Abergavenny Chronicle

COLLISION IN THE CHANNEL. PASSENGERS AND CREW RESCUED BY TU OS. NO LIVES LOST. The Aberdeen liner Marathon, homeward bound from Sydney, came into collision with the Japanese steamer lieijun Maru during a fog, and was beached at Dungeness. The liner had 94 passengers bound for London, and these were taken off by the Dover harbour tug Lady Brassey and landed at Dover. The passengers included Lieut. FitzRoy, R.N., and his bride, a daughter of Sir Francis Newdigate, Governor of Tasmania, who were on their honeymoon tour; Mr. Home, the South African golfer, who is to play Harry Vardon; and Miss Macdonald, principal of the Women's College, Sydney University, which she founded 27 years ago. Fortunately there were no casualties.

I BULLOCK ELECTROCUTED. MAD DASH AMONG THE LIVE RAILS. Traffic on the London and South-NVestern Railway was much upset the other day, when a bullock rushed from the Nine Elms depot up the .line between the live rail", and the electric system. He received a slight shock as he came in contact with the me. This caused him to run madly. He had almost reached Clapham Junction when he fell on to the live rails and was electrocuted. The current had to be cut off while the animal was removed, causing a delay of half an hour to traffic on the electric system.

AN "IVANHOE" RELIC. The famous preceptory of the Knights Templars known as Temple Farm, at the village of Temple Hirst, Selby, is coming into tho market with 280 acres of land. In the farm buildings are the remains of the -oreceptory where the Knights Templars held ;yay for a century. The place is conjectured to be the Temple- stow in "Ivanhoe." The ancient doorway < ,and turret are intact, and not far away ara indications of a great castle. Robin Hood and Little John are stated to have a?ocia- tions with the place.

IMPUDENT JEWEL ROBBERY. ¡ A most imrmdent and daring jewel rob- bery took place in London when two men made off with rings to the value of £ 1,000 Fran k lancl 335, belonging- to Mr. C. G. Irankland, 333, High Holborn. A well-dressed man entered the shop, snatched a tray of rings from the sounter and ran out, whereupon a second man locked the proprietor and assistants in the shop, where they were impiisoned for twenty minutes by means of a padlock and chain attached to the handles of the swing doors. I

CYCLIST CHARGES MOTOR-WAGON Mr. Edwin Ross Saunders. fifty-three, leader of the London Hippodrome orchestra, was killed on a cycling tour by running into a -steam motor-wagon at Ashstead. It was stated at the inquest that he was cycling on the wrong side of the road, and the driver of the motor-wagon was exoner- ated from- all blame.

KEEPING OUT THE HUN. WARNING. No German or Austrian admitted. This-is the notice which many merchants are showittg, who have naturally little sym- pathy with persons of German or Austrian nationality. ¡

STOPPED WHEELS. I TRAMWAYMEN STRIKE AT SHEFFIELD. AN ALDERMAN AND THE "HOTHEADS." Sheffield tramwaymen struck work during the week-end. The men had tenderec notices, but had agreed to accept national arbitration on the general issue, intending to apply for sanction to tender fresh notices on the Sunday iJiiy question. Exception, nowever, seems to have been taken to a speech of Alderman Sir William Clegg, chairman of the Tramways Com- mittee, who told tha City Council he was afraid the agitation among the men was being engineered largely by "hotheads." The employees met and decided to put their notices into operation.

BIG HOTEL FIRE. I XS,OW DAMAGE TO TOP STOREY. 1 A. serious fire has ocourred at the Gros- venor Hotel, Victoria-street, when damuge to the amount of about £ 8,000 was done. Tha hotel is a massively constructed build- ing of seven stories, fronting the junction of Buckingham Palace-road and Grosvenor- road. The fire originated, it is believed, on the outside of the roof, and probably the hot weather assisted its progress. The whole of the top storey of the tower, u.ed as staff quarters, was involved, and soon it was a mass of lfames. The roof completely collapsed, portions fafling into the roadway. Afterwards all that remained of the top storey of the tower were charred portions of roof and the walls of the rooms in a state of ruin. The servants lost most of their belongings, but on the whole very little inconvenience was caused to the guests.

