NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3870, 15 May 1928, Page 49

NEWS BY CABLE.

STEAMER STEELMAKER. SUVA, May 8. The Steelmaker is proceeding from Mitchell Reef to Pago escorted by the Peacock. OBITUARY. LONDON, May 8. The death is announced of Mr William Lund, shipowner, aged 91. He was the owner of the ill-fated Waratah. J MURDER IN SAMOA. APIA, May 11. Wong See, after three days’ trial, was found guilty of the murder of a fellow coolie on the Tuanainmato plantation, and was sentenced to death. [ BRITAIN’S UNEMPLOYED. ''S RUGBY, May 8. The number of unemployed on April 30 was 1,136,000. This was 74,715 more than the week before, and 114,272 more than a year ago. ITALIAN FACTORIES. ROME, May 9. The Ministry of National Economy has ordered all factories to use Italian brown coal instead of imported whenever it is technically possible. CANADIAN CURRENCY. OTTAWA, May 9. Steps have been taken by the Washington State Department to ensure the accep. tance of Canadian currency in all centres in the United States. At present manyplaces regard the Canadian dollar as of no more value than Russian paper money. AMERICAN SAMOA. WASHINGTON, May 11. Senate passed the Bingham resolution for the annexation of the American Samoan islands, ratifying the Act of cession made by native chieftains many years ago. THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. LONDON, May 7. In the House of Commons, in answer to a question, Mr L. S. Amery said that a commissioner had been appointed to inquire into the murders in the Solomon Islands. He was due there on June 27. THE AGA KHAN ILL. RUGBY, May 11. The Aga Khan, who is ill in London with pneumonia, is stated in a medical bulletin issued this evening to be more comfortable. His temperature is lower, and his general condition at present gives rise to no anxiety. THE FRENCH NAVY. BREST. May 12. One petty officer and six seamen of the French Navy were sentenced at a court martial to terms of imprisonment ranging from five years to 13 months for attempting to form Communist “ cells ” aboard the cruiser Mulhouse. —Australian aboard the cruiser Mulhouse. “MADONNA AND CHILD.” LONDON, May 11. The Daily Express states that Lady Desborough sold Raphael’s “Madonna and Child,” known as the large Cowper Madonna, dated 1508. The price is in the neighbourhood of £150,000, but the name of the purchaser has not been disclosed. A DESPERATE MURDERER. APIA, May 10. Constable Hcllis, a New Zealander, and a settler named Gardiner, recaptured the escaped murderer, Ah Mau, this morning. He was armed with a knife and made a desperate resistance, and had to be shot with a revolver before he was subdued. His wound is not serious. THE COLONIAL OFFICE. RUGBY, May 7. The Colonial Office announces that Mr Luke (Colonial Secretary, Sierra Leone) has been appointed Chief Secretary to the Government of Palestine, in succession to Lieutenant-colonel Symes, whose appointment as Resident and Commander-in-Chief at Aden, was recently approved by- the King. ! CANADIAN TRADE. OTTAWA, May 10. The total trade of Canada in March was approximately 230,000,000d01, against 176,500,000d0l in February. The imports totalled 120,500,000d01, and the exports 107,000,000d01. The total trade for the 12 months amounted to 2,359,412,763d01, as against 2,298,465,647d0l in the preceding year. WIRELESS TELEPHONY. LONDON, May 11. A political correspondent states that Mr L. S. Amery, seated in his room at the Home of Commons, spoke by wireless telephone to Mr W. G. Ormsby-Gore at Java to-day, and every word was clearly ■ heard. The Dutch Government arranged the conversation, being anxious to prove that-beam enables Europe to speak to Java.

