The Rhos Herald

STATE INSURANCE AND FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. At the annual conference of delegates of the ikoort.,g of Oak Benefit Society, a letter was read &am Mr. Lloyd George regarding his proposals Jfor a national system of insurance against in- "iflidity and sickness. The letter was addressed Mr. J. Duncan, president of the National Con- jfttfdnce of Friendly Societies. My, Lloyd George expressed his sense of obli- gation to the committee of the conference for h readiness with which they placed their ser- at his disposal. "It would have been diffi- cult," he wrote, "for me to i»ake progress with- r.S&t their 'help, and I have greatly appreciated (f frank and open way in which they have met jte* (Vnd discussed these complicated questions. ieWe held, as you of course remember, seve- jrtA nieet.ings during the autumn, and only ad- ^ttrned these when we had reached a point at further progress could not well be made an actuarial investigation into the various on.ggf-gt,ioxi,s made had .been completed. It is -Sfctfi necessary, or perhaps desirable, that I ÅiTtdd now go in detail into these suggestions; %& I think I may say this much at least—that meetings were most fruitful in enabling us 40 appreciate each other's point of view, and to Mscil** freely the position of the friendly jIMieties in regard to a scheme of State insur- and the means by which they might bestbe ijJwottght into co-operation with it. II In my Budget statement I laid down the ■^riRfjjples by which the Government, in my Jmlgment, must be guided in framing any scheme ..4&f ibe kind. Among the most important of I placed my conviction that no scheme be tolerable which would inflict the least ,,A.nage on those great organisations wlbich are .Jte..dy doing such highly beneficent work in I .Ait. country. May; I take this opportunity of .Hpe.tmg that I regard as essential, in whatever tttithe-me we may finally adopt, that we should not most carefully eafeguard the interests of I societies, but that the State should ensure I 'tOvtir active co-operation in the working out of -4ke scheme." I Jtefore reading the letter Mr. Bunn, the -jtlifitee of the Hearts of Oak, said that they had .,4vv4) or three interviews with the Chancellor of ■ £ h# Exchequer, which ?ed him to invite a larger And more representative body of members to ^i*cu«s the scheme. The Chancellor of the Ex- ^Wquer pointed out that as far as he could ascer- there were in this countrv 15.000.000 jfcftrfrera, and not more than 5,000,000 of these ^belonged to permanent benefit societies. Mr. jLloyd George also said that the number of jMspple who did not belong to the societies were ing, and they constituted a danger to the "State.

COLLAPSE OF A PIER. A disaster happened at Mandeville, Louis- ■jAnA, on the Mississippi river, on Sunday Id.bt;, in which nineteen people were ."iJfCWJied and many injured. An excursion r was approaching the wharf to take :Øff & number of passengers. The river was full, and the current extremely rapid, .m4 the Margaret came down on the wharf -at rfyJJ speed, striking it a heavy blow., The pier, which was only a flimsy affair, collapsed, and precipitated its giving freight into the water. There were iJtwih' HOQ people waiting the arrival of the rfftejwwf. All these persons were instantly in the r. while the bow of the boat cut througli ;1», Several of those who lost their lives Tilted been struck by the bocit's stem, aad tobably killed before their bodies sank. Miy "of those not in the deeper water «*<fr»iwfek'4 to the banks and got out. the nineteen drowned thirty or :iforty the victims were bruised and injured i,ty the steamer or her paddles. I

JUDY FALLS OVER A CLIFF.' "Miss Edith Milner Palliser, daughter of jb. George Henry Palliser, of Claphqin-road, » has been killed at Combe Martin, near 'titvammhfi, by falling over cliffs one hundred z34at high. Miss Palliser, who was twenty-six years of ciAfte, bad recently returned from India, Mr. Palliser was formerly chief engi- zJbNMf in the Bombay Public Works Depart- fMtlSt; She met two women friends from "t&dia in London, and they decided to spend a ;lk»Hddy together at Combe Martin. gfe* left The Nest, a furnished house which • Jtw and her friends had engaged, about mid- on Sunday for a walk. Three hours later young men who were walking at the foot pliffs near Sandy Bay found her body (tksM «iftt»e4ded in the sand. A# a high wind was blowing it is possible jUttt ehe was either blown over the cliff or Flirt-for l90t#nf on the edge of it. Her in- lui-i" Aivw jthat she must have fallen from UttAf to crag in her descent.

