ITEMS OF GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17145, 26 April 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF GENERAL NEWS.

BAHET'S CHOICE. James Baney, of Kansas City, Missouri, must marry within BO days in order to secure £18,000 willed hfm on this condition by his aunt. HABD LABOUR FOB MAGISTRATES. "Before a man beconfts a magistrate he should have three months' hard labour as part of his training for the office," suggested the secretary of the Women's Freedom League in London, at a meetirg held to discuss ponal reform, BOOF GARDENS ON AIRSHIPS. " There will probably be a roof garden, access to which will be by a lift, in the 2passenger airship of the future," said Lieut.-Colonel Lock wood March, RA.F., at a meeting of the Camera Club in London. "It has been estimated by . Messrs. Vickere," he stated, "that the . passenger fare to America by airship will . be £48, against £115 by aeroplane."

"A GIRL TO HIMSELF." With reference to the proclamation for the nationalisation of women in Bolshevist Russia, the following is the text of a document found on a Red Army commksary captured at the front :— Hereby I certify that the bearer is allowed the right of acquiring a girl to himself, ard no ono may oppose this in any way. li. is invested with full power which 1 certify." PERJURY IN THE COURTS. " It is perfectly notorious," said Mr. Justice Darling, in London, " that the amount of perjury committed in _ the Divorce Court is a r-csndal to our civilisation." The judgo was speaking at tie Old Bailey, whero a Cardiff estate agent pleaded guilty to committing perjury in a divorce suit, and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in the second division. DEMOBILISATION TRAFFIC. Interesting figures as to the number of troops dealt with at various ports in the United Kingdom, from the armistice up to February 22, are available. These include men arriving in England and members of tho colonial forces embarked for home. During the week February 15 to 22, the following numbers were dealt with: Officers, 9305 other ranks, 160,288 miscellaneous, 613 ; total for week, .170.''06, making a grand total from Novemhc.' 12 to February 22, of over 132,570 officers, 2,192,160 other ranks, 15,744 miscellaneous ; a grand total in all of 2,340,474. In addition to this 14,959 remounts wero disembarked.

ADMIRAL WITTS HURDLE RACE.' At the Cape Hunt Club's meeting recently Admiral Fitzherbert, naval com-mander-in-chief at the Cape, won the hurdle race, his mount just getting home by a neck after a most sensational finish. LONGEST AIR SERVICE. The longest air service now running regularly is that between Vienna and Padua (304 miles). Every three days two Caproni* leave Vienna and two leave Padua, carrying mails and passengers, GLEMEITCEAU'S BOOK. HAs soon as the problems of peace have been solved," declared M. Clemenccao " and I have finished my task, I shall take a rest that, after 50 years of politics, I think I have well earned. And in my retirement I shall write a book which perhaps no one will read, but which I, at all events, shall be glad to have written."

SUPER-FLYING BOAT.

The flying boat being built by the United States Navy Department is described as more than one-third lareer Mian any now in existence. The new craft has a wing span of 250 feet, with a length over all of SO feet, and carries five Liberty engines generating 2000 horse' power. It will carry enough fuel for a trip of 2000 miles, and will L able to carry 73 passengers, COAL FAMINE IN SCHOOLS. Headmasters and mistresses are authorised, in the London County Council Gazette to close a school in cold weather where the supply of coal on hand is insufficient to warm the building, and in one or two instances this course has already bean sanctioned on application. The London Education Authority has already considered the question of restricting school hours owing to the coal shortage. "RIVER CLYDE" V.O.'S. In order to commemorate the beaching of the River Clyde at Gallipoli a Liverpool shipowner has entrusted the Merchant Service Guild with the presentation of a special war medallion in bronze to those who were serving in the vessel at the time and were awarded the V.C. for valour in affecting the landing. Of the six membore of the crew who received the decoration only three survive—Captain Edward Unwin, R.N., Lieutenant George McS&mpson, and Lieutenant W. St. A. Melleson. The medallion is the work of Mr. E. Carter Preston, the designer of the national memorial war plaque.