A CONTINENTAL AIR TRIP. I R32 AND H33 VISIT BELGIUM AND I HOLLAND. After carrying out her demonstration flight over Holland and the French and Ilelgian battlefields, R33 has returned to Pulham (Norfolk). R32 ah, took part in the demonstration, the two aii-ships flying together over Amsterdam. R33 left Pulham. crossed the English coa3t at Lowestoft, and passed over Ostend and The Hague. The airships went to Amsterdam, where a message of greeting waa dropped by R32 in the exhibition grounds. It was then decided to abandon the pro- jected visit to Paris. After flying over Antwerp and Brussels R33 made a rapid return over the sea and landed safely at Pulham.

DUAL TRAGEDY. 1 LANDLORD'S PLUCKY ACT IN A I RAZOR ATTACK. I A short distance of the place where Beckett committed his fourfold crime was the scene of a double tragedy. The house is situated in Upton-avenue, Forest Gate, and the victims were, a man named William Dazey, aged 00, and a woman known as Lily Allum, aged 42, with whom he is said to hate lived. The discovery was made by the landlord of the house, who was startled by the woman's screams for assistance. He found Dtvey in the act of attacking Allum with a razor. During a violent struggle th-e landlord released Allum and carried her downstairs to a passage in the front of the house. He then summoned a doctor, but shortly before his arrival the woman died from her injuries. By' her side lay Davey, with his I throat cut. The bodies were removed to West Ham mortuary.

