BRIEF MENTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXV, Issue 295, 20 December 1901, Page 3

BRIEF MENTION.

State schools break up to-day.

Six week's holiday—lucky teachers, happy scholars.

Heavy gale at Wellington during tue night.

Thunderstorm at Nelson early this morning; \ Rain general throughout the colony at 9 a.m.

5? Applications for tho Bth Contingent are pouring in all over the colony.

A large number of Maoris have asked the Native Minister that they be allowed to go to South Africa with the Eighth Contingent. "The British," they virtually say, '''.have made a niess of it, let us go and put things right." The policy of the Imperial authorities; however,' is against the Maoris taking-part in the war, and the offers cannot be accepted.

In the famous Cruger will casein New York, in which the sanity of the deceased millionaire is in question, some stronge questions have been asked of the brain experts. Here is one batch of them : —

" If "a man of thirty four years or so shows a fondness for toys or absinthe."

"If he shows a disposition to laugh immoclerateljrwhenever anybody looks at> him."

'•If he.has a habit of ■ polishing Iris high hat with shoe blacking applied with a brush ;

V If he has a knack of flapping his arms as if. they were wings whenever a cuckoo clock struck, what would you pronounce his condition to be?" . Dr Dana, an alienist, unhesitatingly replied to these queries: "He was suffering from paralytic dementia, a form of paresis."

, A London paper says it is computed that as many as 1500 Jews have fought on the British side during the Boer war.

There are on record ten several instances of three Jewish brothers being.on service with British regiments iii South Africa.

While a cricket match was being played at Hurstville (N.S.W.) on November- 30th Charles Donaghy was crossing the ground." Simultaneously "With a flash of lightning he was seen to fall.

He was picked up in an unconscious state, with bis face and clothing singed, and died soon after his admission to the local hospital. ;

"What a fuss they make about ifc grandpa!" "About what, Sally?" 11 About Daniel going into the lions' deiu -. I guess it must have been the first-circus'finey ever""saw.'" 1- - ~ -

The Duke of Bedford has made a substantial abatement in the rentals of his Dorsetshire estates at the Michaelmas audit, with a view to enabling his tenants temporarily to tide over tho present depression, which is very acute in some of his districts.

The death has occurred of the celebrated bloodhound Champion Babbo, which was owned by Mr E. Brough, of Scarborough, and which, at the Kennel Club Show, was priced at 300 guineas.

" It's queer how many people trust a doctor." "I don't know. Did you never notice how many people a doctor trusts?" "'■■-

The directors of the Greenock Tramway Company have decided to suspend the Sunday services of cars pending the result of an appeal to the Board of Trade whether Sunday is embraced in the term "lawful day."

Mary Jane: "Do you keep rat poison?" The Chemist: "Yes, miss. What kind do you want?" Mary Jane: "Have you got the kind that will make the rats go and die next door?"

A large West End hotel, which in 1897 was rented by Queen Victoria, has been retained for next June by the Lord Chamberlain's Department on bfthalf of the King. Suites of rooms will be allotted to distinguished foreign visitors.

Husband : " I wonder what we shall wear in heaven?" Wife: "Well, if you get there, John, I imagine most of us will wear surprised looks."

A female farm-servant, aged seventythree, died of misery and want at Senlis, near Chatilly (France) last August. The day before she died a neighbor, out of compassion, gave the woman 4s for her necessaries, but after her decease she was discovered to have been worth £6000.

A tube with crystal prism, called a cleptoscops, has been invented to enable those in submarine boats to see what is going on at the surface of the water.

Scotland has still a " wee drap" left. Whereas in 1897 there were 77,172,000 gallons of whisky in bond, the Inland Revenue Commissioners state that the stock is now 114,853,000 gallons. The" 159 distilleries in the land produce only 30,196,000 gallons—l,6o2,ooo gallons less than the year before. .

Conjuror (pointing to a large cabinet): "Now, ladies and gentleman, allow me to exhibit my concluding trick. I would ask' any lady, in the company to step on the stage and stand ,in this cupboard. I will then close the floor. When 1 open it agairf the lady will have vanished without leaving a trace behind." Gentleman in front seat (aside to his wife): " I say, old woman, dome a favor and step upk"

The Bishop of Carlisle gave an interesting address to his Diocesan Association at Barrow recently on the inadeexuacy ot the salaries of the clergy, especially in his own see. He suggested that to get- a "living wage" of £200 a year they might have a " Clergy Sunday/ as they had a Hospital Sunday.