Abergavenny Chronicle

FOOD CONTROLLER'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PUBLIC. Lord Hhondda has issued a final state- ment to the public with reference to the rationing Reheme which cornea into opera- tion on Monday next in London and the Home Couilties. On and after that date no person will be able to buy meat or a meat meal, butter or margarine, except on meat and food cards. It is important to remember with regard to the squares and coupons that each week ends on a Saturday at mid- night, and that coupons cannot be trans- ferred from one week to another. Two things should be borne in mind—(1) Don't tear off meat coupons yourself (2) find out where your local food offioe is and go there if in difficulties. In the following extract persons are shown precisely how to buy in shops on the two cards: BUTTER AND MARGARINE. I No shop will be allowed to sell you butter or margarine except the shop at which you are registered, and only if you produce a food card. The shopkeeper will then cancel the square corresponding to the week in which the sale takes place. Supplies will be equally divided amongst shopkeepers in your district according to the number of their customers, and if sufficient quantities are available for the district as a whole, you will get 4oz. of butter and margarine a week on each card. MEAT. I No shop will be allowed to sell you butcher's meat, including pork and offals, except the shop at which you are registered- The shopkeeper will then cancel coupons corresponding to the amount of your pur- chase and the week in which it takes place. Tho butcher cannot supply you with butcher's meat or pork on more than three coupons from each card in any one week. Each of these coupons permits you to spend 5d. on butcher's meat or pork, or if it is a child's coupon, 2;d. There will be one coupon over on each card each week, and, if vou have not used all three coupons for butcher's meat or pork, there will be more than one coupon left. You may use these coupons for buying any other kind of meat, such ob bacon and ham, poultry, game, rabbite, cooked or tinned meats, etc., at any shop you please. You must, however, pro- duce meat cards for the coupons to be detached. Every shop selling such kinds of meat will be compelled to display a poster showing ex-actly what weights of different kinds of meat correspond to one coupon. MEAT MEALS. I No restaurant or eating house will serve you with any meal of which meat forms a port/on unless you produce your meat card for coupons to be detached. If therefore you have already used all your coupons for buying meat, you cannot obtain meat meals. The proprietor is not bound to serve you with any special weight of meat, but when he comes to account to his food office for the meat he has used he will have to pro- duce one coupon for every 5oz. of uncooked butcher's meat and pork he has used, and similarly with other kinds of meat. The restaurant may require you to give up only half a coupon for a meat meal, but it will then naturally not supply so much meat as for one whole coupon. Copies of Lord Rhondda's instructions in leaflet form, and referred to above, are placed upon all the bookstalls, and are free to the public. It is advisable to secure a copy and study the details carefully. NATIONAL RATIONS. The Food Controller announces that meat rationing on the lines of the scheme which comes into force in London and the Home Counties on Monday next will be applied generally throughout Great Britain by March 25. In certain parts of the country the scheme will be in operation early next month. A number of committees have local regis- tration or rationing scheme for meat in force. As these have either abolished or diminished queues, all committees in whose districts meat queues are still prevalent are being urged by the Ministry of Food to adopt temporary registration schemes until the general meat rationing scheme cornea into force. FOOD FOR MOTHERS AND INFANTS. I The Food Controller and the Local Government Board have made Orders em- powering local authorities to supply milk to children and milk and food to expectant and nursing mothers at cost price in ordi- nary cases, and free or at less than cost price in cases in which the women supplied cannot afford to pay the ecst price. Certifi- cates authorising applicants to obtain food a.nd milk will be granted by medical cfficers of health, medical officers of maternity, and child welfare centres working in co-opera- tion with the local authority, and by per- eons specifically empowered by either of these medical officers or by the local authority itself. The quantities of food and milk supplied under the Order will in ordi- nary* cases be: For children under eighteen months, up to one and a half pints of milk a day. For children between eighteen months and he years, up to one pint of milk a day. For expectant and nursing mothers as pre- scribed by the appointed medical or other authority. It will rest with the officers empowered by the local authority and acting under their directions to decide the cases in which the wom^n is to be supplied free, or at less than cost price. Expenses incurred under this Order will be defrayed as to one-half by the local rates and as to one-half by grant from the Local Government Board. 4L-

