Abergavenny Chronicle

THE DOLE SCANDAL. I PICKPOCKET RECEIVING STATE PAY. I In amazement the magistrate put the query: "How in the world does a man like this obtain out-of-work pay?" The subject of the question was a profes- eional pickpocket with 11 previous convic- tions, who informed the magistrate that he received 32s. a week unemployment pay. He was sent to gaol for three months tor loitering. r

LEAGUE OF NATIONS. I It is announced that no date has yet been fixed for the InternatlOnal Conference of the League of Nations which is to be held in Washington. The date is dependent upon that on which America ratifies the Peace Treaty, and should this be done before the end of Octo- ber it is possible that the Conference might take place in November.

I TRAGEDY AT BRONDESBURY. I An elderly woman named Emily Payne, wife of a Willesden fruiterer, who, along with her three daughters, was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, sufferi^ ng from injuries to the head, said to have been inflicted bv a coal hammer, has died. The injuries were sustained at her home at Dunmore-road, Brondesbury.

CENTENARIAN MURDERED. I Michael McFadden, a centenarian, who was found dead at his home in Upper Bel- tonv, Donegal, is now known to have been murdered. The house was entered by a party of men, and McFadden appears to have made a brave struggle for life.

FIRE AT COUNTY HALL I A fire broke out in the New County Hall, Westminster, when considerable damage was done to the south-east wing of the building, which is occupied by the Ministry of Food.

DEATH OF SIR E. T. COOK. The death is announced of Sir E. T. Cook, a former editor of "The Daily News," and a director of the Press Bureau from 1915 until its close in April last. Edward Tyaa Cook was among the most distinguished journalists of his generation. At a dinner in his honour on the occasion of his knighthood in 1912, Lord Morley said of him that "he had dignified pubhc discus- ion; that he had the gift of sincere argu- ment, and while he argued sincerely and firmly from his own point of view, he did perfect justice to the arguments of other people." The deceased gentleman was m his 63rd year.

