GENERAL CABLES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 353, 2 April 1910, Page 5

GENERAL CABLES.

DECLINING BißTli-RA'i'E. By Cable. —Pits* Association. —Copyright Received. April z, 1/20 a.m. London, April 1. The birth-rate for England and Wales in 1901) was 25.48 per 1000, the lowest on record.

CABLE RATES. Received April 1, 10.40 p.m. Ottawa, April 1. The Canadian Commons have adopted a Bill giving the Railway Comniis»ion control of the rate facilities of the cable companies. Mr. Lemieux, Post-master-General, stated that the Motherland promised concurrent legislation. He decided to get from the companies a schedule of rates satisfying to the public and the Press. He proposed that urgent messages should remain at a shilling a word, semi-urgent sixpence, and Press rate threepence.

BRITISH REVENUE.

Received April 1, 8.50 'p.m. I London, April 1. The quarterly revenue amounted to £37,400,900, the Customs contributing £7,993,000, the excise £7,102,000. and stamps £2,105.000. The year's property and income tax totalled £13,295,000. UNUSUAL FATALITY. London, March 31. A vicious swan, which lately attacked several men on the Trent at Nottingham, assailed and drowned a hoy of six who was playing on the shore of the 1 river.

■SEND US GIRLS.

London, March 31

The Hon. X. J. Moore. Premier of West Australia, at a gathering of intending emigrants, stated he had received the "following message from his State: ''Send us as mnnv girls as possible; our farmers want wives." Mr. Ramsay MncDonald is arranging for Mr. Moore to address four thousand people nt Leicester upon emigration. FRENCH OLD AGE PENSIONS. Paris. March 31. The French Parliament has passed the Old A«re Pensions Rill. Taxpayers will contribute £5.520.000 during the first year. The Government's critics complain that Germany pavs only £2.000,000 for its system, including pensions and allowances for incapacity to work. The Rill will he the chief •political asset of the Republican Partv at the eomin<r elections, for which there aTe 2500 candidates.