GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12818, 18 March 1905, Page 5 (Supplement)

GENERAL NEWS.

THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE DISCOVERY'S VOVAG.E. ■ ' : . ,The first description of a new , animal discovered during the voyage of the Discovery is apparently one in the December number of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. In this Mr. T. V. Hodgson gives a preliminary notice of a peculiar typo of "pyenogonid," or "sea-spider," distinguished from all its relatives by the presence of an additional pair of legs, which brings up the number to live. On this account, although it is admittedly very close in other respects to the well-known Nyiriphon, the new form is made the type of a. genus by itself, under the title of Pcntanymphon Antarcticus.

A HERO OF TIBET. The King has conferred the Victoria Cross on Lieutenant John Duncan Grant, Bth Ghoorka Rifles, for conspicuous bravery in Tibet. The act- of courage for which the decoration was recommended is thus doscribed in the London Gazette:"On the occasion of the storming of the Gyantse Jong on July 6, 1901, the storming company, headed by Lieutenant Grant, on emerging from the cover of the village, had to advance up a bare, almost precipitous, rcck-faco, with little or no cover available, and under a heavy fire from the curtain, flanking towers on both sides <>!' the curtain, and other buildings higher up the Jong. Showers of rocks and stones were at the time being hurled down the hillside by the enemy from above. One man could only go up at a time, crawling on hands and knees, to the breach in the curtain. Lieutenant Grant, 'followed by Haviltfer Karbin Pun, Bth Ghoorka .Rifles, at once attempted to scale it. but on reaching near the top he was wounded, and hurled back, as was also the. havildar, who fell down the rock some 30ft. Regardless or then injuries they again attempted to scale too breach, and, covered by the lire of the men below, were successful in their object, lite havildar shooting one of the enemy no gaining the top. The successful issue nf the assault was very greatly duo to the splendid example shown by Lieutenant Grant and Havildar Karbin Run.. The latter has been recommended for the Indian Order of Merit.

SISTERS INHERIT £300,000. A story of an Australian fortune tomes from Canada. Mrs. Madden, the wife i»| a stonemason, of Cole, St. Paul, a suburb of Montreal, has received information from Australia, statins that she and a sister living at Rutland, Vermont, are the sole heiresses to an estate of £300,000. left by their uncle, Mr. Michael Conlan, formerly of Roscommon, Ireland. Mrs. Madden stales that her father's brother emigrated to Australia in the fifties, and became immensely wealthy, but it is doubtful whether he ever knew of her or her sister's existence. The estate is now in Chancery, and Mrs. Madden expects to be called upon to proceed to Australia, at any moment.

LIVELY TOR MOTORISfS. An amusing letter was read at a weekly meeting of the Warwickshire- Chamber of Agriculture on the subject of motorists. The chairman had declared at the previous meeting that he should instruct his waggoners to drive across the road when motors* approached at a furious rate, and a member now read the following letter, which he had received:—"As I doubt the power of the average farm labourer to distinguish between, the innocent and) guilty, I oiler my services. I held a discharge as a sergeant, from the army and am a trained shot. At leuet 50 motors pass my house every day. With an ordinary magazine rille I could get about 30 daily, and I oiler my trained services to the chamber at a charge of sixpence per head. I should like to hear to whom to forward the heads. I could use explosive or poisoned bullets if so desired."

GIRL AS COURT INTERPRETER. A clever little girl named Louisa Klinozynsky is employed as interpreter by the East "London coroner when Lithuanian (Russian Poland) witnesses are called before him. The coroner has received a letter from the little girl, couched in childish language, stating that she had heard that a youth was seeking to take her appointment. She hoped the coroner would nob take him, as she was sure she could do better than he could. The girl naively signed herself "Your loving friend." Mr. Baxter has replied, informing her that she needn't worry, as she would always be sent for when her services were required.

MRS. LANGTRT SUED. Justice Warrington heard an action brought by Mr. Henry Marsh Alien, the cctor, against Mrs. do Bathe (better known as Mrs. Langtry) for £-172 10s, in respect of sixteen and a-half we?ks' salary at £35 a. week less three weeks paid on account. His lordship held that the plaintiff had not made out hit? case, and entered judgment for Mrs. Langtry, with costs since the time of defendant paying £35 into Court, which goes to Mr. Allen.

IXXOCEXT GIEL LOCKED Vl\ At Bow-street Police Court, before Mr. Fenwick. Virginia Ventrantin, aged seventeen, a German artist, of Victoria. House, Long Acre, was charged with being concerned with ar other woman, not in custody, in stealing a pocket-book containing three 1000-frano banknotes, five 100-fra.nc notes, and a railway ticket to Paris, value together £140, the property of Henri Levine, a furrier, of City Road. It appeared that on a Saturday evening the prosecutor went to the prisoner's flat. He afterwards gave her into custody for being concerned in stealing his pocket-book, alleging that while he was there another woman entered and took the case from his coat pocket. Upon the opening of the Court on Monday the prosecutor attended and reported that lie had discovered that ho left bis pocket-book at Messrs. Cook's office. He did not lose anything from his pockets, and he wished. to express his regret for the mistake he had made. The prosecutor was called into the witness-box, and the magistrate said to him "How came you to charge this woman so carelessly The Prosecutor: I am. very sorry, Your Worship, and I regret any trouble I have given to the prisoner and those engaged in the case. Ho added that it was not until half-past nine that morning, when passing Messrs. Cook's office, that he discovered his mistake. H<" then hurried to the Court bo that the prisoner should not suffer any further imprisonment. Mr. Fenwick, in ordering the prisoner's discharge, said he was very sorrv that the prosecutor should have made such a blunder.

"my long lost sister."

There have recently been, several report* of females being accosted by men in the suburbs of Manchester, but the experience which fell to the lot of a married woman near the Claremont Estate, near SaUord, was stranger than usual. Proceeding to her work across a field known m Jflams-o'-th'-Height, shortly before six o'clock in the morning, the woman was stopped by a sturdily-built man. She screamed and 'ran away, 'closely followed by the stranger, who was shouting loudly. The terrified woman fell to the 'ground upon her knees and pleaded for mercy. The man, taking hold of one of her hands, and scanning her face closely, commenced to exclaim, " Yes, it is true. The same eyes, I know them; snme colour, same- size, and the same teeth. Yes, you are my sister, my long lost sister, who was dead and buried, but who is now alive again." The frightened woman was helpless : in vain she tried to convince the man that she had never met him before. But no, be would not believe. " Come home with me." ho began again; "you are my dear sister; ah, how I have sought for you." '• But I have never seen you before," she expostulated. " Don't dispute my word ; you shall not escape mo this time. Oh, what a happy discovery." The woman again cried for assistance, and two police officers who were on special duty on Recount of the burglary scare came to her aid. They found the woman on the ground appealing for mercy, and the man, with, anna upraised, uttering unintelligible sentences. They secured the maniac, for it was apparent that (ho person was not in hit- right mind, and, in fact, was suffering from "religious mania. The, female soon" recovered from the shock and proceeded home. The stranger was taken to a Salfori? sub-police office, but, despite all the ingenious methods of the- officials, lie could not be induced to open his mouth. Eventually he was taken to the hospital,, " ' ' -'-