lOUR LONDON LETTER. 1 ft I [From Our Special Correspondent.] I London. I I have been reading a very charming book by Lady G kllcünuer-the biography of her son, Lieut. Edward Wyndham Tennant, who was killed in action. (Lane. 21s. net.) This biography of one of the most vivid personalities that shone for a while upon the war's horizon is more than a slighl sketch. The volume contains not only his letters written while in France, but much of early biographical interest, such as let- ters from his uncle, the late George Wynd- ham, poems written while the subject of this memoir was yet at Winchester; and the volume of verse he published just before the Battle of the Somme, called "Worple Flit," is included. It is this collection of verse that has Met his name for ever among that select throng of the heroic dead who proved themselves poets as well as soldiers whilt they were among us here. I THE RAILWAY STRIKE. I Public opinion, as reflected in the Press and in ordinary conversation, is dead ugainst the strike of the railwaymen. Even if the merits of the dispute were more doubtful than they are, there could be no justification for a strike in respect of hypo- thetical grievances which, in any case, can- not become actual for months. No doubt the leaders of the men and the men them- selves will desire to conduct the strike in an orderly manner; but it is clear that in a collision of this kind between a section of the community and the community itself, elements may be unleashed whose action cannot be calculated. So far there has been a happy absence of anything like violence, and this is an indication that the average man and woman, who feel the strike first and most, are going about their busi- ness in a spirit of cheerful readiness to make the best of things. It is that spirit which will carry us through. EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE. I The effects of the strike on the daily habits of Londoners were speedy and notable. In company with a good many hundred others I had to walk to the City on Mon- day morning, and the incidents by the way were remarkable and not without their amusing aspects. For instance, a young fellow on a motor-cycle beckoned to two girls on the pavement and indicated that he could give one of them a lift on the back ot his machine. The girls, without a moment's delay, tossed up as to which of them should have the proffered ride. This sportsmanlike way of looking at a trying situation seems to be universal. Great as is the incon- venience which the strike occasions there is no sign that that inconvenience will break the determination of the community to as- sert its rights against any attempt at sec- tional oppression. The main roads into and through London were crowded with every conceivable sort, of vehicles, from the finot cars to the humble donkey-cart, and stop- pages were frequent. I saw and heard very little grousing, and I have reason to believe' that this is partly accounted for by the fact that the Government has the situation weli in hand, and that there is every sign that the whole country is rallying to its support in this crisis. Such confidence is infectious. I POSTPONEMENTS. I Several important meetings have had to te postponed as a result of the strike. The most notable of these is, of course, the Prime Minister's address to agriculturists. which, I understand, will be delivered at the first possible moment. The great Mansion House meeting to inaugurate the autumn campaign of the Leaguo of Nations Union is also put off until conditions are rr.or settled. The number of private and business appointments cancelled is not so great as might be imagined. Somehow or other men are continuing to get to their destination, and now that an increasing service of trains is available on nearly all lines the strike is doing less injury to the city man than seemed likely. But the in- jury inflicted on the great industrial areas cannot be exaggerated, and ultimately tbJS I must be felt by the whole community. RCSHOLM. I Much* interest is still being manifested in the by-election in the Rusholme Division of Manchester, where four candidates (out of a threatened six} have been duly nominated. I have not heard that the critical Mr. Pringle has explained how he. stands in re- lation to the Parliamentary Leaders of his Party on the question of nationalisation. No doubt there is wisdom in "lying low and saying nuffin," but now that there is a Labour candidate in the field, the tulk of whose programme Mr. Pringle had confis- cated before his arrival, it would at least add to the information of the electors to know whether Mr. Pringle is speaking for himself alone, or for those Liberals who are outside the Coalition and with whom he is associated. It must be very awkward for Sir Donald Maclean, their Leader in the House, to have this wonderful- man-for such Mr. Pringle is said to be—advocating a policy which he has recently wholly re- pudiated. If Mr. Pringle thinks by these tactics to win over Labour votes the result will. I fancy, show that he has badly mis- calculated their effect. GILBEKT AND SRLI.IVAN AGAIN. I The strike notwithstanding, the season of the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera opened on Monday evening at the Palace Theatre with "The Gondoliers." The singing and acting was of the best, and enthusiasm rarr* high. I am inclined to think, however, that the Gilbert and Sullivan operas are living on their past repute, and that if they were produced now for the first time. they would not have the same success. This is only to say that times and taste have changed. Would Mr. Spurgeon filfr the great Metropolitan Tabernacle with his lurid pictures of hell fire in these days? I doubt it. There is. in fact, hardly any sort of public institution—religious or re- creative—that has not been almost revolu- tionised in the last generation. Sir Arthur Sullivan's music and Sir William Gilbert's careful and copious comicality have both "had their day." But they have not "seased to be"—of that this revival is sufficient evidence.

Disastrous floods have occurred in Eastern Spain following abnormal rain. Accounts of East Ham show a deficiency of £ 11,000 on the municipal tramways and X9,000 on the electricity undertaking. General Patrick Egan, one of the founders of the Home Rule movement in Ireland and a former United States Minis- ter in Chile, has died, says a New York mes- sage. John Fairweather, of Forest Gate, who served through the war from 1914 and was demobilised in June, was killed in a van accident. His widow received a compensa- tion award of £300 at Bow. A relief party under the Armenian Re- fugees' (Lord Mayor's) Fund has left Eng- land for Constantinople and the famine areas pf Asia Minor.

OFFICIAL ARBITRATOR RT. HON. J. H. WHITLEY TO SOLVE TRANSPORT DIFFICULTIES. AN EXCELLENT SELECTION. Much gratification will be felt at the an- nouncement that it is the intention of the Government to invite the Right Hon. J. if. Whitley, Chairman of Ways and Means and Deputy-Speaker of the House of Commons, to act as umpire in further points of dispute which may arise in the negotiations between Lhe Ministry of Transport and the railway- men. On all hands it is agreed that no better selection could possibly be made. Not only has Mr. Whitley won the golden opinions of all parties by his tact and impartiality in the Chair of the House of Commons, but he commands in an eminent degree the confi- dence of employers and employees. AN ACKNOWLEDGED EXPERT. The new Official Referee is an acknow- ledged expert on industrial problems, and is, of course, the author of the famous Joint Industrial Councils. His popularity among all classes in Hali- fax, which he has represented continuously since 1900, will be gathered from the fact that he has on each occasion been returned by huge majorities, and last year headed the poll by the enormous figure of 18,100 Dver his Socialist opponent. Mr. Whitiev is the senior partner of the firm of S. Whitley and Co., cotton spinners, and is a large employer of labour. A VIGILANT CRITIC. Mr. Whitley has taken a prominent part in debate, and. was one of the most vigilant critics of the Estimates. He has held office continuously for twelve Eears. In 1907 he waa appointed a Junior Lord of the Treasury. In 1911 he became Chairman of Ways and Means, a post he has retained ever since. In Parliamentary circles it is generally expected that he is destined to succeed Mr. Lowther, the present Speaker, at an early date. — r

