NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1929, Page 2

NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS

PASSING OF TRADING WITH

TRINKETS.

The He«l Indian may lie losing sometiling in romance hut lie is certainly gaining in commercial instinct, and even it there is a certain sentimentality in his retreat before the white man his pocket is not suffering thereby. .Recently, for instance, the Ontario Government purchased from him a eonsideranle tract of land, the transfer being effected with time-honoured rite and ceremony. Instead, however, of the trinkets which were, in the old days, the medium of barter, the purchase price was paid out in dollars—eight for every man. woman and child on the territory at the signing of the treaty and four dollars apiece in i>erpetuity.

NO WHISKY TO .MOURNERS. The custom of passing round the whisky bottle at Scottish funerals is now a thing of the past. So declares the Rev. .J. A. C'. .Mackcllar, a Glasgow clergyman, who gives this as one of the reasons for a slump in whisky north of the Tweed. He is convinced that drink is not associated with Scotland’s social customs as it used to be, and adds that at all funerals he lias attended recently he has never once .seen the bottle produced. An undertaker who admitted at one time there was some truth in the saying that “a wedding wasna near sic a grand affair as a funeral, at which ye were ave sure o’ plenty whisky and wee biscuits,” confessed that nowadays the custom was unknown.

RINGS ON HER FINGERS. Owing to her refusal to have her rings cut from her lingers, on which they had caused a wound. Mrs. Kate Austin (dl) of Hill View House, New Marston, Oxford, died from gangrene, acute pericarditis, and infective rheumatism. This statement was made by the Oxfordshire County coroner at the inquest, at which a verdict was recorded in accordance with the medical evidence. The husband, a flower seller, said that his wife had been told •)y his daughter that the doctor had advised that his wife should have her two rings cut off. but when asked about it she replied, “They are quite all right where they are.” His wife had been “peculiar in her mind” for some time. Dr. Loughton of Oxford, said that he found Mrs Austin suffering from infective rheumatism and a septic cut on the left hand. Later, she was very much worse, the poison having reached the heart. He again asked if she would have the rings off. hut she definitely refused. It was doubtful if it would have made any difference then.

REPORTERS TRAVEL BY DOG TEAM.

Olio of the most remarkable newspapers in Cimiulii, “Tin* Northern -Minor,” which 'for lo yours past lias been published weekly in the silvermining camp of Cobalt, Ontario, is in future to be published in Toronto. This paper is devoted entirely to mining news. Its reporters obtain much of their news underground, and are constantly visiting mining camps, often hundreds of miles from the nearest railway. During the past year the news-gathering staff of this newspaper travelled more than 250,000 miles, by aeroplane, canoe, dog team and train. Quite 9000 miles of that distance was travelled by aeroplane.

STREET BED-SOCKS. Bed-socks have appeared in the street! Women, at last feeling the Arctic draught, have thrown daintiness to the winds and are now pursuing a vio lent policy of “M armtb 1< irst.” In London recently they were wearing woollen ankle socks, woollen or rubber gaiters, Russian boots, Wellingtons—and one or two were seen in the Strand wearing pale-blue bed-socks. ]\laiD men on the other hand, are leaving off overcoats they are wearing warmer un-der-clothing or pull-overs “Woollen underclothes and pull-overs afford the necessary protection to the small of tlie back of a waistcoat,” said a doctor.

A MKiIiTY RELIC OF THE ROMAN INVASION.

Hadrian’s Wall, that marvellous relic of Roman Britain, is to be placed under the care of the Office of Works, as one of the nation’s treasured “monuments.” For <3 miles .t stretches across Britain, from the Solway to the r lyne. Built by oidei of tlu* Kmpcror Hadrian on one of his visits to bis British donums, it is now in the 1 SODth year of its age. Erected as a defensive measure against the Caledonians, it was of great strength, being 12ft in height and about Sit in thickness, with small forts about overv mile or so, the whole !>eing connected In- a military road. The remains of some of the forts and camps can still be seen. It will be the largest “monument” to be protected by the Office of Works.