General News Items

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21876, 11 August 1934, Page 5 (Supplement)

General News Items

THEFT FROM A SHRINE Jewels and religious articles valued at about £75,000 were lately stolen from the museum attached to the cathedral 'at New Goa, Portugal, in which the sarcophagus of St. Francis Xavier is kept It is the custom of pilgrims to the sarcophagus to deposit articles of value there, and theso are afterward placed in the museum. It is some of these articles that have been stolen. LIFE SAVER AT 72 For rescuing two boys from drownjn('r in the Grand Surrey Canal, wTlliam Taylor, aged 72, and William Ward, aged 58. both of Peckham, were at Lambeth Police Court in London lately presented with the lioyal Humane Society's testimonials. Mr. Taylor also received a certificate. The magistrate. Mr. Walter Hedley, K.C., said Mr. Taylor could not swim and 'both men were fully clad when they jumped into the water. MISSING MAIL BAGS FOUND The mystery of two bags of registered mail wh'ich were thought to have disappeared, from the North German Lloyd liner Europa, whil? in transit from rsew York to London, was cleared up. After the landing of the mail the tallies showed that two bags were missing. Inquiries established that these mail bags were sent away in an aeroplane which was catapulted from the Europa' while she was off Southampton. The " missiug " mail bags were safe. . SURPRISE FOR AN EMIR The Emir of Gwandu, West Africa, had a surprise lately in England. He made a speech, and a moment after he had finished he heard the speech being repeated back to him from a machine. It happened at the H.M.V. gramophone recording studios at Mayes, Middlesex. v The Emir was delighted when he discovered that he had made a record. He intended to take copies of it back to Africa and issue them to his black subjects. / THEFT OF WAR MEDALS The London flat of Mr. Ernest Brown, Secretary for Mines, in London, was broken into lately and the Minister's military medals and jewellery stolen. Mrs. Brown was having tea with her husband on the terrace of the House of Commons at the time. The thief, or thieves, also took several items of jewellery belonging to Mrs. Brown, two of the Minister s suits of clothes and several silver wedding gifts. Apparently the thief must have been disturbed, because • articles of value which might have been taken were left behind. GETTING A TEST CRICKET SCORE An ingenious method of acquainting those present with the cricket Test match score was adopted by Air. Jacques Abady at a meeting of a House of Lords Select Committee, m June. Appearing for one of the parties concerned, he had a difference of opinion - with a /witness, and said, "It would be just as wrong to say that Australia .were 285/ all but, when in fact, they are 28i." . . » ■ . Those present pricked up their ears. Another counsel asked Mr. Abadv,, " Is that true?" He was told "Quite true." " WAITER LEAVES £20,000 Waiter'at an Eastborne hotel for 49 years, Air. Albert Charles Gabb, of ' Eastborne, has left a gross estate of £20,683, with net personalty £19,2!)/. He died in March aged 75. Tact, efficency and courtesy are stated to have been the characteristics which made Mr. Gabb one of the most popular and successful waiters in the country. Mr. Gabb took up his duties at the Grand Hotel, when he was about 21, and retired five years ago. An official of the hotel said:— 11 Mr. Gabb, who was head waiter, was full of understanding, and was ready at any time to go out of his way to meet the requirements of a guest." SAILORS ERECT OWN CHURCH Everything has been done to make Bailors feel "at home" in the Church of St. Barbara, Whale Island, Portsmouth Harbour, which lately was dedicated by Dr. Lovett, Bishop of Portsmouth: The building lias been converted from an ammunition store into a church, by shipwrights of H.M.S. Excellent and H.M.S. Sultan. The floor has been laid out on the lines of a caulked deck, the roof also has a caulked appearance, and above the altar hangs a lamp. On the altar frontal is embroidered the ship of Christ, with the words: "So He bringeth them • into the haven where they would be." The altar cross is a memorial to Rear-Admiral the Hon. Horace- Hood, who was killed at the Battle 'of Jutland. FOUR YEARS' XiEGAL FIGHT After lasting for four years, a legal dispute over the payment of 30s a week compensation to a Scottish workman , ended /it) the House of Lords, lately. The Law Lords, by dismissing the appeal, leave the workman still without his compensation, although it has never been disputed that he was legally entitled to it. The workman, Walter Henry, a mason, of Lockerbie, became totally unfit for work through developing silicosis, a * disease to which stone workers are liable. He was awarded 30s. a week compensation against his employer, who' went bankrupt. The legal tussle had been fought on the question whether the man's two previous em* plovers should contribute to the compensation due to him. The Law Lords held they were not liable so long as no payment was made by the bankrupt or out of his estate. PETITION IN OLDEN DAYS Demonstrations in favour of peace are not a modern development, for a picturesque display to fix attention on the need for peace was given in 7.643. Between 2000 and 3000 women,' each with white silk ribbons in her hat, proceeded to the House of Commons to present a petition for peace. The Commons gave thein a typical political reply, ending with a desire that the women should "return to their Habitations." But these women, unlike men and women who form deputations to Ministers of the Crown nowadays, were not to be put off with an evasiye reply on the lines that the matter would be kept steadily in view. , Dissatisfied with the answer the members of the deputation refused to "return to their habitations," and remained about the House until their numbers increased to 5000. The trained bands fired a blank volley to frighten them, but the women's only answer was a shower of stones. At that the S trained hands fired with ball and killed one woman. One writer of the time said v the women were "principally the |5 of respectable citizens," but another described them as "of the meaner ii ttort."

