THE OLD COUNTRY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 22, 2 June 1909, Page 6

THE OLD COUNTRY.

Effects of Germanitis. •! The wreek of an airship which had been used for advertising, and which w«s furnished with lights, has been discovered at Dunstable.

It was sent up nightly, empty, and was practically a large toy. This is supposed to bo the cause of the recent scare in the Eastern counties over which an airship, suposed to be attached to the German North Sea Fleet, was seen hovering in the early mornings. The Morrison Millions. The estate of. the late Charles Morrison, a city financier, who died a bachelor, has been valued at ten millions for probate purposes. The bulk of this huge fortune goes to Morrison's brother and sister, both of whom are unmarried. Declined With Thanhs. Shyamji Krishnavarma, the Indian barrister, head of the India for the Indians’ movement, who was recently disbarred for his seditionary writings, has accepted the return of his endowment of £lOOO towards the Herbert Spencer memorial lectureship. Wealthy Draper. i The estate of Frederick Lorringe, a London draper, has been valued for probate at £073,627. He bequeathed £400,000 to charities upon hie widow’s death. Mahing Friends. King Edwaid received the Berlin Municipal deputation now visiting England at Buckingham Palace. Many entertainments are being given in honour of the visit of the councillors. S.P.C.K. toss, A fire at the warehouse of the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, in Northumberland-avenue, destroyed books to the value of £25,000. Even in Berlin. The streets of London were gay with Union Jacks and colonial flags on Empire Day, with the exception of the Government buildings, and flags fluttered from many of the church towers throughout the country. Ten thousand children took part in a demonstration at Devonport, 0000 at Acton, and 6000 at Ealing, while 3000 were regaled in the castle grounds at Windsor. Many exchange flags, including those from Devonport and Caversham, were unfurled. The British colony in Berlin, including representatives of all the colonies, celebrated Empire Day for the first time, a picnic being held on Wann Lake. Lord Methuen (Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in South Africa) addressed 1500 children at Johannesburg. Celebrations also took place in Jamaica, Bermuda, Singapore, Malta, and Gibraltar. The Earl of Crewe (Secretary of State for the Colonies), speaking at a banquet explained the Government attitude with regard to the observation of Empire Day. ‘‘The official Empire celebration,” he said, “is the birthday of the Sovereign, thereby denoting that the Crown is the centre of the pivot. This is the only reason why the official world is not sharing in the celebrations of Empire Day.” The War Office issued an order prohibiting the Harrow School Cadet Corps from taking part in the celebrations in London. An Australian In Trouble. John Eden Savile, an Australian, residing at Stamford, Lincolnshire, was committed for trial at the Meath assizes for feloniously shooting at Charles Uniaeke, of Dunboyne. A quarrel arose in consequence of Savile’s libels about Mrs. Uniacke. A revolver was pointed at prosecutor, and in the struggle that ensued a shot went off. Savile was compelled to sign a confession withdrawing his statements about the lady, and apologising. ■ - '•» Advice to the Colonies. ’ Speaking at the London Chamber of Commerce banquet last week, the Earl of Crewe (Secretary of State for the Colonies) dwelt on the importance of immigration. Discussing the conference of the Chambers of Commerce of the Empire, to be held in Sydney towards the end of the year, he warned the conference that it would do no good to mix commercial re-

lations with Imperial defence. Eacfi must be decided on its own merits. The object of the Defence which had been convened for July, would be to combine Imperial defence on land and sea with the utmost flexibility for each part of the Empire in regard to individual defence. p The Navy. t In reply to a question in the House of Commons, Mr Asquith refused to confirm the report that the Government had decided to lay down eight Dreadnoughts this year. The Admiralty has placed an order for guns and gun-mountings for two Dreadnoughts with Armstrong's and Vickers, Son, and Maxim. , Lord Kitchener on Tonr, The “Standard” states that Lord Kitchener (who lately retired from the command of the Indian army) will, after the Japanese manoeuvres in November, proceed to Australia, thence to Canada, being anxious to review the whole of the military forces of the Empire. Shipping Rings. The majority report of the Royal Commission on Shipping Rings declares that the rings afford steadier freight rates and more regular services, and recommends the formation of a shippers’ asso!ciation, recognised by the Board of Trade, with a view to the conciliatory; settlement of the dispute. The minority report declares that rings are necessary in the interest of British and colonial trade, and recommends the Board of Trade to issue regulations on the subject. Dollars on the Derby. Owing to the operation of the antigambling laws in America, more money) was wagered on the Derby from America; than was ever risked on an English race before. The bookmakers are large winners as a result of the defeat of the favourite, Sin Martin, which carried the weight of ths American money. Americans in London wagered £50,00® on Sir Martin. King Edward has won £14,077 in stakes this season. The Two-Bower Standard. In the House of Commons last week, Captain James Craig (Unionist members for Down East) moved, “That the House views with alarm any modification of the two-Power standard as defined by Mr. Asquith on November 12 last, viz., ‘That the Government accepts the two-Power. standard as meaning a preponderance of 10 per cent over the combined strength in capital ships of the two next strongest Powers.’ ” ‘ Mr. Asquith, in replying, said that at the present moment whatever twd Powers were selected their combined effective strength for aggressive purposes was far below Britain’s defensive strength. The expression “two-Powen standard” was a purely empirical generalisation. The United States fleet could not be put in the same category as the French or the German. Mt. Balfour said that Mr. Asquith’s implication that there ought only to be a two-Power strength in Home waters was the most dangerous of doctrines. The fleet ought to be prepared to defend the Empire. ‘ An amendment expressing confidence in the Government’s policy was carried by 272 votes to 106. ’ Somewhat Belated. Mr. John Burns, President of the Local Government Board, has introduced into the House of Commons a bill to provide for the registration and inspection of dairies and the examination of milch cows. The bill includes a number of drastic regulations. <. Injudicious Letters. Ministers have been heckled nightly on the action of the Admiralty in printing and privately circulating correspondence from naval officers to the detriment of Lieut. Bellairs, M.P, (vice-chairman of the Navy League), after hie criticism of the 'Admiralty in the House of Commons. In the House last week, Mr. O. O. Craig and Mr G. F. Stewart Bowles (Conservative members for Antrim South and the Norwood division of Lambeth reagee-

Hvelv) charged Sir John Fisher (the (first Sea Lord) with conducting a personal campaign within and without the *avjr in order to further his own ends. Mr McKenna (First Lord of the Admiralty), replying, said that Sir John i’isher had had detractors and enemies lor many years. It was unfair to condemn him because at a time of extreme pressure he had ordered the printing of naif a dozen injudicious letters. It is persistently reported that Admiral Sir John Arbuthnot Fisher, First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, is to retire from his post in October next. The D, S. WlndeU Fraud. Francis Reginald King, a former employee of the London and South-western Bank, has been committed for trial on Charges of forgery and complicity in the frauds on the bank, in which a man giving the name of D. S. Windell played the leading part.