NOTES ON NEWS. I An interesting resolution is that pro- posed by the National Union of Manufac- turers, who submit that in order to make the good government and administration of this country more secure the Government be requested to extend the provisions of the Police Act to all nationalised services, in- cluding the Post Office, together with the mines and railways when nationalised, that trade unions in thosv services should be pro- hibited, and that the advocacy of a strike in any national service be a penal offence The resolution also urges the removal oi the names of all persons receiving an in- come from the State from the Parliament- ary, but not the municipal, register of voters. Should the Government deal with the trade union movement in this manner, and place a ban on all State services, much good would obviously accrue. Helping Allotment Holders. Lord Lee, President of the board ot Agriculture, in a letter to the London Couiity Council and the Councils of Boroughs, Metropolitan Boroughs, and Urban Districts on the subject of allot- ments n,, affcted by the Land Settlement (Facilities) Act, 1!)11. says: "Your Council should look ahead and arrange to acquire alternative land to which any dispossessed allotment holder call move." Councils under this Act, the letter points out. will be able to acquire land for allotments by a simple and rapid process. Failing acquisi- tion and tho right of immediate entry by agreement, it will osly be necessary to mae a compulsory order, which, in ordi- nary cases, will not require confirmation, and the council can then take possession of the land on fourteen days' notice. "It should be possible, thereforo," the letter continues, "to satisfy any demand for allotments without delay. The allotment movement should be encouraged to the greatest possible extent, not only from the point of view of the increase oJ: food pro- ducl-ion, but on ccullnt of th" social and political advantages of the movement. This will no doubt be a solace to the many allotment holders who have agitated in view of tho fact that their work of the past was in danger of being wholly destroyed. I Canada's Railway Centre. Winnipeg has attained the er.viable re- putation of being the greatest distributing centro in Canada. This is chiefly due to its geographical situation bringing within the city's immediate reach the vast terri- tory comprising the fertile grain fields of the tlireo prairia provinces, with the lum- bering, fiallinm and mining districts of the great country to the north. Adequate trnin service and unsurpassed raih-oad facilities with favourable distributing rates are features cf vital importance in main- taining Winnipeg's dominant position in the Canadian West. Winnipeg has the greatest and most up-to-date individual railway terminal on the continent, made necessary l y the enormous tonnage handled. Practically all goods from the vast plains of Western Canada and the timber and lake-dotted districts of the north, including- I grain, cattle, fish, coal, minerals, etc., and the products of eastern and southern fac- tones pass through Winnipeg. There are t .vonty-ieven railway lines radiating from the city in all directions, providing ship- pers with direct connection with the lSur- rounding districts. Premier Thanks the Workers. Tho Empire's thanks to all workers in naval dockyards are tendered to the t irst Lord of the Admiralty by the Prime Minis- ter, who has written as follows: "It is always an unwelcome task to dispenso tvith the service., of men and women who have rendered real service to tho country in a time of emergency. I know well the re- markable work done by officers and men of the Navy, and by the civilians who have been employed in various centres; and no one realises better than I do what a great part their work played in our victory. It must go to their heart to see the splendid creations of their hard endeavours put by and scrapped, but I know that the patriotic spirit which inspired them to build up will also enable them to face the winding up of enterprises and efforts to which they must be greatly attached. When the expenditure of the country as a result of. the war debt and war pensions must necessarily bo very high, we arc driven to economise ruthlessly in every direction. Please explain to these loyal men and women that if we dispense with their services it does not mean any want of gratitude on tho part of the Empire for what they have accomplished." Exactly i Australians and the Law. I Rumour has been rife lately regarding the status of men of the Australian Forces who have committed acts of civil misde- meanour. It is now announced from Aus- tralian headquarters that the statement that all Australian soldiers serving terms of imprisonment have been granted a free pardon is evidently based on a misapprehen- sion. It is a fact that men guilty of minor military offences have had their cases re- viewed, and in some instances free pardons have been granted, but men guilty of offences against the Civil law aro not affected, aud will, where necessary, serve out their sentences in Australia. The New Rationing. I Under the new rationing scheme well J over forty million ration cards have been issued by Food Committees, the public having responded admirably to the order to send in their grey reference leaves on which the ro-registration is being corried out. The basic principle of the new scheme is the abolition of the coupon, the return of re- tailers' counterfoils to food officers, and the re-organisation of distribution on the basis of those counterfoils. Retailers will be given a margin to meet emergency de- mands, and 'the margin will be adjusted iu accordance with the temporary registrations shown to have been made with the retailer. For the present it is thought rationing need only apply to meat—beef, mutton and lamli —sugar and butter. The rationing machi- nery is sufficiently flexible to meet any other emergency should additional foods ha considered nccessary to be included iu the I scheme. Training War Widows. I We have already referred to the training of war widows, of which the administration has been transferred from the Ministry of Pensions to the Ministry of Munitions. Already 100 are attending courses of in- struction in sick nursing, midwifery, mas- sage, health visiting, upholstery, dress making, cookery, etc. There arc vacancies for larger numbers to learn these vocations, for which there is a steady demand. Widows and dependents of deceased officers and widows of men, who were in receipt of a pension under Article 11 and 13 of the Royal Warrant, are eligible for the train- ing courses. The Government grant in the former cases will be X75 a year, to cover training and maintenance, in addition to pension allowances; to the widows of men a maintenance allowanco of 12s. 6d. a week and training allowance of 7s. 6d. a week will be granted, in addition to pension. The average length of the course of train- ing will be three months. This is charity of a most practical character, and will no doubt be fully utilised by those anxious to take their place in the "new world" of which Mr. Lloyd George talks. Discipline and the Police. I Sir N. Macreadv is nailing the lie to some entirely misleading statements which have been published with regard to the recent meeting when Sir Nevil Macready addressed the police sergeants. Sir Nevil drew atten. tion to the old rule that a constable on duty should avoid gossiping with members of the public, and observed- that in the interests of the Force it was desirable that the rule should be observed more strictly. He added that in tightening the discipline discretion must be observed. There is not a word of truth in the other statements which have been attributed to Sir Nevil to the effect that sergeants should not associate with their men even when off duty, that ser- geants would mess apart from the men in police stations, and that promotion .in future would depend on the number of men whom the sergeants reported as defaulters.