TAXI-DRIVEP, AMOK. MANSLAUGHTER VERDICT AGAINST MADMAN. At a Southwark inquest on an aged woman named Lucy Hawkins, who died after being knocked down by a taxicab driven by a madman, an amazing story was told. A verdict of "Manslaughter" was returned I against Herbert East, the driver of the cab, which, travelling at a great pace and with- out lights, it was stated, knocked down Mrs. Hawkins. Lieutenant C. M. R. Sehwerdt, R.N., when the alarm was given, chased the lightless cab and secured East, who was afterwards taken to hospital and then to an asylum. Frank Keeping, a motor engineer, of Camberwell-grove. who had known East for two years, said he had been expecting him to meet with an accident for weeks past. The Corojier: It is a pity you did not report it. Witness: That is not my business, but the business of the police. The Coroner: Then you got disappointed avery day, I suppose?

COUNCIL ASKED TO SURRENDER A MUSEUM. The Southwark Borough Council has re-I ceived a remarkable claim-viz., to sur- render £ 8,000 and the contents of the Cuming Museum, at the Central Library, Walworth-road, to Mrs. S. White Short, nee Cuming, of Ilford, who makes the claim as the sister and sole heiress of "Richard White Cuming, wrongly named Henry Sycr Cuming Henry Syer Cuming, F.S.A., was the son of Richard Cuming, of 5, Dean's-row, now 196, Walworth-road, where the founder of the museum was born. He died in 1902, at the age of 85, and bequeathed his library and museum and £ 8,000 to Southwark Borough Council, the money being expended on the erection of the museum. ——' j

A PARAGON AT AVOIDING. I A man asked the Highgate magistrate to sign a paper which could only be signed by a doctor, a lawyer, a schoolmaster, or a trade union official, and the following dia- logue took place:— The Magistrate: Do you not know a doctor?—I thank God I have never had to see a doctor. Nor a lawyer?—No, I have managed to avoid lawyers. Your schoolmaster?—Ah, a good man he was, but he is dead. A trade union official ?-Another man I have avoided.

—————— ( FLOODS IN SPAIN. I VIOLENT STORMS CAUSE TERRIBLE I HAVOC. It is reported that the floods in Eastern Spain are assuming the proportions of a great disaster. The storms are especially violent in Mur- cia and Valencia. The inhabitants of Car- thagena, which at night is in darkness, have been living under terrifying condi- tions, having to seek refuge in the upper storeys of their houses.

A ROTTEN EGG RECEPTION. I A New York message states that,, Senator Re-ed, who was to have made a speh at Ardmore (Oklahoma.) against the League of Nations and the Peace Treaty, while on the platform was pelted by the crowd with rotten eggs. The senator accordingly left.

STRIKING THE STRIKER. I In villages in Kent and Sussex shop- keepers refused to serve strikers, who also had beer denied them.

Riding on the buffers between the railway carriages was a fairly common practice on the Liverpool-street and Enfield line. According to the Cuxhaven correspondent of the "Vossiche Zeitung," an agitation has been started in Heligoland for bringing the island again under British rule ans that a referendum wiU be taken.