PAPAL ENCYCLICAL. ROME, May 12. The Papal Encyclical, olnstead of, as was expected, dealing with politico-religi-ous questions, makes purely spiritual and ascetic appeals to Roman Catholics to return to devout practices in a spirit? of humility, expiation, and faith in Jesus. STRICKEN BULGARIA. LONDON, May 8. Sir William Joynson-Hicks announced in the House of Commons that in the Bulgarian earthquakes from April 14 to April 18, 17,102 houses were entirely, and 19,579 partly, destroyed. Of the 515,617 inhabitants of the devastated towns and villages 255,400 were without shelter. FIRE ON THE HAURAKI. VANCOUVER, May 12. Fire broke out aboard the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand motor ship Hauraki. The fire was extinguished after the city firemen had descended the hold wearing gas masks. The damage was slight. The vessel arrived .to-day with a cargo of hides, lumber, and paper pulp. THE WEST INDIES. OTTAWA, May 8. The value of trade treaties is shown by the figures of Canada and the West Indies. The latter's imports from Canada in 1912, before the treaties, were valued at 5,000,000d01, while in 1926, under the treaty, they were valued at 19,000,000d01. The exports to Canada before the treaties were valued at 9,000,000d01, and in 1926 they amounted to 17,000,000d01. FLOODS IN ONTARIO. VANCOUVER, May 9. A message from Sudbury (Ontario) states that while returning in a flatbottomed boat across flooded fields surrounding the Whitefish School, three children, aged twelve, eleven, and eight, were drowned when the craft capsized. Five chilren were rescued. The floods caused serious damage in the district. TROUBLE ON STEAMER. LONDON, May II Four of the Clan Macneil’s lascars were sentenced to ono month’s hard labour. Ath the Police Court the chief officer gave evidence that one assaulted him with a club, while others advanced threateningly. The chief steward gave evidence that the lascars wore most troublesome, and one clubbed him on the elbow. CANADIAN DISTILLERS. OTTAWA. May 12. Gooderham and Worts, distillers, are making a full settlement of the National Revenue Department’s claim for G50,000d01, arrears on the sales tax. Following upon the recent Custom probe, many brewers have already made settlement of the claims. The total claims against brewers and distillers amount to 5,000,000d0L BRITISH NEWSPAPERS. LONDON, Mav 11. The warfare between the Rothermcre and the Berry newspaper groups is intensifying. Berrys, outbidding their rivals, secured several allied Aberdeen newspapers, and they again outbid them for two Derby papers, the Rothermere group’s increased bid arriving after the Berry bid had been acceped. The Rothermcre group retaliated by buying the opposition Derby newspapers, which support the Liberal ‘Party. ITALIAN POLAR FLIGHT. LONDON, May 9. The Central News’ correspondent at King’s Bay states that differences of opinion have broken out among the marines assisting the crew of the Italia, and they have refused to participate further in the flight. The marines belong to the supply ship Citta di Milano, ana they declare that they never agreed to go to the Pole, Green Harbour, or Spitzbergen. MPERIAL CONFERENCE. LONDON, May 11. Sir Joseph Ward, discussing the Imperial Conference, expressed the opinion that as the dominions’ populations increased the Empire Parliament would meet regularly in different parts of the Empire. It would be essential that New Zealand and South Africa should have one or two representatives, Australia four, Canada six, and Britain a majority over all. CANADIAN IMMIGRATION. OTTAWA, May 8. Canada is confronted with a British immigration blockade in consequence of the new medical inspection, according to Mr George Langley, a former Saskatchewan Minister of Immigration, who gave evidence at the House inquiry. The bringing of Canadian doctors into Britain had completely antagonised the medical men there, and the displacement did not public approval. He said

