NEWS BY CABLE AND MAIL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16662, 16 February 1925, Page 8

NEWS BY CABLE AND MAIL

STILL BEHIND SYDNEY

MELBOURNE. Feb. 4.—The population of Melbourne, .though it increased by 34,150- during- ,1924, is still 121,000 behind siat of Sydney, FAMOUS LONDON BRIDGE. REBUILDIXG N ECESSARV. (.LONDON, Feb. 3.—The London County Council hsu decided completely to re-build! Waterloo bridge, which has shown marked signs of subsidence, and to discard the existing itones. MAN TRAI.TJ,.. BY FLAMES. * . DEATH JN .BURNING HOUSE. .MELBOURNE, Feb. 4.—Leslie Forer, 24, was burned to death in a tiro ,which destroyed his father’s house at Donald early this morning. Frank Forer, another sou, was awakened by an explosion and found the rear of the house in flames- He aroused the occupants, but, Leslie was trapped. UPROAR IN ASSEMBLY. A CALCUTTA INCIDENT. , CALCUTTA, Feb. s.—Uproar followed a “breeze” in the Imperial Assembly to-day, when the Home Minister warmly repudiated what might be called the suggestion of a member from Bengal that the Government had manufactured and circulated (he revolutionary pamphlets, which recently created a sensation throughout the country, by their suggestions of terrorism and murder of officials. ’ The House was eventually called to order by the President. ; - THRIFT DEPOSITS. NATIONAL BANK’S NEW SCHEME. SYDNEY, Feb. s.—The National Bank of Australasia, Ltd., has decided to receive small deposits, known as “thrift deposits.” The practice represents a new departure in the ordinary routine of banking. The deposits are accepted in the following amounts: £4 15 9 buys £5 in 1 year. 17 6 buys lin 3 years. 47 0 buys 5 in. 3 years. 8 14 0 buys 10 in 3 years. Interest in each cas.e is cumulative, .and is at, the rate of approximately 4|d per cent, per annum. Since the deposits are purchase-utile in small amounts,..they .should appeal to the average person of moderate means. Any scheme which aims at the encouragement, of thrift in the community is deserving of commendation. EXPLOSION OF FILM.

MILLION FEET DESTROYED

THIEVES CLOSE”"BEHIND FIRE. MELBOURNE, Feb. 3.—ln a destructive flash, a million feet of film, worth £20,000, was destroyed at Bourke House, Bourke street, about 1 o’clock this morning. The top floor of the building looked as though an ammunition dump had exploded there. The damage is estimated by Posner Bros., the owners, at about £IO,OOO. ' Spontaneous combustion is believed to have caused tile film, to catch fire. A violent explosion scattered broken glass over several hundred yards. The windows of buildings opposite looked as if they had been peppered by a machinegun. The roof of the King’ Theatre was singed slightly. Pillagers followed quickly on the fire, and tena'rits all report losses. COMMUNICATION BY AIR. FUTURE POSSIBILITIES. CALCUTTA, Feb. 2.—Major-General Sir William Brancker (Director of Civic Aviation), who has recovered from the illness which detained him at. Calcutta, reached Rangoon by boat to-day. He declared that lie would fly hack to England after a further consultation with the Government of India in regard' to an air service between England and India, with extensions to Australia and Hie Straits Settlements. . Major-General Brkhcker is very optimistic as to possibility of a servico between the West find the East at a. very early date, though he admitted that they had got to learn by, experience the effects on such a service of the monsoons. Captain Cohhain, who is now in Calcutta, will fly his aeroplane to Rangoon to-morrow to rejoin Major-General Brancker. LIBERALS’ “INQUEST.” LEADERS SHAKE HANDS. DRAMATIC CLOSING SCENE! LONDON, Feb. 3.—-With Mr Asquith and Mr Lloyd George shaking hands before 2000 cheering delegates, the Liberal Cqnyeiitiqii which, its. enemies had dubbed the “grand inquest on the Liberal Party,” concluded in tumultuous fashion at the Kingsway Hall, in the highest apparent unity.,. Mr Asquith said: “I have led the Liberal Party for seventeen years, and have not yet resigned tlie post. (Cheers,) Retirement after forty years in politics is not unattractive to a man of severitythree, who is bound 1 to hear more .clearly the rumbling ot the wheels of Time’s winged chariot. “1. deemed, it iny duly to take advantage of iny gracious Sovereign’s oner of an earldom and to carry on.” Mr Lloyd George, dramatically facing air Asquith said: “I am convinced tbiit your leadership is, essential to preserve Liberal unity,.anil I therefore support, it. We have had no difference of opinion on Liberal policy, least of all personal differences.” (Cheers.) When told that profograpliers were waiting, Mr Asquith, Mr Lloyd George «mi Sir Donald McLfean rose frtriu their chairs. • The photographer convulsed the meeting by peremptorily shouting: “Only "Mr Asquith,’ please !” , “BLASE AND BORED.” MARIE LOHR’-S HUSBAND STOPS “SNOWSTORM.” LONDON, Feb. 4.—Mr. Anthony Prinscp, the London manager, has declared war on the theatrical “deadheads” who, because of 'social status or other influence, obtain free stalls for first-night performances at most theatres. “I am charging,” ho says, “24s for stalls and ,17s for dress circle seats for the first night of Offenbach's ‘The Grand Duchess,’ Opening at the Globe on February 20. v There will be no first-night list of free seats, and .1 hope by this means to keep out of my theatre those Who think they Wave a sort of prescriptive right to a free seat for every first night. ‘ ‘ TIRED OF THEM. ’ ’ “There are about four hundred of these first-nighters' in London, and I’m tired of most, of. them. They come to the theatre blase and bored, their palates jaded by years of firstnigh ting. They are predisposed to criticise adversely, and many of them

