THE DOG-BITE LAW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17483, 29 May 1920, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE DOG-BITE LAW.

jcdce REVIEWS ANOMALIES. Dog-biles, and some anomalies in the law concerning them, have engaged the attention of Judge C'luer in Shoreditch County Court. "It is a curious thing in law," ho said, "that if a dog bite* a sheep or a horse its owner has got to pay. but if M bites you or me, its owner has not got to pay, utiles.he knew it was dangerous, or had bitten somebody else before "If it bad bitten your hand off. still you have to prove that he knew it was dangerous. "If a dog kills you, and it is not knowr. to the owner that it was dangerous arid had never bitten anybody In-fore, there is no remedy in law. The only remedy is a magistrates cider to have 'the dog destroyed. "It is an assumption in law I think a very wrong one-that a dog is not a dan gerous animal. Judges, have decided so. Plato, a distinguished philosopher, did not agree with them, bit I have simply to ad minister the law as it stands."

; TAXING BACHELOR GIRLS. > The Finance Commission of the French Chamber has just decided to put a tax ! of 10 per cent, on bachelors, regardless i of sex. ' The. decision to tax maids, .young and pld, on the same footing as i men is arousing keen discussion. The words of FoucauTt, spoken in the Chamber 130 years ago when a similiar project was put forward, are recalled : " Not a single one of you in this House knows of a girl who has definitely refused marriage." CITY IMPRESSED BY AN OMEN. A storm in Jerusalem marked tho heaviest snowfall recorded sinco 1860. The snow' measured 39in in the open and reached groat depths in tho drifts, Many houses collapsed in tho Via Dolorosa, and two cinemas and a Y.M.C.A. hut wcto destroyed, but only four deaths were caused. The famous tree called "El Hut-mi." where culprits were formerly banged, also came down during the storm. The local tradition runs that when tho treo falls the Turkish Empire will fall, and the population of the city has been much impressed by the omen. VIENNA'S LOST TREASURES. For the first time since 1914 tho police of Vienna have asked the assistance of Scotland Yard. Valuable treasures havo been stolen from the Art and History I Museum in Vienna, and a long list of ' the mis-sin.: property has been forwarded 'to the British police. Among the I art ides enumerated are the Marshal's i baton of the Emperor Francis 1., vihir.h i was valued before the war at 200,000 ' kronen ; the Marshal's baton of Duke Carl I Alexander von I.othringen and precious j stones worth 600,000 k'-onen. "NO HYPOCRITES" AT FUNERAL. Miss Margery Deakin, who was found d-ad on the beach at C'royde, North Devon, was buried at sea at S'orl/hj»ea<), near St. Austell, in accordance with a wish expressed in her wi'l. Two fishermen whom she had named took her body in a leaden coffin out to sea in their boat. Miss Deakin asked that they should do this when they went fishing, | and drop it quietly over the side, "with- I out any gaping crowd looking on, or any relati' or hypocrites expressing false sorrow." Miss Deakin was an artist and a member of an old Liverpool family. GUNFIRS IN A PARK. Mischievous boys were responsible for an extraordinary incident at Paisley. 'Ihev were playing about near the tank wlo'h Mas iwnt presented to the town and hid be>Mi pived in a public park, and apparently found two six pounder | blii-ils. With one of tlwse they loaded and liied one of the tank guns. There were about 200 people walking about in the small park, but the elevation of the gun fortunately carried the shell harmlessly over their heads. Where it fell has not yet been discovered. A quantity of rubbish which had accumulated i.i tho gun was. however, blown into the face of John Mland, a foreman grocer, who was standing near by. He was struck on the forehead and blinded. Immediately after the gun had been fired, the hoys ran away, and the Paisley police have been unable to trace them.