-w in ■ — »■—■WaRV i." NOTES ON NEWS. With regard to the rationing of ir.cnt, I Food Control Committees in different parts i NATTONAL MEAT KATIONS. or the country have taken time by the fore- lock by introducing local schemes. From all ac- counts these seem to have werited iairiy well, and they have, at. any rate, had the good result of minimising the queue nuisance and of abolishing it altogether in some cases. The scheme for London and the Home Counties comes into operation on Monday, the 25th, and it is now announced that a month later, on March 25,. a similar scheme will be put iato force in certain other parts of the country. In the interval all committees in whose districts queues are still preva- lent. are being urged to adopt temporary registration schemes. This is good advice, a-ad the committees which adopt it will be the better able to secure smooth working for the official scheme when it comes along. At present, as is natural, we are all antici- pating all eorts of difficulties which will beset butchers and consumers alike. There will certainly be hitches here and there, but if everybody concerned does his or her cheerful best to conform to the rules and regulations, and to make light of incon- veniences, the scheme should work well and equally. It has been clearly shown that the rationing is a necessity, and it is oul- common sense to make the best of it. A word of warning will not be out of :plaGØ in commenting upon Mr. Bonar OFTK STOCK OF WHEAT. Law's recent statement that we had two million quarters of wheat in stock in December more I than at the end of 1916. The statement has a comfortable and reassuring look, but it would be disastrous if people hastily as- sumed that so far as bread and flour are concerned there is no further need for .Jauxiety. Mr. Bonar Law said something else- as well. He emphasised the fact that this country is under obligations to assist its allies with foodstuffs. We are not feed- ing ourselves alone. As British ships supply the greater part of the world's seaJborno needs in peace, so they still have to do in war. It is something to be proud of, ,a.nd to be loyally carried out to the utmost of our power. France and Italy must share in the American wheat, and are doing so. Apart from this fact, it has to be remembered that the demands upon tonnage for bringing men and munitions iacross the Atlantic this year will be. enor- mous, and if we had now in stock no more wheat than we had at this time last year we should be in a much graver position before long than we have ever been in. All the injunctions to economy in food, and especially in bread and breadstuffs, remain in force, and, indeed, should be more liter- ally obeyed, because in addition to the other factors bringing about the shortage, there are now transport difficulties in America itself owing to the strain on the railways in moving the troops from place to place. The cat less bread" notice cannot yet be taken down. Freedom of the Seas" is a phrase of which we have heard a good deal lately. There are different ideas FREEDOM OF THE SEAS. ideas as to its precise meaning. The engaging Count Reventlow, as might have been ex- pected, has its own interpretation, wnicn may or may not be the official German one. It has, at any rate, a decidedly Ger- man appearance. "What we understand to-day by this doctrine," he says, is that Germany should possess such maritime territory, with naval bases, that at times of war we should be able, with our navy ready, to obtain for ourselves the command Of the seas." Count Reventlow is per- I fectly frank. "Freedom of the seas," ac- cording to him, means the freedom to sweep everybody else off them. Those neutrals who have from time to time com- plained of the- sea way of Britain may well ask themselves if they are likely to be any better off when Germania rules the waves. At the same time, it has to be remembered who and what Count Reventlow is. He is simply a fire-eating German journalist who has said a great many foolish things since the war began. We do not assume even in this country that our journalists speak for the Government and the nation, and though Lord Robert Cecil did Gount Reventlow the honour of quoting him in Parliament, it would perhaps be just as well to remember that lie does not speak for the German Government, while allow- ing that when the German Government does declare itself on the subject its defini- tion of the phrase may be not a bit more acceptable to us than Count Reventlow s. Lord D' Aberron, the Chairman of the liiauor Control Board, had some interest- FUTURE OF THE DUINK TRADE. ing things to say at Man- chester about tho future regulation of the drink trade, and he docs not seem to have nleased the licensed victuallers in his audience. The kasis of State Purchase, when it comes to be dealt with, must be the pre-war profits, he says, and not those at present being made. On this point it is interesting to note that many breweries are paying larger dividends than ever before. Also Lord D'Abernon is not in favour of the restoration of the old conditions as to hours, nor as to the prices charged for drink. At present prices, he says, intoxi- cants are not only being sold but fought for. He is of the opinion that conducting the trade on these lines will ensure more efficient service and less dangerous tempta- tions. Nobody, in fact, will be one penny the worse, but considerably the better, and he declares that it will be possible to in- crease the State revenue from the "Trade" to between eighty and a hundred millions annually. To sum up, he said that the taxation of alcohol could furnish the inte- rest on about £ 2,000,000,000 of war debt, without reducing trade profits below the pre-war standard; and that this taxation, taken together with the alleviations and developments rendered possible, would con- duce to maintaining sobriety and national efficiency at their present high level, and would facilitate social progress. After which his audience, packed by licensed victuallers, passed, with cheers, a resolu- tion calling upon Lord D'Abernon to resign from the Board of Control! One of the very many interesting items (tf tnews which come over from America BOMBS BY THE MILLION. these days is one sta-ting that Congress is being asked to vot." ;jv(,r fifty- five million pounds— pounds 1 f,), aeroplane "ombs. It will be a conger, task for those who are expert in these things to work out just how many bombs can be hiade for the money. The Americans have along intended to do great things in the air. They are making machines by the thousands, and training airmen by tens of thc)tlsands, and they are, it seems, going to Hianufacture bombs by the million. The new8 should give the enemy furiously to think.

