BRIEF MENTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIV, Issue 37, 13 February 1900, Page 3

BRIEF MENTION.

« Adem4Nd for bright Burjßbiny weather m Otsgo. There bas been a prolonged spell of wet and oold m the southern dißtriot, wbioh threatened to injure crops. Thirteen millions Bterling covers the expense of the British campaign m South Afrioa up to the end of Maroh. ■ By the oapßize of a sailing boat at Sydney Heads a woman named Leigh and a man named Bell have been drowned. Trooper Radoliffe, who wbb reoently dismissed from one of tbe South Afrioa transports for insubordination, has been reinstated by tbe Commandant m the Victorian Defenoe Foroe. One of the secrets of " Lord Bob's " great popularity with Boldiers, is bis friendly familiarity with his men, and his constant interest m them. Dr and Mrß Cleghorn were aboard the Aotea, which put bsok to Wellington yesterday owing to an outbreak of fire. Old residents m the Waikato have to oast baok for a quarter of a century to find a parallel for the present drought, though, owing to tbe heavy growth m the spring, the grass has not been so short m this as m some former seasons. The heat has probably never been exceeded. Zoe Earkeek, a popular member of the Pollard Opera Company, ib leaving for San Francisco by the next mail boat to rejoin her parents. Mr E. J. Von Dadelczen, RegistrarGeneral, who visits Australia on bußine&B oonneoted with his department, will attend a oonference of statisticians to be held at Sydney shortly, Professor David Edward Hughes, whose death was reoently announced, was the inventor of tho miorophone and of many improvements m connection with telegraph, telephone, and other eoientifio instruments. A supposedly prc-Boer sympathiser was hoisted to the roof of a certain workshop m town by a blook-and-taokle, t.nd kept there until he Bhouted " I'm a Britisher !" The ourse ot our commanders bas been and is oook-sureneßs. Hence humiliation. — Syndnoy Exobange. A Continental Discovery.— The British foroeß are not conquered yet. The Britons take a lot of beating.— Journal, Vienna. Fish are very plentiful at the mouth of the Hokitika River lately. One fisherman Bpoored a splendid haul of about 100 dozen mallet, besides flounders, whiting, and other fish. One fine trout seven pounds m weight was amongst tbe hanl. " The reason why the sun never eets on the British dominions is that God oouldnot trust that nation m the dark."— Standard and Diggers' News (Johannesburg). The Dean of Maritzburg, a colonist of 50 years' standing, writes : — " The Tranßvaal Government is a military obligaroby, corrupt, oppressive, and blindly ambitious." In a recent letter to a correspondent, General Sir Arthur Cotton attributed his extreme age to the habit ot eating very little food of any kind, The idea was sugge3ted to him by noticing the small quantity of food eaten by the people of tbe East, where be lived bo long. Sir Arthur has been a teetotaller. Reoently tbe following plaoard appeared on tbe walls of Paris :— " Down with the English. London is at the meroy of 20,000 resolute men, A thousand stadents have already been enrolled to support the Boers." The Japanese dentists perform all their operations m tooth-drawing with the thumb and forefinger of one hand. The skill necessary to do this is acquired only after long praotioe, but when once it is obtained, the operator is able to extraot half-a-dozen teeth m about 30 seoonds without once re» moving bis fingers from the patient's month. Near Cairns the other d&y an alligator was captured, and, when opened, a Bible, a bymn-book, a pair of goggles, a whisky flash, and some human boneß were found m its pantry. Another missionary gone.— Sydney Truth. Interviewed m New York, Sir Henry Irving said : " Tbe sword having been unsheathed m South Afrioa cannot be sheathed till its work is done. England," be proceeded, "needs the moral support of Amerioa,"