GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14659, 29 January 1912, Page 5

GENERAL NEWS.

THE POLITICAL SITUATION. A special tolograia from Ma3:-3r"on tp the "Dominion" states:— Conversing with a reporter to-day, Mr W. A. Veitch, M.P., made it qijUe clear that ho intonds voting against tlie Ward Administration on tho hrst no-contidenco motion brought lown in the Houso. "I am pledged to do so," lio said, "and I iaitend keening to my puodg©. ,>

Asked wliat would happen were Sir Joseph Ward to retire "boforo the meeting of Parliament, Mr Veitah £:id: "My plcdgo is to vote against tbo Cabinet, and not against an indiridual member." Mr Veitch further abated that he felt suro Mr M issey would retain offico for at loasfc three yoaiß. Ho scouted the idon that tho placing of the Roforxn Party in power would mean *i return to 4q 6d a env wages and soup kitchens. He }j.i<3 mot Mr Massey, and was convinced that ho was mo~e democratic) h ; s views than tho present Prim© Minister. Mr Veitch went further, nnd raid that if Mr Massev legislated for the pood of the whole community and brought down measures to v o du;o tho c:ost of living and to improve the con'dit'ons of the workers, fchure has to reason why ho should not remain in power for twenty years.

THE STRENGTH OF NAYIEB. As to battleships of tho Dreadnought era, at the end of March next we shall have twenty out of a total of forty-«ix then in commission, of •which Germany will havo only nine (says "Engineering"). At \\v »-or responding date in 1913 wo shall have twenty-seven out of a t-otal of .soventyouo in commission, of which Germany is credited with seventeen t.ml the United. States with eight. At tho same date in 1914 we shall have thirtytwo, while Germany is credited with twenty-one, tho "United Stares with ton, and tlio total completed will bo one hundred and one. Our preponderance in shins of the pro-Dreadnought era is equally marked now, but in two or three years our flcot will begin to fall below tho combined fleet" of Germany and the TTnitod States, the two next greatest Powers. In armoured cruisers our position is not tiiiito po oeourej we possess thirty-four, while France has twenty-one, the Tiiitod States fifteen, Italy ten, Germany nine, and Japan n ; nc. Mmaurod ships of high speed—namely, over twentv-thrc" knots —we hrve a f.till greater preponderance—twentycix ajrninst fourteen by the i ext fvo powerful' nations. In protected cruisers and scouts n. war value, wo have ninety-six. <j.n compared w«th eighty-eight f»v tho next fire powerful nations. In light cruisers, destroyer l ?, /md submarines,. wr* do not compare quito bo favourably; in view of the immense extent of our floating commerce these vessels must lie <f meat value in time of war. and we ought to make up our deficiencies. COST OF CfIMMODITIPS. Tn c<rrinn~t:nn t'm nrranisntion of the Labour o'tid Industrial Branch of the CommensalHi Bureau of Census and StatisM'W. tho collection of reliable nnd sys'/ematif return.- n« to tlio course of retail price,and tlio extent of changes in prices, of various rommod'tios, fs now bei'>g initiated throughout Australia. For tin's nnrTinse nnncin 1 / hook. 1 ; Imro l>"on n'intr.rl for flißtrib'.ltmn t-o pro"fr?i. 1 uMiors. miHr vondnrs, ori.il nnd ftH marrltnnif. prnfl compnnio*;. f.T r t:T for mcj/Tithlv pfnfniron+ [ - of "nrront pnVrfl. of P/1D Inrs and oorrmnnins ilio OomrnomvP.iTbli }inro boon nnd "ro lining inrff-nd to ononornto bv ri"!nf in rnonMiTv Tnrnti. In tl"> fon- voarc jmioh liifl bppn lipnH of tlio corfc of mnnr lioii'jobold op'Vimod'ti--". r.r.rl tbo nitor.tin« in oi:o ivbir!i Miw fbo intpro«f<; >,f 'il|_ nr .n ril . o:vtl j. offorf |.b" first jtlnmnf I.m Tot boon mndo tn rolloof. '. v - ton-n t'O nnd contin"otis rotorn* of tlm Tticii'wtfl'i f-™, .iv, t.l- r » i., i„, of Col] . •Merable interest and value

A PLAGUE OF SPIES. The strain between this country aud Germany is nut. relieved by the knowledge tuat each .fowor is actively enguged in spying -upon the naval aiid limitary preparation oi the others (writes the London correspondent oi: tue Sydney "Daiy Teiegraph"). Apparently clover iiuguist-3 ready to become spies are to be found in any number. Some of them tako it up because of the high wages attached to it, and others for the lovo of adventure. Today in this country many men, otherwise quite sane, "uiil assure vou that every one of the 70,000 or £O,OOO German waiters in London is a spy in the .service of the Kaiser, and that they all .spend a part of each year prowling about the eastern counties making detailed observations which are immediately sent off to Germany. But if this is an exaggeration there is no doubt that Germany has hundreds of peoplo engaged in secret work in these islands, and it is equally certain that the British authorities hnro a lnro-e number agents at work in various parts o, the Continent, and particulaily m German territory. This week spy cases ire re proceeding sinwltaiiet e*- Je, i count r s - 1,1 Germany Vioo-rr'i ' W ! mrJf-v and Orn-lJ Tf ' ,v!lilc ,lpre H-inrirl, Herman 1 " 8 a - CaPtnin in th ° t«d for trial. Sm '' Ce ' "' as Commit -