I EPITOME OF NEWS. Koltchak claims big successes for his north-western army. Ex-Duchess Charlotte vc:i Sachsen Meinin- gen, sister of the ex-Kaiser, has died in Baden-Baden. Owing to a bakers' strike Amsterdam ie nearly without bread. There being now no market for waste paper, East Ham Corporation suggests burn- ing it in the refuse destructor. Rear-Admiral John Inglea, of Beach Cot- tage, Porchester, near Portsmouth, has died, aged 77. An American seaplane, 2,000ft. up, has "spoken" by wireless a submarine sub- merged several fathoms. Clemenccau has promised Parh. firewood to make up for lack of coal. Alcoholic poisoning cases have largely in- creased in America since the "dry regime"; "hair tonics" are said to be common substi- tutes. Army huts are to be erected for Isling- ton's homeless. Captain Sidney R. Drury-Lowe, R.N., C.M.G., has been appointed a naval aide-de- camp to the King. An official message from Buckingham Palace to Glasgow University states that President Poincare's visit has been post- poned. The British-American Tobacco Company have purchased a seven-acre site at Willes- den for one of the largest tobacco factories in the kingdom. Lamboth Borough Council have saved £ 2,021 in 15 months by the use of two motor-brooms for street sweeping in place of the sweeping gangs. An Anglo-American exhibition is. to be opened at Copenhagen in the New Year as part of a scheme to make Copenhagen a market for all the Ealtic countries. There is talk of an increase in the price of bread in France. A man fined £ 5 at the Thames Police- court for being in unlawful possession of tea in the docks, was stated to earn 19s. 9d. a day checking cases of tea. The National Women's Auxiliary of the Y.M.C.A. is forming a women's membership, in which any women who have given their services during the war may enrol them- selves. A fine of 40s. was imposed on Viscount Curzon at the South-Western Police-court for exceeding the motor-car speed limit at Putney Hill on August 27. Birmingham coroner says suicides are on the increase towards the pre-war level. Mrs. Constance Melville, of Grosvenor-hill, Wimbledon, has bequeathed to the Wimble- don Corporation 101- acres of land at Cotten- ham Park for allotment gardens for working people. Canadian soldiers who are on indefinite leave and are awaiting repatriation with dependents, should write immediately to the officer commanding No. 1 Canadian Dis- charge Depot, Buxton, Derbyshire. Following injuries caused by his falling down a staircase, Major Harold William Spooner died at Weybridge, aged 70. Mr. Haygarth, road surveyor for Sed. bergh, was killed while motor-cycling to his home at Garsdale Head. A hangar and several aeroplanes have been destroyed by fire at Shotwick Aero- drome, near Chester. Account books have been seized in a well- known Paris store, which is stated to have realised on certain articles a profit of more i than 100 per cent. Messrs. Aveling and Porter, Ltd., Roches- ter, and four of the largest agricultural engineers and machine makers in the country, have amalgamated, with a capital of £ 3,000,000. Plaster covering part of a wall in St. Alban's Cathfflral has been found to conceal an ancient "squint" (by which pilgrims viewed the high altar) and the base of an early English pillar. Free of charge, the Australian Imperial Force will issue to hospitals in the United Kingdom 300.000 field dressings. Applica- tions to the Disposal Board, Room 111, Aus- tralia House, Strand, London, W.C.2. Faversham's rates are 15s. 2d. in the without the water rate, which is Is. 3d. The Shah of Persia, who is to visit this country, has arrived in Paris. Paris reports the resignation of the Otto- man Cabinet presided over by Damad Ferid > Pasha, which was appointed in May. A general strike has been called through- out Portugal; in Madrid it is thought that the movement may lead to a revolution. Five hundred fowls and geese from Ire- land to the English market were sold off at Bangor at from 6d. to 2s. each. The "Matin's correspondent at the Hague says that 170 German aeroplanes which should have been handed over to the Allies have been flown over the frontier into Holland. The Minister of Labour appeals to em- ployers not to accept premiums from ex- Service men now being trained in a profes- sion. "Think of your debt to them as their premium," he says. The Duke of Aosta, uncle of King Victor Emmanuel, has been to Trieste, where (it is reported) he took steps to clear up the situation created by the occupation of Fiume by d'Annunzio, the raider-poet. The Disposal Board of the Ministry of Munitions has large quantities of firewood for sale at 30s. a ton. Rioting among the steel strikers in the i U.S., who have been idle since September 22, is reported to be "filling the hospitals"; 11 companies of inilitia have been called out to keep order on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. At the beginning of this month 142,389 officers and 3,258,001 other ranks had been demobilised or discharged. Mrs. Agnes Drummond, of Barrow, died at Carlisle in a train while travelling from Glasgow to London. A proposal to paint St. Matthew's Chui-ch, Ealing Common, a "warm shade of white," and to have medallion portraits of fallen soldiers and ten pillars connected with fes- toons of* flowers, has been abandoned. Hugh Kelly, a Londonderry carter, was sentenced by a court-martial to one year, mitigated to thirty days, for having a live bomb, and his brother James to ninety-one day, mitigated to thirty days, for having revolvers. A medical student from St. Thomas's Hos- pital earned Lis. Gd. in two hours by helping to unload fish at Marylebone Station. "There is no country in which German in- fluence has been so destroyed as in Aus- tralia," said Mr, Hughes, the Australian Premier, in a speech at Melbourne. Lieutenant (acting Major) William Jamea Luck, R.F.A., has been awarded a bar to the Military Cross, and Lieutenant John Cyril Carnegie Jervis, K.R.R.C., heir to Viscount St. Vincent, has been awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in North Russia. When a number of dockers left their work at Plymouth the dock gates were opened by the Comrades of the Great War to permit steamers to put to sea. Alleged to have carried a 2-Jcwt. safe 10C yards and broken it Edward Wilson, sentenced to 9 months at Bristol, said he earned the money with the sweat of hia brow. A woman in the East-End of London. having received a telegram that her child was seriously ill at St. Andrew's Home, Hayling Island, tramped the whole way-8C miles. The journey took her two days and one night. On the Albert Embankment, London, a volunteer driver of a railway van was held up by strikers. The horoes were taken out and sent back to the depot. Mr. Henry Havelock, formerly a news- paper proprietor in this country and America, and a relative of Sir Henry Have- lock of Indian Mutiny fame, has died at Sunderland.

