness, Issue 3334, 6 February 1918, Page 47

MULTUM IN PARVO

Wales is the richest part of the kingdom in mineral wealth. England produces annually about £2 to each acre; Scotland a little less; but the product of Wales is over £4 per acre. A Hull skipper is known to have earned over £2b,000 since the war broke out, and another has made £15,000 in two years. Skippers receive about 10 per cent, of the value of their catches. The German authorities aro dealing rigorously with profiteering. For the year ended October i lasb 1b9,8C6 individuals or firms were prosecuted in Prussia alone for violating the epecial war regulations dealing with food and various other commodities. In 160,218 cases convictions were secured. - The Germans are reported to use acorna for bread. Perhaps in the hope of developing hearts of oak (suggests tho Star). Julian Hinckley, an American novelist who ie believed to have a future, inscribes his first novel—" To myself, without whoso persistent and flattering assurances these pages would never have been accomplished, this book is modestly' dedicated." Dean Stanley's bad writing was notorious. On one occasion ho wrote to Kingsley to condole with him on a recent bereavement. Kingsley looked up from tho letter, and said to his wife: "My dear, I have had a letter from Stanley,, and I am sure it contains nothing but what is kind and sympathetic. But the only words I can make out are 'ungrateful devil I " —Tho City of Philadelphia has "adopted" th« City of Arras, and undertaken to rebuild it after thtf war. Arras, the chief town of the department of Pas-de-Calais, and the eeat of a bishop, had some 30,000 inhabitants. It was 1 tho birthplace of Robespierre and of Joseph, nally a cure, who organised tho " Terror ' in Arras. The anniversary of the liberation in 1435 of the city of Harfleur, which had for 20 years been under English domination, was celebrated on November 4. French, English, and Australian troops, British and Belgian officers, and M. Carton de Wiart, tho Belgian Minister, took part. Cheers were given by large crowds when the National Anthems of the Allied countries were nlayed. What a topsy-turvy celebration—a sort of glad you went and glad you came back. Since the Americans entered the war and contributed to the fight against the submarines, many of the gallani officers have been recommended for the D.S.O'., but the American Government docs not permit its men to accept foreign orders, nor does it grant orders itself. An Act of Congress' will bo necessary to permit officers to wear foreign orders and for the creation of some American war distinctions. , , The "dollar a year men are becoming one of tho most striking features of war-time Washington. The "dollar a year men" are 'the famous business men and organisers who have given their services to their country in the present emergency. They wanted to give these services free of all charge, but it was found that the law required that every one working for the Government should bo carried on the Government pay-roll, and so their remuneration was fixed at Idol a year and their position regularised. " ■ —An order issued by the Hawthorn (Melbourne) Tramway Trust requiring motormen and conductors to .touch their caps when meeting superior officers aroused so much hostility among the men a number of whom aro returned soldiers, that it had to be cancelled. Many members of the public, on learning of the position before tb.3 order had been rescinded, took a humorous view of .tho matter, and touched their ha'ts to the drivers, to tho conductors, and to each other, while courtly bows were frequent. At a meeting of employers tho familiarity shown by some employees with superior officers was condemned, and it was agreed that the practice of calling officers bv their Christian names should bo dropped. " —During recent operations in Mesopotamia a number of the British far away from the fighting zone were startled by what they took to be a bomb from an enemy aeroplane. To their relief it simply embedded itself deeply in the sand. Prolonged observation failed 'to reveal any aircraft. The riddle of its appearance was solved when pick and spado disclosed a meteorite, which must be amongst the finest ever discovered. It has been presented to the authorities of the Manchester University. Cambrai less than 100 years ago was regarded as one of tho strongest fortresses in Europe, and was entered by four ga'te--vvays. Several important treaties have been signed there, and the world-famed Fenelon occupied the bishopric for some years. The great industry of the town for over a century ha 3 been tho manufacture of that specialty in fine linen to which we give tho name of cambric. Tho chief importance to us at the moment, however, lies in the fact that tho modern town has become the junction of the main railway system of that part of France,The progress made in Morocco during tho last three years, in spite of the war, is extraordinary. The trade of the land, which was practically monopolised by Germany, before the war, has now passed largely to France. Our Ally, in her turn, ■has spent vast sums on tho restoration and improvement of Moorish towns and rural districts. Under tho able direction of General Lyautey, good quarters, now roads, and bridges have sprung up where formerly only a wilderness existed. The railway is another recent addition 'to the Moorish landscape. —An extraordinary story attaches to a case of bigamy which oamo before 'the Criminal Court at Glasgow recently. Margaret Caldwell, or Burnett, who carried an infant, and Francis No ill Yates, a sergeant in the army, were tho prisoners, and both admitted having contracted a bigamous marriage. Yates had been recently appointed to proceed to East Africa. While in Glasgow last year ho met a young woman, who had since given birth to a child. Returning to his regiment ho met another woman, who induced him 'to marry her. and two months afterwards she gavo birth to a child of which ho was not the father. Yates had since obtained a divorce from the hitter woman on that ground Meanwhile he had been corresponding with the female accused, and she agreed to marry him. While on the way across from Canada to England tho female prisoner met a soldier named Burnett, whom she agreed to marry, and their marriage took placo last December. She lived only a few weeks with Burnett, and then won't to live with Yatee. The case was not concluded when the mail left.