For the third year in succession no per. SOn "W.os proceeded against for drunkenness at High am Fcrrars annual Licensing Ses- sions. The oldest citizen of Stratford-on-Avon, Mr. Richard Martin Bird, has died at the ■ago of ninety-five. He -was the oldest trus- tee of Shakespeare's Birthplace. Mr. Arthur Herbert Johnson, of Great Yarmouth, clothing manufacturer and draper, who took a prominent, part in the down's affairs, has left £ 59,177.

TEA TABLE TALK. | Lady Angela Forbes is a sister of the Earl of Rosslyn and of Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland. At the age of twenty she mar- ried Lieutenant-Colonel James Stewart Forbes, of Aslound, Aberdeenshire, whom she divorced in the Scottish courts in 1906, after they had been separated for two years. Lady Angela has travelled a great deal, and has written a book, "Broken Commandment, which, it was announced, had been banne d by four of the libraries. In 1910 she opened a flower shop in Bond-street, London, which she named My Shop." Miss Gertie Millar, the actress, tells the following story in illustration of the dreari- ness of the Scotch "S&wbath." One fine Sunday morning, after a week's engage- ment in Glasgow, ehe left her hotel for a brief walk. It was a bright morning, and as she was strolling along George-square, feeling and looking fit and well, she notioed a policeman gazing at her in stern disap- proval. Presently he approached her and said: "Ye had better tak' care, m'lady, what ye're doing." "Why, what am I doing?" aaked Miss Millar in surprise, add- ing archly; "I'm not singing, nor even whistling, "No," replied the Glaswegian, in solemn and reproving tones, "but do ye no ken. young woman, that this is the Saw- bath? And yû'ro looking as happy as if it were .Monday." < Sister Eileen King, Q.A.I.M.N.S., Who has been awarded the Military Medal "for bravery and devotion to duty during an air raid on a casualty clearing station, when although wounded she continued to attend to the injured," comes from Brisbane, where she received her training. A number of nurses have now earned this decoration, which is only awarded in cases where they are wounded in the actual fulfilment of their duties. An amusing story is told concerning Lady Sybil Grant, daughter of the Earl of Rtose- bery- It appears that her ladyship, who ia an enthusiastic war worker, assisted in wait- ing upon some wounded soldiers at a concert and tea got up for their entertainment. At the close of the meal one of the guests, not in the least realising who she was, shyly offered her a tip, which was politely de- clined. "I really don't need it, you know," said Lady Sybil' smilingly. "I've got plenty of money." "Is thp-t so?" exclaimed the soldier, in tones of evident surprise, allow- ing his gaze to rest on the plain linen over- all she had donned for the occasion. "You've got plenty of money, have you?" Lady Sybil nodded assent. "Well, miss," was the somewhat disconcerting reply, "you'll excuse me saving so, won't you? But—you don't look it.' Lady Dynevor has the brains and social tact that one would expect from a daughter of the Dowager Lady Jersey (says the "Queen "), but of late years she has lived a quiet home-life with her young children. She has three sons and one daughter; the latter is now fourteen, and has the pretty name of Imogen. The Rice family love Welsh names, and her sons are Uryan, El- wyn, and David, and her sisters-in-law are Nest, Gladys, and Gwonllian. Lord Dyne- vor is head of an ancient family, and claims descent from King Arthur. Dynevor Castle, which dates from 1599, stands on the banks of the Towy, in Car- marthenshire. Among the fine old furniture are two quaintly carved chairs, which once belonged to eome Cymric chieftain. The Dynevor title has some interest, for the first baron was the first Earl Talbot who, as he had no malo issue (the earldom ex- pired at his death), was given this barony with remainder to his daughter, Lady Cecil Talbot, who married the Eight Hon. George Rice, The title is spelt Dinevor in the Roll of the Lords, but m everyday life it