SUFFRAGETTES IN THE ACADEMY foiled in repeated attempts to interview ~%Hf A^ujth in the flesh, the Suffragettes .4,6 oi ^re^enge on Monday afternoon by •putting A "Votes for Women" placard on his .fwtrbtt, in the Royal Academy. j Mf; Solomon J. Solomon's painting of the ';&temieF in his Chancellor's robes is one of j rib» most striking pictures in the Academy, ,4n Monday a group of three voteless women •rare observed to gaze on it with particular JttitfftinetHs. Suddenly one of them leaned the rail and fixed the placard over the ,1.. of the portrait. An attendant had the off at once, and scarcely anyone -.r-SMW what had happened. No steps were •taken. against the dauntless three, except "Mfti they were shadowed until they left Bur- juMfttifn House, Tbf. officials of the Women's Social and WeUiieal Union say that they know nothing -W tbe exploit;

CAPTURED BY GIRLS. fikttmrkable bravery on the part of two iKIr^8 wa,s described at the Barnsley St1^cour^ Monday, when Herbert George Kaye, Charles Greasley, and J«(*eph JefteTs were each eentenced to two ■Menma* imij-rifsonment for stealing a purse Arthur Tinsley. WhJte Tinsley was in a public-house at he stated that he had-L12 in The other men heard thw state- when Tinsley left the house they •»him to a lonely spot, where they ^m- raijis RLoment Mies Gkrtrude and Mits Hardley drove up in. # carriage, and r&r** » struggle arretted Bollin and droTe to poliee-at&tion.

1 IMPERIAL DEFENCE. AUSTRALIA'S OFFER. Mr. Deakin, the Federal Prime Minister, has telegraphed to the Imperial Government offer- ing a Dreadnought or a corresponding addition to the Imperial Navy such as may meet with the approval of the home Government. Mr. Deakin has just become Premier of the Commonwealth of Australia for the third time, having succeeded Mr. Fisher, the Labour leader, and one of the very first acts of the new Ministry has been to follow the lead given by New Zealand in offering a Dreadnought for the iNaN Y. The decision of the late Administration to refrain from making this offer gave rise to a. good deal rf comment. The Premiers of the State.s of New South Wales and Victoria offered to provide a Dreadnought between them should the Federal Government not do so, and local committees were formed for the purpose of raising subscriptions to defray the cost. The Montreal correspondent of the "New York Times" states that Canada has decided to have a Navy, and that a nucleus is to be formed by the construction of eight cruisers and ten torpedo-boats, at a cost of £ 5,000.000. The primary idea is coast dcfence, and the secondary the creation of a Nivy capable of assisting the Mother Country in time of need.

ADANA MASSACRES. m SURVIVOR'S TERRIBLE STORY. Detailed information is only now beginning to arrive concerning the terrible massacres which took place in the districts around Adana and Tarsus in April last. At Kozo- look, an Armenian village, the people, be- sieged by Turks and Kurds, were tricked into surrendering their arms, and then massacred 'with the most revolting cruelty, only a few escaping. One of the women survivors says: "They marched us for hours on the moun- tains, with one pretext or another, till they brought us to a level place not far from the Tarsus road. They at last told us they were going to kill us. They ordered us to lie down on tht ground in a row, with our heads to the west. We begged them to shoot us through the heart or through the head, but they said they did not want to waste powder and ball on swine like us-they would do the thing more cheaply. There was a great crowd of them. Four or five went at each of us with swords and daggers, hacking our heads and breasts. I cannot get the shrieks out of my ears. I was badly wounded, but not killed. They had made a great fire of dry bushes, and now they threw us all, dead and wounded into it. My three little children had not been killed; the men took my oldest and my youngest, a mere babe, and flung them into the flames, where they perished. I had my second child in my arms, and we were thrown into the fire togethei. I at once scrambled out, though badly burned, with the little one. I ran a short distance and sat down, dazed and weeping. A Turk had pity on me, and led me away. My husband and thirty other members of our large family were killed."

