The Rhos Herald

Grit LONDON LETTER. J From Our Special Correspondent.) I It is the beginning of the end. If Parlia- ment was to rise before Christmas it was long ago evident that the Government would have to jettison a good part of their cargo of legis- lation, und the Prime Minister came down to the House the other day and gave members information as to the Bills which are to be thrown overboard—soiue of them, no doubt, to be picked up on the next voyage, if inere be a next voyage. This "massacre of the innocents "—to change the simile—is an ar j'-ial event, whatever the Government in power, and it means, of course, that Parlia- ment, under present conditions, can do only a very limited amount of work in a year. In the present case so much time has been spent upon the big measure of the Session, the Finance Bill, that there will be no time to proceed further with many of the measures which have been proposed. There are still the Finance Bill, the Irish Land Bill, and the London Elections Bill to be passed, be- sides about a dozen others which are re- garded by the Government as likely to raise small controversy; and still others which will not be pressed if opposed. The case of the remaining Bills is hopeless, for this Ses- sion, at any rate, and if these poor little legislative babies could speak, one might imagine them plaintively inquiring: Since we were so quickly done for, We wonder what we were begun for. Until we have a perfect Parliament, whose only object is to pass legislation, there will always be this throwing- overboard of cargo towards the end of the Session. It ought not to be beyond the power of Parliament to set itself a programme of legislation and to carry it out during the Session—at least, the ordinary person would think so. But the ordinary person is not a member of Parlia- ( ment, and he does not altogether understand the working of the antiquated machine. Truth to tell, even in these days the mills grind very slowly. The difficulty is that the party in power has certain ideas of the kind of legislation which the country wants, while the Opposition has ideas which are of a directly opposite character. The business of an Opposition is to oppose, and it does its business. If it cannot prevent Government business from being done at all, it staves off the evil day by every means in its power as long as possible, the result being, perhaps, the passing of one or two important measures, and the sacrifice of others. And "the ordinary person," knowing that Parlia- ment has been sitting continuously from February to September, and seeing the actual result of its labours, wonders how on earth it has managed to do so little in such a very long time. There is a very general impression' that a i General Election will not he much longer delayed. General impressions, of course, I are frequently mistaken, but there is, un- doubtedly, a feeling in the air that the appeal to the country will be made before the opening of another Session. What would happen if the Lords rejected the Budget has long been the subject of speculation. In that event an election would inevitably follow, but it is considered probable now that the opening months of the year will see a General Election, whatever action the Lords may take with regard to the Finance Bill. The Government believe that measure is so popular in the country that it will carry them back to power for another period. Mr. Hall Caine concludes a letter to the "Telegraph" on the subject of his new book with the words: "To have touched thousands of hearts is reward enough for me." Mr. Hall Caine is always in a position to retort in this way upon the critics who review his books unfavourably. The public believes in him and buys his books, no matter what the critics may say. He is popular, and his sales run to hundreds of thousands. He can point to the returns and say, "Well, you may not care for the book, but the public are of a different opinion, and they have bought the I book." The public, therefore, must be the better judges. Mr. Hall Caine hits out at adverse critics of "The White Prophet," who "betray the fact that they have not read one-fifth of my book by describing the title /1 of it to the wrong character." It certainly looks as though Mr. Hall Caine scores there. Foi: two and a half years the work of widening Blackfriars Bridge has been in pro- gress, but it is now nearly completed, and the removal of much of the ugly hoarding enabler. one to form some idea of the great improvement which has been effected. Thirty feet have been added to its width, making it 105 feet, the widest bridge in London, and one of the widest in the kingdom. Before this Westminster Bridge, with 85 feet, was the widest. The additional width admits of the tramcars being run over the bridge, and also, of course, provides much greater accommodation for vehicular traffic. Painted a brilliant green, the bridge makes a very handsome appearance from the river. An amusing story tells how green came to be the colour chosen. When the bridge was build- ing the painting contractor went to the offico of the authority, and seeing an official asked what colour he was to put on the bridge. But the official could not be bothered with a trivial matter of that sort. "Oh," he said, "see Green." And sea-green it has been ever since. It was a surprising statement which was made the other day by Mr. John Burns with regard to the number of empty houses and tenements in the London boroughs. The number ranged from 3,911 in Camberwell to, 426 in Bermondsey, and several boroughs, have over 2,000 empty houses. There can be no doubt that the principal cause of this state ot things is the extension of the Council tramway system, which, during- the last few I. hili M" it e»sy and convenient to travel between London and the outskirts. In the outlying suburbs there have been many thousands of houses built to accommodate the people who have left the centre and found pleasanter conditions of living. There would not, however, be such a large number of empty houses in central London if house- owners would recognise the changing condi- tions of things, and would reduce their rents to a more reasonable figure. They are still asking, in many cases, the same rentals they found no difficulty in getting before the tramways opened new residential districts to the clerk and the artisan. A. E. M.

