THE OLD COUNTRY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 22, 25 November 1908, Page 6

THE OLD COUNTRY.

1 he. revaluation of Sir Blundell Maple’s • state fixes the total value at £2,153,292. Dr. Lenihan. Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, participated in the Pope’s •Jubilee .Mass. Mr. R. B. I lald -no, Secretary for War, announces the creation of a new department; under Lord Lucas, to look after the territorial forces.' Mr. Asquith announces the early introduction of a bill to prevent the use of hop substitutes in the manufacture of beer. The reduction of. the speed of sixteen large torpedo boat destroyers in the current naval programme from 33 to., 27 knots, effects a saving of £2O,QUO each vessel. Owing to persistent misrepresentation in America respecting the fairness of the Olympic contests, the English Amateur Athletic Association has issued a crushing reply. The Standing Committee of the House of Commons unanimously rejected the London-District Electricity Supply Bill, It now considers bills to connect existing supplies. The Bishop of Bath is proceeding, under the Clergy Discipline Act, against William Piggott, head of the notorious Agapemonites of the Abode of Love, Spaxton, on a. charge of immorality. The Miners’ Eight Hours Bill has passed the Grand Committee, and Mr. Herbert Gladstone (the Home has undertaken to facilitate the remaining stages of the bill. Mr. Cunningham Bridgeman has completed arrangements with the Ascherbergs for the early production of the musical comedy “A Moorish Maid,” written in Auckland by Mr. .1. Y. Birch, and composed by Mr. Alfred Hill. The Licensing Bill. In the House of Commons last week further consideration was given to the Licensing Bill, attention being confined to clause 3, which provided that at the termination of the period of 14 years in which licenses are *o be reduced by onethird compensation for loss of on-licenses (licenses for liquor consumed on the premises) shall cease. At the report stage it was moved, on behalf of the Government, that the time limit of compensation for loss, of license be extended by another seven years. Replying to Mr. Balfour’s spirited protest against the confiscatory policy, Mr. Herbert Samuel (Under-Secretary for the Home Office) declared that 14 years’ time limit was just, while 21 years was generous. The discussion has now concluded. A Disappointment. Replying in the House of Commons to Earl Winterton (Conservative member for the Horsham division of Sussex), Mr. MeKenna (First Lord of the Admiralty) stated that it was not intended to send a large fleet to Australia next year, though it was probable that some ships would Ire detailed io visit the Pacific Islands. Defence of the Empire. Mr. Asquith, replying to Mr. J. B. Lonsdale, said that the. Admiralty saw no necessity for altering the naval shipbuilding programme sanctioned for the current financial year, so the Government would adhere to it. A Suffragette Rme. The divisional Court s«t aside subpoenas served upon tho Primo Minister, Mr. Asquith, and Mr. Herbert Gladstone,

