CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 167, 14 January 1914, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

GROWTH 01'' THK DAIRY INDUSTRY, As a commentary upon the growth of the dairy industry, it may be pointed out that in 18112 wool formed 40.05 of our total exports, and •butter and cheese only 3.4 per cent., while in 1!)12 wool constituted only .'SS.iO per tent., and butter and cheese 'had risen to 17.72 per cent. Till! REASON WHY. Dear land and high interest mean lowpaid labor. This is the reason why the most successful dairy farmers in Taranaki are those with big families. The children can be, and are, exploited to pay rent and interest. Failing large families it is a choice between importing boys and bringing down the price of land and the rate of interest.—Napier Telegraph.. » CANADIAN NEWSPAPERS. '■[ seldom see a newspaper here with a New Zealand news item." writes an ex-Christeliurch man now in Canada. '•The papers of the city, Conservative and Liberal, evidently are managed on totally different lines from the management of yours in New Zealand. They do not invite correspondence here, and ■very seldom does a reader see a letter appearing on any given topic. We get very few cablegrams. lam lirmly convinced that the people of New Zealand •are deeply interested ill their enterprising newspaper men who supply them •daily with such items as appear in the m'orning and evening issues of the newspapers t nere."

IHfill RATES OF INTKUEST. Tho following letter to the editor appeared in the Dominion, signed ''A Farmer": —'"Sir, —Through the medium of your columns I would like to ask 'how it ■is that we are charged such high rates of interest for money in Xow Zealand? The banks at present" are charging (j per cent, on overdrafts, mid it is hard to get money below S'/s to (i per cent, on freehold security. I enclose you an advertisement from the Sydney Morning Herald of December 13, offering £20,1100 at 4% per cent, and £25,1)00 at -1% pert cent, on station freehold. If these are the rates current in _\>w South Wales, 1 think it is time the hanks and other institutions should fall into line and lower their present exorbitant rates. ■Why does not Mr. Massey, a* head of the Government:, insist upon the hank ■over which lie 'has a certain amount of control lowering the rate so as to give us cheaper money for developing the country '? The other banks would then follow suit- Cheap money was the crv during the election, but it 'lms been dear money for us ever since."

Aumr.rx ppoxpkctivk ir-i.ki!. l'rince William of W-iod has been chosen by the IWers to ascend the throne of Albania as its first soverei«n ruler. There worn many rival caiulidntcs, native ami foreign. but I ho selection of Prince. William was from the first a foregone conclusion. Apart from his persona! qualities, In- possessed one great ail vantage over the others: lie was ail Evangelical Protestant, and could be relied upon to hold Hie balance even as 'between the three religions, Moslem, Greek Orthodox and lioman Catholic,' which claim the allegiance of the Albanians. What this means in the Balkans is known to everybody. Jn addition, tile ;h.ouse of Wieil lias for centuries been celebrated for its traditions of relipioua tolerance. Hermann of Wied, the Archbishop of Cologne, was one of the lirst to extend his protection to the persecuted followers of Luther, and I'rinee Alexander of "Wied turned his residence. Nouwied, into a veritable harbor or refuse for all creeds. Catholics and Protestants, Jews and .Mennonites, Orthodox :iud sectarians, all found hospitality under the shadow of N'euwied Castle, and lived ■ side by side in perfect amity. These traditions could 11W be ignored by the | Powers when seeking i or a prince to

rule over Albania. Detachment from the rival Albanian religions and perfect tolerance in nil matters of faith—these were credentials of the very best kind in the particular circumstances obtaining. But there were other advantages. The Wicds are of an ancient stock, which gave (iermany illustrious names in various domains.

INTERESTIXG COMPARISONS. Thus a write? in the Hawera Star:— A six-roomed house in the N.K. or S.K suburbs of London costs 10s to 12s (id. In New Zealand towns rental for the same Accommodation in wooden 'houses costs ISs to '22s fid. City tailors at .Home supply suits to measure for 40s to .■ISs, identical with those supplied here at •••€5 or £» as. Visit your doctor at Home, 2s fid; here, 7s Od. Purchase eggs ill London, 12 to 20 per shilling, and smaller, 24 for the same sum. All tobacconists supply half-ounce Virginian tobacco at l'/al to 2d; here we pay Is for 2 ounces. The next item T write in fear and trembling. A glass of beer is Id and l'/»d (or 2d for the swells); whisky, 2d or 3d per (measured) glass. Boots, 8s fid to 12a (id; good hard felt liats. mostly 3s lid; fish about one-third the price of Xew Zealand. As a householder, in a neighboring town, my wife ■finds it harder to keep house on £3 a week than in London on £2. I could name at random a score of other commodities than are incomparably cheaper.