that the 3000-family scheme bad retarded immigration of young, single men. £ BRITISH AIR SERVICES. RUGBY, May 9. In the House of Commons, Sir Samuel Hoare (Secretary for Air) stated, that six types of all-metal machines would be used in the British air services by the end of this year. The general policy of the Air Ministry was to push on with the development of all-metal machines. Britain was substantially in advance of any other country in this matter. He hoped that in the course of the current year airships RlOO and RlOl would be flying. DETERMINED TO DIE. PARIS, May 9. Madame Pochard, who was heartbroken by her husband’s death, succeeded in committing suicide at Proving. She tried twice to hang herself, but was cut down and then tried poison, but recovered. She next jumped into the river, but was rescued. She then jumped from a window and fell upon a woman whom she nearly killed, while she herself was merely bruised. Finally she locked her self in a room, and hanged herself with the same rope as she used previously. TOUR OF THE DOMINIONS. LONDON, May 9. The Overseas Settlement Department, in co-operation with the dominions’ Governments and shipping companies, has arranged for a party of university and public scholars to tour the dominions, including New Zealand and Australia. May 10. The Overseas Settlement party of university and public school scholars sails for South Africa on June 1, and leaves Capetown for Australia by the Demosthenes on July 20. TRANSCANADIAN TOUR. MONTREAL, May 12. An itinerary of wide interest has been arranged for the transcanodian tour of the Empire Parliamentary Association, beginning at Quebec on August 27 and ending at Sydney, Nova Scotia, on October 5. Invitations hase been extended to 50 members of different Empire Parliaments, and 25 Canadian members will join the tour in the west, which will include Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Jasper, Vancouver, and Victoria. India’s four representativeinclude two Swarajists. CANADIAN LIQUOR RING. OTTAWA, May 10. News from Windsor (Ontario) states that the liquor ring, with a capital approximately of 500,000d01, became operative to-day, embracing virtually all the distillery interests in Canada. It is the most powerful organisation yet attempted in the history of liquor exportation from Canada to the United States. The immediate effect of the organisation is expected to be an increase of one or two dollars in the price of case liquor exported to the United States. CORRUPTION IN AMERICA. NEW YORK, May 10. Before a gathering of the most eminent business men. including Mr Rockefeller, jum, and Mr Owen Young, at a general session of the United States Chamber of Commerce, a resolution was introduced denouncing “all those who indulge in commercial and political corruption,” and declaring that they should be purged from the ranks of American business. “ The moral turpitude of corruptors of public servants is even greater than that of those whom they debauch.” LOCUSTS IN JERASULEM. LONDON, May 11. The Jerusalem correspondent of The Times states that the locust campaign is at its height. An official bulletin states that north Aman is lighting the locusts over an area of 18.000 dununias, and has collected 27 tons of live locusts and over 100 bushels of C2’ <r S, which were dumped into empty wells. Five hundred ploughs were used to turn up the ground where the eggs were laid. The Haifa Defence Corps with a detachment from Jerusalem, are in action with 45 flame guns. VOTES FOR WOMEN. RUGBY, May 11. Addressing a mass meeting of women in London, the Prime Minister referred to the passing by the House of Commons of the Bill giving votes to women at the age of twenty-one on the same terms as men. He said it was difficult to realise the amount of history that lay behind the passing of the Bill, and added: “ I am proud to think that it has been given to the Conservative Party to secure the triumph of that cause. I believe in years to come that it will not be reckoned the least achievement of our great party.” MUTINY ON STEAMER. BRUSSELS, May 10. A mutiny broke out aboard the steamer Clan Macheil, well known in Australia. The lascars, although their contracts were not completed, demanded their pay at Antwerp with the intention of leaving the ship. Violence met a refusal, and the first and second officers were injured. The police were unable to board a foreign vessel, and summoned the British Consul-general. The ringleaders were arrested.