Home Secretary, to attend a Leeds s.uffragette trial as witnesses. It was considered that the subpoenas were intended to annoy the Ministers, and to interrupt their publie duties. Suggestion of Bias. Mr. Henniker Heaton, in a letter to the "Times,” retorts to Mr. Barry, ehairman of the Eastern Extension Cable _Co., that Lord Balfour of .Burleigh, chairman of the Interdepartmental Committee which reported that penny-a-word cables were impracticable, is a director of several cable companies. Australian Footballer* The Wallabies scored another win last week when they defeated Oxford University by nineteen points to three. The Australians scored four tries, two of which were converted, and a penalty goal, the University score being an unconverted try. The Wallabies" team included Burge and Gavin, the two players sent to replace the former’s brother, whose leg was broken in the Cornwall niateh, and Murnin. who had to return owing to illness; The conditions of play were excellent. Twenty-three minutes from tho start Hickey obtained a try, which Carmichael failed to convert. Carmichael kicked a penalty goal just upon half-time. Resuming, the Wallabies outplayed the University, particularly in the back divison, Prentice, Maekivat, and Russell scoring, and Carmichael converting twice. Vassell secured the one try scored by Oxford in the last minute. The League (professional players) had a elose call in their match against the Northern Union. Tho Australians scored ten points (two goals and two tries), while their opponents scored nine (three tries), none of which were converted.” Devereaux scored early, but Messenger failed to convert. The Northerners shortly after equalised the score. Fierce play followed, until the Northerners were penalised, enabling Messenger to kick a goal. Holloway then secured a try, but Messenger’s shot at goal failed. Resuming, the Northerners, despite the fact that they were playing two men short, owing to injuries, scored two tries, but just upon time Messenger kicked an* other penalty goal. The “Wallabies” (the Australian amateur team) scored another win on Saturday, when they defeated Yorkshire by 24 points to nil. At Hull Kingston Rovers defeated the Australian League team (professional players) by 21 points to 16. Hull had all the best of the first spell, though it was a hard game in the second half. A Possible Solution. Mr. Asquith has announced that ths Government has decided to introduce a new Education Bill, embodying a compromise which, while not ideally perfect, yet provides for a settlement without sacrifice of principle on either side. He believed there was a. solid reason for hoping that the settlement would meet witli public support. The “Times” says that while meeting the grievances of the Nonconformists the Government has evolved a plan which is in no way ungenerous towards the proper demands of denominationalists, and hopes that even the Catholics may accept the solution. The "Tinies” says the chief points upon which an agreement is not reached are whether head teachers shall be permitted to give denominational instruction, the question of an increased grant to schools contracting out and the right of denominations in future to elect schools able to be contracted out. The Archbishop of Canterbury asks that all head teachers in all future council schools be free to volunteer to givO denominational instruction. Air. Runeiman at present is not authorised to concede this to any head teachers. The "Tablet,” commenting on the Education compromise, declares that Catholic children must be taught the Catholic religion in Catholic schools by Catholic teachers under Catholic supervision. Tragic Meeting. A man named William Barnard Davy, a resident of Worksop, went to Txmdoa to search for his wife, from whom h® had been separated. He found her, and then hailed a taxicab, into which they then stepped. Immediately after a eouple of revolve®

•hots were heard, and it was found that he had shot bis wife, dead and then committed suicide in the vehicle. The crime is attributed to jealousy. Davy, who recently visited Australia, was the son of a former hotel-keeper in Sheffield, lie squandered the fortune bequeathed him by his father. Press Conference. A warm welcome is being prepared for visiting journalists to the Imperial Press Conference, whieli opens in London on June 7th next, and will sit for three weeks. Members will be enables! to inspect some of the great naval bases, and will visit the industrial shipbuilding yards and the University centres. They will exchange views with leading statesmen and professional men. besides seeing something of English country life under distinguished auspices. Socialism Creeping On. The results of the proceedings of the South Wales Miners’ Federation at Cardiff shows that the Socialists will henceforth dominate the organisation. Mr. W. Abraham, president of the Federation, warned them that the introduction of polities was calculated to ruin the Federation. A Peer from America. The Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords has dectided that Albert Kirby Fairfax, late of Virginia, has proved his title as Lord Fairfax, of Cameron, in the peerage of Scotland. Albert Kirby Fairfax, twelfth Baron ■Fairfax- of Cameron, is a member of the firm of Wm. P. Bonbright and Co., of Ixmdon and New York, and is 38 years of age. The title was created before Rouen in 1594. The second was the Parliamentary General of the Northern Forces and held chief command at Marston Moor. The third baron was later General-in-Chief of the Parliamentary forces, and gained the victory of Naseby. The sixth Baron inherited nearly six million acres of land in Virginia from his mother; he settled in the American colonies, and was the friend and patron-of George Washington. His descendants still live in the United States. Praise for Australian Wines. A special committee of British wine buyers, ,set up at the instance of the Agents-Gentsral of the Commonwealth (States, has presented its report on the Australian wine exhibits at the FrancoBritish Exhibition. 'The report states that a remarkable improvement is noticeable in Australian wines during the recent years, especially in red wines, New South showing the greatest improvement. The report speaks highly of the Australian brandies, but less favourably of the white wines, burgundies, and hocks. Unwelcome. , Mr. Herbert Gladstone (the Home,Secretary) has circularised the recorders and chairmen of Quarter Sessions relative to the colonial objections to the public or official encouragement that has in some eases been- given to the emigration of persons guilty of offences against the law in Great. Britain. Mr. Gladstone expresses the hope that no such encouragement will be given in the future. Eton Memorial. A new hall artj library, erected at Eton as a memorial to old Etonians killed in the South African war, was opened yesterday by Their Majesties King Edward and Queen Alexandra. The King exhorted the boys to maintain the traditions which had made Eton renowned in history. Athletes at Variance. Reuter’s New York Agency reports that the Amateur Athletic Union of America lias declined to recognise the disqualification imposed on Carpenter, the American runner, who was disqualified during the Olympic games for jostling Lieutenant llalswell, the British representative, oil' the track in the quarter-mile championship. - The committee declares that members of the union will not be allowed to compete in international events unless the management is approved by the union.

