MEMENTOES OF THE WAR.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10757, 10 September 1900, Page 5

MEMENTOES OF THE WAR.

A consignment oi 25 Boer Mauser rifles, eeut by the Wor authorities in South Africa to the New Zealand Government, has come to hand (says a Wellington telegram). The weapons are to be ckaned and placed as mementoes of the war in Parliamentary Buildings. UNION COMPANY CHANGES. A Dunedin telegram announces that Captain Rutter succeeds Captain Lobb on the Kini, the latter joining the Taieri. Captain Stott, of the Taieri, goes to the Wanaka, and Captain Brophy, of the Taupo, is succeeding Captain Rutter on the Herald. As the result of the Mapourika stranding, Captain Spence is retired from the Union Company's service. NO "HEAR, HEAR" IN COURT. The- Wellington Stipendiary Magistrate was animadverting the other morning against .creditors who, aa soon as a man got work after a period of bad luck, swooped down on him. The member for the suburbs (Mr Wilford) was in Court (says the "Post"), and gave utterance to several moderately loud "Hear, hears." But there was silence that might V© felt when his Worship, with biting emphasis, remarked that "this was not the Houso of Representatives." LOOTED BY THE BOERS. A letter with a somewhat interesting history arrived in Wendon, near Gore, the oth*r day. It flaae been seat by Mr D. D. Scott, Otago University, from" Cromwell, to Private Easrle, No. 2 Contingent, about the Ist of March ; but it never reached him, t>3 it was seised , by the B<>ers. Semehow or other it was subsequently rescued, and though slightly singed by fire, has, reached the home of the parents of the volunteer, with the words, "Looted by tihe Boers" written across the envelope. SUNDAY FOOTBALL. Owing to the prevalence of Sunday football at Manga.w«ka and other parts of the Rangitikei district, the Rangitikei Football Union recently passed a resolution to the effect that in future any union matches played on a Sunday would not be recognised. A GOLDEN LINING. There is a silver—or in this case a golden —lining to every cloud (remarks the "Otago Daily Times"). At a meeting of a gold dredging company on Thursday evening the chairman of directors informed the shareholders that the company had overrun the constable by £2000, but in less than fourteen days dredging they had repaid the bank half that amount. A FRIEND OF "ARCHIE." "What d'ye think o , Archie noo?" was a cuestion wliich fairly puzzled a Milton storekeeper the otner day, his interrogator being an old identity, who, it goes without saying, hails from bonnie Scotland. As there are several Archies in Tokomariro («ays the "Bruce Herald"), the storekeeper pondered awhile, to recollect which of them had recently been worthy of distinction. Being unsuccessful in his efforts, he exclaimed: "Whom do you mean?" In a surprised tone the reply came: "Why, Archie Hunter, he's ta'en a lot o* pris'ners in Affricy; he's a schulcmate o' mine; he's a quid one, an'll tak' a lot marr yet." By degrees it dawned upon the puzzled one that tho celebrity in question was not a local man, but no less a personage than Sir Archibald Hunter. THE STUDY OF FRENCH. Some conversation took place at a recent meeting of the Timaru High School Board on the pronunciation of French. Aceordinc to the "Timaru Herald," one member said he did not believe the pronunciation could be learned without going to France. Another member said that was not a certain wav either. One might speak French very well indeed, go to Paris, acd be unab'e to understand a word they said; and tlie only wav to make oneself understood was to write down what one wanted.