TRACKING CRIMINALS. . LONDON, May 7. kxCotland Yard is detaining a suspect oelieved to be wanted in Chicago, and aas wirelessed the formula of his finger prints to America.’ He is being held pending the Chicago criminal’s finger prints being wirelessed hack, which will establish or disprove his identity. 1 revious employment of the system resulted in the identification of a New York counterfeiter who absconded on bail. The leceiving bureau can reconstruct in five minutes from coded letters figures indicating the individual markings on the digits. TRAGEDY IN BALLROOM. GENEVA, May 12. In a crowded ballroom at the Kursaal, while many English and American people were present Mademoiselle Paraschiva, a pretty Rumanian, and formerly a danseuse at the Kursuaal, crossed the floor and beckoned to a wealthy young Swiss, Raymond Boissier. They had a few bitter words, and drew a revolver from her bag and shot Boissier dead. She then attempted to shoot herself, but was disarmed by other dancers. It is said that the girl loved Raymond, who sent a letter ending their friendship. THE ANGLICAN CHURCH. LONDON, May 9. Lieutenant-colonel Astbury introduced in the House of Commons a Bill to extend parishioners’ rights in respect to the presentation of church benefices. He quoted the disturbances at Darwen because an Anglo-Catholic had been forced upon an unwilling congregation. The Bill gave the Parochial' Council the power of veto if it disapproved of an appointment. Major Birchall opposed the Bill. He said the Church Assembly was the right body to deal with the matter. The Bill passed its first reading. THE SALVATION ARMY. LONDON, May 10. Ten thousand people were present at the laying of the foundation stone of the Salvation Army’s International Training College at Denmark Hill as a memorial to General William Booth. The memorial will cost £330,000, of which £250,000 has been subscribed. The site covers 74 acres, providing accommodation for 600 men and women students, who will live in hostels. The buildings were designed by Sir Giles Scott, architect for the Liverpool Cathedral. BRITAIN'S TRADE. LONDON, May 11. The Board of Trade returns show that the imports decreased £3.799,000, the exports increased £2.658.000, and the reexports decreased £859.000. The principal decreases in the imports were:—Grain and flour, £1,105.000; iion and steel manufactures, £932 000: rubber, £2,013,000; and in exports, coal £872,000. The increases in the imports were non-dutiable food and drink £1,202,000, and in exports cotton yarns manufactures £684.000 and vehicles £1,065,000. THE BELGIAN ARMY. LONDON, May 9. The Brussels correspondent of the Tinies states that a desire to build up a strong covering force for mobilisation and concentration inspires the Army Re organisation Bill, providing for no redne tion in the period of active service to eight months till 1931. This is applicable to three-fifths of the annual contingent of 41.500 men. Cyclist regiments, machine gun battalions, and other covering units will serve 12 instead of 10 months in order to protect the frontier throughout the year. Fortified point? will be formed on the Antwerp-Liege line, and at Verviers, Eupen, and M <l- - THE LEAGUE COUNCIL. GENEVA. May 9. The agenda for the council meeting on June 4 has been issued, and the main items are:—The opium question, the codification of international law, the proposed League wireless station, the PolishLithuanian dispute, and the St. Gothard , arms question. It is .understood that none is regarded as of sufficient importance to justify Sir Austen. Chamberlain’s presence. M. Briand will also bo absent, as his physicians have advised him to take a rest for two months. Dr Strcscmann is involved in the elections. The session will probably not last more than four or five days. DISSATIFIED BOERS. CAPETOWN, May 10. The South-west Assembly, which is composed of Germans and pro-Unionists, decided, on the casting vote of the chairman, to pass a vote of £50.000 for the settlement of the Angola Boers in the south-west. The union provided the money, but the Auditor-General insisted on Its adoption by the Assembly. The vote was discussed for seven hours, and the Administrator stressed his efforts to respect German sentiment. If they rejected the vote it might be interpreted as race prejudice. The Governor-General has now to order the vote to be passed. The Boers trekked after the war to the number of 1000, being dissatisfied with Portuguese conditions. They chiefly do

not recognise the medium of education in Northern Rhodesia. DIVIDED LABOUR. CAPETOWN, May 11. All efforts to bridge the gulf dividing the Labour Party have been abandoned, and the two factions have called confet cnees. The National Council, supported by the majority of branches, boidly proclaims that Mr F. H. P. Creswell, Minister of Defence, must go, and describes his summoning of a conference as a last desperate throw. Mr Oreswell adheres to the position that the council was irregularly elected by “ dud ” branches, and the forthcoming conference is asked to condemn the malpractices of the last three years, and to elect an emergency administration in an effort to save the party. Meanwhile the Nationalists are concerned with the fate of the pact in view of the imminence of tho general elections, and they demand an assurance that only one Labourite will be nominated for the allotted constituencies. WARSHIP AUSTRALIA. LONDON, May 7. The Australia is lying at Portsmouth. Nearby are the Iron Duke, the Roval Sovereign, and the Benbow, all of which are noticeably ot an older type, while Nelson’s Victory, which is within a stone’s throw, helps to emphasise the brightness, modernity, and spick-and-span, straight-lined appearance of the Australia. The company, of which 80 per cent, are Australians, is busily preparing for the preliminary cruise. All are delighted with the better accommodation for the ratings, which includes a recreation room, a punkah louvre, and forced ventilation system throughout, also a loud speaker for the transmission of orders from distant parts of the ship. The use of oil fuel is carried to such a length that even the galleys are oil heated. WASHINGTON, May 9. Sir Esme Howard, the British Ambassador, has advised that the warship Australia will visit Boston, New York, and Chesapeake Bay during August and September. BRITISH INDUSTRY. LONDON, May 11. Last year was industrially the nearest approach to normal since the war, states the annual report of the Ministry of Labour, and there was reason to believe that the problems of 1927 "were no longer merely an aftermath of the war, but were problems new to the industrial and commercial era. The average rate of unemployment was 9.6— the lowest since 1920, and there were three main causes—a substantial carryover owing to the coal strike, increased steadiness in industrial production, and an improvement in the export trade in certain directions. The working days lost through industrial disptffes were the . lowest since statistics were first available 40 years ago. It was feared that an appreciable number of miners would never regain regular employment. An important feature of 1927 was the interest taken by all sections of the community in industrial peace. Unemployment benefits paid totalled £30,747,420. REVISED PRAYER BOOK LONDON, May 10. “If the new book is passed all hope of church unity will be at an end.” said Bishop Barnes in a speech at a Birming ham meeting, at which the House of Commons was urged to reject the Prayer Book. The new proposals were substantially the same as the old. he said, and deserved the same fate. There was reason to fear that the grave evils eliminated at the Reformation might be reestablished. The book evaded the crucial issues and sought to compromise where compromise was impossible. It faced both ways. If the reservation became church law it would revive the belief that there was a peculiar virtue in the holy water given to a dying man. Such a belief was foolish. Anglo-Catholic abuses would be permitted, and a bishop would bo powerless to enforce his decisions. The threat of a disestablishment campaign if the book wore rejected could be ignored. He suggested a moderate noncontentious revision and simplification of the old book, adapting it to modern needs without the revival of superstitious practices. Concurrently, a measure should be introduced for the restoration of order within the church. RABBITS IN ENGLAND. LONDON, May 7. The House of Commons read a second time a Rabbits Bill to enable the authorities to exterminate rabbits when their depredations become serious. Members, however, found the Bill most difficult to debate with becoming seriousness. Mr T. Johnston supported the Bill, adding that a good remedy for rabbits would be to encourage poaching. Major-general Sir Newton Moore said that the rabbit in Australia had once been treated as a nuisance, but it was now a source of wealth. Some of the best canned chicken from Australia was realty rabbit.— (Laughter.) Mr F. A. Macquistcn said three of the worst nuisances in the highlands were bracken, rabbits and steamboat traffic. The horse did less damage than rabbits did. Mr J. Wheatley interjected: “Are you ref ering to the electric hare?”— (Laughter.}

