CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 178, 27 January 1914, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

RAILWAY KKVK.YCE. While the earnings of tin- r.ilu'ay, liav.. !„.<.„ rapidly docliiiiii;--. Ih,. Irallie on Hie 'lines in nianv departments Ims beciPHonilily K-i'OH'iii!,'. During the nine j mouths 'between April and December, WU lower lir.f-elass i-ic-ki't, WCl'e 8011 l than (he cnrri'spnmliii',' poriori of the i>rocedinjr year, but ilic"snlw of every oilier deseriplion of passenger ticket showed nn iiieroiise. First-class id "in tickets increased bv 3!1..)15, soc-oud-ekixs siii.»le bv Nfilf, second-class retiiru by '-!bT,l>!l4. and >eason tickets bv 11. in. Mirny branches of the o/oods •li-illlic showed a similar inereaso. ' The eaflli. carried on (be lines increased 1 by 1'a.807. calves by -Jiti-l, sheep bv -143,03!!. and jiiiis by !HS. Tim total of ilie live '■lock carried, other (ban horses ami doi;s. inerea-ed from ;i,l.",;!,'2l)!) (o 5.81 X- . an addilion of 4(5.">.75(> animahi. Iliii'-c ileii'ea-cd from 14.;!! l!) lo 14,212, and do;;-, decreased from :Sfi.'.t7l - > (o :i!!,-

Rill. The fallinu'-oir ; n goods Iraflie mi eluded L'Mlil lons wool. :>:i.!iH Inns timber, i;;7,!>.1) tons "rain ami 17-J.K24 tons minerals. The (olal cost of Ihe lin.s carryinir ihe tiaiTic on }lu:ch V 'at was C.11.1i) 1.220,

MOTOR CAR VICTIMS IN NEW YOltK.

The number of persona killed -mid injured in Mew York by motor ears is steadily growing: every 'month. According lo a statement compiled by the N.i- ( tional Highways Protective Society thirty-eight persons siet their death and one hundred and fifteen were injured in this way during the month of November. Eor eleven months of the year motor cars have killed in the city alone 277 people, white other vehicles are responsible for the death of 2.'i-l, making a total of oil victims of New York's vehicular tralue. Since 1910, says the Protective Society, the fatalities in New J York streets from motor cars have increased by Vi'i per cent. Chief blame is placed upon the lack of sulliciciit traffic policemen, and reckless driving of motor cars in the congested districts of the city. A crusade against excessive speed was started by the police, and in a few days in December :i.Ji) automobilists were summoned to the courts and lined anything from Is to £lO. .Many refused to pay, and were sent to gaol for ft day.

A XATIOXAL KESEKVE. Tho members of the Reserve will be able to do much to foster a spirit of sacrifice among the youth of the nation, in the absence of which there can be no genuine patriotism . The love of country and the determination to maintain it involate are meaningless terms unless they are horn of and upon personal service, and there are few better or more practical ways for the exercije of the patriotic spirit than in an everpresent readiness for service, and the inculcation in the minds of the young of thoso precepts that foster loyalty to King and country. What the .veteran societies are to Ormany, an ever-living source of national pride and confidence, the Xational Reserve may relatively bci come to New Zealand.—Dunedin Star.

loxdox's <:,oldkx waste. I • At gigantic cost to London, its refuse and waste are taken out to sea or burned, or deposited in some place where it becomes nothing else than a nuisance. Commander Dixon suggests ■that it should be used profitably. In tho course of a recent lecture he dwelt on tho importance to the London ratepayers of the proper disposal of London's refuse, for it eo4s roughly 3s !)d per ton in Finshury to Is Td in Lambeth to be removed. Much of this material could be made use of and go far to pay for the. cost of collection. Apart from the reclamation of land by this waste material, Commander Dixon said that waste paper, old tins, rags and I stable manure were worth the cost of collection and disposal—tin being £2'2o per ton. Ho advocated the use of the tramway lines for removing* the more unpleasant and dangerous material. Suitable vehicle* for the purpose could be placed on these lines and could ply between the various boroughs and the land to be reclaimed.

PRACTICAL, SYMPATHY. The Marquis of Lincolnshire, who is better known to colonial readers as Lord Carringion. the. popular Governor of New South Wales from 1885 to ISM, who owns 23,000 acres of land himself, speaks in warm terms of approval of Mr. Lloyd Ceorgc's land proposals. He states that, as a landlord deiiving all his income from the land, he sees no reason for any owner who is prepared to treat his tenants and the community fairly to find any fault -with the proposals. ITe is, in fact, the very good friend anil ardent admirer of the Chancellor of the K.vchequcr, and some extracts from his agreements with bis tenants which have been given to a representative, of one of the London newspapers show that he has actually anticipated some of tln> ideas that lire 'n Mr. Lloyd Ccorge's mind. "The tenant,'' a summary of these extracts runs, "'is at liberty to vote as he likes, pray when lie, likes, shoot what he likes, air), subject to covenants, to farm as he likes, and no notice to quit shall he given on account of political or religious opinions." . , . "Upon quitting he shall be entitled to compensation for disturbance «i\ addition to compensation for .improvements- any difference to be settled by arbitration. At the end of any year either landlord or tenant, if they deem the rent unjusti or injurious, may

~ . . appeal to arbitration to fix a fair rent. . . All men over twentyone years of age to have, a minimum, wage of £1 a wvk except kitchen' gardeners, and work eight hours a day."