EGYPTIAN LOVE STORY This is a love story from romantic Cairo. A student of that city loved beautiful eighteen-year-old Nabawia Hassanein, who lived in the house opposite. He demonstrated his affection by staring longingly at her window.

Nabawia was not flattered. In fact, she showed her resentment of her would-be lover's attentions by hurling a stone at him as. lie stood at his window. The stone hit him on tho nose and broke it. Nabawia has been sent to prison for two years. ELASTIC SIDES FOR ROADS " Elastic " walls to border roads are being tested in France. They are made of ordinary earth with a " cover " of reinforced concrete. In the presence of the inventor, M. Edgard Bouvier, an experiment has been carried out at Caillv-sur-Eure. A ten-ton lorry was driven into one of the walls at a speed of 40 m.p.h. It simply rebounded. It is hoped that the general adoption of such walls may reduce the number of accidents. GOOD USE FOR OLD FACTORY At Lupset, -near Wakefield, Yorkshire, there was a disused woollen mill. Auctioneers had laboured strenuously, describing its desirable points, but it was no use; the place stood empty and began to fall into decay. Then, suddenly, someone had a happy idea. A new church was needed badly, but the cost —wdty why not use the material ready at hand in the old mill. And so the new church is to be built of the bricks of the disused woollen factory. Lord Allendale laid the founda-tion-stone. GERMAN WEDDING COMEDY An unexpected complication arose lately at the wedding of Herr Terbove'n, Nazi district leader, and Fraulein Stahl, at Essen, Germany. Orders had been given that the town was to be decorated with flags in honour of the occasion. But the day was the anniversary of the Treaty of Versailles, and all Germany was flying flags at half-mast as a sign of " mourning-" . . A compromise saved the situation. The flags flew until noon at half-mast, and for the rest of the day at the mast head. PRISON DASH FRUSTRATED Dust found on the floor of a cell in Cardiff gaol lately frustrated a daring attempt of a 19-year-old prisoner to escape. The youth who was on remand on a housebreaking charge, scraped away the mortar in the outer wall sufficiently to remove some stone blocks and leave enough - space to crawl through into the garden. The prisoner used a spoon and a knife as tools. He succeeded in hiding most of the dust, but a little of it was found on the floor of the cell. When he was about to make his final effort he found the warders ready for him. _ CHURCH TO BE CLOSED The village church at Sutton, Essex, is being barred and bolted during weekdays for the rest of the summer as a result of several cases of damage and theft which the police have been investigating. An attempt was made to force an iron chest in which documents dating from Norman days are kept. This was discovered when a churchwarden found a broken key in the lock. On another occasion the altar crdss was thrown down and smashed. Other church furniture was damaged, the alms box was rifled, and hymn books were thrown about. WORLD'S OLDEST WAR NURSE America's " Florence Nightingale " w?s 102 years of age on June 26. She is Mrs. Minerva Hartmann, believed to be the world's oldest war nurse. She is a little, rugged-faced woman who ekes out a precarious living in a San Francisco suburb by doing crochet work Minerva —as she is affectionately called —served in four wars—the American Revolutionary War, the Indian and the Spanish Wars, and the Philippine Insurrection. But she lias, never drawn a pension from the Government,- because the records of her service have been lost, and when the people of California started a fund to help her she refused to take a penny. BED OF BANKNOTES When Mjliailo Petrovitch, of Belgrade, proposed marriage to his landlady, she answered: " Dirty old beggar man! I would not marry you if you were the last man in the world ! " "One day you will regret not taking me," replied Petrovitch, who rarely spent a penny, ate only scraps of food given him by neighbours, and would not light a fire even on the coldest winter day. Now Petrovitch is dead. And concealed in the patched mattress oil which he died they found banknotes with millions of dinars (a million dinars is worth £4000). Now, longforgotten relatives of Petrovitch have appeared to claim the fortune. The feelings of his landlady are not reported.

