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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, 3 April 1913, Page 22

“If there were many singers who could employ English with the facility that Madame Clara Butt, the English contralto, displayed in her recital in the Carnegie Hall (comments a New York paper), opera in English would be as inevitable as sunrise. MadameButt sang a number of English songs with such clean cut diction that it was possible to hear every word. For the rest, her voice is phenomenal in range and power.”

At Whakatane last week, G- Gregory, tor supplying liquor to natives, was lined £75 and £2 costs, P. Atkinson £35 and £2 costs, Tutu (a native) £2O and £3 costs, Ratene (another native) £lOO and £3 costs, and G. Stace £5O and £1 costs, for similar offences.

A man with a peculiar taste in that he possesses a penchant for methylated spirits, was sleeping soundly in the lock-up the other night (says a Gisborne paper). He was found in an advanced state of inebriety, with a half-finished bottle of the spirits as his sole companion. He explained that he bought the unusual “consoler” because he could get no other liquor, and the police state that his breath could have been induced to take fire. * * * «’*

Wai’ has been waged against the “long pull” for many years past both by magistrates and publicans; by the former because they believe that it bas a demoralising tendency; by the latter it 'Would pay them better if the practice were wholly discontinued. It is a practice that has naturally grown up in the competition of one publican with another, just as the practice of giving away a certain quantity of goods has developed in other branches of the retail trade with the view of encouraging business. Some people object to a good bargain in beer because they do not drink it themselves, but if the beer drinkers objected to a good bargain being given to other people, say in margarine, they would find many arguments to demonstrate the folly and futility of such a proceeding. London L. V. “Gazette.”

At the Sydney liquor trades’ employees’ picnic, Mr. E- J. Kavanagh, M.L.C., secretary of the Labour Council, said the Labour Council favoured arbitration for the simple reason that 9 5 per cent of the unions affiliated with .it were not in a position to strike effectively. The ojily unions that could, in his opinion, strike effectively were the unions composed of workers in som e occupations which involved of food supply, or some public utility, coal or transport trades, where a strike would cause great inconvenience to the public. ’These unions were in a position to strike, and to strike effectively, but unions composed of employees engaged in the production of what might be termed luxuries or the manufacture of goods that could be imported from other States or from abroad, were not in the same strong positionTherefore, it had been found that arbitration was more effective, so far as the smaller unions were concerned. He hoped the liquor trades-union would continue to support arbitration, provided, of course, they always got justice and a fair deal.

Has a man copyright in his own face? This question was raised in a recent case in the law courts of Switzerland. A firm of tobacconists issued a new brand of cigars, and decorated the wrappers with the picture of a guard on the State railway. The picture was not fancy drawing, but a reproduction of the photograph of a man. in. the service. He is said to be a handsome official, but instead of appreciating the compliment, he sued the tobacco firm for damages, in respect that they had appropriated his features and published them without permission. The Court agreed that there was a grievance, and awarded the guard £l2 compensation. More was asked, but regard was had to the fact that the <irm had withdrawn the picture from circulation. Thus it is established, in Switzerland at least, that a man’s face is his own, and may even prove his fortune if he is sufficiently lucky in the law courts-

“The Bible in no place makes drinking per se, a sin. Multitudes of the best people who have evee lived have used alcoholic liquors and have been blameless. Drinking in this way is a natural personal right. Practically all the governments of the wor’d have recognised the legitimacy of the business by giving it the protection of the law, and have made somewhat futile regulations as to its control. Another admission which must be made, in all fairness, is the recognition of the fact that the liquor business must be carried on in a manner not only unobjectional but positively benevolent.” —Rev. Dr. William R. Taylor, pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church, Rochester, New York-