GENERAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 301, 29 May 1915, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS.

It is reported that the Christehureh Meat Company is seriously considering a proposal to erect further storage ai Islington, in order to deal with the position caused by the unsatisfactory treatment of Canterbury's claims -or insulated space and 'by the possibility of the present shortage of space being continued indefinitely (says the Lyttelton Times). T : ic Islington works are at present equipped far beyond the usual trade requirements, but it is felt, that if storage is provided for 100,000 more carcases the restrictions on the normal course of business, which have brouirht about a dislocation during the present season, will not recur next season or ! while the war continues. It is understood that action in this direction will not affect the company's decision to make a large addition to the storage I at its works at Smithfield, South Can- ]• terbury, for which a contract has been l let.

Sir lan Hamilton, who is in charge of the operations at the Dardanelles, is noted for his personal bravery, and is considered one of the unluckiest soldiers in the army, on account ,of the number of times he has been wounded or sustained injuries. While on the Indian frontier he practically lost tise of his left arm through the bursting of a shell. On another occasion he very nearly lost his sight through a shell bursting in his face. One day, when lying badly wounded on the veldt, two Boers tried to make him surrender bis sword, which he refused to do, and just when things were looking extremely ugly a Boer ollicer appeared and commanded the men to take him prisoner. He was released, however, as his captors thought him too badly hurt to live, but he found his way back to his comrades, although it was a long time before he fully recovered from the experience.

"When I learned the wages paid to workers in Xew Zealand and Australia," said 51.-do Martin, in Via lecture on Belgium at Christeliurch, "1 was astounded. Tliey were so much greater; than those paid in Belgium. At the same time the ' workmen in Belgium are better oil' than yours, as the cost of living is so low. The Belgians are also a very thrifty people, and nearly every worker lias a stocking with something in it. You will pardon me for making this comparison, and for speaking out, but- we Belgian? always speak out.' ' 51. de Martin further stated that the Belgian workmen had only one day in the week to amuse himself, as his'liours of labor on working days were so long. This was Sunday, and then he went to a cafe with his wife and family, bought a long glass of beer, watched the crowd, anil listened to the hand. The whole family sipped at the beer. The day's amusement cost about 2M>d —"and you can't get very drunk en that," added the lecturer, amidst hearty laughter. The United States is about to embark on the most extensive railway project in that country since the linking of the East and the. I'acilic Coast by a transcontinental line, namely, the construction of a railroad into the interior of Alaska, 471 miles long, inclusive of 71 miles already built and to be purchased from private interests. The road is to extend from Seward, on Resurrection Bay, to Fairbanks, with a branch from slatanuska, 3S miles long, into t!ie Miitanuuka coalfields. Congress has authorised the expenditure of ;CS,000,!)0<) on the .project, but the'estimated cost of the construction of the line is less I than £0,(100.000. Ya-t development and

;i ; ''.\t- ii;<■ v• •;i•of M'Ulr'iM'nt its Alaska nie*q>e"ic<] within the next i'ew years. Th is new (loveninu Jit undertaking has

tin* twofold purpo-e ,:7 opening the way {or pioneers and settlors in an almost unki '.-v:i r-•' : 1 of virgin reMirm-.-;. A.i ■,<{ Mm- -unie tinv provide an outlet lor those resources to the Pacific Slates and the Orient, The route ndopied by the Government will open up ;> territory vA. now* sewed by any railway line, mul two of the .yreat coalfields of Alaska, one in the Matanuska fielil. which contains bitummmi, coal ae.-rpiable to the navy, and, secondly, the Xenant coal, near the TaY.wivi r!v<';\ whh-h k a <:rreat body of Jijrniie that will serve On; interior of Alaska. Indeed, it is the need of tapping Alaska's immense coal resources, so as to augment the dimin-

ishing supplies within the T'mted States, that was the chief inducement moving the Government to undertake iliis enterprise. The work is to bojrm at oh'-e, and probably fortv miles will be constructed this yenr. At the outset, it will be built by contract. and at ihe end ol" the Se'.lSoU I'-e i i(»»(■!*:.i'- will determine whether it i> ui><* to complete it in this manner or build it as [i whole by r.'y labor, a- in the case of the Panama Canal.