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Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14132, 11 February 1910, Page 2

Tho officers of the Ruapehu, which arrived at Wellington on Tuesday from Loudon, report that a look-out was kept for signs of the missing AVanitah. Despite their vigilance, not a trace of tho liner was observed, nor was any ice sighted during tho run across the Southern Ocean.

Tho remarkable popularity of roller skating was shown by the fact that at the second meeting of Rinking, Limited, the company, which controls the Empire Rink at Earl’s Court, a dividend, of 25 per cent, on the preference shares and 75 per cent, on tho ordinary shares was declared. The Now Plymouth Homing Pigeon Club opened its season for young birds yesterday with a race from Blthnm. The weather conditions were favourable and good times wore recorded the winner flying the 29 miles in 51 minutes. Thirty-four birds wore liberated and the following was tho result:—V. H. Roale’s All Blue, time 41tuin., velocity 1224yds. Oft. 3in,, 1; W. Francis’ Governor, time 41-lmin., velocity 1207yds. Ift. 4in., 2; J. Sparkes’ Leopard, time 41|inin,, velocity 1205 yds. Ift. 10in., 3.’ / Messrs. John M'Loan and Thomas Walsh, multi-millionaires, have both been made grandfathers by the birth of a son to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Beale M'Lean, the later being formerly Miss Evelyn Walsh. Mr. and Mrs. M'Lean, parents of the hoy, are tho only children of the multi-millionaires, and tho little newcomer (the London Telegraph says) is thus heir to the combined M'Lean and Walsh fortunes. The wealth of Mr. John M'Lean is estimated on a moderate, basis at £5,000,000,and that of Mr. Thomas Walsh’at £10,000,000.

An addition of 25 per cent, to tho graduated land tax will b© charged this year, for the first time, on properties of an unimproved value of £4O,GUO and over, under the Laud and Income' Assessment Act of 1908. The increase applies to all land “other than business premises,” which are defined as “any piece of land included within the area of a building used for business purposes, together with such additional land as immediately adjoins the said building, and is used and occupied in connection therewith, and docs not exceed in extent the area of the building itself.” When tho same person is the owner both of business promises and of other land, graduated land tax will bo assessed in respect of the whole of such business promises and other laud without the increase of 25 per cent., and this increase will then be calculated only on tho amount of graduated land tax that would be payable by him if ho wore not the owner of business premises.

Some interesting theatrical libel suits are likely to he heard at an early date.. Mr. Albert Goldie is claiming £2OOO from Mr. Hugh J. Ward, owing to statements circulated by the aotormanagor reflecting on Mr. Goldie, his former business manager. Tho action is sot down for trial at Sydney next month. Mr. Allan Hamilton has issued a writ for £IOOO against Melbourne Table Talk, consequent on its strictures regarding the temporary disbandment of the Hamilton-Max _Maxwell Dramatic Company. A similar writ has heon served on .the Bulletin. Both of these newspapers offered a retraction, otc., but Mr. Hamilton declined any compromise, owing to what ho characterises as their grossly libellous statements. A Bendigo paper was also “in tho soup,” but as its statements were not so serious, and the plaintiff’s solicitor was satisfied with the explanation tendered, a compromise was accepted. Tho Table Talk and Bulletin oases are set down for trial at Sydney in March. The balance sheet of tho Westport Coal Company for the year ended December 81 shows that the profits for the year, after providing for had and doubtful debts, depreciation, and all charges, including cost of tho Millorton fire, amount to £80,414 Us 2d, to which must be added tho sum of £10,166 19s 6d brought forward from tho previous year, making available a total of £40,581 13s Bd. The dividend for tho year, 7s per share, and bonus of Is 9d per share, together absorb £35,000, leaving £5581 13s 8d to bo canned forward. The profit and loss account shows profit on steamers, hulks, depots, etc,, £16,683 8s 4d, profit on coal account, after providing for debts, _ depreciation and cost of mine fire £25,414 8s 6d. The expenses of management amounted to £4459 10s Cd, vales and taxes £6054 19s 2d, and contribution to accident funds under Coal Mines Act £ll6B 7s. The assets of the company include property £317.085 4s 3d, sundry debtors ,£80,945 6s 3d, bills receivable £1.066 5s ■ 2d, investments £30,275 12s lOd, sinking fund £30,000, and cash £30,394 5s lOd.