Mr Walter Guinness, on behalf of the Government, said that there was. no denial of the damage done to agriculture by rabbits. The only opposition Was regarding methods, and the Bill was read a second time without division. BUCKINGHAM PALACE. LONDON, May 8. The first Court at Buckingham Palace was most brilliant. The royal circle included their Majesties, the Prince of Wales, Princess Mary, and the Puke and Duchess of York. The Queen’s dress, which was the admiration of the whole Court, was of cream lace, hand embroidered, cut crystal and diamante train, Irish point lace, lined with good chiffon Her diamonds included the famous Koh-i-noor. The Duchess of York wore a white fleur de soie gown, with an embroidered satin train. The gowns worn showed greatly regained grace. The skirts were lo n S e \ and fuller. The materials were of ths lightest and most delicate. Many debutantes wore pale colours, but white and silver gowns, were numerous, mostly with slimly fitting bodices, long frilled skirts, and tul},e or chiffon lace. Simple em broidered taffeta gowns, with a sash or ■huge bow at the hipstf were plentiful, and showed that Victorian fashions are returning, including bouquets. Many o tho older women wore draped brocade trains which were lace mounted, chiffon, or georgette. Other materials were exquisitely embroidered. THE CHANNEL COLLISION. LONDON, May 9. The second mate of the Joannis Fafalios, giving evidence at the inquest on the two victims of the wreck, said that there was a thick fog, and a number of whistles was heard round about. The engines were stopped five minutes before the collision. The vessel kept her course and exchanged blasts. they, had not seen any vessel until they saw the Bacchus a few yards away. The captain of the Bacchus said that the vessel was doing five knots, and e changed her course three times on hearing blasts, now on this side and now on° that. When 'the Greek steamer loomed up in the fog he reversed the engines. The other crossed him at an excessive speed. He tried to avoid her but failed. He stopped the engines hoping to lock the vessels together, but the other’s speed pulled her out and she sank. j A verdict death was returned. _ On May 4 the Greek steamer Joannis Fafalios ‘(3122 tons) was rammedl by the naval supplies ship Bacchus (2000 tons) off Dorset, and sank. Ten Greeks were drowned, including the captain and the chief officer, and two others died after their rescue at sea. DISEASES IN ENGLAND. LONDON, May 11. “ Five and a-half million weeks’ work were lost owing to rheumatism in England last year. The cost in the loss of wages and medical attention was £17,000,000,” said Sir Walter Kinnear at the medical authorities’ conference at Bath. Sir George Newman declared that children’s acute rheumatism was sowing the seeds of a growing harvest of diseases of the heart and nerves. Doctors were unaware of its real cause, but since it started at the school age it was then that they must explore it. The first line of defence against rheumatism said Dr Richard Llewellyn, Governor of the National Hospital for Rheumatism at Bath, in an address at the Bath Conference, is that people should be trained to resist weather changes. People need hardening, not coddling. He recommended cold baths, but sufferers might try alternating hot and cold applications. Municipalities should establish hot and cold showers. Professor Vining, Leeds University, denied the wholesale removal of tonsils. Adenoids was preventive. Rheumatism was due primarily to dietetic deficiencies, and the first and foremost necessity was a well-balanced food diet from childhood. CATTLE INFECTION. LONDON, May 8. In the House of Lords, Lord Ernie moved that all refrigerated meat from countries where foot-and-mouth disease exists «hould be placed in cold storage at the pert of landing in Britain, and not released for sale for 21 days or a lesser sanctioned period. He said that research showed that the virus of foot-and-mouth disease remained in the blood of slaughtered animals for 40 days, and he suggested that action was necessary to protect the flocks and herds. Lord Kylsant, opposing the motion, said that it would be a hardship to the majority of people, who would have to nut up with dearer and inferior meat. Lord Novar said that the proposal required the gravest consideration. The Earl of Stradbroke agreed that the proposal would have to be carefully considered. Experiments showed that the virus of the disease remained in the bones of the carcass for 76 days. The voyage from South America occupied 21 days, and even an additional 21 days in cold storage would not destroy all traces, while chilled meat would only keep in good condition for 40 days. He contended that the proposal would reduce chilled meat to the value, of frozen meat. The Research Committee had already arranged with the Argentine to ensure the healthfulness of carcasses exported. Agriculturists must trust in the

