ITEMS OF GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17139, 19 April 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF GENERAL NEWS.

SENTENCE "ON A TRAITRESS.

A Belgian court martial has sentenced to hard labour for life a woman named Breaina, of Belgian extraction and the wife of a Belgian, for denouncing Belgian patriots during the German occupation.

AN AIRPLANE IN FIVE MINUTES.

Lord Weir has declared that, when the armistice was signed over 200,000 workers were engaged exclusively on aircraft production, resulting in Britain being able to turn out a completely equipped airplane or seaplane overy five minutes of the working day. BRITAIN'S £3,000,000 BILL. The international aspect of prohibition developed recently when Great Britain, tlirougu diplomatic channels, presented to the United States State Department a claim for £3,000,000 for losses occasioned by the Prohibition Act. British capital in the United States is, it is said, invested chiefly in brewing corporation stocks. M.P.'S ELECTION VOW. Sir Peter Griggs, the newly-elected M.P. for Ilford, iB a happier man to-day than he was a month ago. He is able to smoke a cigar. For the last eight years be has forsworn cigars. When he

was defeated by Sir John Bethell at the 1910 election he declared at a commit-, tee of local Conservatives that he would not smoke a cigar until he was elected member for the Romford Division. Ho has conscientiously kept his word. BIG WINNINGS AT BRIDGE. A bankrupt who came before the London Bankruptcy Court stated that he had won £180 at auction bridge during the last six months, and since February, 1916, he had won. in all about £400. His wife had a private income of £1000 a year, and ho attributed his position to extravagance, having spent £1250 in the last two years. WHAT A CATHEDRAL WANTS. Fur the guidance of those who desire to erect war memorials in Rochester Cathedral, the dean and chapter have published a list of the Cathedral's need?. The list includes two pulpits, a reredoe, a lectern, a restored organ, a uew organ in the Lady Chapel, two additional bells, a processional cross, communion plate, sanctuary standards, and a silver alms dish. No more brass memorials tablets are wanted. CLEARING UP THE MINES. Conflicting estimates are given as to the date when the North Sea can be declared clear of mines, and in some quarters it is anticipated that the operation will be prolonged for five or six 'years. More optimistic prophets put the period at twelve months. The life of a mine is considerable, and some of ours, laid down at the beginning of the war, were found to be still active when recently taken up. ENDOWMENT OP IDLENESS. The Irish newspapers continue to publish many protests against the abuse of the system of out-of-work donations. It is reported that owing to lack of skilled ' men the flourishing toy industry at Shillelagh, County Wicklow, has been forced to suspend work. The lack of men is attributed directly to the influence of the donations. The expenditure in the town of Wirk'nw alone is said to exceed £1000 a week. . It is reported that three or four men in County Dublin recently hired a taii-cab for the purpose of drawing their donations with greater dignity and comfort. WHERE THE PIG EXCELS. The pig, and not the ox, is apparently the most efficient food producer, although all animals show a large loss in transforming vegetable products into meat. The pig, according to a statement made recently to the French Academy of Agriculture, returnes as pork about 25 per cent, of its food, while the ox eats at least eight pounds of vegetables to mako one pound of meat, ana with other domestic beasts the loss is about 85 per cent. The lien may yield 15 par cent, of its corn as eggs, and the nulch cow does a little better with a return of milk equal to 20 per cent, of its food.

TRAGEDY ON A FARM.

. George Watkins, employed on a farm near Peterborough, was going to the cowsheds early one morning when he was shot in the neck by a farm lad, being killed instantly. Tho boy gave himself up to the police.

LATEB HOURS IN PARIS.

The Prefecture of Police, says the Journal, has decided shortly to extend the " open" hours of cafes and restaurants in Paris. Closing at 11 p.m. is contemElated forthwith, and one member of the Cabinet has even aaked for a prolongation till midnight.

LUDBNDORFF LIVING IN SWEDEN.

Ludendorff, the brains of the old German military machine, is'declared to toe living under the name of Ernst Lindstroem in Sweden, and posing as a Finnish councillor from the Berlin legation. He speaks to no one but the man with whom he lives, but takes long walks daily in the woods. GIGANTIC WAR EMBEZZLEMENT. The New York Assistant District Attorney, who inquired into the alleged war charity scandals, estimates that Between £600,000,000 and £800,000,000 was raised in the United States for war benefit pur-

poses, more than £10,000,000 of which has been fraudulently misappropriated or diverted from the funds Bent to Europe. HEROIC PIANIST. Mr. Arthur Lainpill. a Wolverton pianist while attending a soldiers' ball at Fenny Stratford, went outside and fell over some barbed wire, breaking his leg. He returned to the ballroom and, although in preat pain, he continued to play until the programme ended. He was taken to Northampton Hospital, where he died. ONE MEDAL FOR ALL. General Diaz, interviewed by the Petit Journal, says it was Marshal Foch who conceived the idea of an identical commemorative medal and ribbon for all the troops of*-'all the Allied and associated Powers who took part in the war. The design of this medal is still tinder consideration. The Marshal wants it to be of a symbolical character, and the ribbon should be a combination of the colours of the Allied nations. INFANTS SILL SNAKE. Two children, one aged 3 and the other 4 2 years, killed a snake at Tantanoola, in Australia. They are the children of E. Altschwager, a railway packer. Mrs. Altsehwager was searching for eggs in a hedge when her attention was attracted by the excited chatter of the children. She found the babies attacking a snake with sticks. A lucky blow had evidently disabled the reptile early in the conflict, and having the snake at their mercy the children had reduced it to a wriggling pulpy mass. KILLED B7 A PANTHER. The death of 2nd Lieutenant J. Roache Kelly, of the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Rifles, from wounds caused by a panther, has occurred at the Madras General Hospital. Lieutenant Kelly, who was at Arkonam, beard that there was a panther about three miles away. He and a friend went to the spot on a trolly and found the animal in the thick jungle. They both fired shots and apparently hit. the animal, which turned on its assailants and sprang on Lieutenant Kelly, causing several wounds. It then bolted. BILLIARDS FOR WOMEN. At Birmingham Licensing Sessions recently the chairman asked an applicant for a billiards license for his views with regard to persons of both sexes being admitted to billiard-rooms. It would be a good thing, he said, if young persons had some opportunities of meeting each other in suitable places under proper supervision. At entertainments which had been provided at swimming baths during the winter there were billiard tables, ana both men and women are admitted. The applicant said he would be willing to make the experiment, and he was given the necessary permission.