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Star (Christchurch), Issue 8054, 5 July 1904, Page 3

NOTES.

A letter from, a M. Sidoroff, a. landed proprietor of the Government of Ufa, now going the rounds of the local newspapers, is causing much merriment. "A typical German trickster.," wr»,te M. Sidoroff, "arrived at our village of Anastasavka- on April 12, and announced time the first Japanese prisoner was coming along in an iron box, and that if the Mir (Communal Council) voted a sum of two roubles the peasants would be allowed to'hear him squeal for mercy and afterwards sing his national waT song. The Mir apparently voted the 'money, for the performance was in full progress outside the State publichouse when I arrived. On a table in the roadway was a small box, from a trumpet affixed to which issued in good but squeaky English the famous 'Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay.'" — "Chronicle's" j Moscow correspondent. We possess at Weihaiwei the finest open harbour cither in the Yellow &» or in the Gulf of Pechili, yefc we are indifferent; enougfh to keep it unprotected. It is a sad spectacle to see the half-completed fortifications and the crumbling embrasures. There is no evidence to support the theory that the place is indefensible. On the contrary, it could be made almost impregnable even with a small garrison.—" Times." There is great dissatisfaction in Russia with the management of tie Red Cross and other patriotic funds. It , appears that many members of the aristocracy, officers of the Guards, and Count ladies are employed in the administration of the; funds at -.-'high' salaries, and. they have had the temerity to request that the funds shall be exempted from the control of the State Audit Department. Many subscribers of large sums are now stipulating that they shall be allowed to control the expenditure of their money. The town of Saratoff, for example, offers to build a battleship strictly on this understanding,—" Express " St Petersburg correspondent:-