The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-28
ENGLAND STILL
 MASTER OF SEAS Platform of Liberal Party at
 Next Election WEST END GAMBLING Impossible for Police to Secure Eyi- dence-Woman Lived With Dead Sister for Twelve Months.
 Thief in Court
WEST END GAMBLING
By PAUL LAMBETH

l London, July 27.-(Special. )-Accord : ing to figures given in an official pa per just submitted to parliament, Great Britain will be able to sing Britain Rules the Waves" for some years to come On paper England possesses Is I battleships and battle cruisers as against 15 possessed by all the other powers whose shores touch European waters. Next year England hopes to have 24 ships of this type as against rope.
 The platform upon which the liberal party will go to the country if an cleo tion is precipitated during the coming autumn or winter will be based prin- cipally upon the following planks:
 l. A minimum wage, varying with the cost of living and peculiaritfes of each district is to be secured for agri- cultural laborers.
 ?. Land courts are to, be established to fix agricultural rents and terms of tenancy
 3. In fixing rents the land courts are to have regard to the minimum agri- cultural wage payable in the particu- lar district: For example, if the wage for the agricultural 1aborer is now. 15s q week, and the minimum wage for the district is fixed at 17s, the land court will take into account this in- creased wage in fixing the rent of the farm Thus. If the farmer employs 10 laborers, he will be, compelled to pay If1 per week or f52 per year addi- tional in wages, but this sum will be taken into account by the land court in fixing the rent of the farm.
 l. An extensive scheme of rural housing
 ,. Land courts are to be established to settle questions relating to town leaseholds, such as terms of renewals of leases and fines and increased rents for alterations.
 So rapidly Is the craze for baccaret and chemin de fer developing in the west end that fresh gambling houses are springing up in all directions. Many people are wondering why the police do not take action, but the sim pie explanation is that Scotland Yard is finding It impossible to obtain evil dence against the ones they wish to convict; namely, the proprietors who are reaping huge fortunes from their wealthy clientele These willy gentle men are now acting with the utmost caution and no one Is admitted to their houses unless they are convinced
 
 be guest They can afford to discrim- mate, for 10 or 12 rich players are 1 sufficient for the game. These are read l fly obtained and there Is no necessity to encourage the stranger. The Lon don season will now soon be over, and | the wealthy punters will be scattered | in all parts of the country. One re- | sourceful man who runs a prosperous l gambling den does not intend to re- linquish his easy mode of coinng a l fortune. So he has chartered lux urious yacht; curiously enough. the guests are all gamblers--and rich. The saloon of the yacht Is a large one and will be used as a gambling room. and, moreover, there is no danger of police raid. It Is rumored that if the exper- iment is a success the yacht will cruise along the coasts of England and France and with luck the proprietor hopes to be able to keep his vessel working with profit to himself-until it Is again time to open out in London.
 startling discovery has been made at Gateshead. Several years ago two sisters, both over 70 years of age, re- tired from business as dressmakers and lived a secluded life. Lately relative visited the couple and the dis covery was made that one sister had been dead over 12 months and the re- mains were still in the house. There was only thin covering of skin over the bones The surviving sister who is in feeble health, was removed to the hospital.
 It has just been learned that thief or thieves--departing from a rule of the profession which discourages ac- quaintances with the Bailey actually committed robery in the court building and got clear away with a substan- tial haul. About 10 o'clock one of the night watchmen discovered that the window of the keepers office was open and the room in a state of confusion. Further investigation revealed the fact that the safe had been opened and considerable sum in cash abstracted. Whether the perpetrators of this grim ly humorous plot concealed themselves
 in the building earlier in the day and left by the window, or whether they secured access to the room by this means is not known, but they ran a considerable risk, for watchmen are continually on duty in the building The police are making inquiries and hope to become more closely y-acquainted