An inquiry into the recent fire at the Rutland Hotel was held at Wanganui on Wednesday. The verdict was: “The jury find that the fire was caused by an accidental exjilosion through an accumulation of coal gas, but there is no evidence to show how the gas escaped.” “The wives and children are the people I pity in those troubles,” remarked Judge Rogers in the Sydney Industrial Court, speaking of the coal strike. “1 don’t know whether womanhood suffrage is in existence in regard to these Labour organisations ; but it appears to mo that the wives have to bear the brunt of the suffering without having any voice in deciding whether there shall be a strike. This is a case of taxation without representation. I shouldn’t be surprised at anyone becoming a suffragette in such circumstances.”

Speaking,to a reporter, the Hon. G. Fowlds said that from what he could gather during his recent visit to Canterbury business generally appeared to 1)0 very satisfactory’. The prospects of getting in the harvest in reasonably fair condition had (he contineud) much improved in the last few days. Whilst hero and there certain districts had suffered pretty badly as a result of wet weather, reports which he had got from as far down as Rakaiu showed that there was a good chance of the crops being saved without any very serious damage.

Tho Ruapehu, whifih arrived at Wellington from England on Tuesday did not bring a groat number of immigrants. There were 110 third-class passengers, out of which number only six adults and four children came with assisted passages. The list included two domestics, one wife coming out to join her husband, one farmer, one farm labourer, and one housekeeper. Mr. Danby, immigration officer, who met them on arrival, considered that they were of a type likely to make good colonists. Ho mentioned that the smallness of the number was due to the Government’s unwillingness to stimulate immigration after the summer demand for labour had fallen off. Interviewed at Christchurch on Saturday, Mr. J. M'Williams, tho Newcastle millers’ delegate, stated that his visit to tho West Coast had convinced him that tho coal mining industry in New Zealand was only in its infancy. Tho supply on the coast, he said, apparently was very largo, and his own observations confirmed the reports he had road of the quality of tho Westport article. There was no doubt that the industry at Grcymoiith and Westport was hampered by the harbour arrangements. but he felt that difficulties in that direction would be overcome in time. The facilities on the, wharves were excellent, notable amongst them being tho travelling cranes, which were a marked improvement on the stationary cranes.

Rumour has been busy for sorao time, past concerning alleged- misconduct of certain members of the Wellington ..representative cricket team which visited Auckland at Christmas. The matter (says The Dominion) has been discussed by the Cricket Association in committee several times, and this week a decision was given. The committee passed the following resolution: —“That the Management Committee have inquired into the conduct of the Wellington representative team whilst on tour in Auckland, and having received reports from the captain of tho team and the manager of the Central Hotel, and after hearing tho chairman’s report, they are satisfied that tho statements of alleged misconduct against the team have been grossly exaggerated, and do not call for further action.”

The Manaia Witness reports the sale of Mr. Bert Candy’s farm of 45 acres on the Sutherland Road to Mr. M. Joyce, of Auroa, at £65 per acre. During the season 1908-9 this farm returned £SOO, or over £ll per acre to tho owner, and Mr. Candy assures the Witness that this was obtained without having to depasture on other land during the season, with the exception of ten cows being away for a month. As a matter of fact, tlie property has never been grazed to its fullest capacity. At the present time Mr. Candy has 42 cows and 7 weanors grazing on the, 45 acres, and yet the grass in several paddocks has gone to seed. Dir. Candy' estimates that £6OO a year could bo got off the farm, and had he retained possession he would have “run it up to the hilt” to make good this calculation. The New York correspondent of the Daily Telegraph writes of the discrediting of Dr. Cook;—There is a general anxiety to know what was his object in putting forward bis claim to have discovered the Role. Somp Americans still adhere to the theory of delusions, but tho more favoured theory now is that from the beginning ho was actuated by tho sordid purpose of making his fortune, and he has made it. Receiving £SOOO from one newspaper alone, and £IB,OOO for his lectures, the venture netted him, after eiyionses were paid, something over £20,000. Ho would have been richer but for tho fact that as tlie falsity of his story became established the public ceased to attend his lectures, and the receipts fell to vanishing point. Mr. John Bradley, the New York sporting man who hacked Dr. Cook’s expedition and defended him to the last, now admits that he has been fooled, “but,” ho continued gaily, “the best of us get fooled once in a while. . . ■ Cook is a peculiar man; he never told anybody anything, never told me anything. Now we’ve got to admit ho fooled us. There isn’t any sense in howling about it or attacking Cook. I’m going Lo bo a good sport, and take my medicine. ■The other day I went down the Thames to see an ©migrant ship set out for over sea (writes tho London correspondent of the Sydney Daily Telegraph). She carried a cargo of clean, stalwart, intelligent men and women picked with infinite care from London s unemployed. They were all willing workers, all the victims of tho irregular labour market, all going because London would not any longer give them food and lodging. I stood on the vessel with an officer of the Imperial Government, and moralised about tho cruelty of tho great, proud city which failed to support its children. A .steamer came slowly np the stream, and passed us closely by. A swarm of foreign faces looked over her side. My companion, the Government officer, surveyed them briefly. “Russian Jews,’ ho' said. “It happens every day,” he added. “Hero arc .we driven nearly mad to keep our fellows going, and these chaps come in by the shipload.” “And get a living?” 1 asked. “Undoubtedly,” he replied: “they mostly come to friends. Anyhow, they live, and that despite their ignorance of the language and everything else.” Last month, at. tho season when the employment outlook was blackest, no less than 119 alien immigrants entered the port of London by 22 immigrant ships. Of thoso only four were sent back by the Government, the charge against them being physical infirmity. Tho rest squeeze into the overcrowded ranks, and, aided by their countrymen already established in a variety of little business undertakings, jostle out nearly as many Englishmen.

