HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS.

North Otago Times, 21 October 1905, Page 2 (Supplement)

HOME AND FOREIGN NEWS.

MODERN STRADIVAKIUS. EX-PQLICEMiAN WHO NOW MAKES FINE-TONED VIOLINS. Edward Gaskin, a police constable, of Beokenhaiii, who has just retired on a pension, is now devoting himself to the _ hobby of his lifetime, which is violin-making, He is not a musician, seldom works to order or for money, but simply from love of his inula. Twenty years ago ho saw a violin taken to pieces, and being a handy*man, sot to construct one. In this lio succeeded. There is now nothing in the general appearance of tho instruments made by Win to distinguish thorn from those mado by .tho most' expert :workmen. Not long ago, when Kubelik was at Bookenham, Gaskin. was. introduced to the great violinist, :who congratulated him on his work.. Kubelik made a trial of one of Gaskin's violins, and thought so highly of it that he signed two labels, and gave Gaskin permission to uso these and the reproduction of bis signature for attachment to his violins. At several exhibitions, including thoso at tho Crystal Palace and the People's Palace, Gaskin has won prizes for his instruments. Ho is now engaged on soveral instruments in which lie is using wood from a beam taken from a houso at Eltham. which is supposed to dato from tho time of King John.

EXECUTIONS AT CANTON. A correspondent of tho "Hongkong Daily Press" writes"As a result of a pamphlet written by Cliev. Z. Volpicelli, tho Italian Consul at Hongkong, pointing out the uselessness of torturing prisoners till they mado false confessions, etc., an order has been received from Pekin not to decapitate prisoners sentenced to death save in very exceptional cases, but to resort to Strangulation. Up io the presant si!:: a mode of execution was reserved for officials of more than one button who had been sentenced to death, and then it. was entered in the official records as 'So-and-so was presented with a "silk cord with which to commit suicide/ but the man was strangled by his keopers, nevertheless.

"Seven men were executed under the new rules on the 17th ult., and another, whoso crime, that of .supplying arms and ammunition to the Kwangsi rebels, was considered of a more serious character, had his head chopped off accordin to 'old' custom. The men who were strangled were first of all tied to crosses and then cords about their necks ivero screwed up tight. Of the two I should say that this strangulation was tJio slower and more barbarous way of putting a man out of existenco. "A largo audience turned out to see the 'new fashion,' several Europeans being amongst the crowd. As soon as the affair was over, ono of the Europeans immediately stepped into the ring to bargain with the No. 1 executioner for the cords he had used. It is really too bad that while some Europeans are writing against thoso public executions, others and innumerable tourists and globe-trotters should be encouraging them; and fancy, for instance, the indelicacy of a 'lady' taking snapshots of such things.

"I know of one instance of a tourist bribing thci executioner to hold Lis sword in air, above tho condemned man's head, for three seconds so that a clear picture might be secured. It was a gruesomo sight; and after tho execution the blood-bespattered tourist scoured the executioner's sword, even] preventing him from wiping it."'

INFERNAL MACHINES BY MAIL. A box containing an explosive capable of causing death lias been sent to Mr Jacob H. Schiff, of the firm of Kulm, Leob, and Co., one of the American financiers who lately visited M. Witto in the interest of the Jews in Russia. Mr ScliiS was absent at Bar Harbour when the clerks of his firm received the box and immediately sent it to the police. Emery paper, contact niatohes, and powder were arranged to firo in ordinary handling a package containing bullets, slugs, and loaded cartridges. A similar infernal machine has been received by mail at the office of Messrs M. Guggenheim's Sons. It was placed in the water immediately, and only a slight explosion took place, doing no harm. AFRICAN EXPLORATION. Router's agency has received news of the progress of Major Powell Cotton, who left England last year on an expedition from the Nile to the Zambezi, which it was expected would occupy about two years, The explorer lun hail a good deal of trouble with his caravan, and nows of his movements has been delayed by the murder of two of his native runners.

At the middle of June Major Powell Cotton was in the Congo and had reached Buni Camp, on the Mahagi Irumuroad. This district, which is at an elevation of (j,oooft, and consists of rolling grass hills, would, the explorer claims, nia|ko an idc;vl white man'i; grazing country. The streams and marches are already bridged, Later intelligence announces the arrival of the expedition at Irum, where Major Powell Cotton had enjoyed excellent sport and had kocured five elephants, including one of tho largeat tusks on record, the ivory of which weighed 37211;, At the end of Juno ho was leaving for the Stanley forest. In one of his letters, Major Powell Cotton says:—"one of the Congo officials at Wadelai told me a curious story of how tho natives in the vicinity disposo of the old folk, when they become a burden. As soon as the infirmities of old ago creep on them they are given a soothing draught and wrapped in a fresh antelope skin. Thus attired they are carried by members of their family to a spot some distance from the village, and arc abandoned in the grass close to a native track. The first native passing by sees what he thinks is an antelope, and spears it, whereupon the victim's family emerge from their hid-ing-place and express horror and surprise at the unfortunate incident.'' When lest heard from Major Powell Cotton Was in excellent health. THE JAPANESE IN TEXAS. Immigration from Japan to Texas beginning in 1903 with 40 families occupying 500 acres, ha» now increased to about 240 families occupying <1,500 acres, They have secured, through a Japanese-American lawyer, a decision of the Washington Courts that they are elegiblo For full citizenship, and on the strength of this ruling they have secured 50,000 additional aero,; on which they propose during IDOG to scttlo several thousand families. _ One feature of this movement, which is particularly interesting to tho Government and to politicians generally, is tho undoubted fact that the Japanese not only readily assimilate with' tho.

American population, but- arc popular with their neighbours. They have brought with thorn their own rice sad and taught old Texan rice-growers how to produce 100 sacks' to the acre where 80 was the average formerly. They have also improved the quality not only of their own production but also that of their white neighbours, consequently the prices of ,the 1905 crop will averago 40 per cent, more than thwe of 1901. ; The .newcomers are all attending the Amorican schools,a&d tiro {omul to accept tho habits and manners of Americans more rapidly than any Europeans except tho Irish, They aro therefore locally expected by inter-marriage to becomo an important factor in tho composite American character.