Government’s steps to suppress the incidence of foot-and-mouth disease. Lord Ernie withdrew his motion. INDUSTRY AND TRADE. ' ’ RUGBY, May 8. The Committee of Industry and Trade to-day published the fifth of six volumes on its researches. It deals with iron and steel engineering, electrical manufacturing, and shipbuilding industries. In maintaining that in no country in the world is steel produced of so good a quality as the British article, it is admitted .that the British practice may be behind that of particular Continental countries, but l>oth in ordinary iron and steel and special kinds the British article bolds the field for quality, so that it is suggested that it would not necessarily be advantageous for the British manufacturers to establish in this country very large plants for the mass production of the common qualities of steel products. It is declared that the position of the industry is improving, the committee being convinced that this country has got back to its normal state of the steady increase that obtained before 1914.

It is noted that the motor industry is improving, and that this country is likely to lead the world in the production of motor cycles, the only serious competitor being the United States. Britain also leads in pedal cycles, Germany coming next.

Great progress has been made since tne war in electrical manufacturing. The output of cables has been greater since the war than before, and the. export of telegraph and telephone instruments and apparatus has increased tenfold since 1913. The export of electric lamps has more than doubled in the same period. In the committee’s opinion Britain has regained her supremacy in shipbuilding. The tonnage launched in 1927 rose to nearly 54 per cent, of the world’s output.

FORTUNATE FRANCE. LONDON, May 9. Dean Inge, in an article in the* Evening Standard, discusses which is the best country for civilised people to live in. He says that, on the whole, Europe is the only part of the world where there are no deserts, and it is the most favoured continent. It is not an accident that Europeans have taken the lead in civilisation. People in the countries round the North Sea, and their offshoots in America, Australia, and elsewhere, own three-quarters of the wealth of the world, and eleven-twelfths of the steamships, produce nine-tenths of the manufactures, and control twothirds of the earth’s habitable territory. A rough circle, including England, Scotland, France, North Italy, South Norway, Sweden, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, and Germany comprised the most civilised part of the Old World. The healthiest countries are the Scandinavian lands, England, and Holland, and the new countries wherein their people have settled. It is a striking fact, however we may try to explain it, that the low death rate extends even to Iceland, which few choose as a health resort. Australia and New Zealand seem actually the healthiest countries in-the world.

A good case could be made out for England as the finest country in the world to live in, but on the whole he would give the palm to France, which has a larger area, a more varied climate, and an open side to the Mediterranean. He knew of no country to which Nature had been quite so bountiful. Even Englishmen must also admit that if civilisation is the art of making the most of life, the French have cultivated it more than any other nation in the world.