SHOT BY A DOG. Walter Bull, aged thirty-one, of Norton St. Philip, died in the Royal United Hospital at Bath on Saturday from terrible injuries to his head caused by the explosion of a gun sus- tained a week ago. He went out shooting moles, accompanied by his favourite spaniel Prinfte. Later he staggered into the roadway b b from the cowshed where the accident happened, terribly injured. On a slate he subsequently wrote: "I was waiting for a mole to heave and went to sleep, and I know no more." The general theory is that the dog while playing may have touched the trigger. The dog' was keepiXig watch over the injured man when the doctors were called, and it was with difficulty that they could approach him.

A ROADSIDE TRAGEDY. A tragic discovery is reported from Brent- wood. The body of William Pearee, a dealer, formerly living in the district, was found oil Saturday at Magdalen Laver, lying on a heap of stones by the roadside. The appearances pointed to the man having been run over in the night and killed; and later it was surmised that Pearce had been run over by his own cart, which was found unattended some miles away from the spot where the body was found. It is sup- posed that Pearce was just able to crawl out of the roadway before death overtook him. His head was crushed and his back and one leg were broken.

MANXLAND A FOREIGN COUNTRY The Local Government Board have given decision in a novel old age pension difficulty which came before the Pudsey and Farsley (near Leeds) Old Age Pension Committee at their last meeting. A woman's application was considered satis- factory in every respect save that she had been on a visit to her daughter in the Isle of Man, where she stayed a little over three months. The Pension Committee were doubtful as to the validity of her claim in the light of the pro- vision in the Act that residence in a foreign country for a period of three months is a dis- qualification. It was decided to submit the case to the Local Government Board, who have replied that the woman's sojourn in the Isle of Man debars her irom drawing a pension. The woman continued to be a tenant of her house at Farsley, paying the rent and rates in respect thereof during the time she was in tha Isle of Man.

Three thousand members have already ex. pressed their intention to attend the approach- ing International Medical Congress, which will open at Budapest on the 29th inst. The Earl of Haddington and the Ladies Baillie-Hamilton are passing a few weeks at Arderne Hall, Cheshire, before going to Tyning- hame House, East Lothian, where they will spend the late autumn and winter. Princess Christian has accepted the presi- dency of the Berks County section of the new Territorial branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, under the scheme just published by the War Office and the British Red Cross Society. A remarkable scene is to be witnessed when the swimming pond in Victoria Park, E., is thrown open for bathing each evening. At the ringing of a bell 6,000 East End urchins plunge in simultaneously to enjoy the luxury of a bath. With his "cydeplane by his side-a contri- vance constructed on a bieycle with which he had been experimenting—Dr. F. Taylor, 70, of Beauchamp-road, Clapham Junction, was found dead near Wandsworth Common. 1" 't A young, man named David Dimond was knocked down and killed by a tram at Guild- ford railway Station. t j The Mayor of Launceston has been appointed Constable of launceston Castle by thq Prince of ¡ Wales, at a salarj of Al a lear.

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GIHL/S HEROISM. Through the capsizing of a boat at Sal thill, a Galway bathing resort, two young men, named Patrick Burke and Dennis McGrath, were thrown into the water, and the latter was drowned. When the boat turned over Burke clung to it and retained his hold until he was saved, but McGrath, who had seized an oar, struggled piteously in full view of a large crowd. ashore. As none of the onlookers went to the rescue, a young woman threw off her outer garments and plunged into the sea with a. lifeKelt, but owing to the choppy state of the water was forced to retreat.

A WEEK WITHOUT WATER. The town of Monaghan, with a population of over three thousand, has for the past week been without water, the drought having caused the supply to fall below the level of the conduit. Matters reached a crisis when the Urban Coun- cil proceeded in a body to the reservoir and found that there was only three feet of water in the centre pond. Steps were taken to connect the reservoir with a natural lake three miles distant, and on Saturday a large number of men started to cut a channel between the two. Meantime people have had to obtain supplies from well ditches in the neighbourhood.

FREEMASONS HOAXED. For the second time Ayrshire Freemasons have been hoaxed over a false promise of a gift ot a masonic temple. An American who made no secret of his wealth arrived in Troon a few days ago, and after viewing the local lodge premises offered to erect a temple worthy of the craft. He failed to attend a special meeting called for Friday, and on Saturday it was discovered thiit he had left Troon without meeting various accounts. Some time ago Kilmarnock was similarly de- ceived by a false letter purporting to come from Mr. Carnegie offering to erect a masonic temple.

