NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1924, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

WOMEN IN ITALY. As one wanders through Italy, through tile paved streets of the cities and along the white dusty roads of the countryside, one is struck by '.lie “great divido” that still exists between the two classes of women of that wonderful country, writes Elizabeth Fleur, in the “Westminster Gazette.” Hut which ever class they belong to, whether that of the highly-cultured or the hardworking peasant, they command the admiration of an Englishwoman. With regard to the peasant woman, one is inclined to allow one’s admiration to overcome moderation. .She is so integral a part of that glorious country. Her husband may sleep from dawn till eve, may spend' his days throwing down cards of a cafe’s greasy table, but she goes on, with only the shortest break in order to give birth to another child.

She works in the fields, in the >. ineyards, in the olive groves. When there is building in progress Hie carries, often barefooted, the bricks and the mortar, on a llat-shapod I.asket balanced on her head, from where they are made or dumped to the site. One meets her in the roads everywhere, tier face is tleeplv hoed from the 1. . Midships of life, yet she smiles a'w.iys. The middle-class woman m Inly, compared with other countries, scarcely, exists, yet very slowly a general levelling is taking place. It is scarcely perceptible, but the peasants are getting educated, and many of the nobility are so poor that their houses are falling to pieces, so that sooner * r lal or these women will have to fil'd ll.rir place in the world of workers'. There are women teachers, but the teaching profession in Italy is s. dly overcrowded, both men and women being inadequately remunerated. " lie arts, especially painting and sculpture, arc more and more attracting the Italian women, also literature, there being quite eight women writers of distinction.

Hut, strange to say, in a country that is so rich and fertile, there are few women who take any interest in agrictulture, yet what an opportunity awaits the woman fruitgrower and farmer. Peaches, figs, oranges, lemons, and grapes, all grow out of doors in

the richest profusion; the corn fields wave voluptuously for miles and 1 liies, and still the patient oxeil draw the most primitive of [doughs. THE WORLD'S .SHIPPING. According to “Lloyd’s Register,” the reduction in sailing tonnage since [irewar times is about 1,170,000 tons gross. The percentage of sailers to the world’s tonnage is less than four, and of the world’s sailing tonnage nearly half is owned in the L’nited States. Compared with 101 I, every country except Germany and Greece shows an increase. The sea-going tonnage of the United States has increased hv close on 10,000,000 tons, while Japan. France Italy, and Holland all show an increase of more than 1,000,000 tons. Notwithstanding recent increases Germany's tonnage is still more than ”,000,000 less than in 1011.

The number of sea-going vessels of more than 1000 tons has increased since 1014 by more than ”000. Of these, .'MS are of 10,000 tons and upward. and 00 are tinder the Hritisli flag. There are now 1007 steamers of 8,700.1? 1 tons, fitted with turbine engines, and 1000 vessels of 1.070,708 ions fitted with internal combustion engines, as compared with 700,000 tons and ””0,000 tons in 1011. The use of oil fuel, too, shows an increase, the percentage 01. vessels burning oil hating risen from 2.(50 per cent, to 20.70 per edit., while coal burners have fallen from 88.81 per cent., to 00.20. In three decades the steam and motor tonnage of the world has increased by more than 18.000.000 tons, while the sailing tonnage has decreased by 7.000.000 ions. Nearly 11,000,000 tons have been added to the shipping owned in Great liritain and Ireland and the tonnage of Denmark-, Holland, Italy. Japan, Norway, and Sweden is in each case more than six times as large as it was in 1.890.