Around the Globe

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 239, 6 October 1923, Page 19

Around the Globe

Approximately 45 per cent of Co* -world's gold is held by America, according to fitr W. Joynson-Hicks. A gold medal for the capture of Badajoz (ISIS) with two clasps for Salamanca and Vittorta, was cold for iGL A dispute between two laboureta waa said at the Old Bailey to hava developed Into a squabble on a ecaffoMing 60ft abor* the ground. (Wife at IWHlesden: <My husband threw a pall of -water over mc. Magistrate: Hβ chose the heat time of the year to do It. Coster (charged at Wood-green with causing an obstruction with a barrow) asked: "Am I to get a honest living or am I to steal?" "I cannot wash; I cannot bake; and I am tired of it," said a widow, Mrs. Ann E. Bell (74), when found dying in a Bull park by a policeman, to whom she said she had swallowed four packets of rat poison, a fifth being found In her pocket. Losses of French regular troops In the Moroccan operations since the beginning of 1923 are officially stated to be: Officers, 21 killed, 35 wounded; and men, 232 killed, 552 wounded; In addition to about 100 killed of the tribesmen cooperating with the French. LIGHTNING TWISTS HAIRPINS. During a severe thunderstorm 'which broke over Betford a house, occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Scarborough, was struck by lightning. Although hairpins were twisted In tier hair, Mrs. Scarborough <was not injured. Her husband was slightly turned by the lightning. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. When a well-dressed young man waa committed for trial at Bow Street on a charge of Incurring credit by fraud at a restaurant, he waa stated to have replied, when stopped on his way out and asked If he had no money to pay: "I took the precaution to have none before I came In. Call a policeman." PLUCKY OLD PEDESfTRIAN. Chicago police were asked to search for Dennis Mahanney, 92 years old, who had disappeared from the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ella Baig. They dragged the lake, Mrs. Ralg received word from Aurora that her father was there. Ec was walking to North Dakota to visit his son. lire. Balg brought him home, SHE TOOK THE HINT. After Judge Farfltt had given hie decision In a Bent Act case, and repeated It for her better understanding, a woman tenant remained In the witness-box at Clerkenwell County Court looking stolidly towards the Bench. His Honor: That Iβ all I have to My, madam. Good morning—good morning! Taking the hint, the woman left the box. WHILE YOU 'WAIT. Girl-wife at Willesden: A separation from my husband, please. Magistrate: What, now? Applicant: Xee, please. My bueband has told part of the home, and is going to Paris to-night, so I must have St to-day, before he goes away. The Clerk: If he goes yon -will get you separation. Magistrate: I can do nothing- Tinder the circumstances. A WORSE PLACE. In a WlUesden case between husband and wife, the magistrate remarked: "A woman can rarely be too lenient with her husband, although there Is no need for her to be In a perpetual purgatory." Wife: Well, I've been in a worse place lor 23 years, and all the time I've talked and talked to him without any effect. Magistrate: We know, from an old proverb, that silence is sometimes more vainable thin speech. BLOODHOUND TESTS. Six dogs were entered at the meeting of the Northern Bloodhounds Club In Tatton Park, Knntaford, Cheshire. Each dog took a different trail. A man traversed the ground first, and a dog was sent to track him shortly afterwards. "Slobber," belonging to Mr. W. H. Hall, of Balldon, Yorkshire, wae the only dog who "found" his mail. Some of the others lost the ecent very early. GALLANT BOY. For the flftn time In six years a S9-year-old deter youth, Thomas Gregory, has received the certificate of the Soyal Humane Society for tavlug life. The last certificate was presented by the Mayor of (Exeter, who explained that a boy six years of ago fell Into the river In June and disappeared, Gregory, however, continued diving till he found the boy and brought him ashore. Gregory saved two lives in 1917, one in 1918, and a fourth last year. SIX DAYS—AND DIVORCE. A couple who returned to their respective places of work immediately after being married, and were separated by a deed in six days, figured In a curious divorce court case. Mr. David Randolph, a grocer's manager, of High Street North, East Ham, asked for a dissolution of the marriage, and accused his wife Florence of misconduct. He said there was no cohabitation after the marriage. Counsel: Did your wife think you had some money?— She did. And It turned out that you had not?— Tee. Did that dliappolnt her?— Yes. A decree nisi was granted to the husband.

