OUR LONDON LETTER

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1929, Page 18 (Supplement)

OUR LONDON LETTER

NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND.

INDIA AND THE ARMY. London, Nov. 7. A significant feature of the Indian situation will be the report of the Central Committee on Modifications in the Constitution of India, which has been working' side by side with the Simon Commission. This report is already printed. I learn on excellent authority that certain recommendations have been made. Complete provincial autonomy, with its corollary’ of full financial control is recommended with, inter alia, the desire for each province to be represented in the Bouse l of Commons. .This latter suggestion is quite novel and shows that at least some moderate Indian intellectuals .‘.wish to Maintain -relationship with the Empire. But the nine native members are credited with a recommendation for constituting entirely native armed forces under native officers, to operate for the time being with British troops, but, after reaching a state of efficiency, to take over most of the duties now performed by the British Army. This is a startling recommendation, showing the temper of the Indian members, but it will not be approved by our own military authorities. SCRAPPING WARSHIPS. There is a strong belief in service circles that when the four battleships of the Queen Elizabeth class have been transferred from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Fleet, the Third Battle Squadron will disappear, the ships forming it being passed into reserve. That squadron has already been reduced to nearly half its original strength, and what will really happen to the balance is impossible to forecast in these days of rigid economy. That reductions are contemplated is made manifest by the various orders which have been issued from Whitehall restricting recruiting for the naval service, not only for the lower deck, but in respect of the special entries for commissioned rank. It is expected that the > Dartmouth entries also will shortly be curtailed in numbers. These reductions of personnel would indicate that the Admiralty has decided on a policy of scrapping more warships in the near future. THE. ROY AL DOCKYARDS. The Government is still strangely silent about the alternative work promised for the Royal Dockyards. The “stand fast” ordered en the new construction programme a few months since has certainly saved money to the Treasury, but on the other hand it has caused a good deal of despair in those national establishments. Fortunately there is an unusually large amount of overhauling and reconditioning in hand at the moment, but the vessels concerned are nearing completion of their refit, and then the yards will find themselves virtually idle. Each has suggested schemes by which they might •be kept employed, but to all appearances they have been pigeon-holed in Whitehall. There can be little doubt that one of the three establishments eventually will be closed down, and the general belief in naval circles is that Chatham will be singled out. FINANCIAL BEAU GESTE.

The reduced bank rate took even well-informed, city bankers by surprise. Not only is this a most unusual time to reduce the bank rate, even by j per cent., when payments for America’s autumnal wheat and cotton shipments are in progress, but it was generally believed, since the rise of six weeks ago was made to meet a grave emergency and against strong protests, no further change would be likely for some little time. But the Wall Street crisis has, possibly cn some agreement regarding future gold shipments, overruled what was undoubtedly settled policy, and the Bank of England’s action must be viewed as almost in the nature of a financial beau geste. Considering what serious effects America's reekless and immoral stock gambling orgiO 'produced here, and to industry generally, our move to ease Wall

Street’s dilemma must be voted rather handsome.

POPULARITY OP CIVIL AVIATION. A remarkably big leap forward has been made in civil aviation during the last 12 months. Upyvards of 100 per eent. more pilots’ licenses have been issued than last year, and the steadily increasing popularity of the light aeroplane for private use has coincided with the continued growth of the light aeroplane clubs which are being established in all parts of the country. These are fully occupied in giving daily instruction in flying, and at the week-ends there are far more pupils than can be accommodated at the different schools. The Prince of Wales, as everybody knows, is the private owner of a Moth. The car is painted in the dark red and dark blue colours of the Household Brigade, of whose flying club the Prince is an active member. WHEN KING EDWARD LAUGHED. Dr. Cosmo Gordon Lang, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has just kept his 65th birthday. A'good talc is told of his Grace, as Archbishop of York, having to appear at a council held by King Edward in full archiepiscopal robes. The late Lord Northcote, a-very diminutive man, was attending the same council on his return from his Australian Governor-Generalship. As the Primate was retiring after kissing the Sovereign’s hands, he backed into- Lord Northcote, totally unaware that the latter, owing to his size, had become entangled in his vestments. The contretempts afforded King Edward intense amusement. His Majesty remarked afterwards that lie wondered on which side Lord Northcote would come out. THE NEW .LONDON. It is an amusing fact that Londoners themselves do not realise how London is changing. It is- the occasional visitor from the provinces or coming to town perhaps after an absence of some years, who immediately potices the difference. The’ truth is/ London is being rebuilt. It is not only the business premises in the city or the West End palaces of fashion that are af-’ fcctcd/' birt : eveh ,f; the residential sub-, ■ .a £. 4 D- /a