It is understood that the appointment of a chief inspector under the reorganisation scheme in connection with tlie police force will not bo made for some time. In addition to Mr. C. E. Matthews, the chief clerk, there will bo on the headquarters staff three clerks.

It seems probable that a largo number of Home-going passengers will leave Auckland by the P. and 0. steamer Malwa, on tho 16th inst. Tho Auckland agents for tho company, state that they have already booked forty-two passages from Auckland (twenty-six for through passengers to England, and sixteen for passengers to Sydney.) The Vogoltown patrol of Boy Scouts mot at the residence of Major Sandford last night, and hold a practice,- the vvork for the evening being lessons in mattress making. A meeting was held afterwards, and it was decided to form a second patrol. A letter was received from tho Havvern Scouts, inviting -the patrol to join them in a trip to Wellington on the occasion of Lord Kitchener’s visit. Two samples of regulation uniform wore received, and it was decided to he measured at once, tho selection of the patrol being khaki, the recognised colour of the Boy Scouts,

An incident has occurred at Madrid which exemplifies the reason of Queen Victoria Eugenio’s popularity with tho people of that city. Her majesty wont down to the groat bazaar to buy t6ys for the 7 royal children, and on leaving she caught sight of two soldiers standing near tho doorway, who had only tho previous night returned from Mellila. The Queen addressed them, asking various Questions about the campaign, and then took them back with her to the bazaar, and said; “Choose anything you like. I should like you to have a souvenir of me.” Tho soldiers were at first.too shy to-do as they were invited, but her Majesty|s gracious insistence soon overcame their shyness, and they each chose something. Both men were evidently deeply touched by the Queen’s generosity.

The Review of Reviews for February is just to hand. The subject of the character sketch is Mr. Ure, Lord Advocate of Scotland. The books of the month include studies of “The Survival of Man,” by Sir Oliver Lodge; and “The Story of how' Old Age Pensions came to be,” by Mr. Herbert Stoad. In addition to other interesting features, ; there arc two full-page illustrations of notable persons. One is of the young King of Portugal when on his visit to England, riding through the coverts with King Edward; and the other of Madame Stoinheil, the defendant in the world-famous murder case. Another full-page illustration is the portrait of Mr. Herbert Gladstone, the first Governor-General of United, South Africa, and Mrs. Gladstone. The other sections of the Review are well edited, and the subjects dealt with are of a high order of general interest. Giving evidence before the Nautical Court at Auckland inquiring into the stranding of the Kaipara, Charles Vince Houghton stated that for 24 years he had been manager in Auckland for the New Zealand Shipping Company. In reply to Mr. Cotter, witness said ho could not give an idea within £lo,opo of the cost of the casualty to the company. It would run into not less than £15,000 or £20,000. The damage to cargo, roughly, was £85,000 to £90,000. The butter cargo alone had depreciated by £25,000. Witness coidd not supply the Court with any information as to insurances so far as the ship w r as concerned. That information was held by the London office. The insurance of cargo was also outside witness’s knowledge. Putting the damage to cargo at £85,000 and including the damage to ship and other losses, witness computed the total loss' to be about £125,000. The following letter has been sent by the Wellington district branch _of the Australasian 'lnstitute of Marine Engineers to Messrs. P. H. Hickey, J. W. M‘Arthur, H. West, B. Rutter, and A. 0. Inverdritz, engineers of the Waikare, wrecked in Dusky Sound “Dear Sirs,—l am directed by unanimous vote of the district to record the appreciation of members, and to congratulate you upon 'the splendid bravery displayed by you on the occasion of the-wreck of the s.s. Waikare. The manner in which every engineer on board sprang to his station _ and remained on duty in the engiilc room reflects upon all the highest credit, and has called forth the praise of your brother engineers and the newspaper press. Your conduct in the trying and extremely dangerous circumstances is another example of the bravery constantly displayed bv engineers in times of stress and danger, and will be placed, on record in the journals of the institute.— Yours vepy sincerely, A. R. Hislop, secretary.”'