THE LAST GAME. TRAGEDY OF TWO BROTHERS. Seated side by side near a chessboard on which they had apparently played a final game, two brothers were on Monday found dead in their house in Ellison-road, Streat- ham-common. Their names were Theodore Block, fifty-six, and Louis Block, forty-eight, and they are described as a commercial tra- veller and an animal painter., About 8.30 on Monday morning their housekeeper found on the breakfast-room mantelpiece a letter •igned by both men and addressed to her as follows: — "We hate to live and are not afraid to die. We wish our bodies to be cremated at as little expense as possible. We wish for no service. To compensate you for your trouble we leave you the whole of the furniture in the UBØ, pictures, etc., together with the little money that is left. After we have been cremated our ashes are to be thrown away." On the room being entered the brothers were found as described. Glasses beside them seemed to have contained cyanide of potassium.

A BOY'S BRAVERY. The story of a brave act was related by a lad named George- Collins, fifteen, in his evi- dence in a charge of attempted suicide brought against Frank Short, fifteen, at Old-street, London, on Monday. Collins stated that on Sunday afternoon he Was fishing in the canal, when he saw the prisoner jump deliberately into the water, and struggle towards the middle. Witness saw that the prisoner could not swim, andldivestilig himself of his coat, jumped in and swam to the other boy, who by this time had sunk twice. He seized Short and swam with him towards the bank, but when about half way he was clasped round the neck by his semi-conscious burden, land had to release his hold. Witness again got hold of the boy, and swam a few more strokes, but the struggling lad twisted his legs round those of witness, and he was &gain forced to loose his hold. Finally, how- ever, he managed to get dose to the bank, and someone pulled both lads ashore. The magistrate commended, Collins, awarded him 5s., and said he should report his fyravery to the Royal Humane Society. —; •

COACH DRIVER'S RECORD. The death has occurred at Holbeach, at tho age of 87, oti Mr. HeRry Grimstead, who had a remarkable record as a coach driver and letter carrier. For several years he drove the royal mail coach between Boston and Wisbech, and in 1853 began to drive the night mail between Hol- beach and Wisbech. In 1859 he became the first rural messenger in Holbeach district, work which involved a daily tramp of 21 miles, still continuing to drive the night mail to Wisbech and back for two years. He retired in 1892.

TSBITISH CoEtriiBti>-W. R Be«l BHKM Agrefct, P Arnuteonj, B.Cf. CaoadA, has choice Fruit md other vfiiiM fate itaie. Jft&tfJliM kx»ted uxt made oom/orUblo. j*pl'■ toX-OQ» DIHU8M. BKW KltUFTIOKB, BOZKMA Pby OLD DS. JACOB TOWNSBND 8 lABAfiltUJl. — a. -Oif '■ Tffc*. feotfla.1 poet ItM, troca MUJC, WML M CO., XOTrtyqCULM.

