Clippings.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 134, 19 April 1900, Page 3

Clippings.

Sieraclz, in Russian Poland, has been the scene of a strange and successful strike. The professional- beggars of the town have been in the habit of calling at every door on Friday and receiving tha customary alms of a Polish groschen, worth half a cent. On a recent Friday they omitted their visit, and later sent round a delegate with the notice that, unless they received two groschen from each house, they would emigrate in a body to Czenstochau, where a mjraculous image of* the Holy Virgin attracts pilgrims and where beggars reap a rich harvest. As in return, for -the alms the beggars pray for the souls of the givers at morning mass, the good people of Sieradz yielded at once to the demand and kept their beggars. i 4

News comes from the back blocks of a heartless " sell" which has been played upon a travelling temperance advocate. He had lighted upon a reformed publican— or at least that ' was the role in which he was introduced — and after the lecture was over, the curio -was brought forward to improve the occasion. And this is how he did it: — "Dear friends, I would rather deal with a teetotaller afly day than a drunkard. The latter comes and sits in my place for hours together, monopolises the newspaper, and deafens one wich his talk, but the temperance man cornea in at the side door, calls for a whisky hot, drinks it -straight off, and is gone again."

1 A good New South Wales authority Says : — " The condition of the pastoral industry in New South Wales and Queensland during tbe past- five years has been most terrible. In the mother colony the sheep have been reduced in number from 60,000,000 in 1593, to 38,000,000 in last December, and when I left Sydney, a fortnight ago there was no sign of a break in the drought. The regular tnonsoonal rains in Queensland have entirely failed, and the condition of the back country is most grievous to behold. The silver lining to this cloud, however, is the condition of our eastern districts, which have been blessed with the abundance of rain. The ravages of tick appear to be a thing oijixa past in Queensland, and the prioe of cattle has increased «£1 per he/»3. This has given heart to* a class of men who were on the verge of bankruptcy. In some districts of 'New South Wales, Liverpool Plains, for instance, the pastoralists have been coining money, having grass, water, and high prices for stock and wool. If a general rain comes ovar New South Wales immediately, the, price of ewes will go up to 255."

Primary education As compulsory throughout Switzerland, and no mercy ia-ahown to people who attempt 'to keep their children away from.' school. •In Solothurn igarents -are nofc -even •.

allowed the option of having their offspring educated at home or in private institutions. Considerable trouble is taken, however, to arrange the school hours with due regnrd to general convenience. In summer the classes begin at 7 o'clock in the morning ; thus, when the children have done working with their heads, they still have time enough to -work with their hands. They have their holidays, too, in the autumn, so that they may be able, during the harvest, to help in the fields. Not only is primary education free, but in poor districts food and clothing are distributed at public expense among such of the children as need them.

The 'biscuits sent to South Africa are made of whole meal,' oatmeal, and flou);, and are hermetically sealed. Some of these biscuits have been in stock for 20 years, and have not gone wrong, There have been 'some I scandals over the supply of stares for tho British Army, and several contractors have had their names struck ofi the list for < supplying bad stores, maggoty beef and biscuits, aid other things. It is stated that no other, punishment has been awarded, and that this is no punishment, because these defaulting firms tender again under other names. It is known that one firm of manufacturers of goods largely used by the army has tendered on different samples under three different names.