THE WORLD'S NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1643, 9 January 1913, Page 8

THE WORLD'S NEWS.

makers of empire. CONSULTING THE DOMINIONS. _ London) January 4, Tho Secretary,of State for tho, Colonies, Mr. L. V. llarcourt, has published his, dispatch to the Overseas Dominions on the question of tho control'of foreign, affairs, It recites tho proceedings 'of tho Imperial Conference covering tho resolution' that representatives'of the Government of the Dominions'should ba invited to attend upon the commillw of Imperial dciciice,. and also thajt a defence' committee bo established.in, each Dominion. Tlio ■ dispatch goes on to state that Mr. R.' L. JJorden, the Canadian' Prime Minister, ' said, when ho was in London, that ho. tiaw no difficulty in, a-Canadian Minister spending some timo every- year in Eng. land in order to cany out tlijs scheme. In a private conversation with 'Mr. 'Asquith and l Mr. Harcourt, he expressed' the desiro thit such a Minister should receive, confidentially, knowledge ,of ■ tho policy, .and proceedings of the. Imperial • Govormnent, in foreign and other affairs. Mr.. Asquith. and Mr., Harcourt pointed out that tho Committee of Imperial Do-' fence was purely an advisory , body, 'and could,not; in ,any circumstances; •bocomo.' a body that could- decide on policy, which was, and must remain, tho sole prerogative of tho Cabinet,' subjoct to the support of the House, of Commons. At tin same time, they assured Mr, Borden'that any Dominion Miivister resident in London' will at nil times havo free access to tho : Prime, Minister , and. tho' Foreign and Colonial Secretaries for information on all questions if Imperial- policy.' Tho 6amo otter was open to'nil the -Dominions. Aus> ' tralia.adds the document, has been-in-vited to say whether she will, adopt soma ■ such method, or a continuous connection - - in liuyal and military .affairs.' ' - ■ ; PIRATES IN CANTON.'' i * London, January' 1. ■ Canton, province; in China, is experi. elicing a reign of .terror. When tho revolu6:on was proceeding 40,000 pirates cn- - listed as soldiers' on the side of the Republicans, and afterirards demanded heavy compensation boforo they would disband. The money was.paid, and they have left Canton city, where -50,000 soldiers havo continually under arms for fear there should; lo an outbreak. ■ Tho ■ country, districts'were denuded of nvili- , tary protection, and now that the pirates have gone back' to tho provinces' it isknown that they havo started their old ' pursuits. " Canton city' is contrrtlled.by a man namod Tutuli, an obscure journalist. 1 He holds loccptions, and so great is his . fear ,of tissassination that nobody is per- ' ' mittcd to attend unless first stripped and searched, or, elso the seeker of an , an- ' dienco is compelled to shout his requests '' .from tho far end of tho hugo audience chamber. Tho l evolution lias merely delivered a freo people into tho- victims oj :a condition of bondage., ■ WOMEN' MISERS STARVE TO DEATH ) London, January 4, Two remarkable stories of women misers aro roported, oho from Hull and the other from, Brussels.. Two wpmen died of'-starvation in the slums of Hull. Tho hovels which they, occupied showed a frightful picture of , destitution. Thero >as no furniture, , ' and tho paper had peeled-off tho' galls' with damp and age.'. When the authori-'. ■: > tics made a search of the premises, how-,, '- ever, they found a':,number ,old bank books, nibbled by mice, which sliowedthafc tho two women had credits in tho bonk— : ono for and tho other.of. JE2OOO. In Brussels an aged: woman, who was''reputed to have a .hoard of jewels.'was stranKled'by a burglar. While tho man | -was looking .for the'jewels- the dethl.. woman's parrot called: out some words i .which it had-learnt, from ; its', mistress. ■ , The terrified, assassin fled. , TRAGEDY IN NICE. . >'.