100-YEAR-OLD STOCKINGS Stockings nearly 100 years old were worn by Miss Margaret Harrison at her wedding at Brnncepeth, near Durham, recently, to Mr. John L. Longland, a member of the last Mount Everest expedition. They were cream silk stockings of cobweb texture and were worn by her great-grand-niother at her wedding in 1837. Mr. Longland is a lecturer in English at the University of Durham: He is a prominet athlete, a Durham Rugby player, and gained distinction by his pole-vaulting in .the inter-Uni-versities championships. One of the wedding hymns, specially chosen by Mr. Longland, was "The Spacious Firmament on High." On leaving, the bride and bridegroom passed through an arch of ice-axes held by Mr. Longland's climbing friends. Among the gifts received by the bridegroom was an axe and a piece of rope. SPEAKER'S MACE RETURNED Canada is celebrating this year a series of important anniversaries, and many countries have joined in sending expressions of goodwill. President Roosevelt proposes to give Toronto a very appropriate "birthday present" in the Speaker's mace, which in 1813 lay on the table of Ontario's Parliament House, and for long past has been in the United States Naval Academy at Anapolis. In that year. General Pike ferried across Lake Ontario, captured York, then the capital of Ontario, and now the site of the city of Toronto, and raided the Parliament buildings. The Americans on leaving took with them the mace, the wooden figure of the British lion on the back of the chair, the Speaker's wig, and the Royai Standard which flew over the Governor's house. A year later the British retaliated by burning Washington. Since then the peace between the two countries has never been disturbed.

FUNERAL SERVICE FOR A BUS Sixty-five people were lately in mourning for a bus. It was the only " family " bus in London, and it was to disappear from the streets because the London Passenger Transport Board had acquired it. The bus was draped in blaclc for its last ride of independence, with its 65 passengers, who had caught it at 8..'J0 each morning at Duhvich for 11 <voars. " It lias boon a bus of happiness and romance," said the owner, Air. G. l'\ Buck, and the 40 minutes' journey is more like the session of a social club than a journey to work." ENOCH ARDEN IN TURKEY All his friends and relatives believed that Ali. a Turk, was killed m the Balkan War of 1911. A few weeks ago lie suddenly appeared at his old homo in Constantinople, which was rather a shock for his wife, as she had married again. Ali, however, is a sportsman. He claims that he is " officially dead," is applying for a new name, and not disturbing his wife's second marriage. He says ho was wounded in the Balkan War and lost his memory. It was restored recently, by a sudden shock, and ho at once took the first train back to Turkey and his wife. That's his story, and he's sticking to it! COCKTAIL PARTY IN SHOP Some of London's most fashionable men and women meet for a cocktail party in a barber's shop. This is not just a freak idea. It is business. A former • Home Secretary, two brothers of the public prosecutor, and Major Sir Guy Campbed have opened the shop in St. James' Street. Mr. Edward Shortt, K.C., president of the British Board of Film Censors, Mr. A. E. Tindal Atkinson, Mr. J. P. Tindal Atkinson and Sir Guy Campbell will not themselves be barbers. But they will see that every barber has the right touch and the conversational discretion of a diplomat. The idea is to provide a place where a man who likes a really good haircut can have it.