ap- pears as Dynevor. "The funniest love-letter I ever received," says Miss Phyllis Dare, "was one of the longest. The opening sentences ran:"Who'a MMo Darc,-l think I hear you say. Who a this addressing me as Dear with a capital D?" Well, Mile, do not think me daring that I dare address you as dear, for you are very dear to me. Although you may never have set eyes on me, I have known and loved you for some years now. It was in a little country theatre that I first gazed upon your divinely beautiful face. Of course there was no formal introduction. You came; I saw; you conquered. I was only a youngster at the time, and you have never known, but I kissed you, yes, I kissed you twice on the same place. Did you object? Ah, remem- brance Ah, innocence! Of course, Miss Dare, it was your photograph I kissed, but I would rather kiss your photograph than anv other girl's face/ And so on, for several closely-written pages!" • Miss Hilda Trevelyan considers that the quaintest love-letter she ever received came to her when she was playing the part of Wendy in "Peter Pan." It was from a little boy, and began as follows: "I love you, Wendy. How far can you climb up a tree?" The writer wound up with a formal proposal of marriage, and added the information that his mother did not object, but that, on the contrary, she was quite willing to accept "Dear Hilda" as a daughter-in-law. < Mrs. Zangwill, speaking at a Women's Freedom League meeting, said that she could remember when one could walk from Cheapside to Liverpool-street without meet- ing a woman. "In 18G7," she added, "the appearance of a woman in the City would have been as surprising as her appearance in a Trappist monastery. A woman reporter would have seemed as impossible as a male wetnurse, but I understand that to-day the very printer's devil has taken on the femi- nine gender. I love to think of the women of those days, with their crinolines and ring- lets, their pouts and dimples, looking up from their Berlin woolwork. They were very engaging, and it is not surprising that to the men they wore always the darlings.' To-day we see women in oilskins and knickerbockers, and in close caps and over- alls—munitioneers—engaged on a different kind of Berlin work! As women in khaki go by I hear men exclaim, f The Waacs! but never The darlings.' Men are perhaps less tender towards women, but they are more respectful. I wave an affectionate farewell to those mid-century damsels. They were darlings,' but we are proud of our Waacs." • • • Miss Lucille Benstead, the Australian soprano who is so popular with British audi- ences, tells the following amusing story. "An American," she says, "waited in a nice long queue for the period of three sticks of chewing-gum. He was very affable, and amused all those around him. When he arrived, a sticky mass was thrust into his hand, and he said politely, Heavens, what's this?' 'No tea,' said the girl; 'but you can have a pound of soap.' < Well, I'll be Wilsoned! said the American. Is this or is this not the early door for "Yes, Uncle"?'" » Miss Lily Elsie, the actress, tells how her famous dance in the "Merry Widow" was evolved. "At rehearsals, the waltz was a most conventional affair," she says. "One day, after a tedious rehearsal, Mr. Coyne and I were requested to go through our dance once again. 'Come along! Let's get it over quickly! blurted Mr. Coyne. And we whirled away in a very frenzied fashion. The effect was so successful that our inter. pretation of the waltz was introduced intc the actual production."

COLOUR IN QUARTZ. I The colours of certain varieties of quartz have caused much perplexity. Chemical, microscopic and heating tests have been ap- plied, and the conclusions are that a trace of manganese gives the colour of the amethyst. Rose quartz dees not seem to be coloured by any inorganic impurity or microscopic inclusion. But the blue of certain quartz, found in Virginia and elsewhere, is attri- buted to the action of light on minute in- clusions of rutHe (reddish brown mineral) and not, 1M has been suggested, t. a state of strata.

