FROM HOME PAPERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11689, 24 February 1902, Page 4

FROM HOME PAPERS.

Sir William Macdonald has given a donation of 125,C00 dollars for the teaching of domestic science to the girts in Ontario schools.

The managers of the projected International Exhibition to be held at St. Louis in ISO 3 announce*'that one of the gieac features of the '* showwill be an elaborate aeronautical competition. A prize of 200,000 dollars wiU be offered for the best steerable balloon.

'Hie Manitoba Government announces that it will' submit to a referendum the question of the enforcement of the Liquor .Prohibition Act. which was recently upheld bv the Judicial Committee, notwithstanding that prohibition was a plank of the Government- platform when the Government appealed to the people. A goods train divided near Farcingham road station, on the South-Eastern and Chatham Railway, and the rear portion afterwards dashed into the front part, throwing several waggons off the road, and blocking both line--. Xo personal injury was sustained. The midnight passenger express for Chatham had to return to juondon and go via the North. Kent route. An appalling disaster was narrowly averted. The signalman at Farn-ingham-road had heard a noise from the viaduct (where the goods train collided), and though from his position he was unable to form any definite conclusion, as to whether anything was amiss, he, with considerable presence of mind, at once decided to give the express "the benefit of the doubt" by turning the signals against it-.

On Saturday, January 4th, a new factory law came into operation in England, giving operatives a half holiday on Saturdays from noon instead of from 1 p.m., a change that the workers .had loDg been striving for. The masters decided to reduce the wages of those workers who are paid by the hour, but in consequence of representations made to them they have agreed to reconsider the matter at a conference. This is the only point which requires settling, tind seeing that the total hands directly paid by the employers are insignificant in number little difficulty is anticipated. As a matter of fact the total reductions per week per mill will not exceed ten shillings, and will probably be less. Those paid by result —the pieceworkers—will no doubt for a time lose considerably, but- of course there can be no conflict with the employers in regard to this. The loss to them is estimated at about £4OOO per week, but it is expected that, in course of time, the output will be so increased as partially, if not completely, to counterbalance this. Spinners, who have decided not to reduce the " piecers." who are paid by them, will be the mcst serious losers, but in regard to the majority of the workers the reduction will not "average more than 4d per week. CORDITE COXDEMXED. For some eighteen months past a Departmental Committee, appointed under the joint auspices of the Admiralty and the War Office, has had cordite upon its trial, with the result that it has now condemned it; and, as a mere negative would be an impotent conclusion to arrive at, the committee has further directed ' its attention to finding something better to put in its place. An interesting statement on the subject of its investiga--tion was made by Mr Haldane in an address on 'Modern Explosives." He explained that during tie course of the war it was discovered that the guns were being rapidly eaten out by cordite, and hepce the appointment of the committee. The investigation had proved it to be much more erosive than certaia oi the powders used by foreign nations; but, added Mr Haldane, the committee had not only discovered this, but had invented a powder to take its place, which was believed to be at the very least as good as any of these foreign powders, and as little corrosive, while it is expected to double the life of the gun. Mr Haldane also pointed to tie importance of reducing erosion to a minimum in quick-firing guns, and said that if the results hoped for were obtained from explosives still in the experimental stage, the result would be a new kind of explosive which would be no? only smokeless, but .flameless. Cordite, which now seems in a fair way to abolition, was, it may be recalled, introduced in 18S9 by Sir F. Abel and Professor James Dewar, and was patented and assigned by the® to the Secretary of State for WarJ It was go named from its rejejnblance to cord. It was favourably "reporter oit in 1892,

GAMBLING EN" BELGIUM. Feeling ran high at Ostend at the beginning of the year, as a result of the passing of the anti-gambling Bill by the Senate, •srftEotre any provision for a temporary extension of time to the Ostend casino, or even a subsidy that- wcnld, enable the town to balance its finances. Some time ago public works were placed in hand to the value of £1.003.000, which it was loped to pay by the aid pf the gaiabj'ig ~ : iaieß.- As it- Is no longer possible to ' raise the necessary capital in this way, the entire burden" of these undertakings falls on the shoulders of the ratepayers, ■who naturally object. At a recent meeting of the town council a vwte of protest was passed, and the text of an appeal, to the King on the subject was drawn up, copies of whicll wr? afterwards disaributed throughout the town. Tt? King's approval alone is necessary in order that the measure may be passed into law; but a hope still exists amongst the opJOTTOtS of the Bill that His Majesty will oe persuaded to withhold his signature.

OR SOLDIER.—A NOVEL POIXT.

Leonard Ernest Alabaster, aged 18, engins cleaner, was charged at -Scertn London me other day with being a deserter from the 17th .Lancers. Mr Attree, solisitor, appeared for the defence, and said that his contention was that the prisoner was not a deserter, and tiieretore snould not be given up to the Army authorities. The prisoner was not i-cgaily a soldier. What happened was tkL=: lie went to St. George's Barracks with the idea of enlisting, saw the recruiting sergeant, .was examined by j— the doctor, signed an attestation paper, and thßi-went into a room with a number of recruits for the purpose of being sworn in before a magistrate. Apparently the men were sworn in in batches, but ttie accused relented at the last minute, and putting his Testament down withoafc kissing it, left the room. Mr Attree went on to « quote military law authorities to show that an enlistment was not complete until the oath had been taken.—Mr Chapman, the magistrate, said: That is the question that must be tried. It may be that the recruiting sergeant will say that he went fur- ' ther than you admit. After further consideration Mr Chapman said that under the Army Act he was bound to be satisfied by evidence on oath or by a man's own admission that he was a deserter. Here neither of those conditions had been fulfilled, and he should remand the case for the point to be argued:—whether the man was a soldier or not. The War Office would be informed to that effect, and in the meantime the accused would be allowed out on his own biiL

THE XEW SERVICE DRESS.

TThnl-i is to be discarded in the Army, and on January 6th it was announced in an Army Order that the colour for the new Service dress for all ranks would be drab. The greatcoat is to be made of rainproofed drab-mixture cloth, the material being of a more open texture than the blue and grey greatcoat cloths at present in use, and thus more easily folded. The coat for mounted service is not to have a detachable cape, but a short- one with shoulder flaps attached to the coat. Siv'.e slits are provided to enable the wearer to get at his pockets, haversack, etc. The hat will be of thick felt with wide brim, the sides periorated about- three-quarters of an inch from the top, with two rows of ventilating holes. Ventilation is aUo provided at the head band, and clips are provided for fastening up the brim. The jacket will be of a drab-mixture serge, with tutned-down roll collar, shoulder rifle pitches, two patch breast pockets with pleats, two strong sidepockets of drabette with flaps, and is to be pleated slightly at the waist. The trousers -will be of drab-mixture tartan, and cut to accommodate leggings or puttees. The buttons are made of gilding metal, which ■when not- poUshed for some time assumes a dull colour matching the material. There •will also be issued a Cardigan waistcoat initted in brown wool with button front, and intended to be worn in cold weather at iiome and in North America, either with or without the woollen jersey which forms part of the soldier's kit. Puttees will take the place of leggings in dismounted services as soon as the reduction of the stock of tie latter permits. Ankle boot-s without hobnails will be issued to all arms. For tht> present, forage, field, or glengarry caps •will be worn at borne with the service dress.

Chevrons and.- badges o: rank of special colour and material will be worn on both sides. Crowns will be worn by eoionrserneants in place of colours. Collar badges will not be worn.