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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8417, 17 January 1899, Page 3

Many people nilmirccl tlio graphic description of the Boiulau campaign which appeared in the London Standard from its special correspondent. Tlie writer was .Mr Maxwell, and it was his first attempt as war correspondent. Afterwards he went with the Kaiser through Palestine, lie has just returned to town, and the Standaid, in its usual generous way, has recognised his good woik by giving him a cheque for £2000 for the campaign, exclusive of expenses. — Western Mail. There was a great commotion at the Melbourne Operu House the other night when a tug-ot-war between C. A. (Sampson, the strong man, and fourteen men came on. Sampson had issued a challenge to pull 14 men or forfeit £100. Mr Adams, a Port Melbourne stevedore, got together a team of 14 men of muscle, who are accustomed to lumping on the wharves, anil when they appeared on the stage they were greeted with loud applause. A hitch then arose as to how the pull should take place, .Sampson desiring to pull them in two sections with a crow bar. They agreed, and Sampson then objecteil to the presence on the stage of Mr Adams. . The latter refused to go off, and as .Sampson was equally determined a deadlock ai ose, the audience making a gre.it noise ami using uncomplimentary epithets against Sampson. The result was that the whole affair fizzled out. Fearful weather is being experienced, writes " Winnower" in the Hawera Star, and during the past week great damage has been sustained throughout the district The showery windy weather has wrought havoc with the heavy growth, oat crops suffering the most, and from all quarters come accounts that the crops are badly laid. The loss to the district during the past week has been enormous, nearly every farmer being affected. Wheat is a good deal knocked about, but it is better able to withstand the rough weather than oats, and in the heavier wheat crops I hear of damage having been done. Rye grass is having a bad time, and in the bush liarvesting is being carried on under the greatest disadvantages owing to the very broken ■weather. The broken weather at haymaking time has caused many to become disgusted with trying to save hay, and they have bestowed attention on silage. More ensilage has been put down this year than ever Mas the case before, some farmers having up to and over a hundred acres in stacks. Some of the late haymakers are still trying to get their crops in, but it is hardly worth bothering with now. " One of the worst summers we have experienced," is the local verdict on the present weather. The voyage from London to Dunedin of the barque Lilla, which arrived last week, was marked by two incidents of a singular character. The occurrence of both on the same day was probably a unique experience. On the 28th October the Lilla was boarded by the master of the British \ barque Partia, which had a cargo of coal from Cardiff for Talcahuano, Chili. The master stated he feared fire in his cargo, and having broken his thermometer through the intense heat, asked to be supplied with another. Captain Kasch, of Uie Lilla, at once supplied the want, and the master of the Partia returned to his vessel after the usual interchange of mid-sea courtesies. But this incident was supplemented on the evening of the same day by another. The chronometer of the Lilla ceased to work, and though Captain Kasch used his utmost endeavor to get the instrument into working order, lie failed in the attempt. Knowing the impracticability of attempting to take his ship to ' her destination without the aid of proper instruments, he lowered away a boat in i charge of the chief officer, and asked for and obtained another chronometer from the Partia, and was thus enabled to navigate his vessel safely into port. The trusts of the United States have long been a public scandal, but in spite of the Anti-Trust Law they continue to grow. A recent estimate which has been made of their capital shows that it amounts to nearly £541,000,000 sterling. About half of this enormous sum is represented by nine trusts, the other half being spread over more than sixty other combinations. The nine are formed of the gas trusts, the leading one of which number fourteen, and have a total capitalisation of close on £87,000,000; the steel and iron trusts, which are ten in number, with a total capitalisation of some £70,000,000, one company of which alone has an authorised capital stock of £40,000,000 ; the coal "combines " five in number, with a total capitalisation of close on £33,000,000; the oil trusts, whose four companies have a capitalisation^ £31,000,000 ; the electrical combinations, whoso total capitalisation is more than £60,000,000 ; the sugar trusts, with a capital of £23,000,000; the cigarette and tobacco trusts, whose capital is over £21,000,000; the alcohol or whisky trust, which exceeds £13,000,000 ; and the telephone trust, which controls the lines of the United States through practically five companies, and whose capital is close on £12,000,000. What the actual value of the property covered by the stocks and bonds of these companies is it would be difficult to say, bin- the figures show to what an extent the abuse has spread, and the dangers that are involved to the community by this unrestrained centralising ot capital.