“ NEW ALLIANCES.”

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 17 December 1901, Page 2

“ NEW ALLIANCES.”

The Turkish rule, or misrule, has in the past caused many changes in Europe, and been productive of much strife. Changes have been rapid, but perhaps the most “ lightening change ” is that recorded in our cablegrams today, where the French Press openly accuses Russia—the trusted and much beloved ally of Prance—with not only playing her double, but with encouraging her enemy, the Turk, in resisting French arms. But this is not all: another writer declares that France refused to join issue with Germany in taking part against Britain, and, further still, was now on good terms with her former and for many years hostile neighbor, Italy, What an extraordinary turn in the international kaleidoscope, and what a vista of new alliances is opened. Britain, France and Italy v. Russia and Germany! The sharp change indicated may never be realised; may never be necessary, but it, all the same, shows how the nations of Europe know and trust each other, and how uncertain, even for a very brief period, is an alliance of an apparently solid nature to be depended upon. Let Frenchmen once thoroughly realise that Russia is not their friend, and we shall hear no more of Anglophobia from within the boundaries of France. Members of Trinity Church Choir are requested to attend practice this evening at 7 30 sharp. As will be seen by their advertisement, H. O. Harley and Co. are holding a large sale of furniture and Japanese ware. All those desirous of securing useful and ornamental Christmas presents should attend this sale. A meeting of shareholders in the Economic Building Society was last evening, Mr E. J. Smith in tae chair. Two allotments of £IOO were disposed of. One ballotted for was drawn by Mr J. Rowe, and the other was sold for £26 Is. Swimmers and yachtsmen arc reminded that the nominations for Christmas Day’s sports close at the end of the week. There is a probability of about a dozen Christchurch swimmers coming over to compete. The boys model yacht race should prove very interesting. The return match Married v. Single will take place to-morrow in Victoria Park and commence at 245 p.m. sharp. Any members of the Grey Cricket Club wishing to take part in the match will kindly put in an appearance by the time named. Mr T. Daly, the well known long distance runner, left by tire Haupiri yesterday afternoon for Fielding to take part in the sports which are to be held there on Boxing Day. He received 30yards handicap in the quarter mile, 30yds in the half and 50yds in the mile. He meets some of the best long distance runners in New Zealand. We wish the genial Tom every success. To-morrow afternoon at 2.30, prizes will he distributed to the pupils of the Greymouth District High School. A large number of beautiful and valuable books have been purchased, and these will no doubt be highly appreciated by not only the children, but by their parents and guardians, whom the committee desire to see present on the occasion. In addition to the prizes properly so called, the committee have provided a book charmingly illustrated as a present for every boy and girl in the infant depart-

ment. Two labour disputes cn the West Coast await the decision of the Arbitration Court both in coalmining matters, the one at Blackball and the other at Granity Creek. We learn that the Clerk of Awards has been notified that it will be impossible through the press of work elsewhere, for His Honor Judge Cooper to visit the West Coast earlier than February next to deal with the cases. Each application is made by the laborers against their employers. A Wellington bankrupt told the Official Asdgnoa an i a party of interested creditors in that city the story of his experience in wool dealing. Shortly it was this. In December, 1898, when he started business his capital was all in plant, about £2OO. During the 1898, season ho made money, and taking everything into account he thought ho was worth £3OO by March 1900. Subseently when the wool markets had fallen somewhat, bo bought about 2000 bales, besides skins, Murray. Robots and Co. advancing the full value of the wool Ultimately the fall was such that there was a loss of over £12,000, which included all his capital. It was decided to recommend the bankrupt for immediate discharge. The Wellington Acclimatisation Society’s rangers have secured 14 deer calves this season. They will be reared it Martinborough and distributed through the colony,