Mr. F. T. Bellringer, the Town Clerk, has received a letter from a bluejacket who was one of the crew of H.M.S. Cambrian when she visited New Plymouth last year, and who is the only one of her full complement who is still on the station. The letter is dated at Sydney, and the .writer says it is sent at the request of the men of the Cambrian ou thoir leaving the ship, “to convey to you all their heartiest appreciation of your kindness to them during their visit to this port.” “It is not often,” he says, “that a bluejacket praises anyone or anything, but I don’t think they forget the good old people of New Plymouth. . . . Captain Lewes spoke to me before ho loft the ship, and asked to ho remembered when wo visited New Plymouth. They gave throe cheers for New Plymouth, and asked me to convey to all at New Plymouth old Plymouth’s hearty greetings. We are coming to New Zealand in April, and New Plymouth is on our programme.” The writer promises to arrange a concert ashore, subject to the approval of the captain. The new ship’s company, ho says, aro a lively lot of fellows, and as thoy_ have been told of Now Plymouth hospitality they are looking forward to jolly times hero. It is said that when Dr. Johnson was reading Butler’s “Analogy” lie drank 14 cups of strong tea before he finished the first two chapters, and, through the combined effects of tea and theology, finished the volume a more confirmed hypochondriac than ever he was before. In a mild little attempt to popularise the stores of literature within their keeping, the Melbourne Public Library trustees have turned thoir attention to tea also, but with hopes of results much more pleasant. The idea is to provide readers who visit the institution with the opportunity of obtaining light refreshments without serious interruption to their literary or other researches. Refreshment rooms aro to bo established beneath the Stawell Gallerv, and will be open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Bv this innovation the library trustees hope to meet the convenience of users of the library who may require to spend hours over their tasks. The trustees as a body have heretofore been distinguished chiefly by thoir crusty conservatism and thoir inability to lift themselves out of the old groove, so that any manisfestation of a desire on thoir part to_ recognise the claims of. public convenience is a matter for congratulation.—Melbourne Age.

The manager of the Asbestos Company, Limited (Motucka), reports that since his last letter work has proceeded a little quicker at the Cobbing Shed Creek. The average now is 35 cubic yards (loose measurement) daily, equal to 48 tons. When the drill arrives 80 tons daily should he got. Asbestos veins are showing up in several places in the face of the cut. The longest fibre is fin. in length, and it is improving as tho drive advances.

Further particulars regarding the violent storm at Brewarrina, Now South Wales, shows that the cyclone was the most disastrous ever experienced in those,j)arts. About 6.30 p.m.' on Friday, January 28, heaps of rotary clouds banked up in the south-east, and the wind blew with considerable force, culminating in a terrible cyclone, with appalling results. Hain simply pelted down, and later hailstones of great size and varied shapes fell for fully half an hour. It is estimated that during the -time the storm lasted about six inches of rain fell. A vast amount of damage was done. Birds were killed as well as rabbits, dogs, and even opossums. Thousands of sparrows and swallows wore killed in the. streets.. Fowls fell from their roosts, and even rabbits could bo seen running on the main thoroughfares, and in some instances dropping dead under verandahs. The visitation lasted an hour and a half, and proceeded in a zigzag course along a strip of country probably not more than half a mile in width. It was very fitful, and there were some tremendously heavy blasts of wind, tho velocity of which could hardly be estimated. Trees wore uprooted, and those ’that stood were denuded of every vestige of foliage, ’and the whole country and town presented a sad spectacle, public buildings, business houses, churches, > and dwellings being wrecked in all directions, and the whole town literally strewn with, debris and corrugated iron. Timber was carried in many instances over a quarter of a mile. Brick buildings that had weathered the fiercest gales gave way before the cyclonic force of the Wind, and there remained fewer than a dozen houses that escaped serious damage, the full value of which is estimated at from £IO,OOO to £15,000.