NOTES FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxxii, Issue 8375, 23 May 1911, Page 1

NOTES FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.

Major-General Godley addressed a large meeting of citizens at Invercargill on Wednesday night on defence matters. He declared that there was no idea of fostering a spirit of militarism. The scheme was one of voluntary universal training. It- was the people's scheme, and the people would have to see it through. General Godley has visited the western district, Bluff and Stewart Island.

Several pitiful stories of wife desertion were told to Mr Justice Edwards by applicants for divorce at the Auckland Supreme Court, and when the list of cases ready was completed his Honour remarked that the men who deserted their wives were not sufficiently dealt with by the legislation of the country. There' was plenty of law to deal with them, but they could not get what was wanted. His Honour considered on© of tho most criminal offences a man could commit was to marry a woman, get a lot of children, and then leave the woman and children to shift for themselves.

A Devonport resident noticed a few days ago what looked like a piece of wire protruding from the head of his cat near the eye. He could not- withdraw the wire, and took the. animal to a veterinary .sui'g«o.ir; —who, after considerable difficulty, .extracted what proved to be a lady's hatpin nearly twelve inches long. The hatpin was in the cat's body for three days. The auimal recovered.

Liberator, one of the greatest allround performers ever raced in New Zealand, certainly one of the most popular, says a northern writer, foil over a cliff at Kaituna, Marlborough, a few days ago and broke bis neck. Old " Lib," as he was familiarly called, started his racing career in a most unpretentious manner, and gradually worked his way to a foremost place in turf history. His turf successes included the Timaru, Ashburton, Geraldine, Palmerston (now Manawatu), Wanganui (1894) and Dunedin (1894) Oups, Grand National Hurdle Race twice in 1893 and 1894), and Great Northern Steeplechase (1895). Most of his successes were recorded in the interest of Mr " Patsy " Butler.

Messrs Hodder and Stoughton announce a £1000 priz;e novel competition. The author of- the novel which, in the opinion of the adjudicators, is the best submitted to them will receive £600. A prize of • £400 will be awarded to tho second best novel. The adjudicators are Miss Beatrice Harraden, Sir W. Robertson Nicoll, and Mr Clement Shorter. The competition is open to all, and there is no entrance fee.

The Dean of Manchester, the Right Rev. Dr. Weltlon, presided at a mass: meeting in England -recently, at which speeches were delivered and resolutions carried urging the Government, tc punish the attempts now being made by Mormon missionaries in England that attract girls to Utah. Specificcases were quoted of girls who had gone to Utah, and had contracted polygamous marriages. The statement was made that £42,000 was spent annually to fill the coffer^, of tho president of the Mormon city,