CAMORRA ARRESTS. I RAID BY NAPLES POLICE ON AN I ITALIAN GANG. I A Naples message states that gendarmes lind police raided one of the strongholds of the Camorra, arresting a band of Sicilian pickpockets working under Guiseppe Or- lando. The thieves and their accomplices are wanted for various crimes. They put up a stiff fight, but the raid resulted in the capture of 150 ruffians.. The Camorra is a secret society which went to Naples during the Spanish occupa- tion, and has flourished since as a smug- gling, blackmailing, and thieving organi- sation. The trial of seme of its leaders from March 1911 to July 1912 created a sen- sation.

I SMOKING IN BED. I YOUNG'*WOMAN'S TRAGIC END. | I At an inquest held at Islington on Mar- garet Annie Crispe, 28, a lady's companion, of Albion-grove, Barnsbury, the evidence showed that she indulged in cigarette smok- ing. Early on the morning of September 17 a cry was hoard from her room, and she was found lying on the floor with her nightdress burning. Sho admitted that while smoking in bed she fell asleep, and when she awoke the bed and bedding were on fire. Death was due to blool poisoning from the burns. A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned.

I BIG JEWEL THEFT. I iP,1,700 WORTH STOLEN AT STATION. A dressing-case belonging to Mrs. Guy Watkins, wife of an R.A.F. officer, and con- taining jewels of the value of tl,700, was stolen from her at London Bridge Station. Mrs. Watkins, who arrived from Brighton, placed her dressing-case on the platform 'while she tried to get a porter. Two or three seconds later the case disap- peared. At the time of the iheft Mrs. Wat- kins was wearing her pearl necklace valued at £ 10,000.

I MORE MOTOR BANDITS. I CONFEDERATES RELEASE ARRESTED MAN. I Four thieves, evidently belonging to a gang which has committed several heavy robberies in London lately, made a quick oscapo by motor-car. It appears that the men broke into the premise of Messrs. Lea and Bennett, tailors, 842, High-road, Ley ton, and were preparing to remove a number of valuable rolls of cloth when a policeman pounced upon them. lIe seized one of the men, but all four—ono account says there were six— turned on him and he was compelled to re- lease his hold. The men then ran down the street, jumped into a motor-car waiting for them, and drove off furiously.