Mr T, H. Lee* of Reefton, will sell by public auction to-morrow on the promises that valuabe freehold property, known as “ Lynch’s Farm ” at Crushington, together with cottage, household furniture, cattle, etc. Pull particulars may be obtained on application to Mr T. H. Lee, auctioneer, at Reefton. The "Westport News says that Mr AV". St. George Douglas returned last week from his holiday trip in the North Island, and resumed duties on Friday. During his absence the position of Chief-Post-master has been capably filled by Mr Hortslet, who has earned quite an unusual popularity for so short a stay in the district. His uniform courtesy, attention to the wants of the public, and general efficient management should make him a successful and popular official in whatever place his future sphere may be. There arc a few of the loafing-skunk speciments about town at present that the police would do well to pay a little attention to. Going to houses in the absence of the head of the household and bouncing the female portion into giving them money is the favorite game of these lazy cowardly rascals, Mr F. Holmes and his siring of horses arrived at Reefton on Saturday night. His team include Cameo, Heiress, Rosemere, Oyster, Bealey, and the trotter A r ascoe. Mir G. H. Nelson, the well-known Wellington artist, has on view in the windows of Messrs Schaef and sons and J. E. Williams, tailors, a number of oil paintings, which he wishes to dispose of by Art Union. Glancing over the works one is struck with his versatility. Standing prominently forth is his fine portrait of the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, treated in a bold and broad manner, the handling of the flesh tints being particularly good, for Mr Nelson is of the impressionistic school. The next in order is a large picture of lake Te Anau, another successfully treated piece of work showing good atmosphere and careful treatment of the blues and greys, His fine portrait of “Sophia,” the famous Maori guide, the dusky brown features ‘of this subject being faithfully painted. An excellent study of a Maori and child forms a 4th prize. sth and 6th prizes are two marine studies. 7ch prize is a scene in the Manawatu Gorge. Mr Nelson asks the modest sum of Is for a chance in his Art Union, and all lovers of art should avail themselves of this rare opportunity. Tickets may be bad at Messrs Schaef and Sons, and J. E. Williams, tailors. At a meeting of the Charitable Aid Board at Hokitika, there was a very strong expression of opinion with reference to the system of granting old age pensions, says the “West Coast Times.’’ The case of an old man at Ross was mentioned by the Chairman. He was on the Ballarat diggings in the early sixties, and had been on the Coast for 32 years. He could not, however, get proof of age, though he was undoubtedly considerably over the pension age, and in consequence he was refused the pension. Ultimately it was resolved to communicate with all the other Charitable Aid Boards of the Colony with a view to approaching the Minist. r of Justice to get the conditions modified as to the evidence of moral character, the condition of age, and the clause as to being in gaol. The Carterton correspondent the other day telegraphed to the Wellington “Post” as follows-“ This afternoon the overdraft of the Taratahi-Carterton Road Board is .£I,BOO. This excessive indebtedness is due to the fact that moneys due by the Government on contracts have not come forward, and the Board has had temporarily to meet the demand,, which is causing great inconvenience to that body. Furiher accounts, amounting to £596, were passed for payment at the last meeting. Mr Hutcheson, one of the two members who refused the extra £6O for Parliamentary allowance, has explained that he entered Parliament under a contract to serve his constituents for three years at £240 a year, and that he had no right to increase his own salary without having consulted his constitutents. That being so he had no right to receive the extra £6O, and as he had no right to receive it, he would have no right to hand it over for, say, a charitable purpose, as had been suggested. The civil sessions of the Supreme Court, which have just closed, have (telegraphs our Auckland corresponded) been productive of an unusually large crop of divorce cases. In all, ten applications for dissolution of marriage have been dealt with, a decree nisi being granted in each case. The increase is attributed to greater advantage being taken of the Divorce Act, 1898, which affords ampler

facilities for dissolution of marriage than the Act previously in force. Sir Wilfrid Lawson says he never received a knock-down blow till espying a labourer walking along with the oH, familiar black bottle protruding from his pocket, he entered into conversation with him, and pointed out the misery that had resulted from the bottle, and earnestly exhorted the man to flee from its contents. The man was so overcome by the advice that he emptied the bottle in the road, and Sir Wilfrid, beamino with pleasure handed him sixpence saying, “ Take that; it will buy you something better.’’ The man took it, and straightway entered a publichouse and spent it in beer. His bot:le had contained cold tea 1 A young married man of Wellington, was fined £l2 the o her day for striking a tram conductor on the head with a walking stick, the outcome of some words between defendant’s wife and the conductor for over-carrying them. Half the fine is to be paid to the tram guard. A Philadelphia firm of auctioneers re cently offered at one of their sales Robinson Crusoe’s musket. It was a fine old flint-lock, and had been in the possession of a grand-neice of Alexander Selkirk. Its pedigree is much more unclouded than is usually the case with objects of this |