DRESS OF THE DAY. DRESS OF. THE DAY. I A NEAT LITTLE COSTUME. I It would be difficult indeed to find any, t thing smarter, neater, or more thoroughly satisfactory than the new costumes shown for early spring wear. In the great majority of cases these are extremely simple in style, are of the strictly tailored type, and are carried out in materials that are pre-emi- nently suitable for hard, serviceable wear; in alwt, they are ideal costumes for war- time conditions. As regards material, nearly all the best models are carried out in traoh materials as serge, gabardine, fine suitings, cheviots, and light-weight tweeds. In colour they are usually either dark or neutral in tone. it being quite the exception to see a well-cut costume in bright-toned fabrics. Navy blue, grey blue, Very dark grey, dark brown, deep mole, a curious, un- [Refer to X 863.] I decided, and very dark tone of bronze, and certain shades of stone, beige, and putty are all very much worn this season, and will be popular right through the coming spring and summer. These plain and quiet toned costumes are admirable for wear with neat tailored shirt6 of crepe de Chine, Georgette, ninon, lawn, muslin, or net. An excellent example of the best type of new costume ia shown in our sketch. This most attractive and becoming costume is carried out in gabardine in a very dark shade of mole. The oat wraps over just a trifle in front, and fastens with a single large button covered with the material. Below this button the edges of the coat were sloped away the merest trifle at each side, and the corners were prettily rounded off. A long breast seam was carried from shoulder to hem on each side of the front, and similarly on each side of the back. Small. aeat revere, and a little notched collar, both raced with the gabardine, turn back from :he small, pointed opening at the neck. The sleeves, which are quite plain, have no cuffs at the wrist, but are simply ornamented by two buttons at the back of each arm. The skirt is of the latest slim type, and hangs with particularly- graceful, effect. The front is plain, but six flat pleats, well pressed and well taped, are laid at the back of the skirt. A neat belt of the material completes this very smart model. PRACTICAL ECONOMIES. I [Refer to X 864.] I the cold weather. Unpick a shabby pair of men's flannel trousers, sponge and press, and when you lay out the material you will be astonished to find how much you have to cut at. The pilot coat can be cut oig of an old overcoat. A good many cloths, although shabby on the right side, will reverse, and may stand any amount of extra wear. I CHECKED TRIMMINGS. I I notice that quite a number of the very smartest new frocks sent over from Paris show trimmings of some checked material or other. The favourite checked materials for the purpose are silk, linen, fine cloth, and velvet, and, generally speaking, the favourite design is a rather small block check of black and white. This looks well upon materials of almost any colour, but is at its best, I think, upon fabrics of a rather light shade of beige. It also looks remark- able well upon mole, dark blue, Saxe blue, and champagne. I NEW MILLINERY. I Quite a number of the newest hats for early spring wear are of toque-like small- ncfis, and fit snugly and closely to the hair, always a smart and effective form of head- gear, especially for the woman who is past her first youth. Several of these models show a most satisfactory alliance of straw and fabric, preferably soft satin, taffetas, or a curious material that looks like cotton crepe, but is really verv much better in quality. Trimming is still very restrained, and in many cases almost non-existent. Up- turned brims are promised marked popu- larity in the near future. Paper patterns can be supplied, price 6J. When ordering, please quote number, en- close remittance, and address to Miss Liale, 8, La Belle Sauvage, London, E.C.

Lancashire mining conditions are being inspected by Sir A. Stanley, President of the Board of Trade, and Mr. Guy Calthrop, the Coal Controller. Measles and diphtheria in the area con- trolled by the Metropolitan Asylums Board have increa?d slightly above the normal, have incivaeed slil, cause for anxiety. but the figuxes give no causo, for anxiety.

S150 HOARDING FINE. I .A.t. Kingston-on-Thanies Police-court, Cecil Prank Rawson, of Lovela-ce Gardens, Surbi- tofi, was summoned for hoarding tea, sugar, ani jam. In evidence it was stated that on a search of the house being made, there were found 18ib. of tea, 6111b. of sugar, and 87-Jlb. of ja:n. Mr. E. H. Cannot (for the defendant) niged that most of the jam was home-made, and in response to the appeal of the Ministry of Food the defendant had been saving sugar for that purpose. The Bench imposed fines amounting to E,50, and X3 3s. costs. ————— 0- —————

ALL TEA 2s. 8d. PER LB. I :t is officially announced that all tea will 801ll be sold at one price, 2s. 8d. per lb., and wil be known as "National Control Tea." It wil, however, be some weeks before every retailer can get a stock. "he tea will be classified in three grades to enable individual traders to prepare "bends" to suit special circumstances, such as hardness of water, but there is a direct prchibition of the retail sale of the lowest quality grade unblended. Traders are given until March 18 in which to dispose of their stoeks of other teas at the present fixed prises, but they must also sell National Con- tro tea as it become available to them.