FUN AND FANCY. Bill: "Heard the new song anout tube railways?" Peter: "No. What's it like?" Bill: Well, the words are good, but the air is bad!" Mrs. McCall: "Isn't that your eervant-girl singing at her work?" Mrs. Housekeep: "No; I think she's singing at me. She knows I don't like it." Mother: "Why are you crying, Teddie dear?" Teddie: "'Cause brudder slapped me." Mother: "What did he slap you for!" Teddie: "Cryin' An Irishman describes a savings bank as a place where you can deposit money to-day and draw it out to-morrow bv rriving a week's notice. Bobby (in the country): "What has that cow got a bell round her neck for ? Sadie: "Why, that's what she rings when she wants to tell the calf that dinner is read y. Tommy: "Pop, a man's wife is his betteT- half, isn't she? Tommy's Pop: "So we are told. my son." "So if a man marries twice j there isn't anything left of him. is there!" Bill (putting down half-vsover-eign): "Single, Plumstead." Booking-office Clerk: "Change at Charlton." Bill: "Not much, puv'nor. I want my change here!" Small Boy (at the circus, sternly to his uncle): "Don't laugh like that, uncle; people will think this is the first time you have ever been in a place of amusement." i "Truth," remarked the moraliser, "is stranger than fiction." "Yes," rejoined the demoraliser, "and the majority of men seem to be shy of associating with strangers." "I understand Muggins took part in a foot- ball match the other day." "Yes; and the football match took part of Muggins. He's only got one ear now!" Miss Dressington (to little boy who is sid- ling up to her): "What do you want, dear- to give me a kiss?" Little Boy: "No, I wants my bread-'n-butter that you'ee sitting on!" Little Elsie: "Mamma Bays you are a self- made man, Mr. George. Are you?" Mr. George: "Yes, my dear." Little Elsie: "You must have made yqurself in the dark, didn't you?" Husband: "What! Another new dress?" Wife: "Well, don't be so cross. I bought it with my own money!" Husband: "lour own? Where did you get it from?" Wife: "I sold your fur cost. Grandpa: "Now, Tommy, shall we go and. have a walk, and see the horses and the cows and the sheep and the birds?" Tommy (wearily): "By all means, grandpapa, if tuat would afford you any enjoyment." "Your dead husband wor a good man," declared the sympathetic Mrs. Casey to tne bereaved widow. "He wor!" exclaimed Mrs. Murphy, dashing the tears from her eyes. "No two policemin cud handle him." "Captain, we are entirely out of ammuni- lidMk" said an orderly sergeant to his com- mLller on a field-day. "What? Entirely oulPof ammunition?" exclaimed the captain. "Yes, entirely out," was the reply. "Then cease firing," said the captain. He had sold a pig to a neighbour, and pass- ing the latter's house he saw their little boy. "How d'ye do, Johnny," he said, "how's your pig to-day "Pretty well, thank you," replied the boy. "How's all your folks? Wife: I have about made up my mind, John, that when I married you I married a fool." Husband: "That reminds me of a re- mark you made just before we were married. You remember that you said it would be hard to find two people more alike than you and I." Boarder (on leaving): "Madam, you are one of the most honest persons I have ever met." Landlady: "I'm glad to hear you say that, sir." Boarder: "Yes; your honesty is conspicuous on the very front of your estab- lishment. Your sign says: 'Boarders taken in! Mr. and Mrs. Fitts were out driving. "I wonder," said she, "just what the poor horse's feelings are? It must be horrid to be driven and dragged about without an idea a* to where one ie going, except as eomeone di- rects." "I think I can appreciate his feel- ings," replied Mr. Fitts. "I imagine that he feels as I do when you take me out on a shop- ping expedition." "Why, Jimmie, is it true that you gave little Bobbie a black eye?" "Y—yesum." "What excuse have you for such a brutal act?" "W—well, he provoked me." "How iid he provoke you?" "He hit me back!" ———— One day an Irishtaan was boasting to another what excellent eyesight he possessed, I can see at this moment," said Pat, "a mouse running on the top of the church tower." "Faith," replied his friend, "I can see it, too; but I can hear it trot, which you say nothing about!" An old woman was put in the witness-box to tell what she knew about the annihilation of a prize pig by a motor-car. Being sworn, she was asked if she had seen the car kill the pig in question. "I seed it." "Then," said counsel, "tell the Court in as few words as possible just how it. occurred." "That I can, aur. It just tooted and tuck him." Up was, a boy of twelve and his sister was about to be married, and the wedding break- fast was to be served by a caterer, an en- tirely new experience for the. brother. In his aniiety kst he shouldn't get his share of the good taingR. he asked his sister about it, and she, of course, assured him ,that he could have all he wan ed to eat. After she re- turned home she asked hira how he fared and if he had eaten all he wanted. He replied: 1 didn't eat all I wanted, but I ate all I could." The conversation turned on the effect pro- diiced on the emotions by pictorial art, when one gentleman remarked: "I remember on* picture that brought tears to my eyes." "A, pathetic subject, I presume?" "No, sir; it ■■mm 'a fruit painting- I was sitting altiss wafer tt WIMB it dropped oa say