kind. The wholesale poisoning of dogs on the Mount Victoria side of Wellington has caused consternation amongst the owners of canine pots. Two out several dogs that died suddenly in one street, two or three nights ago were valued at £lO each, On the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway system the engines and freight trains are graded into sis classes, and schedules have been drafted showing the load which each engine is expected to haul over each section of the line. The object of the new plan is to reduce the number of trains by getting as much work out of each engine as possible, the gross load being graduated to the maxium tractive power of each locomotive. The survey of 500 acres of laud at the mouth of the Kaiiwi River, Wanganui, has just been completed, and the land is expected to bo in the market by Christmas. About 90 aeres of the area will be cut up into small lots for seaside residences, the balance being divided into three or four sections for settlement purposes. It is now illegal to import opium into the colony except under certain restrictions. A man named Dwyer was detected bringing ashore two 101 b tins from the Monowai at Port Chalmers, and was fined the full penalty of £IOO The fine has been paid. The value of the opium was £24, and, of course, it would be confiscated. The Te Kaha (Auckland) Natives are greatly disatisfied with the present price of maize, on which they mainly depend for their supply of cash, and seem to bo well aware of the effect that the new tariff will have on future prices.

The pathway of royalty, even when receiving the homage of loyal Canada, is not always strewn with thornless roses. An Ottawa man has written a poem of 533 verses, and wanted the Duke of York to listen to a recital of the whole of the effusion. A prominent windmill manufactureif informed the Conciliation Board at Christchurch that as a result of American competition, he was left almost the sole representative of this branch of manufacture in New Zealand. “A case of the survival of the fittest?” enquired the Chairman. .“In a short time,” was the reply, “ there will be no fittest left at all.” The superior qualities of the Ceylon Teas, are rapidly supplanting the inferior Chinese products in all the markets of western civilization. The teas grown in the virgin lands of the Singalese, possesses greater strength, richer aroma, and an infinitely larger percentage of the Alkaloid Theine, (the active principle and stimulating property of the plant) than do the teas grown by artificial cultivation on exhausted soil of China. Hence bulk for hulk, the Ceylon Teas are cheaper, purer, more stimulating, and possess a rare fragrance, wanting in those of the Celestial Empire. Of all • the brands of Ceylon Teas, the “ Kiosk " stands eminently supreme and without rival. Messrs Harley and Co, the wellknown auctioneers and general agents, are the sole agents for Westland of this incomparable brand, and sell it to the , general public in full chests, and 51b packages. If a trial is made of the Kiosk other will again be used and knowing that “once a customer a customer for ever.” Messrs Harley and Co, are offering it for the present at prices that no other firm can compete against. All large consumers, and heads of households, -would do well to give the “ Kiosk ’* tea a trial. There is quality, economy, and money in it.— AdvtThe showrooms and ladies’ departments of Messrs Tymons and 'Co.’s drapery establishment, have been placed' under the immediate personal charge of Miss McWilliams, who has come from Australia under special engagement to the firm. Miss McWilliams has a professional status unsurpassed in the Colonial world, and at Messrs Buckley and Nunn’s and Boberts and Moffatt’s huge establishments in Melbourne, and Horderns, and Palmer’s colossal fashionable Sydney warehouses, the departments under her direction were the special and most attractive features, At Messrs Tymons and Co.’s warehouse the latest, best and most fashionable styles can therefore be relied upon, and all information concerning the perfection of dress and personal decoration will be cheerfully given.—-Adv*, Some of the highest living medical authorities attribute the great growth of physical and mental disease which has characterised the last few decades, to the universality of adulturation. They affirm that the taking Into the system continually by human beings as food, substances which are chemically foreign and not only incapable of sustaining healthy life, but constitute a perpetual danger to it, is. largely responsible for the now and complex diseases that baffle their curative p skill. Therefore be wise in time, eat only;; : . K Jam and avoid these dangers. Absolute purity guaranteed— Advt.