NEW ARMY PAY. -1 INCREASED REMUNERATION TO MEET HIGH COST OF LIVING. A MILITARY PARADOX. I Manv a man will now be wonder i ng M anv man v;ill now be wondering whether he would not be better off in the Army, and whether it was worth being de- mobilised. Our Government, of course, does things in such a strange way that when danger was abroad and our men fighting for their lives they wero paid a minimum of I s. ld. a d a v. ,N-oNv that the war is over, those who were lucky enough to come out unscathed, and those who never went at all, are to be paid the following handsome rates of pav. I OFFICERS. I Second Lieutenant, married, = £ 394 per annum; after two years' service, X448. Unmarried, £ 320 iiid 1:375. Lieutenant, married, £ 448; aft.(i!r seven years, k503. Unmarried, £ 375 and £ 429. Captain, married, 1622; after fifteen years, £ 667. Unmarried, £ 517 and £ 562. Major, married, £ 768; after five years as such, £ 868. Unmarried, k684 and £ 784. Lieutenant-Colonel, with command pay, married, 11,2.42; unmarried, £ 1,184. The rate for general officers is;- In command G.O.C. (first class), married, £ 4.342; unmarried, };4,:ZS8. Second claes, £ 3,372 and £ 3,308. Major-General (Divisional Commander), £ 2,329 and £ 2,275. and £ 1,477. Not in Command Generals, married, £ 3,120; unmarried. £ 3,068. Lieutenant-Genoral, £ 2,698 nnd £ 2,644. Major-General, £ 2,055 and £ 2,011. Brigadier-General, £ 1,531 and £ 1,477. Brigadier-General (in It ca:ge of administra- tion), £ 1,630 and £1,09<). In addition, children's allowance is given until December 31. I RANK AND FILE. The new rates take effect as from Jitly I last for alt officers serving on September 13. For warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men serving at home the amended rates are:— Private, 2s. 9d.; 3s. 6d. after two years. Lance-Corporal, 4s. 3d. Corporal, 5s. Lance-Sergeant, 5a. 6d. Sergeant, 7s. Company Quartermaster-Sergeant, 9s. 6d. Company Sergeant-Major, 10s. Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant, 12s. Regimental Sergeant-Majcr, 14s. All soldiers, except boys, up to the rank of lance-sergeant will be eligible for pro- ficiency pay at the rate of Gel. a day. The rates tor "tradesmen" in all arms and departments are also revised, the highest rate for a private being Gs. a day after two j years and ior a first-class "warrant officer I 16s. I PENSION RATES. A private's pon-ion will be Is. 2d. per day or each complete jear of qualifying service, other ranks being proportionately higher, according to class. The maximum rates are:— Private, 26s. per week; ClaSiS IV., 31s.; Class III., 36s.; Class II.. 41s.; Class 1. (in- cluding warrant officers, Class n.), 46s.; warrant officer (Class I.), 55s. A total of twenty-one years' service is necessary to give a right to a pension, but a minimum of ten years' qualifying service is also required.

ATTACKED IN A COUNTRY LANE. While walking in a country lane near Usk (Monmouthshire) Mr. Thomas Evans, a boot and shoe repairer, and a girl named Cissie Stradling were attacked by a man who sprang from behind u. tree and threw something in their eyes. He then savagely assaulted them with what the girl described as a, moon-shaped blade, about 18 inches long, with a wooden handle." Evans was seriously injured about the ears, throat and head. An elderly man named Mallan, wlfo was employed at a house in Usk as an "odd man,' has been detained in connection with tho affair.

LEEDS BOATING TRAGEDY. While two men were boating on the lake I at Roundhay Park, Leeds, they pulled alongside another boat containing two girls. Apparently one of the men, Thomas Knowles, attempted to get into the other boat. He fell into the water, and the girls, who tried to rescue him, also fell in. They were rescued, but Knowles sank, and the liOdT had not been recovered at a late hour last night.

FIVE NEW KNIGHTHOODS. I Five K.C.I.E.s have been gazetted as re- wards for war service. Tho ?eIpMnts alle: Lieut.-General Sir E. Altham Alt am, Lieut.-General Sir C. A. Anderson, Lieut.-General Sir Havelock Hud- son, Major-General W. C. Knight, and Major-G-eneral H. A. Raitt.

SINN FEIN. I Although the Government has now sup- pressed the Sinn Fein Parliament and banned all its organisations, the spirit of tho Sinn Feiners has not been affected one I iota. In Ireland everyone is wondering what I will happen next.

THEIR LIFE'S SAVINOS. I I An aged couple walked into a Gillingham bank and placed on tlio counter a bag con- taining £500 in gold.. It was their life savings and this was their first banking experience.