Under the agreement between the National Athletic Unions a disqualification imposed by one applies to all others. The American Union has alwogated that agreement., and evidently intends to prevent all U.S. athletes competing at meetings in Britain, where in the past American athletes have been constant competitors, especially since the Rhodes’ scholarships resulted in many of America’s foremost athletes temporarily residing in England. The Cullinan Diamond. Over one hundred flawless brilliants, including the two great stones, one of 516 carats for the Crown and another of 309 carats for the sceptre, have been cut from the Cullinan diamond. They were formally presented to King Edward at Windsor on behalf of the Transvaal Government on Saturday. Experts, seeing that, the cutting is blue white in colour, value the stones at a million sterling. Defence of the Empire. The First Commissioner of Works has announced that orders for £600,000 worth of torpedo-boat destroyers had been placed with the Clyde shipbuilding yards, and the Admiralty was now adding £900,000 worth of ships. Through Opposition Spectacles. Mr. Arthur Balfour, speaking at Cardiff, said, with regard to national defence, that Mr. Asquith s recent statement suggested that the Government really intended to adhere to the traditional policy of successive Governments respecting the navy. Nevertheless it was essential to also maintain an adequate military force. He ridiculed the Government’s insatiable appetite for legislation, instancing the dropping or withdrawing of three Education Bills in three years, and the fact that they were now about, to introduce a fourth. He deprecated attacks on the Church in Wales, which was showing itself a living vital force. He was confident the temperance reformers were working"on wrong lines in the Licensing Bill, and th'bcq»ht the House of Lords was perfectly safe,'despite Mr. Augustine Birrell’s vituperative rhetoric. Behind the Times. ♦ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (the Earl of Crewe), in the course of an interview with Mr. Daniel O’Connor, e.xM.L.A. of Sydney, expressed his surprise that Australia lagged behind Canada, •South Africa and New' Zealand in encouraging immigration. He had pleaded for the. appointment of a High Commissioner for the Commonwealth, and more than once had urged an early selection. A well-informed representative, added ..Lord, Crewe, would bo highly useful to the Colonial Office, and highly beneficial to the Commonwealth. Twenty Million Deal. The Taff Vale Railway Company has arranged the purchase of Rymney-Candiff railways and the But? docks at Cardiff. This represents a 20 million deal, giving the combined undertaking a direct shipping trade of seventeen million tons, including the Penarth trade. It Must Came. Mr. Arthur Balfour, T.eader of the Opposition, speaking at the meeting of the National 1 ’nion of Conservative. Associations at Cardiff, declared' that fiscal reform was no remote ideal, but that all movements of thought, all political forces, all the trend of economic speculation were alike driving up to a great change in the fiscal system. “The time is nol far distant," he said, “indeed, it is within the vision of all, when the great policy 1 have advocated will bo turned from an ardent hope into a practical reality, knitting closer the Imperial bonds, steadying the whole industrial machine, mitigating unemployment, safeguarding great interests against the combination of increasing industrial efficiency, backed by' the unscrupulous use of hostile tariffs by every commercial country in the world.” "A momentous change was approaching.” he contimied, “when ere long Unionists would bo recalled to power. They would then carry out u constructive

policy giving effect to these principles.” (Prolonged ebeers.) Mr. Bonar Law, M.P., moved a resolution declaring the Associations viewed with profound satisfaction the progress of fiscal reform. He expressed hearty support of the policy- which Mr. Balfour announced at Birmingham a year ago. The motion was carried unanimously. Earl Cawdor was elected next president of the Association. Fifteen hundred delegates are present at the Conference. The World of Finance. Japan’s guaranteed issue of two millions on the Industrial Bank of Japan to develop Korea ■ has been largely oversubscribed in London. The Natal half-million 3J per cent loan has been subscribed tenfold at 951, and is now quoted at one per cent premium. The Peninsular and Oriental Companylias declared a dividend of 6J per cent on deferred shares, and a bonus of 3 percent. Mr. E. T. Doxat, chairman of directors of Dalgety and Co., speaking at the annual meeting, said that the trade of Australia bad shown such expansion that the resources of the company were fully employed, and the Board was considering the desirability of increasing the capital.