No grand arm; manoeuvres will be held In France this autumn, on the ground of economy.. Military service In soutn Slavla la fixed at 18 mouths by a bill which baa just passed the Belgrade Parliament. A let of stamps for carrying letters on the U-boat Bremen, between Germany •nd the United States, was sold for i!> 10/, at Messrs. Harmer, Kooke ana o>."» rooms. Fleet Street, E.C Policemen are so tempted by the Increased pay and lodging allowance offered to married men, that few remain single. This statement is made in the annual report of the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police. THE FREE SUMMONS. "There is a distinct tendency to endeavour to secure summonses of every character and kind free of charge. People would not appreciate a summons If they had it free. What they do not pay for they do not value," said Mr. J. A, E, Cairns, at Thames Police Court. WILL MARRY PRINCE. Miss Louise MacLacMan, of Ontario, is engaged to Prince Oleg Vladimir BodmarVoucotich, grandson of the late King Nicholas of Montenegro, and _ cousin to Queen Helena of Italy. The prince will drop his title after the marriage at the wish of Mies MacT.«cnlan, who refuses to become a princess by marriage. FATAL EOIXER SKATES. The danger of roller Skating in the street* was illustrated at Southward when an Inquest was held on Edward Deeching, aged ten, of Munton Road, New Kent Bead. The boy was 6kating out of a turning, and being unable to stop or turn, he fell under the back wheel of a three-ton lorry, which passed over Ms bead, killing him instantly. THE MODERN CHEGD. "While a train was returning from Hunstanton, Norfolk, to (Long Sutton, lincoln. ehlre, some Sunday-school, children, who had been Ylsitlng the seaside for their anntial treat, began playing with a door handle, and Eva Bansome, aged eve, fell on to the line. The guard, walking back, met the child, who wu running after the train. She wa» only slightly hurt. TRAGI-COMEDY OF LIFE IN BERLIN. Theatre box office.—Because of the constantly Increasing cost of living and variation of money values, the management is compelled to fix prices of admission at the following rates:—Front seats, equivalent, lib butter; back seats, equivalent, two eggs. Above Iβ a free translation of the notice which has taken the place of the prices of admission board at a Berlin suburban theatre. SOVIET VODKA lAW, ""The form of prohibition in force In Bnssia mlghtVoffer to America a solution of her problem," declared American Senator Fall on his return from Russia. "The regulation In Russia is that no liquors can be made or sold with more than twenty per cent of alcohol, and the Government Itself holds the monopoly for the manufacture of a light twenty per cent vodka. I did not see a single drunken person In Bussia." A PARIS BOULEVARD THRILL. Commotion suddenly broke out on the Boulevard Haussmaim recently when a girl Bank to the ground stabbed in the chest, neck, and body by a passer-by who suddenly drew a knife from his pocket, He was overpowered and arrested, and proved to be a young American, who would say nothing bat "I am mad, I am mad, I am mad." It Is supposed that a fit sud- | denly overcame him in the street. The J girl, whom he had never Been before, is in a critical condition. CROW SAVES MAICS liIFE. To the horror of the onlookers, a workman at iKotodden (Norway) railway station came Into contact with the tenthousand volt live wire of the power station. They expected to see him fall to the ground hi a ehrivelled (heap, but he calmly went on with hl3 work. Investigation revealed that flic current was off, and further search showed that a short circuit sad been caused some miles away by a crow pecking et the dnsulation While sitting on one of the carrying masts. But for this peculiar occurrence the man would have undoubtedly hxst hla lite. CHICAGO BABY DEATHS. The infant mortality rate In Chicago dropped from the 1920 figures or 113 deaths to every ten thousand births to 85 In 1922, it was announced recently. A corresponding decrease was noted throughout the State, the rate dropping from 100 In 1920 to 01 last year. Illinois stands seventeenth from the top in the infant mortality statistics. The four leading States are Oregon, Washington, Minnesota and California. Belleville, with 41, had the lowest percentage in Illinois. Elgin, with 43, Streator with 47, and Mollne with 49, followed. "JOKE" ON THE BAKER. When a motor bus from Ware drew Uβ at a baker's shop at Hoddesdon, a silly practical joke was revealed. The bus had been ordered by postcard purporting to come from the baker. Other postcards were sent out ordering two tons of coal, a load of gravel from the sand pits, two tons of coke from the gas works, and several cases of whisky from a wine merchant. A local dairyman was asked to send six gallons of milk, and a chemist had an order for two crates of soda water. Three taxla were summoned. IIHE OXFORD ACCENT. An actor-student taking the part of a cowboy, who 6poke his lines in the " Tarslty manner," comes in for some criticism from the Judges of the Critics' Circle Corapetition for Schools for Acting. The Judges noticed that some of the etndents ihaJjltually eluded their "r's." ' Words such as " Sanger" were commonly pronounced "dangah"; and the student playing the part of a cowboy In Mr. Bernard Shaw's play waa actually heard to deliver his " lines" with a strong Oxford accent. " His performance waa admirable," the judges etate, "but its voice waa deplorable." BalnbOW," spoken by this etujent. became In a very clipped manner ! " reenboo." MODERN MORALS. An attack on the "laxity in morals on the part of a minority of the people" was made by the Rev. T. Ferrier Hulme. president of the Wesleyan Conference at Bristol. His assertions included : — The marriage tie is held loosely: the nation's girlhood is exposed to terrible risks, intensified by alcoholism and indulgence in midnight follies. The nobility of Bport wag degraded by the gambling mania. The Church Is not pulling her weight; too much energy is spent on rectifying theologies, and too little on combating evil, r