TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7981, 8 March 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

There seems to be very little doubt (says the Samoa paper) that the next fresh flow of lava from the voloano at Sayaii will reach the ooast at Satupatu, and thus continue the iron bound ooast from Puapa right alone to wherever the present head of the lava stream (now in will stop. From all appearances • iit seems oossible, nav even probablle, that in about fout to six weeks time the lava will., havo reached Mataotu (Savaii). Whether it will go further can only be a matter of conjecture, as before doing so it must oross the deep water in Matautu Harbour. It seems peculiar that the lava should have taken a sharp turn on the reef, instead of sunning over the edge of tbe reef into the deep sea. As it is,, it now runs parallel to the coast on the top of the reef. On Sundayy February 4th, it was just six months sinoe the breaking out /of the volcano, aod it is saddening to see how much valuable country has been devastated in that time, and since, no man can foretell when the eruption will ceasa, how muoh more land may be laid waste.

A protest is made by the Victorian Fellmongers' Union against the continued excessive exportation of sheen skins from the Commonwealth. "During last year," Mr Dupree, the secretary, reports, "no fewer that 7,521,008 sheepskins were exported, and this quantity, if fell mongered in Australia, would have given employment for twelve months to 1,400 extra fellmongers, to say nothing of those who would have been employed indirectly. The fancy leather trade in sheep skins is also declining through being unable to obtain locally in sufficient quantities tanned basils. The Chamber of Manufacturer* is taking up the question of more encouragement to the woollen industry; and this question is receiving the hearty support of the Fellmongers' Union, who, knowing the ■ millions of pounds worth of raw material of this commodity that is sent annually out of Australia, believe that if sufficient encouragement were given to it, an industry would be established capable of employing many thousands of individuals. It seems strange that so much raw. material that could be utilised looally should leave our shores, whilst we have to depend upon another country for a finished article made up of our own raw material.' £n addition to sheep skins, 1111,173 hides were exported that could very well have been used looally." . .

An annual report upon the working of the Friendly Societies in the United Kingdom, .issuei<at the endof last year, is. referred to in recently arrived* copies of: the London ■ journals. The report certainly oon* tains figures representing, enormousi sums of money, but these*- if care- J fully examined, only prove the* ex-. treme poverty of the- wagevearuingclass in England. At most the savings of the poor do not amount to more than £475,000;000 < or; roughly speaking, a teu-pound note per head of the population. Thissum represents tbe total tions in friendly: societies, co-opera-tive societies, trade unions, and aIL otber provident funds. There dre in all some 30-000,000 members represented, but, of course, there must be many oases of so that it is not easy to get at the average savings of those within the circle of thrift. It will be seen, however, that eaoh of tb'oee. thirty million members only represent the sum of about £l6. .-,' 'i Last year witnessed a marked re--I vival in the export of rabbits, bares,and poultry from New South Wales,. whilst the .operations at the cold' stores in the storage of produoe for consumption at a later period of tbe season were greatly in excess of previous years. During last year | 1,460,292 pairs of rabbits were ceived at the cold stores, as compared with 915,399 pairs bandied theprevious year. There, was also aninorease of 32,736 single hares received, as compared with the record for 1905. Altogether 1,503,468' pairs of rabbits and hares were graded and packed at the Government stores for export during last year,. and as 3,202,109 pairs were exported from the State in the same period, it follows that 1,698,641 packed ac the works of various freezr ing companies. Tbe total number of single rabbits and bares treated was,-. therefore, 6.404,218 bead, valued at i £92,853. The rabbit and bare skins* exported weighed 2,587,6681b, esti-- 1 ; mated to be worth £93;472; | 1 It is to be feared that Qdeen-AJex--I andra's.Unemployed Fund is-sharing." the fate of so many other- Dhttan- '' thronio efforts, that of being eatenup by its own expenses of administration. A loud outcry has already , arisen that the people- for wbom- thfc Queen's generous gift was intended' .have as yet derived no benefit whatever from these funds,-, which' soofarhave gone exclusively to the- pay-' ment of clerks, treasurers, secretaries, postage*-, rent of' offices, etc. Ik certainly- ctbes look very much as-if all? the money wasgoing to be mopped ud horde of parasites and hangers-on of certain great people. Unless able matter can soon be satisfactorily cleared up it will* be very difficult in future toielicitany responseto a similar -appeal 'even if made by so exalted ! a-personage as tbe-Queen;. Her showed much -wisdom and souad knowledge of the world 1 in explicitly- directing" bow her- own. contribution^was to- be employed: That appears to-b'e>tbe> only parfrnf the totallsutn- raised that has found its way to'those- for" whom it' was* designed to benefit—that ie to say,, only £2yo9&*outrof some £2oojoooi.