WOMAN'S HOARD OF TEA. I At Chipping Norton Police-court, Mrs. Elfen Hinde, of Shipton-under-Wychwood, was summoned for having in her possession 1251bs. of tea and 36lbs. of coffee. Jlr. J. B. Matthews, K.C., who defended, arued that tea and coffee were not food but drink, and that the prosecution could not be maintained. The magistrates fined Mrs. Hilde 4:50 end EIO costs, and ordered 112bs. of tea to be confiscated. They agreed to state a case. ♦

The results of the medical examinations of 200000 London school children in the third ( tern of 1917 are the best ever reported, the pertentage of children in a poorly-nourished condition being considerably less than half the percentage in 1913. Brevet-Colonel A. M. S. Elsmie (Indian Infintry) is gazetted brigadier-general. A pike of 261b. has been captured in the Av<n at Fordingbridge, Hampshire, and will be preserved.

SIR WILLIAM ROBERTSON SUCCEEDED BY SIR HENRY WILSON. The following statement was issued I through the Press Bureau on Saturday evening:— GENERAL SIR WILLIAM ROBERTSON, I The extension of the functions of the Per- manent Military Representative decided on by the Supreme War Council at their last meeting at Versailles has necessitated a limitation of the special powers hitherto exercised by the Chief of the Imperial General Staff by virtue of the Order in Council on January 27, 1916. In these circumstances the Government thought it right to offer to General Sir William Robertson the choice of becoming British Military Representative on the Supreme War Council at Versailles or of continuing as Chief of the Imperial General Staff under the new conditions. Sir Wiliam Robertson, for reasons which will be explained in a statement which will be made by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons as early as possible during the coming week, did not see his way to accept either position, and the Govern- ment have with much regret accepted his resignation. General Sir Henry Wilson has accepted the position of Chief of the Imperial General Staff. The appointment of the British Perma- nent Representative at Versailles will be announced in a few days.

I CHEESE PRICES FIXED. Press Bui^an. For British cheese exceeding 21b. in weight, other than Caerphillv, made in 1918 from whole milk, and sold by the producer within the months of April and May, tho maximum price for best quality shall not be less than In. Gd. per lb. and ls. 4d. per lb, for Caerphilly. For British cheese exceeding 21b. in weight, other than Caerphilly, and un- ripened Stilton and Wensleydale, made in 1918 from whole milk and sold by the pro- ducer within the months cf June to October inclusive, the maximum price for best quality shall not be less than Is. 31,d. per lb. For British-made Caerphilly cheese, the produce of whole milk made in 1918. and eold by the producer within the months of June to October inclusive, the maximum price for best quality shall not be less than Is. 2d. per lb. The price of ripened Stilton and Wensley- dale is to be dealt with later. .0 .—————

I VALliE OF BEANS. The Ministry of Food states:In view of the present shortage of meat it is desired to remind the public of the valuable food properties of haricot beans (white and coloured), split peas, pea. Hour, split lentils, and lentil flour. There is at present a plentiful supply of these pulse foods, and they should be obtainable from the nearest grocer."

I £40 FOOD FINE. I Fines amounting to X40 were imposed by the Wellingborough Bench upon Mr. G. F. Williamson, an ironfounder, for food hoard- ing. His stock included: 351b. ham. 13!lb. tapioca. I Glh. sugar. 14tb. biscuits. 6L'!b. Quaker oats. 561b. flour. lOlb. tea. There were two in the household. The de- 1 fence was that much of the food was bought 1 before the Order came into force. 00

I THE KING TO SERBIA. I The members of the Serbian Industrial Mission, headed by the Serbian Minister, were received by the King at Buckingham Palace on Monday. The King, in a speech delivered in French, said? Gentlemen, I wish to express to you the great pleasure it gives me to receiver here to-day the members of the Serbian Industrial Mission. We have not forgotten, and we shall never forget, the heroic resistance of the Serbian nation, and we appreciate to the full the action of your gallant trccps. who are now fighting side by side with our own, upon the Macedonian front; but that is not the only reason for which we welcome you here to-day. The national life of our two nations is bawed upon the samo principles of liberty and justice, and it is this which makes us certain that, after the war, we can count upon the closest commercial relations be- tween Serbia and Great Britain. We are confident that before long Serbia will be re-established. You will then be faced with the task of making good the de- v;j?tation caused by the enemy, and how- I ever formidable that task may be, you may r count upon the cordial co-operation of all classes of my people.