BRIGHTON WALK. T. Payne, of the Yorkshire Walking Club, won the Surrey Open "Victory" walk from Westminster to Brighton. His time was 8 hrs. 38 min. 23 sec.

PROFITEER COURTS. Work is now in full swing in some locali- ties with Complaints Tribunals under the Profiteering Act.

WIDNES ELECTION. The result of the Widnes by-election has provided the fifth heavy defeat which the Government has. ouffered since the general election in December last. The declaration was as follows: Mr. A. Henderson (Lab.) 11,404 Mr. F. M. B. Fisher (U.) 10,417 Labour Majority. 987 At the general election the figures were: Col. W. Hall Walker (Co. D.). 11,515 Mr. T. Williamson. (Lab.) 7,821 Coalition Unionist majority 3,604

A garage proprietor at Guildford an- nounces that unless a motor-car—P.A. 6115 —left in his charge in 1914. is not called for within 14 days, he will cell it. "It is rumoured," says the "Daily Ex- press," "that Mr. Churchill may add the Admiralty to the War Office and the .Air Ministry, and rule over the three." Mr. Churchill is understood to have said that if this is a hint he is much obliged, but that if it is merely sarcasm, our contemporary can mind its own busine"From "Punch."

OUR LONDON LETTER. I [From Our Special Correspondent.] 1 London. The Prime Minister's holiday has drawn to a close. It has been much punctuated by business. Mr. Lloyd George is very fit, and has derived great benofit from his rest, partial though it has been. There is a. good deal of discussion going on about thE speech which he is due to deliver in a few days to the conference of the Brotherhood Movement. It is said that Mr. Lloyd George will make this the occasion of a highly important pronouncement with re- gard to the policy which he intends to pur- sue in the future, especially upon Labour and social questions. I should not be sur- prised if there turns out to be some truth in this conjecture. The venera,ble Dr. Clif- ford is to be in the chair on this occasion, and the Prime Minister will be addressing an audience of the kind which always brings out his loftiest gifts both as a states- man and an orator. Dr. Clifford has not been an up-and-down, supporter of the Coal- ition, but he has never lost faith in the great purposes and powers of the Prime Minister for good. In that he is no doubt typical of the majority cl those for whem he can and does speak. "HONEST J-OH.IZ IVAR.D. A fine contempt for personal interest and political prejudices was displayed in the btatement which Colonel John AVard, M.P., made the other day on tho Russian situa- tion. As courageous in the controversies oi peace as he has shown himself to be in the perils of war, Colonel Ward has expounded the duty of the soldier and the obligations of the State with a clarity that leaves no- thing to be desired. Mr. Churchill's state- thin- to be desired. ment on the Russian position, which has been much discussed as the result of action by a regimental officer who had been re- lieved of his command, affords convincing evidence that the Government is in no danger whatever of going back on it" de- cision to withdraw our troops from Russia or of forgetting that part of our duty to Russia to which Colonel Ward called atten- tion, and the recognition of which seems to be singularly lacking in certain quarters. TRADE UNION COXGKESS. The Trade Union Congress voted by a large majority in favour of Mr. Smillie's nationalisation of mines motion, and it dodged the issue of direct action. Nationali- sation is, of course, a hardy annual at the Congress, and there is nothing new in the declaration cf assent to that principle: But there is only one way in which nationalisa- tion can be brought about. The country must 00 converted to it, and a Parliament must be given a mandate for it. At present the country is not converted to it, and this Parliament has no