AMERICA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 20, 19 May 1909, Page 7

AMERICA.

Waking Up. The "Times' ” New York co; respondent, discussing forthcoming legislation and the suggested increase in the head tax, remarks that Congress plainly favours controlling immigration trom South Europe, owing to the admixture of criminals and other inferior types. If possible, the legislature would prefer to restrict immigration to British and other peoples of Northern Europe. Fortlter in Re. President Taft has sent a message to Congress respecting the grave situation in Porto Rico, owing to the failure of ths Porto Rican Assembly to pass the Appropriation BUI. The Porto Ricans are, he says, evidently incapable oCtSelf-governnient, and political power was extended to them 100 soon. Hi) recommends the compulsory appropriation of the necessary funds, A Sordid Crims. Captain Peter Hains, who, on August If, shot and killed William Annis, a publisher, at Long Island, in the presence ol

hie wife aral children, has been found guilty of manslaughter in the first Hie brother, Thornton Hains, who held the crowd back at the muzzle of his resolver while Peter Hains fired six shots into the body of Annis, has b acquitted on a charge of being an arc ary. Senteru* on Captain Peter Hains lias been deferred. The trial of Peter Hains on a charge of murder excited the keenest interest is the United States—keener, in some respects, than the Thaw trial. Hains’ plea was the "unwritten Jaw,” justifying a man in defending his iionour, together with the familiar pless of •’emotional insanity” and "brainstorm.” Captain Hains had filed a suit for divorce, alleging infidelity, and surprise was exyres»ed that, having invoked the civil law to right his wrong; he should have suddenly taken the law into his own hands. Later it was stated that the alleged motive for the murder of Annis was to he found in the filing of a suit a week ago by Airs Peter Hains against her husband. In this suit Mrs Hains made allegations involving him and other officers in the gravest misconduct. Mr Annis, it is stated, urged the wife to bring that suit. Bre airing the Trusts. The Central Railway Company has paid foes totalling £27,200, for granting rebates to four companies, which, amalgamated as the Maryland Consolidated Coal Company, form a combine, representing 87 million dollars, and control ,oflri a.-res ot coalfields. Colonial Preference. The Montreal Board of Trade at a ■neering on May 7 unanimously agreed to submit a resolution at the Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire to be held in Sydney, in September, in favour of the Empire protecting itself against foreign producers; hence, that Britain and the colonies should grant each other substantial preference, and, as far as the respective revenues permit, the principle of freetrade within the Empire remain. Air. George, ex-President of the Board, »lo had been chosen as the delegate to tl:-’ Sydney Congress, has since resigned < e c r- - j that the resolution was ill- « .- ■ red. and at variance with the national trade policy of Canada. A special meeting of the Board has I - ; . ”.1 to reconsider the resolution. Cr. a Big Seale. Vagus* Heinze, formerly president of tt-> Mercantile National Bank of the U> ited States, is charged with applying f-5!'.0V0 dollars of the bank’s funds to hi- o