STEAMER CUT 'IN TWO. EIGHTY LIVES LOST. At least 80 lives were lost in a shipping disaster which took place at Monte Video, South America, early on Tuesday morning. The Argentine steamer Colombia, from Buenos Ayres, and the North German Lloyd steamer Schlesien collided in the outer harbour about six o'clock in the morning. The Colombia was entering the harbour and the Schlesien was leaving it. The Colombia was cut in two. The fore part sank almost immediately, but the after part remained for a. few minutes above water. The majority of the passengers were excur- sionists on their way to the national fetes at Monte Video. They were asleep at the time, and a terrible panic ensued. The Colombia carried 102 passengers, and a. crew of 48, and about 70 persons, including nearly all the crew, were saved. Most of those drowned were women and children. Small steamers at once hurried to the scene of the disaster to do what they could in the way of rescue work. Heart-rending scenes were witnessed, and many of the rescued were found to have suffered tnore or less serious injuries. The Schlesi-en is a vessel of 5,536 tons; she was built only two years ago. She was only I slightly damaged, and has been detained by the authorities. The Colombia's tonnage was 1,206. She was built in 1880, and was owned by Mr. S. Lam- bruschini. She was engaged upon the regular passenger service between Buenos Ayres and Monte Video.

CARTRIDGES IN THE FIRE. A verdict of "Accidental death" was re- turned on Tuesday at an inquest on Mary Ellis, aged 38, wife of a. Castleford miner. Preparatory to baking the woman put two coal blasting cartridges under the kitchen oven to clean the flue, a practice very common in Yorkshire mining towns. An explosion followed, which wrecked the range, thefkitchen, and its contents, and the woman's skull was battered in by the fragments. A mining expert said that the cartridges, if used as intended in the mines, would blow up ten tons of coal. Percussion was needed to ex- plode cartridges. In the fire they would fizzle aw ay. After the cartridges had partly fizzled Mrs. Ellis had probably struck them with the poker when stirring the fire, thus causing the explo- sion which killed her.

EXPRESS DASHES INTO CATTLE. The Cornish express, which runs from Exeter to London without stop, dashed into a herd of 25 cattle on Tuesday, filling eleven and injuring two others. They were the property of Mr. Richard Skinner, and the animals were of a valuable stock. The accident happened three miles from Exeter, and the train was travelling at about 40 miles an hour. The animals were being driven across the line to be milked when the first cow to reach the other side knocked the prop away from the gate, which closed and hemmed the herd on the line. The train ran into the animals with tremendous force, and knocked them in all directions, one being carried nearly 100 yards along the line. The train was delayed for an hour, the car- cases piled on the line preventing it proceeding. The value of the beasts was about £200.

STRIKE AT THE G.P O. On Tuesday a strike in the kitchen at St. Martin's-le-Grand threatened to deprive the j 3,000 employees at the Central Telegraph Office of their lunch. Believing that one of their number had been discharged on insufficient grounds, about a hun- dred members of the catering staff went out on strike in the morning. They were induced, however, to return and cook the luncheons on a promise being given that their grievances would' be inquired into. The affairs of the Telegraph Office kitchen are in the hands of a committee elected by the staff. An effective strike would have caused great inconvenience to the telegraph operators, all of whom are compelled by departmental order to lunch in the building.

SUFFRAGETTES SENTENCED. Five of the seven suffragettes arrested at Liverpool for breaking windows during Mr. Hal- dane's meeting last week were on Tuesday sen- tenced to two months' imprisonment, and tho other two, who had not been previously con- victed, to a month each-all in the second divi- sion. The women sentenced had been starving them- selves since Saturday. Two fainted in Walton Prison on Tuesday morning whilst dressing, and the doctor refused to allow one to attend court. The four suffragettes who were arrested for alleged disorder outside the Earl of Crewe's meeting in Glasgow on Friday last, and who, were released on bail, failed- to appear at Glas- gow Eastern Police-court, and it is probable they will now be arrested.

CUT OUT HER TONGUE. I An inquiry was held on Tuesday by the Luton- coroner into the death of Elizabeth Sturman, wife of a Dunstable labourer. It was stated that in a fit of temporary in- sanity the deceased attempted to cut out her tongue with a hatpin. Dr. Morr, however, said the woman's mouth was so horribly mutilated that he could not believe the injury was inflicted in that way. He believed that blunt scissors must have been used. Blood-poisoning ensued and caused death. The inquest was adjourned for the attend- ance of a medical officer against whom, the hus- band made allegations.

L VICAR PELTED WITH EGGS. The Rev. E. G. Maxted, vicar of Tilty, Essex, ar clergyman of Socialistic views, attempted to hold a meeting on Monday in Dunmow Market place, but he was pelted with eggs, stones, and flour, and the meeting broke up in disorder. An,angry crowd surged around his platform and swept him off his feet. The police came up6n the scen-eand prevented personal violence. On the Pdvice; of,the, Police, the vicar left: the Meeting. He had hot proceeded far on his' way homewtfrds when he was attacked in a dark road by half a dozen men, who threw eggs afr the vicar and Mrs. Maxted.