GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18089, 13 May 1922, Page 6 (Supplement)

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

MUNITIONS IN CEMETERY. The Turin carabinieri havo discovered largo quantities of munitions buried in a cemetery. The stores included machine guns, bombs, rides and several small cannon. The planting of the munitions was traced to a number of Communist agitator*, they paid, some of whom were arrested.

WINE SHOP FOR WOMEN. The Quebec Liquor Commission is planning to open a wine shop for women, managed by members of their ovrn sex, on St. Catherine's Street, in tho heart of the shopping district. Tho purpose is to make, it, unnecessary for women enjoying their cups to purchase wine without having to rah shoulders with motley males who' now frequent the commission's depots. Wine will bo tho only Leverage sold.

CLUE TO TREASURE-TROVE. An old parchment in Italian has been found at Biscoglie, in the Province of Ban, Italy, telling of buried treasure, supposed to 'have been hidden by a Roman matron at the approach of Ha.nnib*l s troops in 216 B.C. The treasure is particularised as consisting of 170 costly vases filled with gold and silver corns, antique works of art. jewels ai>d pearls. The engraved stone indicating the place of concealment is said already to have been found.

TAX ON OBESITY. With deficits everywhere a:id the Budget, full of holes, all kinds of taxation measures are proposed in Europe. One which is considered in Germany would consist in simply taxing stout people. Whoever among the men of 17 and 7o vears of age has a torsi exceeding the fair average will be subject to a tax ot from 300 'to 1000 marks. It is to bo paid once only. But suppose after having paid the "ta,x one grows thin ! Will the State pay back the tax unduly received ?

PIGEON LIKE MARY'S LAJWB. ftaLston Lindsey of West Town. New York/ has taught a pigeon which be took from'its nest while it was still a squab nine months ago to call on pupils at tho village school, visit most of the households about town, and even accompany skating parties, remaining perehc?d in a free until his master starts to return hf>me, when the bird flies alon?. Frequentlv as strangers arrire in town they are welcomed by Dick, as the pigeon is named, who suddenly swoops down and lights on their shoulders.

COERCION BY LOVER. Coercion by her lover was admitted at the Old Bailey in the case of Hilda Sandford, who was charged with George Cobnrn with stealing a motor-bicycle. Counsel said that, apart from the doctrine of coercion, there was no evidence against the woman. She was a witness for the Crown at the Police Court, and in the middle of the case the magistrate ordered her to be charged with Coburn. The recorder (Sir Ernest Wild, K.C.j; "Do you mean to say that, after she _ gave evidence, she was charged? It is an extraordinary procedure—it is almost Gilbertian." Counsel said he thought the woman ought to have remained in the witness-box. In discharging Sandford, the recorder said he did not wish to appear as criticising the magistrate, who, no doubt, acted as he thought fit. Coburn was ordered six months' hard labour.

UNUSUAL BRAIN OPERATION. Physicians at Sing Sing prison hospital, "New York, are hopeful that an operation performed for the removal of a tumor from the brain of John Amishosky, a former Sing Sing prisoner, will cure him of criminal tendencies. Amishosky voluntarily returned to Sing Sing and became a patient in the prison hospital to wait for the tumor to enlarge and get nearer the surface of the skull. When the operation, which was performed oniy with the aid of local anaestetiai by Dr. Joseph E. King, a specialist, 'bad been declared successful, Dr. Amos O. Squire, head prison physician said, " On looking up the prison records, I found that when Amishosky was convicted ho was suffering from brain trouble. It made him very irritable. I think this tumor may have been the cause of his criminal acts and that the operation may cure him of any criminal tendencies;."

PARISIAN ENTERTAINMENTS. While the housing crisis in Paris is •increasing daily, owing to the fact that there is no building of apartment houses, builders were kept bu«y in 1921 erecting places of entertainment. Thirty-four music halls and no less than 700 dancing halls were built there last year, ;md many more are planned for this year. At the same time there has been a marked decrease in the number of criminal cases reported, only 1090 serious crimes having occurred in 1921, as compared with 1587 in 1920. There also was a decrease in the number of attacks against persons •' and property to the extent of nearly 50 per cent. The number of cases in which wounds wer© inflicted in quarrels increased slightly. The authorities attribute this improvement in social" conditions to the settling down of certain elements in the population of Paris sfter the war strain, but at the same time it was suggested that the increased opportunity for public amusement serves to decrease the amount of drunkenness, which is the chiof cause of crime in Paris.