CHEAPER AND FASTER TRAINS The new German Zep. train the " Flying Hamburger," whose record run from Berlin to Cologne has excited much interest, is likely to be put into regular service on this route early in 1935. One of the greatest arguments in its favour is its economy. Its fuel consumption, despito its high speed, is actually less than that of the present scheduled steam trains. Should the steam trains be entirely superseded by trains of the " Flying .Hamburger " type, double the number of trains could be run, the speed would be raised by fifty per cent, and the fuel bill reduced by twenty-five per cent. MOTORISTS AND SIGNALS When a batch of motorists appeared before a magistrate, Mr. Metcalfe, at Old Street, Loudon, recently for failing to conform to traffic signals, a number suggested that mistakes had been made by police officers. The magistrate said: " I can understand that one officer might make a mistake, but if I am asked to believe that forty officers, one after another, are wrong it is more than I can believe. Two-penny halfpenny fines are no good. Motorists simply say, 'I don't care twopence for your lights or anything else.' " INTERESTING MARRIAGES It was the curious experience of the late Count de Caserta, who fought against Garibaldi in 1860 and later headed the Cnrlist troops in Spain, to see his son marry the daughter of Alfonso XII., against whom he had fought for Don Carlos. It is not the only instance of the Romeo and Juliet motif in history. The Wellington and Napoleon families were united in marriage through the union of the Marquess of Wellesley with the sister of Elizabeth Patterson —Jerome Bonaparte's first wife. Scarcely less unexpected is the fact that Napoleon's cook was afterward in the service of Wellington. FINE FOR THE "MEANEST THEFT" When an Alexandra Hose Day collector was fined at Reading, England, for stealing sixpence, the money of Abram, chairman of the Reading Queen Alexandra Rose Day Qommittee, it was stated that he had served sentences of five and three years' penal servitude for burglary and theft. A police officer said that the man, Thomas MeMahon, aged 73, had aroused suspicion on other flag days, and the police had suggested he should not be employed. It was stated that a marked sixpence was handed to MeMahon on Rose Day, and this was found in his pocket. A police inspector said that McMahon's collecting box was carried by his dog. People were asked to throw down their coins in front of the dog, and MeMahon would pick then up and fumble with the collection box. In fining him 20s and 3s costs, the Bench said he had been guilty ol the meanest and most despicable crime, and obviously organisers of charitable collections should be more careful of the men whom they employed.

REVISED VERSION It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage, But you'll look sweet Upon the suite Till the first monthly payment is due. THE SPARE PARTS Two garage hands were invited to a rather exclusive tea-party. When they sat down they noticed that there were two knives and forks beside each plate. Bill leaned across to Harry. " I say, 'Arry," he said, " what's the idea of these two knives and forks? "

Harry sniffed rather contemptuously. " Don't show yer ignorance, Bill," he replied. " Them's spares in case one of the others conks out."

HE KNEW HIS PACE!

An Englishman living in Hongkong had a Chinese boy, one of whose duties was to polish the many framed photographs in the house. On the writingdesk was a large photograph of a great l'riend of the Englishman, named Mr. Burnham.

One day Mr. Burnham arrived, and the master of the house rang for. the boy, and when the boy appeared, said: " Oh, Ah Fong, this gentleman is going to stay here for a few days. His name is Mr. Burnham."

" Me know," Ah Fong responded unemotionally. " Evelly day wipee faceyl

GETTING HIS MONEY'S WORTH

Sandy h'red a taxi to take him to Che railway station. Arriving, he asked how much he owed. The driver looked at the meter. "Two-and-threo, sir," he replied. Sandy handed him half a crown and waited patiently while the man searched through his pockets for the change. At last he admitted that he hadn't any coppers.

Sandy at once consulted his watch and a happy expression spread across his face. " I've still got ten minutes before ma train goes," he said. "Ye can drive me round for a bit, mon, and that'll make us all square." PADDY AND THE BARROW Paddy had found work as a builder's hand. On his first morning the foreman had instructed him to go and letch two wheelbarrows from a shed. Paddy returned a few minutes later with onlv one wheelbarrow.

