NEWS AND NOTES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXV, Issue 169, 24 July 1901, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

Trooper ,H. Penney,, brother of Mr J. Penney, Masonic Hotel, will: arrive la Blenheim- this, .evening. ; Trooppr Penney was a -nictn ber of ; the Third Contingent, Rough Riders, ■ ~ , ( The annual allowance of ball cart» ridges distributed'free to each .adult volunteer is to bo increased Iron* Ifo to 200 rounds; ' One httndred and fifty rounds Avill be used as at present, and 50 rounds kept for lield firing, ' -■;

An authority on agricultural matters has informed a." Walrarapa paper that the recent fall of snow would be worth thousands of pounds to that district, in the way of manuring the soil. He said it was equal to the application, of a considerable quantity of the 'best manure applied to every acre.

A class "B" consolidation locomotive engine (the most powerful class of engine used in New Zealand), is Jrasfc on completion at Addingtpn Government Workshops. It has been built entirely at the shops .from Mr Eotherani's .designs, and wifcli tender, when, on the track, will weigh about 65 tons. An ■ amns|n^ story is -told, by the returned troopers Concerning the efforts o£ a number of " Tommies " to kill a pig 'commandeered at -a Beer famihous-e. The Imperials were vainly endeavoring to compass the end of the porker by drawing a penknife gingerly across its throat. The victim squealed so long and despairingly that the amateur butchers feared the noise would bring the officers on to the scene. So after ranch debate they carried the pig away to the nearest waterhole and drowned it, —Mataura Ensign.

From a lonely part of County Galway, about ten miles from Ballinasloe, comes a thrilling slory of the braveiy of a herd's daughter, who lived with her father and, brother in a little thatched cottage. Early on a recent morning she fouud the house on fire. In tho room where-her father and brother slept she discovered both lying unconscious in bed, overcome by the thick smoke which filled thehcrase. At first she had to fly from the room, unable ,to' rousp the men, but afterwards . she returned aud carried one aftei; the.other in her arms out of the burning building. She had scarcely tottered out«ide, the door with her brother's unconscious . fornjt in her arms when the roof fell in. As soon as assistance anived the two men were restored to consciousness, but the girl was badJy burned about the body. .

Tho Hastings Standard learns that Mr A. L. D. Fraser, M.H.R., will act as confidential secretary to the Native Minister wheirtbe latter" visits London for the coronation of the King next year.

The vexed question of precedence is again engaging the attention of the Premier. Jt is said that His Excellency the Governor and Mil iHeddon have had a difference of opinion on the subject. Tho point is whether the Chief Justice and Lady Stout were entitled to take precedence of Mr and Mrs Hcddon in connection with a club function held Iwhen .■ the ; Imperials troops were hcrc v Lady' Stout claimed precedence over.the., Premier's wife. Mrs Seddon, however, is said to have, i'been not to gsre way to the wife of the Chief Justice. Tho question has no doubt by this time been referred to the Home authorities.

You can depend on ridding your children of Worms with Wade's Worm Figs, tho wonderful worm worriers, f'ricei Is.

"The existence of an opium den in Paris l:as just come to light. It has a clientele of literary and society men and women. Its chief customers, however, are officers of the French navy, both active and retired, who have ac» quired the opium liabit during their voyages to the Far East. Its existence is said to be unknown to the police authorities. The chief difficnltyofthe proprietor is to obtain a supply of opium pipes aud other xitensils. ■ It is run in .most approved Oriental style and makes large profits oat of its clients'.

Mr Clement Wragge, of storm fame* is out with ■an idea that lias, fairly paralysed the easy-going Qneen3» landers ..Ho wants to realise the dream of old explorers of an inland sea in ~ Australia, which shall modify climate and tarn the arid wilderness into smiling pasture land. Two men siJonc, in-his opinion, can accomplish this great i'eut —one Mr Andrew Carnogie with his millions, and the other Mr Liiidoti Bates with his dredges. If

it comes to a matter,of choice,* he prefers the latter. His scheme (remarks a contemporary) is beautifnl in its .simplicity. The only drawback to it>is that the originator seems to think he is about two centuries ahead o£ Ms time. Doubtless he i* ...right^j.He would connect Lakp Gardiner; T.'fvifb. La Ice Torrons, and tho:: latter ririth. Spencer's Gulf, and, behold! the beneficent work would bo accomplished. BysnieMs"of Mr Baites's dredges h» would exeavaie-the beds of these lakes, make a canal fo-connect them with the ocean, and then tlie «axw>nlfil flow into itis^artcienir channels, and the interior* W6«ld rapidly bloom like a flower-strewii meadow. ' • I"-'•■:'"'

A great; f^ensation has been caused In tho French medical world by the revelations made by I>r Caulefc, the French ■doctor who a.was in to attend Qle^n-OAp, thCfwtl m mitig Alexander of Servia. To clear himself of tho charge of making an incorrect diagnosis Dr CauV.et has published in a French medical journal the full coriesdence which passed between him and . the Servian Court, giving details in regard to Queen Draga's state of health of a most in'titoate cjiaiacter. Dr Cms* let is severely slpjod by leading: doctoi's hero for breach of professional secrecy. Dr B'rouardel, the official head of the t profession here says:— " The importance 6f |a strict observance of professionar*.ecrecy cannot be over-estimated. A doctor should not betray a" professional secret even to save his life." ;- ~,r Most of the members of tho returned Contingents — thoso who escaped disease— look all the better, physically* for their" cxporiencd at the front. Speaking- at a luncheon at Wellington as their representative, Lieutenant* Colonel Bavies, C 8., according to tha Post, said that-tbe troopers were nofe entitled to the .pity that has been bestowed on them, They had had a Tecy food time indeed. He bad been a sw- '■ eyW Sop .fcvcni| {$ Hf^ew Zea- _ land, and,ho had seen more nardsbips here than in. South Africa. HebaijU lived on riwfirtev-ratio.Dp .with tbßißeß». ? and they were better than be nadlH^;. many a time when surveying. It w»jp| tho womqij;^ycho^^ifferett. mpst--tfaß«^ whose relatives went -away»'.tiK6weC'l^gl iDg in the country where th^-wj^^MHK And those gaUa«tr" 'd«v<>ted-I*«e^^^S|