HOME HINTS. If Bedsteads are washed with paraffin, so insect will come near, and the paraffin also gives & beautiful polish. An excellent furniture polish is made by mixing together equal parts of boiled linseed oil, vinegar, and methylated spirits. A few drops of alcohol rubbed on the in- side of lamp chimneys will remove all trace of greasy smoke when water alone is of no avail. When cleaning brass, use strong ammonia, and scrub the embossed parts with a brush. Rinse in clear water, wipe dry, and polish with a leather. To clean bronze ornaments, first brush out, the dust, then apply a very little sweet oil all over the article. Polish first with a soft duster, finally with a wash-leather. Ink-stains on silver or plated articles may be removed with a paste made of chloride t lime and water. This should be left on for a little while, and then washed off in wars* water. 170 get stains out of brown boots, cat fine a piece of lemon, and rub it well on to the boots, then polish with brown polish, when all stains will quickly disappear, and the boots 2ook equal to new. Clean your stained gas globes thus: Dip ft wet flannel into powdered pumice stone and with it rub the stained parte. When quit* clean wash the globes in clear water and dry with a soft cloth. Flower vases often overbalance when io use, for the flowers put into them are apt to make them top-heavy. This defect is easily remedied by putting bits of lead, shot, or pebbles at the bottom of the vases. Baked Halibut. — Remove the skin from a thick slice of halibut, and cut the fish into squares of about two inches. Brush each piece of fish over with dissolved butter, sod season it. When washing any white woollen LiZuooo, nuna'-veiling, cashmere, or woollen gloves, do not rinse in clear water, but have the last o,-tti of soapy water, but quite clean, and they will he found to dry much softer and not surink. If you want to put a gloss on silk this ts the best way: After rinsing put the silk through cold water with methylated spirit in it, allowing one tablespoonful of the spirit to half a pint of cold water. There is no occa- sion to prepare a large quantity of this, but there must be sufficient to soak the silk thoroughly. Cornish Potatoes.-One pound of potatoes, two ounces of breadcrumbs, half a pint of milk, two ounces of butter, one egg. Boil the potatoes and mash them, add the butter and breadcrumbs. Beat the egg in the milk and add to the potatoes; season welL Put on a greased tin and bake until brown. Before raking out the ashes from your kitchen grate in the morning, empty the damp tealeaves from the teapot on them. U Jou then proceed as usual you will find f\tere rill be no dust to smother you, and thus you will save time and temper. See that the wood used in lighting fires is thoroughly dry. Damp wood makes fire lighting difficult, and is withal extravagant, since so much of the heat of the burning wood is used in drying up the moisture that twice as much wood is required as when dry wood is used. When ironing keep a piece of rag by you that has been wrung out of cold water and rubbed with a little soap. After cleaning irons rub this lightly over them before using. Thm,will slip over starched things much more easily. Fish Toast.—Take the remains of any cold fish, pound well with butter, pepper, a pinch of mace, a little chopped onion, parsley, and salt. Mix well with some cream, warm it in a pan over the fire, and stir in the yolk of an egg. Put it on to hot buttered toast, piled high. It must be thick enough to stand. Sprinkle over with breadcrumbs, pour a little clarified butter on the top, and brown. If a skirt is much splashed with mud, or stained along the hem, it should never be brushed until the stains are completelv dry, prompt treatment while the mud is Still wet only causing the dirt to sink into the ma- terial. If brushing does not succeed in eli- minating the marks when the material is dry, sponging with pure alcohol should be tried, this method succeeding admirably both with serge and cloth costumes in dark colours as weu as lighter fabrics. Driving nails into a plastered wall is often adifticult task. Here is a plan worth trying. Make a hole rather larger than the nail, fill it with plaster of Paris, and into the moist substance stick the nail or screw. It will be firm in a very short time. Plaster of Paris mixed with water hardens very rapidly, so that if several holes are to be filled it will be I well to mix it with vinegar, for thia dries less rapidly, and therefore allows one more time for one's work. Lemon Sponge.-Half a pint of water, one ounce of castor sugar, half an ounce of leaf gelatine, one lemon, one white of egg. Heat the water, sugar, gelatine, and thinly-cut lemon rind together, stir until the gelatine is dissolved, strain, add to the white of egg and lemon juice, previpusly mixed in a large basin. Whisk all together until stiff, then pile on a dish, and if liked cover the last por- tion with cochineal, and place it on the top. If preferred, the sponge may be set in a mould rinsed with cold water, and turned out when arm. Nice white shelves in the pantrv often mean a great deal of scrubuing. This need not be so if the shelves are covered with white oilcloth, such as is used for tables. Cut the; oilcloth in long strips about three inches wider than the shelves. Make flour paste, and with it stick the oilcloth on the shelves, covering the front edge and pasting it under- neath, and letting the oiiclou. come up about an inch against the wall at the back. Shelves covered with oilcloth will keep tidy, for years, and only need wiping over with a cloih and warm water to clean them. To remove black ink stain* a on -children e coloured frocks, etc., ÇO!. t)l HBipedi* £ eljr with red ink, and then wash. In this way the damage may be made good, not a trace of either ink remaining.