mandate for it. Direct action has been shelved, strangely enough, on the theory that the Congress has no mandate on that issue. The fact, of course, is that had there been a straight vote for and against industrial action for political purposes. Mr. Smillie and his friends would have met tkeir Waterloo. The heart of Labour is sound, and I believe the rank and tile of Trade Unionists were never less likely to depart from constitutional methods tha.n they are to-day. THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. | Tho British Association has been meeting at Bournemouth, and I ran down there on tho opening day to hear the presidential address of Sir Charles Parsons. It is many years since an engineer was President, but Sir Charles maintained the traditions of presidential addresses, which are of a I learned and gloomy character. It is an astonishing thing that scientists, at the very moment when they are proving how much science has done for mankind, and with what success the human mind is tack- ling the baffling problems which have puzzled men for centuries, should take such a depressing view of the future. The fact ii3, I suppose, that experts take a rather warped view of life. They are as unreliable guides in tho affairs of every day as they aro reliable in their own special department. Sir Oliver Lodge, for example, is a. marvel of credulity, just as he is a master of physics. We must, therefore, draw some distinction between the scientist as such, and the scientist turned moralist—or prophet. Sir Charles Parsons seemed to suggest that the futuro will be pretty desperate. I did not see anybody shudder, however. You se" the audience consisted of men most of whom had heard these gloomy prognostications pretty regularly at the annual meetings of the British Association. CRIME IN IESLASD. I The outrage co-mmitted the other day at Fermoy is having deplorable consequences. Fermoy is a garrison town, the- population is quits used to soldiers, and I do not bc- lieve that the criminals in the recent shoot- ing belonged to that town. It was the headquarters of the 16th Irish Division, which covered itself with glory in France, I and when I was last there that Division, which consisted almc6t entirely of Irish Nationalists, had not departed, and Fermoy I was proud of it. Things have, unhappily, changed since then. But nobody who knows the people in those parts will believe that they have any sympathy with, cold-blooded assassination. I am glad to see that the Irish clergy have taken a strong line against this outrage, and it is obvious that the very difficult and deplorable situation in Ireland can only be rendered more complex, and that efforts towards a settlement will only be hampered by wickodness and violence. I RELIGION AND THE ARMY. Messrs. Macmillan have gent me a book with a preface by the Bishop of Winchester, which contains an inquiry into religion in the Army. The inquiry cannot be- called an impartial one, for it was made exclu- sively in religious quarters. Tho results may therefore be regarded as impartial, since they are certainly not such as religious men could have desired. The inquiry shows that tltp soldier is not much bothered about religion, and that he is certainly not pos- sessed of any definite belief in the doctrines of Christianity. Yet. say the authors of these reports, he is full of Christian virtues. I do not see why any man should be sur- prised at this, for the Christian virtues prove to be those human qualities which happily light up our poor human nature, and which are quite as common among men who profess no religion as among those who do. This book is not likely to prove pleasant reading for the churches, but it need not worry anyone else. There is apparently something wrong with the churches, but, as the poster tells us, "the Army of to-day's all right."