I GOOD-BYE EE LAST TROOPS LEAVE ARCHANGEL WITH BANDS PLAYING. The last of the British forces to leave Archangel reached Liverpool on board the Cunard liner Czar. The Service men com- prised the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry and other regimental details. When the evacuation took place hands played "Good-bye-ee" and other popular ill r<s. No opposition was encountered as the transports, laden with troops, steamed to the mouth of the Dvina. Naval transport officers kept their stations to the last moment, and were picked up by tugs The last Englishman to leave was Caritain Dawes, R.N., and as he ctepped- aboard the Czar the Allied intervention was at an end.

I AUXILIARY 'BUS SERVICES. London County Council have considered I the Highway Committee's recommenda- tions: (1) That the Government set up an in- dependent body to consider the Council's tramway development schemes; (2) That steps be taken to promote neces- oary legislation to give effect to the schemes in 1920; and (3) That notice be given by public adver- tisement of the intention of the Council to consider on October 21 a proposal that it shall take the necessary measures for pro- moting legislation in 1920 to enable 4lie Council to own omnibuses, and to run in, and in the vicinity of, the County of Lon- don, auxiliary omnibus services for the link- ing-up of tramway dead-ends and for other specific purposes.

I FIFTY MILLIONS. I ROUGH ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF THE STRIKE. Katurallv, it will be a long time before the cost of the strike to the nation can bo fully determined. Meanwhile, the bills to be paid by the Government will probably reach about £50,000,000, it is said.

TELLTALE EXPLOSION. I SAFE THIEF CAUGHT IN THE ACT. I Some Helenburgh police were attracted, by a loud explosion in the shop of Mr. John Brown, potato merchant, Princes-street. They visited the place and arrested a man who, it is alleged, had just blown open the safe and taken out the cash. The man felled one of the constables with an iron bar.

THE UNHAPPY OYSTER. Like that of the policeman, the oyster' lot is not a happy one. Folk want to gobble him up as soon as he has reached the succu- lent stage, and before he is dragged from i his bed to satisfy human appetites he is hunted by crafty foes, to combat whom he has to be very alert. There is the burr, or sea-urchin, J'or instance, which, resembling a little circular clump of dried grass, seem* juite incapable of mischief. The starfish, the dog-whelk, and other depredators, all possess their own private and particular method of making the oyster's life a misery. The burr wars against the oyster with the four minute points in the underpart of its anatomy. Bringing these to bear on the shell, it drills through and through, till the fish's armour softens and breaks. The star- fish deals with its prey after the horrid manner of the great octopus family. In a close embrace it sucks awav the oyster's vitality, and finally forces it to surrender through exhaustion. Fishermen keep up a constant warfare against such vermin, and against- the weeds which help to choke the oyster-beds.

Damage estimated at < £ 40,000 was done by fire in the Trongate, Glasgow, shops of jewellers, upholsterers, and bootsellers being gutted. Mayora of the Communes of the Depart- ment of the Seine, says a Paris message, have threatened to resign if the present total lack of coal continues. Mr. Balfour's nomination for the Chan. cellorship of Cambridge University is sup- ported in a manifesto signed by 236 resident mem bers of the Senate, including 14 masters of colleges and 29 professors.

