THE OLD COUNTRY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 3, 15 July 1908, Page 7

THE OLD COUNTRY.

The Royal Welsh male choir of 20 colliers is sailing for Australia, where a series of concerts will be given.

His Majesty the King, accompanied by Queen Alexandra, last week opened the Royal Edward Doek at Bristol. Imports tor June show a decrease of £1,669,000, exports of- £4,158,000, and re-exports of £1,069,000, compared with the previous June. Mr. Asquith has declined to facilitate the passing of the Daylight Saving Bill on which the Select Committee presented a favourable report. A new-University building was opened by their Majesties the King and Queen at Leeds on July 7. 80,000 school children witnessing the ceremony.

Three deaths and 100 eases of ptomain* Replying to congratulations on th« occasion of his birthday, Mr. Chamberlain declared that the victory of tariff reform was certain, and was coming very soon. The Government has arranged for the Daylight Saving Bill to be examined by the Board of Trade i-i consultation with representatives of trade, labour, and transport interests. The Congregational Congress declined the Australian invitation to hold the next Congress there, owing to the impracticability of securing adequate representation at so great a distance. Madame Anna Gould and the Prince de Sagan were married in London on July 7 The civil marriage was performed at the Strand Registry Office, and the religious ceremony at a French Protestant Church in Soho. In response to the appeal of Lord Desborougli, President of the Olympic Games Committee, through the “Daily Mail,” the public in a week subscribed £12,000 to entertain the competitors at the Olympic games? The Government are also banqueting the athletes. In the House of Commons, Mr. John Burns, President of the Local Government Board, was warmly cheered on returning to the House after recovering from the strain which he received last month in assisting in releasing two men who were caught between colliding motor Lord St. Aldwyn, formerly Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, and Colonial Secretary from 1878-80, in unveiling at the Colonial Office a memorial bust of the late Sir Robert Herbert (Permanent Under-Secretary for the Colonies from 1871 to 1892). paid a high tribute to his personal and administrative qualities. The report of the Union Bank recommends a dividend of 10 per cent and a bonus of 2J per cent, that £lO,OOO be placed to the credit of the colonial premises’ account, and that £lB.OOO be absorbed in a bonus of iO per cent on the salaries of the staff, that £30,000 be carried to the reserve and £36,000 carried forward.

Tobacco Culture.

The .Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Lloyd-George) has agreed to place £6OOO a year at the disposal of the Irish Agricultural Department for the encouragement of the tobacco industry in Ireland, instead of the rebate at present allowed.

Mr. Lloyd-George agreed to extend the same concession to England, Wales, and .Scotland if similar conditions were shown to exist.

?>T-r on Its Dignity

The Labour party, considering Mr. Keir. Hardie’s omission from the Royal garden party at Windsor as an attempt by the Court to interfere with the freedom of debate in the House of Commons, and associating itself with his action regarding the recent visit of the King to the Czar, requests the Lord Chamberlain to omit the Labour party from similar functions until Mr. Keir Hardie’s name is restored.

Army Reductic .a

The “Daily Telegraph" asserts that a section of the Cabinet, including Mr. Lloyd-George and Mr. Winston Churchill, contemplate further reducing the army by 30,000 men, reducing the Household Cavalry to one regiment, and also reducing the Royal Garrison Artillery and Royal Engineers. The “Telegraph” appeals to Mr. Asquith to support Mr. Haldane in resisting proposals calculated to bring into grave peril the safety and honour of the country.

The Australian Navy.

In the House of Commons, Mr R. McKenna (First Lord of the Admiralty), in reply to Mr William Redmond (brother of the Nationalist leader), said that the Commonwealth naval scheme would require much amplification before it could be fully considered from the Standpoint of its possible adoption as an alternative for the present naval agreement.

Aerial Navies.

Major B. Baden-Powell, who has made a nation his special study, and who invented man-lifting kites, declares that national safety requires the immediate allocation of £100,060 for aerial research and the construction of aerial warships.

The “Daily Mail’s” Berlin correspondent reports that Germany will shortly possess six dirigible airships, including the two Zeppelin airships which have already made many successful flights. If Count Zeppelin succeeds in making a 24 hour flight twelve similar airships will be ordered for the protection of the coast of th? North Sea.

Old Age Pensions.

On the third reading Mr. G. F. Bowles (Conservative) moved the rejection of the Old Age Pensions Bill. Mr. C. F. Masterman (Liberal member for West Ham North) ably defended the bill, admitting, however, that it was “a great experiment.” Mr. Philip Snowden, in a bitter speech for the Labour party, avowed the total absence of any feeling of gratitude.

Mr. Charles Fenwick (late Parliamentary Secretary to the Trades Union Congress) refused to regard the boon as a paltry one, and believed it would bring consolation to thousands of homes.

Mr. Balfour predicted that the scheme ■would cost 11l millions per annum. Mr. Lloyd-George stated that 572,000 people would be benefited. Mr. Bowles’ motion was defeated by 315 votes to 10, and the bill read a third time. Mr. Balfour did not vote.

Disobedience Averts Disaster.