I WOMAN'S GAMING HOUSE. I At Westminster Police-court on Monday, Madeline Mabel Nereshiner, otherwise Mor- ton, thirty-one, stated to be the wife of an American, was fined £ 250, with 20 guineas costs, for keeping premises in Eburv-street, London, S.W., for the purpose of gaming. Mr. Herbert Muskett, prosecuting, said the defendant was a gamester and gaming-house keeper who had apparently done eo well out of the business that she was able to invest in War Bonds and keep a banking account which showed very large sums pud to her credit. In consequence of complaints the police raided the premises and found poker being played for very high stakes by I "persons of good social standing."

MERCHANT HEROES. I In the House of Commons on Monday Mr. George Lambert asked when a recognition of the silent heroism of sailors who had been torpedoed more than once and who were still braving the submarine danger, would take place. Mr. Wardle replied that the question de- pended on what was done by the Navy and Army. "It is a big question," he added, "but I can assure the House that there will be no avoidable delay."

EAST AFRICA fIGHTING. I War Office. Reports (lelaved in transmission show that Mtarika (in the Lujcnda Valley, 150 miles north-east of the southern end of Lake Kyasa) was occupied by our troops on February 3, after some opposition. The main body of the enemy retreated eastwards in the direction of the Upper Msalu River. All enemy troops have now been driven from the area west of the Lujenda, despite the difficulties of movement caused by heavy rainfall. Ninety-four prisoners have been taken by our western columns in recent operations.

Dogs in Milan, Itcij, are on rations, and their owners have to produce tickets for bis- cuits. The Home Secretary has informed the British Motor-Cab Company that he cannot comply with their application to increase the fares iJa. London to Is. a mil*.