NOTES ON NEWS. r With the termination of the railway strike the nation gives vent to a sigii of relief, not so much so at the fact itself, but with the knowledge that the Government had sc splendidly organised its transportation ar- rangements that had the strike continued matters of locomotion would have got better each day instead of I)ecoinin- Nvo rs er Not sufficient stress has been laid on the das- tardly acts of leaving the railway horsef unattended. To "down tools" is one thing; but to leave dumb animals to anybody'f mercy is quite indefensible. In this couilec.. tion, Sir Ernest Flower (chairman of the Blue Cross) wishes it to 00 distinctly under- stood that the work of the Blue Cross ii; connection with the railway strike was done purely from a humanitarian point of view. In some cases tho horses had been deserted, and within a few hours the Blue Cross had been able to supply volunteers to feed. water, and look after them. Voluntary helpers used to horses applied to the secre- tary, 58, Victoria-Street, when they were im- mediately dispatched to some railway stables. Bakers' Wages. In reference to the award issued in August last to the members of the baking trade. the Ministry of Labour states that it is pro- posed to held an inquiry into the question of increased wages on Friday, October 17. at 10.30 a.m., at 5, Old Palace-yard. S.W. Representations of persons who would be affected by any such extension will be heard, and after that inquiry has taken place the Court will consider whether it will be de- sirable that further inquiries should take place elsewhere. Anyone desirous of making representations or of being heard before the Court should communicate with the Secre- tary, Court of Arbitration, at the address given. Less Drunkenness. In spite of Pussyfoots and rumours of Pussyfoots (or should it be Pussy feet?) Eng- land is apparently making- itself dry. Figures from a Government Blue Book would seem to indicate in fact that Britain is going dry" of its own accord. At any rate, a great decrease in the number of con- victions for drunkenness is shown. During 1913 there were only 29,075 convictions in England and Wales, compared with 46,41( convictions in 1917, a decrease of 37.35 jiei cent. This decrease followed one of 37,781, or 44.88 per cent. in the preceding year. The 1913 total is the lowest recorded, and it 84.61 per cent. below the total for 1913. An Appeal to Farmers. The President of the Board of Agriculture hat, issued a. statement in which he sayt- that it is in the power of farmers anc agriculturists to render great service tc their country by threshing their wheat af once and by delivering it themselves to the millers in their neighbourhood. The millen at the ports are able to keep their millt rminiug on imported wheat, so long as ii comes in and can bo unloaded from the ships, but it would greatly relieve th( strain upon the transport resources of the nation, and make the bread position safe, ?. the country mills could be kept suppiiec with home-grown wheat. Farmers are therefore, asked to thresh as much of theii. wheat as they can immediately, and t-o use whatever transport they have available t( get it to their local mills. By threshing anc delivering his wheat now the farmer wil be increasing the local supply of feeding stuffs, but it is pointed out that it is wisei for farmers to thresh their wheat Lefort their barley, as not only is the wheal urgently needed to provide bread for the people, but the market for wheat is nu\\ favourable. Unsuitable Dwellings. At a meeting of the London County Council a report of the Housing Committet was presented, in which reference was made to. the relaxation of bye-laws in connectior with the conversion of existing houses inte fiats and the temporary use of huts a dwelling houses. The Committee stated "We view with great concern the adapta- bon of xisting lurts for use as pennanenl dwelling hou-e-s in the London area, on ac. count of their liability to danger of fire, and we are of opinion that, if huts are use-c fcer this purpose, such use should be tem- porar"y/' The Committee also recommended that the Council should give sympathetic and immediate consideration to specific applications, subject to adequate safe- guards. Canadian Red Cross Supplies. Thrift and foresight are being displayed by the ciiiciaLs of tue Canadian Red Cross in tue handling of the equipment belonging tc Canadian hospitals overseas. To have sol-6 the supplies in Britain would have meant a great miancial loss, and realising this, the orticials decided to have them shipped tc Canada. Already lour consignments have arrived and have been stored in a building between LOOft. and 700ft. long and 60ft wide, and capable of holding- all the sup plies, which, it in estimated, will occupy o00,000 cubic feet of space. Already are tc be seen great piles of cots, hundreds oi bundles of blanket.. quilts, and pillows many mattresses, and cases containing bed- side tables, instrument tables, surgical sup- an d y iiiiiasiulri articles. plies, wheel chairs, and gymnasium articles. l'ive hospitals in all are being cleared, and the contents shipped to the Canadian Red Cross. Quebec's Timber Wealth. The members of an expedition which spent a month cruising in aeroplanes over Labra- dor, state that great timber lands were dis- closed from which millions of cords of pulp wood couid be cut and rolled to streams for direct thipment. The expedition, which in- cluded in its equipment tllreo aeroplanes and a personnel consisting of twenty persons, among them five aviators, operated seventy miles north of Battle Harbour. Two mil- lion acres of timberland were explored by air and by the ordinary methods of timber cruis- ing..Pidures taken from the air, number- ing 13,000, are said to show some dense growths of pulp material in such a manner that the most available places could be located readily. I Coal in British Columbia. International Board Members of the United Mine Workers df America were much impressed with tho great coal resources of the province of British Columbia on a recent visit to Fernie, British Columbia. What has particularly impressed the Americans visit- ing these Molds is the fact that in that south- eastern corner of British Columbia there are more than 1,000.000 acres of proven coal lands, carrying billions of tons, and that the percentage of high-grade coals is remark- ably high. —

