MISCELLANEOUS.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 15 October 1919, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

The French naval construction programme cemprises six light cruisers of from 4000 to 5000 tons, and six fast cestroyers of 2000 tons. .

Professor Kirsch, writing in tho Moscow newspaper "Menshevik," predicts the practical wiping out of tho inhabitants during the coming winter. There are no naptha reserves, and coal is exhausted. The inhabitants must flee or only frozen corpises will be found in tho spring.

"It pays, and pays handsomely, to safeguard the workers in every way, to give them the highest wages tho business can afford, to see that they are housed in decent dwellings and havo around them facilities for healthy social amusement. —Lord Lcverhulme, the soap magnate.

Tho War Office is issuing n* largo cardboard certificate, headed with tho Royal Arms, to everyone who was mentioned in dispatches during the war. It carries the message: "For gallant and distinguished services in the field. The King commands me to record hia high appreciation of services rendered," and is signed by Mr Winston Churchill.

Over one hundred Royal Fusiliers who landed at Plymouth from Russia, broke through the guards on the docks nnd raided neighbouring bars, resulting in a drunken brawl, which the military and civilian police were unable to' quell. Troops .were called out, and tho rioters rounded up. A further disturbance occurred when they reached tho barracks, necessitating a strong guard with fixed bayonets. Two soldiers were injured.

A favourable recommendation has been given by the House Petitions Committee to the petition of Messrs Leyland-O'Brien oC Auckland, for compensation for losses sustained by the capture of ' the scow Moa by Count von Luckner and tho other German prisoners who escaped from Motuihi Island, and were recaptured together with tho vessel at the Kermadec Island. Tho company asked for some £I2OO for cargo jettisoned and for damage to the vessel. The Public Petitions A to L Committee reported: "Tho committee, is strongly of opinion that the Government should grant reasonable compensation to the petitioners."