"While sitting on a parapet at Fort Widley, Coeham, Portsmouth, Private Dim- mock, R.A.S.C., fell 50 feet owing to the bricks giving way, and was killed. John Taylor and John Sparkes, farm labourers, fought in a stable, and Sparkes ic < alleged to have bitten Taylor's finger, .the injury resulting in death. A verdict of "Manslaughter" was returned at a Sunder- land inquest. o

STATE CONTROL ? I TRADES UNION CONGRESS DECIDES FOR NATIONALISATION. I WHAT LABOUR THREATENS. I Labour evidently intends to do big things if figures go for anything. At tho Congress of the Trades Unions at Glasgow a card ^ot-e cm piratically decided in I favour of "Direct Action." Also by a card voto the Cabinet's Coal Schemo was rejected, and the nationalisation, of mines ieinanded bv a majority cf 4,401,000! A deputation is to go to tho Premier, and if nationalisation is refused a special con- gress will decide the steps to be taken to compel the Government to accept Labour's demand. The Labour plot against tho Go- vernment was thus made clear. Mr. Havelock Wilson denounced nation- alisation, and Mr. Smil.i-3 retorted, soying that the demand for State mines would be mado to the Government with tho ultima- tum, "Rcfui-i? at your peri)." The "com- pulsion" hinted, of e^uive, is a general strike, with the alternative of an appeal to the country. Mr. J. H. HiomM, who supaported Mr. Bmillie, prophesied thit the Government would refuse the demand, aud that the Special Congress would meet "within three months." I A VEILED THREAT. I Mr. Smir.i e's speech contained the veiled threat that if the Government refuse they must take responsioility. "Was it to, much to ask that the workers whoso lives wero actually invested in tho industry should have "orne voice in its management, as v.-ell as tho people who had put their money into i<tr" asked Mr. Smillie. Ho disclaimed that there was anything of the- Syndicalist idea in tho minors' claim. Probably if the miners were to advocate nationalisation in the interests of them- selves few would deny the justice of the claim. But they did not pre..t4 natiouaEsa. tion in their interests. They felt that coal was the nation's first ncoossity, that it was desirable to secure the largest possible output that could be obtained consistent with tho system of life that made condi- tions of those who hewed the coel healthy and decent lie ventured to say that they would never J get the largest output from- the mines un- der private profit. Miners, too, had im- pressed upon the Government the enormous waste of coal which had taken place under private ownership. It was admitted before the Royal Commission that hundreds of millions of tons of ccal were left under- ground that might reasonably have been profitably used' but for the obstruction cf a small number of men and women who claimed that the mineral wealth of the country belonged to them. The miners were anxious to proceed con- stitutionally, but if the Government failed and declined to accept the findings of their own Commission, then responsibility must I belong to the administration. NATIONALISE EVERYTHING ? Mr. Havelock Wilson said that after the nationalisation of mines there would be the demand for the nationalisation of ship- ping, and so it would continue. There was no single thing, venture, or scheme controlled by the State that had been made a success. "The war," interjected a delegate. (Laughter.) The argument for State control, Mr. Wil- Eon proceeded, had been in the case of the seamen disastrous as well as fatal. If wo walked ou the highway, took a drink in a public refreshment room, sat in an eating- house, lectured in a hall, or slept at night,. Parliament regulated the process. Now it was nroposed, by crganised Labour, to bring about an army of civil servants to. prey on the public necessity. THE MASSES. Mr. W. Brace, M.I' said he regretted Mr. Wilson's speech, because doubtless it would form mcst cf the propaganda which they would- have to meet when they went to the country. The Congress must know that large masses of people would not exert themselves in producing wealth for private: people. Mr. Wilson had come before the Commis- sion of Mines and given evidence against, nationalisation, they then had to appeal to Mr. Bowerman to come and give evidence Oil behalf uf tho Congress. On a. card vote the resolution was adopted by 4.478,OUO voteo to 7 7,OOU, as &;ta?ld above.

HELP THE DISABLED I ROYAL PROCLAMATION TO THE I EMPLOYERS OF THE COUNTRY. I BIG SCHEME FOR I UNEMPLOYED. A King's National Roll of Honour for I employers who take back disabled men is to be kept by the Ministry of Labour, for the encouragement of the employment, on a percentage basis, of ex-Service mon wounded in the war. Nearly seven-eighths of tbeee men are already employed, and the Ministry states that it is ungentiy necessary in the national interest that the remainder, numbering about 100,000, should be rapidly absorbed into industry. The new scheme to absorb disabled heroes is as follows:— Every employer in tho United Kingdom who employs ten or more workers is asked to undertake to employ as siitny disabled ex-Service men ,i,, with a mini- mum of 5 per cent. of his total establish- ment. Thoss employers who can abeorb more than 5 per cent. are strongply urged to do so. As the total number of all disabled ex- Service men (not merely of the unem- ployed disabled) represents about 5 per cent, of the total number of workers in the country, employers may oount towards their percentage any disabkxl men already in their employ or in training in their premises. and also any vacancies they nave guaranteed to the Ministry of Labour to leave o pen for disabled men in training elsewhere. TERMS OF REMUNERATION. Wages of disabled men who have undei- gone a c?ur?e of training will be governed by the conditions laid down for training in tho agrement ?E?de 'with the Trade Advisory Committees. ) In trades where special arrangements ara ill o p erati?-n for 11 i' ?' al arrotw meiits are in operation for settling questions of wages, the wagos of untrained disabled men on work not normally performed by skilled men will be settled in accordance with those arrangements. In other trades it is proposed to continue the system now in force, namely, that dis- abled' men should ae a general rute redeive the district rate of wages. Special emphasis is laid on the fact that the disability pension should not be taken into account when computing a disabled man's rate of wage. I — — (

f THE RETORT COURTEOUS. ) "Sir, after what I have euffeced, you can tell the Army to go to hell," wrote a discharged soldier to his colonel. He received tho following reply-: "Sir,— Any suggestion or inquiries as to move- ments ot troops must be entered on Army Form 123, X. Y.Z., a copy of which I en- close."

