CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 225, 11 February 1913, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

OLD PRINTS. A Wanganui resident is the possessor of a copy of the London Times. dated 1703, and consequently 120 years old. The paper has been'in the possession of the family sinee the date of its publication. Among other interesting items it contains the text of the will of Louis XVT., and several references to his exe(U.liuu. We have been >hown papers equally as interesting-that are in the possession of a Xew Plymouth resident. TTe has original copies of the London Times containing the reports of the Hattlc of Copenhagen, the Battle ofj Trafalgar and Waterloo. TTe has among other very old prints a copy of the London Gazette containing a report of the fiuy Fawkes outrage. Compared with the Oazctte the London Times of the beginning of last century is almost modern.

FIOnTIXd FOR A TIIROXE. The desire of King Nicholas of Montenegro to Like Scutari is Slid to be due in no small part to the knowledge that his lack of success in the later stages of the war with Turkey has shaken his throne. The Montenegrins and the Servians are one people in blood and speech, and it would be natural that they should unite their destinies, particularly as they have a common enemy in the north. Six months ago, it appeared that King Nicholas, and not King Peter of Servia, would be the fitting ruler of the federated Serbs. But since then King Peter has won great victories, and King Nicholas has halted impotcntlv before Scutari. "To meet the growing unpopularity and to tie the fall of Scutari to his name." writes a correspondent of the London Daily Chronicle. "King Nicholas recently assumed supreme command over the besieging army, but the result of nearly two months' siege is that the condition of the beleaguered Turks is better than that ot (lie Montenegrins. The Kind's army has been more (hail decimated: it counts now only 23.000 men, ami the war was qpened with 32.000. There is famine, and the economical condition ot the country is described as deplorable. King Nicholas has again become unpopular, and all sorts of hostile rumors are current ncainst the hereditary Prince Danilo." King Peter is the son-in-law of King Nicholas, but there is no love lost between the two rulers.

A SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT. Mr. Allen, yvc are told, informed the Admiralty, with the concurrence of his chief, tlei ( (he W.-it of (he New Zealand might be deferred "if the time were unMiilable." Mr. llarcouri made the reply. which will be a source of satisfaction not only to New Zealand, but to a wider world, that there are "no strategical or political necessities'' to prevent the vessel's tour of the Empire. -lust a> the British Government. whatever the need for keeping (lie vessel at Home might be. would have despatched the vessel on her tour if no representations to the contrary were made, so it would have accepted Mr. Allen's suggestion if the postponement of the tour were desirable. The Minister has therefore given the British Government an opportunity to make, through Mr. TTarcourt. a significant statement of universal interest. His reply means that the Britisli Government, views the interna j u-!

aspect of the Balkan war with conn>'ete serenity. ITad (here been any risk thai Britain might be involved in any trouble that may follow the war, or arisi; oui. of it. Mr. Harcourt would, as in duty bound, have accepted (lie suggestion that this line -hip should remain at the f:-.>:>t.

Tie would not. in such a c.i-e, have 'one Britain and New Zealand the dis-sevvice of sending one of the finest warships on a holiday. Mr. Allen's wise offer, which yvill be approved by everybody, has thus had a most interesting and satisfactory result.- - Wellington "Dominion.

STROXf; LAXOI'ACE. Tlic character of the lanjrua.iri* use 1 hy writer* in sonic of the Labor p:<per in Now Zealand was frequently commented upon in I lie Auckland Supreme four! h,t Friday liy lii:- Honor Mr. .lust ice I'd wards. during (he hearing of two actions in which the New Zealand >V ( ]- cration of Labor wen- the defendants. Tie remarked on one occasion that tlie use of such language should lie prohibited liv law. Many articles were quoted from the Maoriland AVorkcr. flic A 7 oice of Labor, and the Leader, a paper now defunct. During the proceedings, the tone of the articles was severely criticised by the Judge and counsel on both sides. Sir Jobn Findlav remarked that both papers posse-scd a gift of vituperation in a high degree, and Mr. P. .1. O'Regan also commented on (he writings which are served for the working num. lie remarked that snob language was not usuallv employed in journalism. Newspaper controversies were conducted ■ in Arizona in a similar manner, but instead of seeking a decision in tlie courts (lie authors generally settled iheir disputes with shooting irons. Tn a general review of the papers. Judge Edwards said he was amazed at. tlie language used by these papers. The writers seemed to have devoted themselves to a search through the dictionary for the longest and most objectionable terms. lie declined to believe that such language was

commonly used by working men. and added lhat much of the rubbish would not be understood by them.

TEAM WAY MEETING. The Borough Council last night decided to convene a meeting of ratepayers oil Friday, February 2S, to ('(insider the tramway, streets, and water loan proposals. When the question of its venue came up a Councillor suggested' the Theatre lioyn.l. The Mayor thought the Borough chambers would do. They had. he explained, always amply sufficed to hold the leaven of .ratepayers who took an interest in municipal affairs. Councillors, with an eye to wliat was in store for them, remarked suggestively, "not this time, Your Worshipi!" "(live them a show." commented C'r. Kibbv, and acting on this advice the flood Templar Hall was proposed. Several of the civic fathers were inclined to think that even this building would not, accommodate the ratepayers on the occasion in question, but the final selection was in its favour. IN THE BACK COUNTRY. Mr. W. T. Jennings, who has been visiting the Qhura, returned by the itarawa on Saturday. Me states the back country never looked better. The long spell of dry weather had improved matters all round. There was an abundance of feed, but most of the places looked to be under,stocked. Mr. Jennings visited the Agricultural Show at Xiho Xiho, of which he is a life member. There was a large attendance of settlers of the district. Two exhibits by school children stood out oil their own—one, a collection of native and foreign grasses grown in Otangiwai. nicely mounted on cardboard,, with the botanic and English names engraved under each. This was the work of Master Carter, nine years old, of Otangiwai School, and was presented by the exhibitor to Mr. Jennings, j The other exhibit was also by a pupil and showbd different classes of wool sorted. Most of the settlers have had good burns this year, and the roads, as the Waitaanga and Waitiwhcna, were first-class. A motor went from Te Kniti to Oliura, via Waitiwhcna. 50 miles, in less than five hours—not a bad performance over a road which a dray could not get over less than two years ago. The main road between Pio Pio and Te Kuiti does not show much sign improvement, the metalling only starting a week ago.

TWO REMARKABLE ROYALTIES. are two remarkable octogenarian European royalties whose obituaries have been in type for at least ten years in all the leading newspaper offices the world over. These personages are ex-Km press Eugenie, of France, widow of Napoleon IIL, now living in exile in England, and Francis Josef, Emperor of Austria-Hungary. Both are B.'! years of age, and there are great expecations for the heirs. The ex-Em-press is very wealthy, and with her millions the Bonaparte Pretender, who recently married one of Belgium's princesses, hopes to buy back the throne of France . But Eugenie is still strong in life. During the past fortnight or so various repoits concerning the health of Francis dosef have been circulated in Vienna, and it was freely rumored that therewa s little hope of his surviving' more than a month or two. About a week ago the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who had been on a visit to his great friend, the Kaiser, was hastily summoned to Vienna, and there were other indications that preparations were being made for a I'hange of rulers. The Archduke Ferdinand has been heir-presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary since the death, in ISSD. of the Crown Prince Rudolph, who died by his own hand under well-remembered tragic circumt stances. The Archduke is 50 years of age. and is a son of the Emperor's brother, the late Archduke Karl Luclwig. The question of the hour is: Can Ferdinand hold Austria and Hungary together?— Exchange.