"I told you I wanted a pair of 'em," expostulated the foreman. " Sure," replied Paddy with a grin. " But it's only one I could wheel at the same time." " You fool!" said the foreman. " Why couldn't you put the other ou top of it?" "Fancy mo not thinking of that!" exclaimed the Irishman, turning back, still with the barrow.

"Leave that one here, now!" shouted the exasperated foreman. " But I've got to lutve it, so I can put the other one on top of it!" was Paddy's reply.

„ A PUZZLE TO JOHNNY Little .Johnny looked very thoughtful. " I say, daddy," he said, " why is mother Kinging?" " She's doing that to try to get baby to sleep," he replied. "Will she stop when baby is asleep?" asked the boy. Father nodded. " Then why doesn't baby pretend to be asleep?" Johnny inquired. NOT WHAT SHE MEANT A -.wealthy old lady was interested in the slum clearance problem, and went to inspect a London area. A guide volunteered to , show her round. Towards the end of her tour, saddened and shocked by what she had seen, the old lady murmured, " What sewers! " " Thanks, Mum," said the Guide, with a sigh' of gratitude, " mine's a, long shandy."

MORE UNFAIRNESS Sullivan was paying a visit to New York. On his first night there he was dining out with an American friend when the latter said: " You know, Mr. Sullivan, there's a big difference in time between my country and yours. While we are enjoying ourselves now, your folks in Cork'are in bed and asleep." "And isn't that always the way," exclaimed Sullivan indignantly. " Ireland nivver got justice yet!" EASILY EXPLAINED The stationmaster was very keen that his men should bo the smartest t>n the "line in appearance, and so it worried him to notice that old Mike, one of' the porters, was growing very slovenly in his dress. " Mike," he asked one day, " why is it that your 6hirt always looks dirty nowadays ?" " It's mo wife's fault," replied the porter. " She's got work now, and it keeps her too busy to see to my needs." " What kind of work does she do?" inquired the stationmaster. " She takes in washing, sorr," eaid Mike.

NOT SO DANGEROUS After the children's party a photographer came forward and rigged up his camera and flashlight. "Now, all keep very still, children," he said. As the flashlight burst one little boy whom it had rather scared asked what it was. "Magnesium," replied the photographer. "Lummy," exclaimed the little boy, "is that all? That's what mum gives our baby." PISH AND CHIPS Teacher was trying to get her class to understand something about the ether. " Now, then," she said very patiently, " what is it that pervades all space? What is that something which no walls, no doors, no windows can shut out?" The class was silent for a while, then Freddy rose to his feet. " I know, teacher," he said; " the smell of fried fish and chips." LAST OF HIS RACE " Well, my dear," said Jones impatiently, " I'm just off. Do you want me to back any particular horse at the races?" " Yes," she said eagerly, " put ten shillings on that nice-looking horse wo saw in the paper this morning. He looks such an aristocrat." That evening when Jones returned she was waiting for him on the doorstep. " Did it win?" she asked. Jones grimaced. " My dear," he returned, "he was, as you said, an aristocrat, but, like many others, ho was the last of the race." ALL PREPARED An old Irishwoman was in the dock. " Havo you a barrister to defend you? " asked the judge. " No, your Honour," replied the old lady. " Do you mean to say you have no lawyer to help you? " " No, your Honour." " Well, haven't you any friends to help you? " " Well, your Honbur," came the reply, " I have a few friends on the jury." THEIR OWN FAULT A wizened little fellow applied for a job loading ship. At first, tlioy told him he was too small, but finally they gave him a trial. He seemed to bo making good, so they gradually increased the size of his load until he was carrying a 3001b. anvil under each arm. When he was half-way across the gang-plank it broke and the little fellow fell in. With a great splash and spluttering he came to the surface. " Throw me a rope! " he shouted, and sank again. Once more he sank, and rose again struggling. "7 say," he said angrily, " if one of you asses don't hurry up and throw me a rope I'm going to drop one of these anvils! "