GENERAL NEWS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XX, Issue 2847, 27 June 1892, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

At Guttenburg a few miles from New York there is a racing track which has a reputation for all sorts of queer performances. They have a mare there named Gyda, and it has been noticed for some time that when she was at lon< odds she invariably won, but when favoured in the betting she as invariably lost. Recently she performed one of h.er usual antic 3, and it was noticed that her jockey when weighing out was 41b heavier than when he weighed in. He was taken to the executive committee's room, where he was stripped and examined ; on him was found a complete electric battery, the cups being contained in a belt with pockets around his waist, and from the- battery wires conveyed the current to a spur, which was specially made for its work. Insulation was secured by a saddle-cloth of india-rubber and the whole thing was so well devised that the application of the spur to Gyda's side would make her think she was being elec- i trocuted, and induced her to make the best possible time of which she was capable. The boy was severely warned, and the owner of the mare was ruLd off the track. There have been rumours of the use of electric bit- I teries in racing, but this is the first time ! that the fact has been positively known, at least in this locality.

A great boiler explosion has occurred on the French cruiser Dv Pay de Dome, by which 16 men were injured. The new South Australian Ministry was granted one of the most unpleasant receptions ever accorded to a new Government. The Premier's motion for an adjournment was the signal for an exceedingly bitter personal attack, but the House agreed to adjourn for a fortnight. The American Democratic platform donounces the McKinley tariff as favouring the capitalists, and demands the lowest scale of i duties consistent to meet the expenses of the country. It condemns the action of the President towards Chili, and over the Behring Sea dispute. The body of Emily Williams, nee Mather was exhumed on the Bth instant, and buried* in the Church #of England portion of the Melbourne cemetery. Her skull was buried with the body, together with ah hermetically sealed bottle containing complete records of the case.

In view of the enforcement of the American immigration laws against paupers and criminals, the Atl rntic ship lines are taking measures to ensure themselves against loss on rernrnißg rejected immigrants to fcheir place of departure. A rejected immigrant by the steamship Aurania, at New York the other day, admitted that 20 dol'ars was deposited on. the other side to pay his return passage in case he was not permitted to land.

Large sunspots are now of freqatn!; occurreuce, showing that we are not far from a period of maximum; one during the latter half of the month of May wis of enormous size, and was accompanied by the usual magnetic disturbances and, aurora 1 displays.