society, and asked to insure his house against fire. But the old farmer Mould have none of it. "Na! na!" lie always met the agent's advances with ; "(here's nao fear o' my boose gaun on fire." The unexpected, however, happened one night, and when a few of the neigh-' hours rushed out to see what was causing the blaze, instead of seeing the old man trying to put the tire out, they found him running up and down the street shouting : "Wham's that insurance man noo ? Riri for him, somebody! Dasht, it's awfn' ye can never get a body whan yo're neidin' him!" NOT A CASE FOE WORRY. They met at a dance. He was tall and stalwart, she—oh, so sweet. They jazzed, thev one-hopped, they two-whirled, they—wall, they did just what everybody's doing now. After the seventh dance with his charmer, the young fellow stopped sUcMenly and glanced suspiciously round."It's funny. Mabel," he said. "See that glum-looking chap over there. Tie's been following us about all the time. Who if. he and what's ho after?" ".'_/ "Whothai miserable, half-starved fellow m tho spotted tie?" remarked Mabel,; casually. "Don't worry about him; he's only the fellow who paid for me .to enmo in." y'f... "■■:-. .':;■' AN UNCONGENIAL TASK, „'.: : ; An improvident subaltern had; got "his affairs into such a state that his; Colonel hid to talk to him very seriously in the. mess one night. , ;■"■'.'■.'■' fj-'y "What you have to do," said the 'Old Man" impressively, "is to write to Cox's (the Army bankers) and lay the whole.' matter frankly before them. Then they'll ; tell yon what to do. You'd hotter:-get" your lelt-e.r off at once." '■■■■.■■'. "I will sir," replied the penitent "one-:■ pip '.■>*■■-'" v 1; About two hours later, thereVboing 'no sign of the young correspondent's return, some of h ; s friends made /way;' to where he was writing. They foiindvhim, with dishevelled hair, and in front. ; him : a sheet of regimental note-paper, ori'-_wli.icri'i he had written: "I say, Cox,'-:. ''.-; "'"<■'. Only that, and nothing more, j'.,-'.' ;."''■• % '*.' BIRDIE'S MISTAKE * »;"J The following story concerning 'Gener'aT Rirdwood is told by an Austral;, soldier!: "fwas a glorious summer's night. ..with' a full moon overhead, and thes'RooheV. somewhere in front, when Birdie lobbed into the gas alert area ncr automobile. *■••■ : "This way, sir," whispered the guide Without responfe Rirdie followed.- "'-. "Mind the shell-'ole there on yer right' sir," hoarsely whispered the guide,. A - "Right whispered : rdie. . .-•-". . "Broken diK-kbonrd 'ere. s't,". again cautioned the guide, keep to yer left." ?' "Right," whispered Birdie. "Barb-wire 'ero, sir." Not by -word of replv did Birdie acknowledge the advice. Flawevcr, present lv -he inijuired in a less loud tone of voice f v 'iri even the glide had troubled to use "How far off i a Fritz'" ' . ' : "'lb. 'bout three kilometers." wh'spcr :ng'v replied the guide. "Well, what the dickens are von whispering for, man?" thundered Birdie. ''1 bin gassed, sir," whispered tho grade.

' spective of the ultimate height they, may attain to ■ or their adaptability to the ' various positions. And as for harmony arid contrasts, they are subjects seldom thought of. flow often do we sec huge pine trees planted in front of the dwelling, obscuring the light from the windows, and others of spreading habit a few feet from N the walk or drives. All. this might easily bo avoided by a little forethought: at the lime of planting, and prevent flic loss of valuable specimens in the future as, being altogether out of place, they will require to be cut down or removed. Deciduous Trees and Shrubs. These may bo taken up and transplanted as soon as the leave* have matured, and need no previous preparation, Buch as dig ging a trench around them and cutting the root* some time beforehand. They should, howovor, be dug up with as many roots as possible. This can easily bo accomplished by digging out a trench around the tree according to its sire. Very large trees may be taken up and transplanted with perfect safety, provided they have .sufficient-roots to support the tops. Any roots that are injured or broken in "tin lifting should bo cut off with a sharp' knife, 'Kiriall trees and shrubs are easily dug up and transplanted.. \;. ; ; : ..,;"5; f. Preparation of the Holes. ;''■« This is a most important'operation, and should receive every attention as the future ...w el) ; be i rig of the' tree, whether evergreen or; deciduous, greatly depends upou the quality; of the .soil, its preparation, and the., mode of planting. In good quality .soils, ■ with ; ft free sub-soil, little or no preparation- '.necessary, a hole sufficiently deep and Vide enough -to receive the roots ■ without bending them will suffice. ■■■■ But -where,the' soil is uncongenial 1 with a stiff retentive s sub soil or hard pari, wid<* and de epholes: must /he dug, for specimen trees. taking out portion/ of the; sub-soil and filling, in with. with : good surface earth of a lighter, nature 'Turfy loam with an ad mixture, of '_ sand and volcanic soil with some manure: incorporated, is an ideal for the./purpose. Nome polls-with a hard pan iirperietrable.for. roots of tree* may be broken up by ; the insertion of charges of gelignite or other . suitable explosives. ■Properly done;.this,has a.wonderful effect in .loosening, .the subsoil 'and rendering the land most suitable for tree-planting.- . THE VINERY. ' Although outdoor, .operations have beon prai ticallv . at. a standstill on account -of the heavy /rains, and wet conditions of the | ■soil; it has... afforded ample opportunity for attending to the requirements, of this department. lii. -fine weather there is always abundance of outdoor work that needs I 'attention; and there it* always a tendency I .'in such weather to put off the needs of, the vines as long as possible. ' It is, how;ever, at this' 'time that the vines require .'plenty of attention, not only in pruning, but in using every possible means in desl;royinu' the posts that prove so troublesome to the growers during the growing and fruiting season. Pruning is the first oporation requiring attention, and should be done as soon as possible after the sap has returned. Pruning Vines. If the vines have been exposed to the weather since the fruits have been cvt, the earlier varieties at least should have sufficiently ripened their wood to allow of j ehsir being pruned. It is,, however, Un-