OUR CHILDREN'S CODER BL UNCLE RALPH. FEEDING THE 6HEEP. Jean was a little French boy. Ho lived with his father and mother and aiater Anna in a little village in Pr»*«o. His father was a fanner and had a gpea-t many ghew and lamba and oows. Joam weed to take a great delight in feeding the eheep and iambs, although at first he was rather afraid of them, but Yon7 aeon he got to bow them and they got to know him. He soon found out that theJ were very i?Qd of salt, and so he used to get eonae from the kitchen and go down to the fields with Anna; and presently some of tie sheep aiut lambs would come trottiug 1ip to where the* were standing, and begin to poke their nosea into his pinafore and try to gM at the sal; Then Jean would be dehght-eo, and would fill his little hands full and feed the pretty gentle creatures ae long aa the food lasted, and they were so glad that they had a little friend like Jean. He was not so friendly with the eows. but then they were very much bigger, of course. THE NEW TEACHER. "I shan't like her a said Gladys. "I shall hate her, I know," said Dorothy. "She can't be ae nice as Miss Katie," aaia Patty. "Nobody coild," said Ronald. They were all standing by the new foun- tain in the park, talking about- the new teacher who was coming to the school that day. Presently Ronald said. "I am so thirsty, I -should like a drink of water," but nobody could reach up high enough, and they did not know what tie do. "Can I he-lo?" said a voice behind them. They turned round and there was Miae Jessie—the sister of their dear Miss Katie.. She got Ronald the water, and then they all began to tell her about the aevr teacher. Miss Jessie listened with a grave face. "Do you know her n=ol" slio said, after a little while. "No," said Gladys. "Don't want to> grumbled Dorothy. "Horrid old thing!' said Patty. "I s'pect it's something nasty,said Ronald. Just then they reached th* school-house door. There were several children waiting. Miss Jessie took out a key asd put it in the look. "Are you coming in. Miss JesEiet" said G lad VB. "Yes," said Miss Jessie, smiling, tfyou eoe, I'm the new teacher!" PIP, THE CHICKEN. "Pip," said old Mrs. Hon, "do bo careful what you are doing, you very nearly pecked vour sister. You really are a most trouble- some child." Pip, the little chicken, saul nothing, but looked very much offended. He was cer- tainly a very trying child. He always thought that he knew beet. Only that very morning Mr. Rooster, his father, had said to him that he was on no account to go into the barn at the corner of the yard, and when Pip asked why not, he would only say that he was not to aak too many ques- tions. Now, Pip wanted to know very badlv why he was not to go into the barn. In the ordinary way, of courso. he would not have wanted to go there at tul. But now he felt as if he must go there at once So as soon as his father and mother were safely out of the way. he said to his brothers and sifters: Good-bye, you silly little things. I'm going to see what there is in the barn." Of course, all his little brothers and sisters hean to try to persuade him Hot to do anything of the kind, but Pip paid no attention to them, and set off by himself. It was a long way (at least for a chicken), and it seemed very dark when he got there. He went in. however, and marched up to the corner of the barn where lie thought he saw two lights shining m the darkness. As scon as he got up to them, however, he .?con is lie rzot up tci turned round and came back much quicker than he had come, fer what do you think they were? They were the eyes of a big catj who had make a sort of nest in the barn, and who would have been very glad to make a. meal off Pip if he had only stopped. But. you may be sure that he ran away as fat as he could, and ever after that he was willing to do as people told him with- out going to see for himself. THE MESSENGER BOY. They were all getting very tired and per- haps just a little cross, when he came. And somehow, he had such a bright smile, and he seemed to take such an interest in what they showed him, that they all liked him directly. He had come with a message from Uncle Fred to Mother, and he was ivaitinz for the answer in the nursery. He thought that Peggy's doll was beautiful, and he made Kumfrev laugh at once by letting him pull off his cap. Ursula asked him if he had ever seen the King, and when he said he had. she was delighted with him. Frances found that he knew something about geo- graphy. and iust as she was talking to him about "Asia the door opened and Father and Mother came in. He had brought tickets for the pantomime from Uncle Fred. Wasn't he a nice messen- ger boy? COUSIN DOROTHY'S STORY. "Once upon a time," said Cousin Dorothy, there was a Princess "Oh. I know, said Marjorie, "and ehe found a Frog and knocked it against a wall. and it turned into a Prince- I don't like that story a bit." "That wasn't my story at all," said Cousin Dr-rothy. 'mine was about a Princess "Slept, on p. bed with a pea in it," broke in Marjoiie again, "that is a Billy !rl.oq. Marjorie was rather cross, I am afraid, but then she had been ill and had a head- ache. so there was some excuse for her. N o," said Cousin Dorothy, smilin(X and drawir.f Marjorie closer to her, my story is better than that; I think you had better wait and hear the end of it. My princess's naPh" was Marjorie, and the King and Queen her father and mother were far away over the sea." "That's like me," said Marjorie, sadly. "And one day there came a .Iettk-r' paid Cousin Dorothy. Marjorie looked 'Qp. "Which said they were coming home," went on Cousin Dorothy. "Oh when? when, Cousin Dorothy?" asked Marjorie. "Now—to-day?" "No, to-morrow," said Cousin Dorothy, "How do you like my story?" THE TIGER AND THE BOAR. This is a story about a tiger. He was al fine, large fellow with very be-autiful stripes, and he thought himself very grand, end nearlv every other animal was afraid of him. But Tusks, the little wild boar, was not a bit afraid of him he was not afraid of any- one. Now, once when Tusks was quite little he had fallen down and hurt himself, and a man had picked him up and been very kind to him and nursed him until he got well. So Tusks had always remembered this, and when he heard the fine, large tiger say that he was goino, to have a look round the village to see what he could pick up, the little wild boar said to himself, "All right, my fine fellow, I'll be there, too!" And he went after him, and, sure enough, the fine, large tiger was just going to make a spring at a little baby that was plaving- inside a hut, when Tusks rushed up and stamped his little foot and said, "Gô away, you big coward Go away, or I will fight you! This man who lives here is a friend of mine, and I won't let you eat up his little baby Go away I" And what do you think the fine, large tiger with the beautiful stripes did? He put his tail between his legs and rau away!

I Arthur Harrv Victor de Stamir has been hanged at Wandsworth Prison for the, murder of Captain Tighe at Winkfield Lodge, Wimbledon Common. on Nov. aQ,_i..