MIGHT FLEECE HIS WARDERS. "If I don't notify the warden and bead ke3per of Sing Sing of your character, you will have them fleeced in no time," said Judge Charles C. Nott in a New York Court a few weeks, ago, in sentencing Hyman Fishroan, 53, a public accountant, to serve from five to ten years in prison for grind larceny. David Gerstner, a second-hand furniture dealer, was one of numerous complainants. Gerstner paid to Fishman 2000 dollars in cash and 500 dollars by cheque for furniture ir> an apartment in Madison Avenue only to learn later that Fishman did not own tho furniture. It developed that Fishman took thousands of dollars from scrubwomen in public buildings for stock of little value, made a practice of plating a sign on vacant properties with bis name on it and collecting deposits • from purchasers. It is said he tried to flrwindlo a law firm by asking for 5000 dc.tlnrr, " change' from a 20.000 dollar " certified " cheque he offered for legal services.

WOMAN'S DRAMATIC STOCrDE. Mme. Gaillard, once well known in th nghterib Parisian salons, who commitf-e licida recently in her apartment by tal )g an overdose of veronal, possessed onl row hundred francs,, though at tho tim ,T^ Pn ']i n ' "*' as estimated at more tha -1,000,000. Tho late Prince Dobridi eft to her largo estates in Russia, bu bu property sho could not touch, as sh "as unable Vy overcome tho Bolsbevi mpojition te recognising Tmr rights as t^r^' 7 After A7ritin K letters t w T I IC6 t . and her <wcprea.iT, ThoZ fT? WaS R° lr, R *<*> fast an to V, a anotW P rin ™ ha UrJ, ft? ' ,n wconnt of her affe< J™2 lum - Ml ™- Gaillard called i now grvo mo an ln]ecfci f > ~ stroug „ h km J„ gttjju l*^ 7 Y refu .?? d ' , " Never mir *en : I will take, euro of that." Half 8 hour later she look a do«sen packe veronal, and wa* afterwards found L between the bodies of her two K '? gserskm spread or, the bedroom floor

ACTORS' FAST BEARDS. Amateur actors at Guildford recently had a strange experience with their " beards." and were unable to play their parts. An adhesive was used, and when one performer removed his heard ho peeled off a large piece of skin from his face and he had to be medically treated Two other performers suffered similarly.

BRITAIN'S LOST ORDFR. Unable to obtain in England satisfactory financial terms and guaranteed dates for delivery of 10 naval vessels, the Government of the Argentine Republic has opened negotiations with a firm if Sweden. This firm offers to complete the order within three years. Hitherto all Argentine naval vessels have been built in Great Britain.

PORTIA BREAKS DOWN. During the trial of a woman charged with child murder in the Paris Assize Courts a woman counsel for the defence broke down. She wa-s carried out to he attended to by three doctors who happened to be in the Court, while the prisoner shouted, encouragingly to her : " Never mind. It is nothing." 1 pon learning that tin 1 prisoner's counsel would not return that same afternoon, the magistrate ordered that the accused should stay in prison for three months.

WOMAN'S LEGAL POSE. For pretending to be a solicitor a married woman, Emily Louisa Hanks was lined 10s at Hastings" England. Proceedings against her were taken by the Incorporated Law Society, and it was ex plained that she sent notices signed " \Y. G. Langham" to debtors threatening to take proceedings unless certain sums of money were paid. The signature was that of a local firm of solicitors, and Banks explained that she used the name to make people pay up.

JUMP OVER OLIEF. Said to have jumped over the Fast Cliff at Ramsgate at a point whore the cliff is 85ft. high, Edward Green (18). of the R.A.F., was committed for trial on a charge of attempting to commit suicide. There is no recorded case of any other person, after jumping over the Ramsgate cliffs, remaining alive. Green said he acted in a fit of temper, and that- he suffered from the shock of being knocked over by a German bomb while on the way to Sunday-school in 1915.