any pest that might otherwise fall to the ground. Alter removing the loose bark, the vines .should ho painted with a mixture made up of Ciisnurst's compound, soot; and clay, making the mixture to the- con--6i.-tency of thick paint, Thro object of painting is. to form a smooth, even surface, leaving no open spaces in which bug; or other pests can secrete themselves, Unfortunately few vineries are; free from some of the jxssts that attack the vines in their various stages of growth, and if is after the vines are pruned when, stronger measures can be used without much risk of injuring the cane providing reasonable care is taken, in doing ihe work. A great deal depends upon- the treatment of the' vines during their season of rest, for, in addition to pruning,, cleaning, and dressing the vines, the house should bo thoroughly cleaned throughout and the whole of the woodwork washed with strong insecticide to destroy any pest* lurking in the crevices. All leaves : and pruning, as well as the surface soil, should be removed and burned, as num- ' bers of pests must naturally fall to the floor with the fallen leaves and other debris. No effort, in fact, should /.'be snared in the endeavour to rid the house of. pests that give so much trouble to the growers during the growing and fruiting season of the vines. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS, j "To Kowhai."—Specimen L one of the \ Species of Phalarifl, The growth appears to I be abnormal. ■ A.8.C.. Te Pur.a.Name of specimen is I Casuarina quadrivaJus (the She oak) of New i South Wales, Australia. It attains a height ! of about 50ft. From the bianco of the I 1 long drooping leafless branches to the droop- j ins feathers of the cassowary, it is supposed i to derive its tame. An exceedingly handsome •■ tree, the wood of which is' very hard and I durable. It is easily propagated from fields ' obtained from ■ Australia. Plants are obtain- ! able from nurserymen. In Australia the -i foliage is used for feeding stock in tho dry seasons. * . E.H.8., Gisborne.—Lemon fruit and leaves • arc badly attacked with red and other scale J insects. Tho smut on the leaves is an in- , variable sign of the presence of scale*. ho . boat remedy is to thoroughly spray tlib trueu with red oil, or, better still, caustic soda, the. latter at a strength of 31b to 50 gallons . of water. The red oil is more likely to lake the leaves off. lted scale is one of the moat persistent and difficult to ciadieato, it being very minute. The round black olive scale is much more easily treated. The presence of a fungus that attacks the olive and fccuue other scales is indicated by tho white ring ' around some of tho scales on tho leaves sent. ■Natural enemies should; always be sought. , The writer has seen Oleariu bushes that were < smothered in scale becomo perfectly tree after i the fungi had become established. • It-raits „ a ring around the scale, seals it down, and prevents the egTcis of the young brood. "" Specimens to Name."—No. 1, Alpinia nutans; order, Zingiberacem, to which the ' ginger belongs. Although a pa live of India, it thrives and grows freely in the open here and produces sweetly-scented racemes of flowers. Shows to best advantage when grown - in clumps. Hedychiums are similar in growth and appearance; they belong to the same order. iS':o 2, clump of grass with roots and seed skins attached, is t'oa. Brownii; grows on very poor lands. No, 3. a species of sonchus, or thistle. Kkpos f