1 urbs as well. In fact the Great War is doing K now what, the Great'. Fire did in the time of Tepys. London is being rebuilt at a cost of £40,0-00,000 a year, a figure which indicates the huge, extent of the transformation. We still have the Tower, of course, and the Abbey, but the Wren churches and Adams ceilings are now oases in a desert of ferro-concrete. FORGOTTEN FESTIVALS. Guy Fawkes Day is an example of a major anniversary being crowded out by a minor one. We celebrate November 5 with fireworks because Guy. Fawkes failed to do what our western front armies always hoped the Germans might succeed in doing. But on that same day, in 1688, a Brixhani fisherman carried ashore jn Torbay William of Orange. This was an event of far greater historical importance, than the Gunpowder Plot. But it lacks the picturesque appeal of Guy Fawkes’ fiasco, and is not associated with squibs and Catherine wheels. Namesakes and descendants of the fisherman .who bore the Orange King on his back still live round Torbay, and Mr. Eden Philpotts, in one of his books, made remarkably free with the family.’ The landing is commemorated on Brixham Quay by a statue, which has been described as “the funniest in England.” DOYEN OF DOCTORS. After 22 years as principal of Glasgow University, a post that is by no means a sinecure. Sir Donald Mac Alister is to succeed the late Lord Rosebery as its Chancellor. This distinguished academician is a doctor, and for a quarter of a century .has been president of the General Medical Council, the governing body of the medical profession. He. is a remarkable personality, with an extraordinary flair for languages. It is said that he can converse in 18 different tongues. He is now 75, and has no heir, so that, if rumour proves true and a peerage is bestowed in recognition of his eminent services, the title will not survive him. Critics of the General Medical Council, who regard it as somewhat old-fashioned, make no sort of impression on Sir Donald’s sturdy Scottish independence. APROPOS RAT WEEK. Next to London I suppose Liverpool sutlers most from rat depredations. Along the dock warehouses rats swarm, and eat millions worth of goods. Liverpool Corporation keeps on its -regular staff professional rat-catchers, who in some cases own their private cars. The fraternity of rat-catchers is older and more mysterious, but just as hereditary as ehimney-sweeps. They have their trade secrets, which none but themselves may learn. Years ago 1 watchI ed a ship’s rat-catcher taking Jive rats ’ out of a huge funnel-trap and putting I them into a sack. He took. them one at a time with his naked hand, and, when I expressed amazement, told me gravely it was quite safe so long as more than one rat remained in the trap. If he attempted to remove the last one in that way, it would bite his hand to pieces. NEW STYLE. This may be the age of advertisement, but not in sartorial effects. Nowadays no profession dresses the part i except perhaps the church, and even clergymen try to camouflage themselves so far as possible. Harley Street specialists, who used to wear severe frock coats or morning dress, now see their patients in rough sporting tweeds. Even actors and journalists avoid advertising their vocation. Most literary men try to look like Guards officers in mufti. Only to-day, on my way to lunch with a country cousin, we ran into Mr. Nelson Keys. I pointed out the famous little actor to my companion, but he was dreadfully disappointed. Not that he did not recognise the great comedian’s face, but he expected something Bohemian, whereas Mr. Neison Keys was wearing a brown lounge suit and dark bowler, and looking just like the average city man. His hair was short enough to pass muster on an Army parade ground. No West End actor today would consent to look “stagey.'’ SULLIVAN-CORBETT FIGHT ECHO. Charles Noel, owner of the New Orleans Olympic Club, has just died in that city at the age of 65. Noel, it may be recalled by veteran fight enthusiasts, was the promoter of the fight between John L. Sullivan and James L. Corbett in 1892, which ended in Corbett winning the world's heavyweight championship. It was also at the Olympic Club —under the management of Noel —that the celebrated bout between young Grillo and Andy Bowen took place. This latter contest, besides furnishing a ring classic, had the additional distinction of being the longest bout in the history of glove fighting, lasting 125 rounds. SLUMP IN ENGLISH RUGBY. Everybody is talking about the poor quality of the Rugby football which has been and is being shown by English clubs this season. The famous London teams seem to bo under a cloud, and a well-known critic assures me that the most attractive side in town is London Welsh. That, of course, does not help the English selectors, who ; are ; scouring the country looking for potential internationals —so far without much success. Even Oxford and Cambridge seem to be both, below their usual standard. A member of the English selection committee told me the other day that no single player who figured in the English team last season was sure of his place.