SON KILLS FATHER. Sentence of right days' imprisonment was passed at the Old Bailey on Thomas Rose, who was found guilty of the manslaughter of his father. At the previous hearing it was stated that, when the son protested to his father concerning his brutal treatment of his mother, the elder Rose called him vile names and cha>' lenged him to fight. The son twice knocked his father to the ground, with fatal results. The sentence of eight days entitled Rose to his immediate discharge-

HUNTSMAN'S UNUSUAL FUNERAL. Lord Manton, the well-known sporting peer, who was killed while ridiing with the Warwickshire Hounds a few weeks ago. was buried in his hunting scarlet. A farm waggon, drawn by two draught horses, served as a hearse, and conveyed the remains from the late peer's home at Compton Vemey to Offchurch Cemetery, near Leamington. Among the wreaths was one in the form of a horseshoe in the famous Manton racing colours, which have been carried to victory- so man} - times during the last few seasons.

AIRMEN IN THE SEA. Seeing signals of distress, the steamer Wearmotfth, which arrived at Jersey recently from Scotland via Cherbourg, found a disabled French seaplane with two officers and a warrant officer. A boat was launched in an attempt to take the airmen oft", but it dapsfzed. A second boat. however, picked up the crew of the first and took off the airmen. A rope was then attached to the plane, but after two hours' towing it broke. A French destroyer which appeared took charge of the plane, while the Wearmouth returned to Cherbourg and landed the airmen.

OATS' CONCRETE GRAVE. A declaration regarding £100 left for the- upkeep of the concrete grave of two favourite cat* by Miss Julian O'Connor, was applied for by two trustees under the will at Harrogate County Court.. Miss O'Connor, who was related to Sir Roderick O'Connor, some time British Ambassador at Petrograd and Constantinople, left instructions that twelve shillings yearly be paid for the upkeep, but, though the trust was valid, there was no one to enforce it. •"Judge McCarthy agreed to the suggestion that the S.P.C.A. should relieve the trustees by taking over the remainis.

VICAR DISMISSES CHOIR. A dispute over the type of hymns to be sung has led to the Rev. A. H. Fletcher, rector of Merrow. Guildford, dismissing his choirrnen. Last November the rector asked the parochial church council to adopt 'he English Hymnal, but the council refused, and, in view of their determined attitude. Mr. Fletcher dropped his idea. Recently, however, he tried to introduce hymns from the new book into the usual Sunday services, but tho choirmen decided to remain firm in the parochial council's decision and refuse to lead the singing. The matter was brought to a head by the rector drawing up a declaration, which he asked ■ the choirrnen to sign, to the effect that they would obey him or resign. They refused to sign and were told that they could go.

VALUE OP AN EYE.

" I think £70 for even the partial loss of the sight of an eye is contemptible. People who offer that sum should have an eye taken out themselves. That, is the way to test the price. The £70 ought to.be increased to many mors times what it was worth before the. war." This was the view of Judge Cluer. of the Shoreditch County Court, when he refused to sanction an agreement come to between a girl and her employers under the Workmen's Compensation Act. It was stated that the girl, Kosina Lodge, 17. was employed as a cracker hand bv Messrs. Henry Wolff and Company, Bunhillrow, E.G. Her right eye was injured by a preparation used to imitate frost, partial loss of sight resulting, and the agreement tho judge now refuses to sanction was arrived at.

CHURCH ROBBING SPECIALISTS. Described as specialists in " this line o work," robbing church offertory boxes .Tames Curamings and Gertrude Kitson both of Newcastle, were at Gatesheac sentenced to throe months' hard labour The charge was that of attempting t( steal from the offertory box of St. Paul'i Church, Gateshead, and Sergeant Gate! told tho magistrates that ho saw the tw< accused persons approach the offertorj box. The male defendant took a smai key from his pocket and inserted it ir the box. Witness then stepped insid, and asked what they were, doing. Cum mines replied : " My wife just came ii to tio her bootlace." When charged, h< said : " Give us a chance; we have don< nothing." A very large number of key, were found on the male defendant, and ii answer to a question on this, point h< said : " 1 have always had a fancy fo: keeping keys; T don't know why." Hi denied having ever been near the offerton box, and said they only sat down foi a few minutes. The chief constable rear out a long list of convictions for yimilai offences in the neighbourhood, and saic ■ the two, who were not married, hac always been charged together. " They art f-penalists in this line of work," he' con | eluded.