DEAD MAN'S £500. At an inquest held at the London Hospital on Frederick Arthur Birckley, G5, a carpen- ter, of Stepney, who died suddenly after re- moval to the institution, it was stated that upon him was found a bank-book with £ 500> to his credit. Deceased was a Manchester man, who had spent part of his life in Aus- tralia. If not claimed the money goes to the Crown, said the coroner, and as the man had onlv £ 3 upon him, and the bank cannot give any money up, there would not be enough to bury him.

FATAL LORRY SLIP. I Through his lorry slipping back on a steep hill and overturning in a ditch near Glou- cester, Private W. Seely sustained a broken neck, and two other men were injured

Rear-Admiral Sydney S. Hall, C.B., has been placed on the retired list at his own request in order to facilitate the promotiou of vounger officers. In consequence, Cap- tain W. J. S. AMerson, A.D.C., is promoted rear-admiral. County councils last week bought 8,627 acres of land for the purpose of small hold- ings for ex-service men-a record week's Purchase.

EXASPERATED. CLERK WHO WAS UNABLE TO REfTEW I HIS SEASON TICKET. Ashton George Inge, aged 36, a clerk, find- ing that he could not get his season tic kef, renewed at the Kingston Railway Station, picked up some stones and broke two large windows. The stationmaster valued the damage at £ 2, and told the magistrates that it was resentment and not sympathy with the strike which had led the defendant to com- mit the damage. Defendant admitted losing his temper, and said he picked up the stones and threw them because he was "fed up" with people strik* ing. The chairman said defendant would be fined tl and pay £ 2 damage- Defendant also subscribed XI to the police orphanage box as an appreciation of the way he had been treated by the police.

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. I INTER-COMMUNICATION WITH SHIPS IN PORT. The Ministry of Shipping announces that arrangements have now been made for inter-communication by wireless telegraphy between ships while in ports of the United Kingdom. Shipowners may, therefore, communicate ov wireless telegraphy with their ships in their own or other ports, employing any of their ships lying in the owners' ports for this purpose, and, of course, ships can "speak" with each other.

The French Chamber has ratified the Peace Treaty. The Prince of Wales has toured through the Kootenay district, where are 20 police- men and no paupers among the 50,000 inhabitants. A -260 pension to Frederick Clark, his butler, another of £40 less old-age pension to Catherine Walker, his late nurse, are be- quests of the late Mr. R. Gladstone, Liver- pool. Accompanied by Princess Marie, the Queen of Rumania hae left Bucharest for Italy.

FIGHTING THE PROFITEER. HOW TO LODGE COMPLAINTS. At last the machinery for the hearing of complaints of profiteering against whole- salers is in existence. A complainant should state hie facts in writing to the secretary, Complaints Stand- ing Committee, Profiteering Act Depart- nent, 54, Victoria-street, S.W.I, within seven days of the date of the transaction, stating— Date of the transaction. Conditions under which it was entered into. Name and address of the parties. Precise nature of the goods. Price paid or demanded. Complainants must be prepared to attend before a tribunal and give evidence on oath. Fhey may conduct their own case or appoint some other person for the purpose. Complaints against retailers should be ad- dressed to the Local Profiteering Com- mittee. ]

I CAMP FOR BABIES. Deptford Council suggests making a grant of X300 towards the maintenance of a baby camp for infants and other children under school age.

Dr T H. Parry has been recommenàed by the Council of the University College oi Wales for appointment to the Chair of Cel- tic, in succession to the late Sir Edward Anwyl. Esthonia if stated to have obtained a loan of deluding- 25,000,000 kroner (roughly £ 1,4,00,000), from Sweden. A collection for an engine-driver at Crewo realised .£100. Grimshy? tank, which should h?e  DMsented to the town last week was heid up on the railway. A fine aurora borealis was seen in many, parts of the country. Nottingham Gooso Fair proved a great attraction to miners rendered idle by the. strike. .1 >