are totally• incapable of judging, the merits of a new play,, (merely wanting to be present for the sake of saying ‘ We, were present.’ “They wouldn’t dream of going to a theatre except on a first night, and they go abotit belittling what they have seen and doing all the harm they can. I’m fed up with, them!”

PECULIAR SAILING HAPPENINGS. HORART, Feb. 4.-A. peculiar incident, happened at the Hobart regatta. During the sailing of the trading vessels 'race, Captain Jack Langford was at the helm of the Thames, arid when negotiating the buoy the bowsprit of (lie Birnguoa, following on, caught, Langford, sweeping him on to the deck of the Rirngana. His Vessel had to be sailed by a substitute for the rest of the race. ROBBERY WELL STAGED. FIRE DRAWS FAMILY- FROM HOME. AND THIEVES MAKE A GOOD HAUL. ADELAIDE, Feb, 3.—Previous indications that an expert gang of housebreakers has been operating in the metropolitan area, were strengthened at the week-end by a, theft from the home of Mr. J. Payne, a. chaff merchant, of Payneham. The theft was committed in circumstances which show remarkable resource* fulness. Afr. Payne and members of Iris family were startled by an outbreak of fire at about nine o’clock in a far corner of tlie property adjoining the house. _ The fire had started in dangerous proximity to a large stack of hay. Mr. Payne and his wife, with the aid of two men already on the scene, extifiguished tlie flames in , about ton. minutes, arid (hen retired to bed.

On. Saturday morning, Mr. Payne discovered that, a, gladstone bag, with a cash-box containing £157 17s in cash find cheques, was missing. The robbery,. apparently, had been carefully planned and the thieves must have known, the house and the domestic conditions.

SYDNEY PASSES MILLION MARK. STORY OF RAPID PROGRESS. SYDNEY, Feb. 3,—The population of Sydney and suburbs lias passed the million mark. At the end Of last veiir it was estimated officially to he 1,003,5fi0. Sydney now takes a place among, a. score of other cities of the world whose population exceeds 1,000,000, and, ranking next to Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, it is the third largest city in the southern hemisphere. A special report, issued by .the Government: Statistician (Air H. A. Smith) states that the area covered in. the estimate covers 385 square miles, including the city, 40 of the - surrounding municipalities, arid Kuring-gai Shire. Within the short: space of 13(1 years Sydney has developed into one of the principal cities of the globe. The real period of growth, however, has been much shorter than that, for it; Was not until 1862 that the first 100,000 was attained. While this beginning occupied 47 years, the remaining 000,000 have been added in 62 years, f . ; The fate of growth lias beeri increasing rapidly, for the second 1)00,000 was added, to the metropolitan popu-j latum iii 22 years, arid the second andthird 250,000 each occupied 11 years.