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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9640, 15 January 1903, Page 4

The Trappers' Union, which was formed m November, has made rapid strides m the south fioiin its inception, and now numbers over 200 members. It is thought tJiat the trappers will see their way to form a co-operative association, nnd conduct tlie whole of their export business m the future themselves. The frozen rabbit export trade consists of 5,000,000 rabbits wu.t Home annually, which return to the exporters about £200,000. Tine trappers contend that they have only received some £75,000 of this, and fcliat the. balance has gone m charges and profit*. It is confidently expected that this season, under the* proposed agreement, tut least another £30.000 will find its way into the pockets of the trappers. An erstwhile resident of Wellington, writing from Auckland to a friend, says : "Riding about m the new electric cars is a great game here.. It is nothing unusual for a family party to g-eit into a car ami ride back and forward the full length of the route several times. The service is a huge success, and very popular. For a penny you can go a distance equal, say, j to a. section from Thcvndon iei-miiius to your Opera House m Manners sUvot. At night each car makes a great illumination as it threads the street. In the busiest, parts of the day you get a car m any direction every live minutes, and have the choice of I. wo routes — one taking 10 minutes, and the other (through Ponsonby road) 15 minutes." In an optimistic review of Auckhind commercial progress m 1902, the Weekly News remarks that "as the value of kauri for building and other purposes, and its favorable comparison with rimu, becomes more and move widely known, the southern demand for the nwrtliern. timber goes on. steadily increasing. This development would appear to be not without its accompanying disadvantage, for the pupur remarks: "A great leakage is beginning to appear m. the Kaipara (Auckland, West Coast) trtde, owing to the increasing tendency of storekeepers to get their requirements direct from the south by re- , turning timber sailers, the freight being ; less tlian by steamers from Auckland." King Edward paid Lily Langtry the unusual compliment of requesting a special ! performance of her play, "Tlie Crewsways," at heir theatre the other night. It was not a command performance, as tlie public was admitted. The Court notice said : "Their Majestic* the King and Queen have graciously consented to honor Mrs Lang try by their presence." There was a large demand for tickets, and there was little mom m the pit. The gallery ■was reserved for the Royal servants. This is the. first time their Majesties have given a public notification, of their attending a theatra It was the first time the Queen has witnessed a Laugtry performance since her debut. This Royal recognition is expected to boom Mrs Lang-try's impending American tour. London is m the grip of a fish trust that is a,s brutal hi its methods as any trust elsewhere. Every day it causes to be thrown away hundreds of tons of fish rather than, have a glut m. the mairket that would reduce, even for a day, the exorbitant prices for fish maintained by the Billingsgate dealers. The Fishmongers' Company is one of the richest and most powerful guilds m London. Its word is law to the trade, with tlie result tluit the common fish with which, the waters about England swarm ore maintained at a- price that makes fish ii luxury to the poor of London. Recently, when millions of herring were landed at Grimsby and were being sold there at id a. dozen, the Billingsgate fish trust was demanding 6d a dozen for the smaller fish. Chris l'cliurcli Truth, severely animadverts on the recent defence force reorganisation. It says there is no better soldier m. New Zealand, and certainly no more honest and fearless officer, than Colonel Newall. He is not yet over the age laid down for retirement, and is actually younger than the man who is to succeed him. Truth says: "The fact is, a position is to be found for Colonel Porter somewhere, and LieuteiKint-Colonel Newall is to be sacrificed." In a needlessly violent and obviously partisan article, it alleges favoritism on the Premier's part, and, concluding, says: — "If the Government were m earnest m. its desire to cvi down the enormous expenditure of tins Department, it would first get rid of the large number of hangers-on who are employed m doing nothing m tlie vicinity of the head office Time must hang 1/envily on their hands, for it is admitted that there is no work for a great maaiy of them to do. They are young men, Who might make useful ploughmen msatisfactory waiters, but wlio are the completest of failures m then- present positions."