ODDS AND ENDS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 99, 29 December 1914, Page 7

ODDS AND ENDS

The earlier closing or public bouses in London' reduced the number or drunkenness charges at the Thames Police Court from 80 to 2(5 in one day. Blinds are now kept down at night in the carriages of the London and South-Western Hail way Company, in view of possible attack by aircraft. A movement is on. foot for the purpose of terming a Jewish batalli'on in London, and to offer it for active service. The Jewish Chronicle .says 4000 British Jews arc already serving with the colours. In order to relieve unemployment, work' on the now post-office lube for London is to be. commence*! at ■ n ■ . Tim tube is to be six miles 'wig; and, costing upwards ot a no*.:■»:*. ,i afford a year's. work to hum!."-A* "f men. A fatal railway accident oeeurrelast month on the North Sicilian Ei.ilway between Patti and Messina., Thy train fell into the river owing to the destruction of the bridge by heavy rains. Only one .passenger is reporter* to have survived. A sensation was caused in M.vror Hamilton, County Leitrim, p, few weeks ago by a double tragedy, a police pensioner residing in the main street shooting his son dead, and then shooting himself with a revolver. There had been some dispute between them over property. A dispute has arisen between the master butchers of Basle, Switzerland, and the Cantonal Government owing to an order promulgated, fixing the retail price of meat. The‘butchers have decided to close all the butchers' and pork butchers' shops until the order has been withdrawn. A halfpenny for a meal for five pf sons is being charged.in Brussels. Tills is a tactful little act by the Minister* of Spain and the United States, who distribute bread and soup daily to hundreds of poor families. They eharp 3 the halfpenny in order to avoid the appearance of •pauperism. Heralds on foot or on horseback blowing trumpets and bugles pace the streets of Moscow in front of the carp-

vans that, collect gifts for the wounded soldier?. This collection, initiated by the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, is caried out by the best known singers, painters, actors, and actresses. “Do you admit being drunk?" inquired Mr. Hedderwick at North London, of George Ivimber-, a clerk, “Yes; regimentally drunk, sir," was the reply. Mr. Hedderwick—“What do you mean by that?" “If you have a pint in the Service you are considered drunk." The accused was bound over. „„ The war has had a striking effect on industrial unrest in England. According to the Board of Trade statistics just published for September, only 23 disputes arose in that month, involving three thousand work-people. In the corresponding month of 1913 there were 12-1 disputes affecting over 90,000 workers. Addressing a recent public meet;;in Victoria, 8.C., in aid of the Belgians, the Et. Lev. Mgr. Leterme, V.S., domestic papal prelate and vicar-gen-■wal of Victoria diocese, stated that a, a Belgian he had been unable .to communicate with his relatives in Belgium because lie had refused to .put "Belgium, Germany " on Ms envelopes.' more than 100,000 people witnessed tho internment at Most on- Cemetery, Manchester,, of seven. Belgian soldiers" who died i;.i the local military hospital. About 0,000 boys, many fresh from school, have been recruited fur bullet making work at Woolwich Arsenal, and as a result, hundreds of shops in the East-end are displaying the legend, “Boy Wanted." Two young lady members of the Perth Swimming Club, Miss Sheila Boss and Miss Maggie Campbell, swam from Perth to Newburgh, a distance of il miles, in about four hours. The ladies left Perth lower harbour between Z and 1 o 'clock, and arrived at Newburgh about 9. They were warmly congratulated on their briliant achievement by a large crowd which awaited them. The coffee stall opened in the Bank of England for the refreshment of the

refugees recalls a little known privilege of the Bank-—no less than the right to ; sell beer without a license. Thin privilege was allowed tho Bank by tfic Charter of Incorporation, dated Jiffy 27, 1G94, and the directors, if they chose, could open a public house in Threadnedle Street. Tho Avar is having a serious effect upon the finances of some of tho Universities. The University College of Cardiff, for instance, will have to faa« a serious deficit. It may be some consolation to tho Governors tu find that the older Universities are in similar ease. At Oxford, a rou gii guess lias been made of tho- total loss on the year ’s working, and the sum is estimated at not less than £IO,OOO. A resident from one of the suburbs of AntAverp tells how, a few years ago, a German firm Avent round offering lo lay tennis courts at ridiculously low rates, and many people avovo glad to avail themselves of tho opportunity. The work took a long time, but appeared to be done most thoroughly, and everybody was pleased. The informant has since heard that the Germans placed a siege .gun on his ‘' tennis j court,’ 'which had been sumi Ally ; tops re* 1 ! Tho visit of tho party of Belgian refugees now housed at Llangollen to the local picture palace, was marked i-y a stiring incident. Tho ‘ contingent numbers several men -from Maliues, and. one of them recoouiisod in ** 1 ;

whom he had mourned as 1c ■ of the fugitives, in the seem::, a.t iff J ines, saw their homes in ruin id were deeply moved. •A return issued slioavs that the number of emigrants from Britain during iff lumber was 21/152, as compared Avitli 3U,u39 in (September, 1913. The total number of immigrants was 5,95-1, vs compared with 6,SGI in fcSoptomber, .19J 3. For the nine months ending September, 1911, tho total number of emigrants was 1'vi.315, compared with 33.1,010 to; the corresponding period of 19.13. The number of immigrants during the same period was 74,138, Avhile in 1913 it aw is