A correspondent has furnished the “ Times ” with an account of a strange occurrence in connection with the operations of the Channel Fleet during the North Sea manoeuvres last week. Admiral Beresford signalled! the cruisers Good Hope (14.100 tons) and Argyll (10,850 tons) to perform an evolution which, if obeyed, would have brought the vessels into collision. The Argyll obeyed the signal, but Rear-Admiral Sir Percy Scott, aboard the Good Hope, signalled his doubts of the accuracy of the signal, and refrained from obeying it. The “Standard” states that Admiral Lord Beresford inquired why Rear-Ad-miral Sir Perey Scott had disobeyed his signal to the cruisers Good Hope and Argyll to perform an evolution which, it iwas stated, would have brought the vessels into collision.

The Junior Admiral replied that the evolution might have been dangerous. To this Lord Beresford signalled in reply, “Quite correct to disobey.” It is generally hoped that this incident will lead to a reconciliation between the two factions, and terminate the existing naval scandal.

Rejected with Jeers.

The House of Commons listened for ten minutes to Mr. Kincaid Smith’s bill providing for 48 days’ compulsory military training for all males. The bill was greeted with laughter and cheers, and was promptly rejected by 250 votes to 34.

Corporal Punishment.

The Hon. Mr. Justice Darling, Judge of the King’s Bench Division, in sentencing a prisoner, remarked that the “eat” had been a great deterrent to crime at Cardiff since his visit a few*months ago. He then sentenced the prisoner, Riley, a coliier. to 18 strokes of the cat and six months’ imprisonment on a charge of robbery with violence.

Alleged Meat “ Ring.”

Replying to Lord R. Cecil’s suggestion that the Government should appoint a select committee to inquire into the allegations that the British beef supply is controlled by foreign capitalists, Mr. Asquith doubted whether the inquiry would be productive of useful results. Those possessing information had better, in the first instance, communicate with the Boards of Agriculture and Trade.

A Congregational Council.

The Congregational Congress has resolved on the constitution of a Congregational Council, to consist of 400 members, the United States and Britain having 150 each, Canada 20, Australasia 32, South Africa 10, and the rest of the world 38.

An interim committee dealing with all subjects referred to it by the Council consists of the following, viz., United States and Britain five members each, Australia •nd Canada two each, and South Africa one.

England and America.

Independence Day was celebrated in America and Great Britain with the customary cordiality and enthusiasm. Mr. Whitelaw Reid (United States Ambassador to England), speaking at the American Society banquet at the Hotel Cecil, referred to the far-reaching and beneficent effects of the latest postal reform—penny postage between Great Britain and America —and complimented Mr. Henniker Heaton and Lord Blyth, who, he said, were worthy followers of Rowland Hill, upon their success in this matter. It would give an enormous stimulus to the growing intercourse and intimacy between the two countries. No greater service could have been rendered civilisation. Mr. Henniker Heaton thanked Mr. Whitelaw Reid for his high eulogism. and described a dramatic scene which had occurred a few weeks since at Dorchester House (Mr. Whitelaw Reid's residence in Park Lane), when he and Lord Blyth had. appealed to Mr. Reid to come to their aid to obtain Anglo-American penny postage. Mr. Reid complied, and within 24 hours the two great English-speaking nations had secured the boon.

Continuing, Mr. Heaton said that he wa s about to submit to the nations a proposal for penny -a - word telegrams throughout the civilised world. Then the divine gift of electricity would no longer be for millionaires, but for the millions.

The Territorial Army.

Sir G. Taubman Goldie, P.C., addressing the National Defence Association, made a strong protest against the recent reductions in the regular army, and the national danger arising therefrom. He recommended the nation to do its utmost to secure the success of the Territorial Scheme.

Official reports show that 183,000 have joined the Territorial Army. The "Times” considers this encouraging. but emphasises that 120,000 more are needed, but adds that the best feature of the situation is that 10.000 new recruits hav been enrolled during June.

Lambeth Conference.

The Lambeth Conference has opened with an impressive service in the Canterbury Cathedral, at which 4000 were present.

The Arc.ibishop of Canterbury, Dr. Davidson, in welcoming the 252 delegates to the Conference, said that never in the thirteen centuries’ history of the English Church was there a gathering fraught with mightier issues. A special Communion Service was celebrated in Westminster Abbey on Sunday for the Episcopal delegates. The Very Rev. J. A. Robinson, Dean of Westminster, preached the sermon.

The Nursing Profession.

Iler Majesty the Queen, who is President of the Royal National Pension Fund for Nurses, opened the new buildings of the Fund on the Victoria Embankment. King Edward also assisted in the ceremony.

Their Majesties were welcomed by two thousand nurses.

In the course of his speech, the King paid a high tribute to the unselfish devotion of the nursing profession.

Transformation of China.

The China Association banqueted Sir Robert Hart, ex-Director of Chinese Customs, on his return from the East to London.

Sir Robert remarked that China’s transition might be prolonged, but the- transformation was certain.

China was, he said, destined to reach the front rank of the nations. He hoped that Britain’s sympathy and moral support to China would continue.

British Naval Manoeuvres.

In connection with the naval manoeuvres a flotilla of 17 submarines steamed from Dover to the Firth of Forth under water, except their eonning-towers, at a speed of 10 knots, without a hitch. The Kaiser, aboard the Imperial yacht, paid a surprise visit to Admiral Sir Charles Beresford’s fleet, which was cruising off the Norwegian coast during the North Sea manoeuvres now in progress.

After passing through the lines the Kaiser’s yacht sailed away.