• ' , : London, January l: , Ttro Italian youths had a quarrel in a- ' street. in JNice to-day'. / Ono - drew a m - ;volver and 'the'other Hod. '. The ono 'whtf-V, had'drivwV tho'.fevolver-chased him, bui ■ - :tho:l^f{xe^e' yfiPtedfV&to '&'Wc. f'l ho m ifurmtcd assailant followed,'and fircd'''feii ">« shots at random.' Tho people in the caio 'were thfown'into' ti'pauic, and'dived for Elieltor under.'tho,chairs and tables,-Tho^ landlord -, piuckily tackled tho intruder; *- ; 'but was-shot!,dead, while several of, the, v' .customers , who were hiding' under ! the."' tables v wero : wounded. ■ Tho murderer,',: then decamped,-but was immediately fol-, lowed by tlio enraged customers, and. a, 1 ' . large -crowd which had been nttrncted by the shots.,; Tho man, was caught, and ' the croud was about to lynch him when ■ . tho police,arrived,.and saved hiin from 8 •: liummary fate. : ' . - • BREACH OF"PROMISE CASE. . : London, January 4, ■ Tho president l of a French Court at Paris, giving'judgment; in : a'broach, of. promise ciise. yesterday, delivered'a homr ; , xiiy on modern betrotnals, Marriage, ho said, no longer' responded to tho concep-/ tiori. of the ceremony 1 in former . times. ,*■ '- 'i'hen ; it was based bn mutual lo\-e; today it was'simply a finahcial contract. : 'Tho real reason for tho modern niarriago was money j £ho liian looked lor a dowry, and the woman for a protertori It was , regrettable, continued'the,president, 6ar-: , castically, that yoking pouplesj did not; draw up a formal contract tho moment' .'their engagemerit was sealed, with a clause; enumerating % the penalties which niight bo enforced in. tho..event of tho, 'contract being.broken. i: , ''' HIT, BY:A IAN DSLIDE Portland (Oregoii)i January 3. , ! A train-was passing" over the PactttO,. Railway Navigation Company's lino. near,. Modler this morning, wheu several hundred' tons of; earth: and rocks, which hod' been'dislodged from ■ tho mountain side ; ■by tho'. action ."of'sloet.. and ; snow swept! : down upon■ it.i Tho train was,; hulled.froiu ; tho track,', and now lies capsized, • with' one smoking-car' suspended over a . steep embankment. ■ Fortunately, thore wero not many, passongers-on-. tho' train.. . Three have aiTived ■ at. Oregon, mg, walked 15 miles, along,;tho track in, ablinding 6tormJ of sleet. They say that two other passengers have . been injurcdi , and that foreign labourers on th' line,-., are pillaging the train. ■■, ■• ( ; MADAME MELBA . IN; PARIS; ; , January 1./ Madamo Melba, who recently; gave ,up herl London houso and went fo M Paris, has been persuaded/by tho directtir. of tho Grand Opera to givo special, performances in March and-April. It'l9 understood that- the performances will be operatic selections, possibly in wstunie, Tho. invitation: to mako a, spccial arpcarauco on the 6tage of the Grand Oiiera , is.oonsidercd to be an unprecedented lionour. Madame Melba will appfear at torent Garden in' June, and wnriearo for a tour' of Canada and tho. United, States in September.'• Tho tour will' wstjjve mouths, and sho, .will rcooivo i 40,000.;■ LONDON. CITY LIGHTING.', ,' 1 ■ ', London, January I.' Tho City Corporation, after obtaining , a report on lighting wstcm6 on tho Continent, has- decidod.:t6 . install centrally suspended lamps in'the streete:. Tlio illuminAntS will bo electricity and high-, pressuro gas. Tho new, system will nrtim- • : a great increase in fHumiliating power and a reduction in maintenance. -' ' YOUTHFUL BURGLARS.' • ; London, January I. Eght boys in.'Berlin, ; tho eldest of whom was 12 years,- decided to bccomo burclnrs, eo they formed a band, and called th6lnfelves -"Tho Block Hand." Tho ; young desporadocs worked on tho outskirts of the city, and committed 22 burglaries, but wero arrested whon I hey met to divide the spoils.,- ' ; 1 MAIN ROADS MAINTENANCE. - ■ ; . London, January 4. . A'select committee of (ho House of, Commons, whioh has beon inquiring into the:question of'the maintenance of main < roads, has submitted its report.. Tho , committee is of the opinion that tho timo ... has arrived when ail authority should bo • 1 constituted to control the, main roads of tho; country, and that the cost of road maintenance should bo defrayed by s|«- ■ ■ cial taxes, and not bo a on local rates. , ' ; • ''. • ,' (The above items aro,'taken .from"th» Sydney "Sun's" special c»W« service.]'. V.".' Woods' Great Pep'pennint Cuto, Is: Cd, For Chronic Chest Comokints.* '