UNREST IN FRANCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2117, 27 June 1907, Page 2

UNREST IN FRANCE.

DEALING WITH MUTINOUS MILITARY. Unitod Press Association—Copyright PARIS, Juno 25. Tho mutineers at Agdo were not permitted to visit their families on. Sunday, and becoming refractory were transferred to Braine. BILL HEI,D INADEQUATE. ; PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS. I PARIS, June 25. M. Albert, presiding at tho Winegrowers’ Committee at Argelliors, announced that M.Clemenceau had promised that if lawfulness was resumed tlu prisoners would be released and tbe winegrowers helped. It was resolved that the Bill was inadequate. Peaceful demonstrations continue.MUTINEERS PUNISHED. Received Juno 26, 9.33 p.m. PARIS, Juno 26. As punishment 600 of the Agdo mutineers were sent to Tunis. PERMANENT -COURTS-MARTIAL. Received Juno 26, 11.32 p.m. PARIS, June 26.' The Chamber of Deputies, at the instance of M. Clemenceau, postponed discussion of a Bill for the Abolition of Permanent Courts-Martial. M. Clemenceau remarked that at present .neither the Chamber nor the Government had the necessary self-possession to undertake the discussion.' He added that certain disquieting _acts had 1 been the cause of positive distress to all good Frenchmen in the Army’s [ discipline, because if it were relaxed - it would be all up -with France. I (Loud cheers.) Some protests were - made from the extreme Left.

According to recent Home files, the distress in the wine-growing districts of South-eastern France was caused not so much by tho competition of inferior or adulterated wines, as by the revival in favor of Bordeaux clarets, owing to the complete restoration of the Bordeaux vineyards, and to the subsequent bountiful vintages, has had at- least one curious economical result. ' - . ,

During the phylloxera and mildew years, when the Bordeaux vines were badly decimated, the north of France, and even some of the southern districts neighboring on Bordeaux, were obliged to buy cheap wines for local or internal consumption from Algeria and the South—notably from the Hera'ult. Now that Bordeaux wines are again excellent in quality and plentiful as regards quantity, Paris, : and the north generally, are able to get ample supplies again of the Bordeaux wines, which, of course, are very much superior in quality to the wines of Algeria or of the Herault. The latter, indeed, scarcely have a right to the name of claret, which is understood to apply only to the Bordeaux wines.

In consequence of this (reports the Daily Mail) the winegrowers of the South (principally the Herault) are in a very, bad way, particularly as in view of the temporary shortage of ... Bordeaux wines they modified . the character of their wines without much thought of the future. The Government lias done something for them by appreciably lowering the duties on wine as compared with other alcoholic beverages, but they are not yet satisfied, and are making the most desperate efforts to escape from a situation of their own .making. This explains the frenziqd meeting which recently took place at Beziers, in the Herault, /when all manner of weird' statements were made by the wine farmers as to the reasons for .j.

their misfortunes. ' When some of our neighbors of the “entente” get into trouble they are inclined to cry out “Nous sommes trains,” and in this case also the Herault vinegrowers are calling the heavens to witness that they are being ruined by fraudulent imitations. Analysis, however, made quite recently, show that tho Bordeaux clarets (which the Herault people have in mind, but do not dare refer to) were never purer or better or cheaper than they are to-day.