I A FATAL IMPULSE. I I The Rev. Edward Smith, a Catholic I priest, when shooting from a boat on the lake at Mount Nugent, Co. Cavan, decided to have a swim. He jumped into the water and imme- diately disappeared. Hia body was re- covered.

Thurston Grange, near West Hartlepool, was sold to the Durham County Council for X,12,000 for small holdings purposes. Deptford Health Committee agrees with the Briti&h Medical Association that ito new assistant medical officer of health bhould be paid d £ 500 instead of X-IW a year. Mr. S. T. Wright, manager of the Royal Horticultural Society's gardens at Wisley (Surrey), confirms the statement that Dutch growers, since the removal of import restrictions, have been dumping bulbs in England, and selling them at about a quarter of the prices charged by English growers. Major J. L. Baird, M.P., Under-Secretary to the Home CHSee, has been ordered a complete rest owing to overwork. He has therefore left for Egypt, where his sigter died recently.

QUITE A RELIEF. "DIRECT ACTION" SHELVED. t TRADES UNION CONGRESS CIRCUMVENTS A DIFFICULTY During the proceedings of the Trade Union Congress at Glasgow, Mr. Stuart Bunning, chairman, intimated that at the- urgent request of the General Purpose. Committee it had been decided to take the resolution on the question of "direct. action. THE RESOLUTION.. The resolution was couched in the follow- ing terms: That this Congress declares against the- principle of industrial action in purely political matters. There was a large attendance of delegates- and general pnblie when Mr. Tom Shaw, M.P. (Textile Workers), moved the resolu- tion. SHELVED. On a card vote the motion was carried by 2,255,000 to 2,086,000 votes. 1).

I KILLED WHILE GOLFiNCf.. v i I SAD ACCIDENT TO YOIJNG EXGINER: Under unusually dramatic circumstances, Mr. Robert Tait, a mining engineer, aged 18, employed a.t the South Ayrshire Collieries, Limited, died at Girvan. With two other engineers, he was engaged in a game of golf on tho Girvan course, when one of his companions made a drive at his ball, and on turning round to make a remark about the stroke was horrified to see Mr. Tait lying unconscious at his feet. Mr. Tait, who never regained eonscious- ress. was found to be suffering from injuries to the neck caused by the swing of the club.

A I THE WiiOLE OF THE HOLE. f A pofid on the Bute Estate thought to, contain a child's body has been dragged' without avail. The Lord Mayor in councib .?or in c<)unc i ll said the corporation asked the estate to deal; with the matter. In reply the estate offered them "the whole of the hole," to be tilled in and used as a recreation ground. The-, corporation did not like "looking a gift horse in the mouth," but it was "an ugly animal," as pumping the water would cost. £1,500 and filling in X42,000, incurring a M. rate. The offer was declined.

A SEAPLANE DERBY. I After a delayed start owing- to mist, the-- Italian entrant, Signer Janello, won the International Seaplane race for the Jacques Schneider trophy held at Bournemouth. He was the only competitor to complete the course of 2;30 miles, and this he did in one hour and forty minutes, over two miles a minute. The British competitors were un- able to find the mark boat, and can-te down in the first lap.

FATAL MOONLIGHT SWIM. The dang-ers of moonlight swimming un- attended were illustrated at St. Leonards, where the bodv of a young woman in bain- ine costume wa.s washed a-shore. The body had apparently been in the., water for several hour, and it is assumed that the young woman left one of the local boardintj-houses late for a hathe in the moonlight, which is a very popular pastime just now.

Mr. Llewpllin Davies, J.P., of Penarth, bM been appointed secretary of the Welsh Asquith Liberal Organisation. Eddie Kennedy, of Plymouth, beat .T."e'e W ay laud, of London, in a 15-round boxing contest at Plymouth. A Houghton-le-Spring footballer, who wrs hurt when he charged an opposing goal- keeper, has died from internal injuries. The ex-Crown Princess of Germany, with two of her children, has left Berlm on ::1. short visit to her husband at Wieringcn.