GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 5 (Supplement)

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

I 1 " VICTORIA THE GOOD " In " Victoria the Widow and Her Sou " Mr. Hector Bolitho denies the often-repeated story that when Victoria, as Princess, learned for the first time that she would be .Queen, she said to her governess: " I will he good. The Queen herself, when questioned about the story, said: '' Of course I never said such a thing! How could lr FAMOUS NEW YORK CHURCH " More than 20,000 weddings have been performed in The Little Chinch Around the Corner, New York, during the 11 years' rectorship of the Rev. Randolph Ray. The famous Episcopal church was dedicated as the Church of the Transfiguration, but it is better known under the friendly name. SHY LOVER'S REWARD Irving Feuer, of Chicago, a young man of 23, is a very bashful swain. He went to call on a girl friend recently, but couldn't muster enough courage to ring the bell. A neighbour saw him pacing up and down and called the police. When the police arrived Irving started to run. A bullet stopped him. It was not a very serious wound, and Irving ■ was feeling well enough to be very embarrassed. DOG'S UNLUCKY KNOWLEDGE Aladar Karoly, a Budapest workman, lost his only belt and wont to a neighbour, Johann Atanyi, to borrow one. The neighbour, not having a spare belt, lent Karoly a leather dog lead, which served the purpose. A little later Karoly, while walking along a street, was attacked by a dog, which tore at his trousers until they were in ribbons. The dog was Atanyi's pet and the rightful owner of the leather lead, but this fact did not mend matters —or the trousers. Karoly sued his neighbour for the price of a new pair of trousers and the court granted his demand.

CAE'S LEAP INTO RAVINE Four young men from Manchester and Birmingham on'holiday at Nevin, near Pwllheli, a few weeks ago, had an amazing escape from death when motoring on the Rivals Mountain. The steering gear on the young men's car snapped, but all four managed to jump clear just before the car dashed over a precipice into a ravine 1500 ft. deep. NEW FIND OF ROMAN RELIOS One of the most extensive Roman ruins discovered in recont times has been brought to light near Triste by workmen digging foundations for a war memorial. The remains appear to be those of a large basilica, probably of the time of Trajan. They measure about 225 ft. by 100 ft. Apart from size, the ruins are rich in* architectural details, including friezes, columns, statues and other, sculptures. FAMILY'S LONGEVITY RECORD Few families in the United States can boast a record of longevity to compare with that established at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, by the Reynolds family, whose ages total 512 years 7 months 14 days. The individual ages are as follows (years only being given):—Mrs. John Thomason," 94; Mrs. E. P. Martin, 92; Dr. W. E. Reynolds, 89; Mrs. Thomason, 88; Mrs. Emmet Parker, 77; Mrs. Zone Reynolds, 70. RIP VAN WINKLE SOLDIER A German soldier, taken prisoner of war by the Russians in 1914, returned from captivity recently to his hpmo at Montwitz, East Prussia. He had been listed as killed in action. On reaching home the man, William Zapka, found that his wife had died 11 years ago, his farm had been taken over by his brother and nono of his children recognised him. A procession, headed by the police, marched to the village war memorial and, amid great rejoicing, Zapka's name was solemnly erased from the list of the fallen.

NEW YORK MAYOR'S WISDOM The Mayor of New York recently signed an ordinance providing a fine of 25 dollars for any swimmer at municipal beaches who ventures beyond the safety zone. " This ordinance," the Mayor said, " may serve a useful purpose, but 1 have mv doubts. If any swimmer goes beyond the safotv zone and doesn't come bat'k the ordinance doesn't do much good; and 'if a good swimmer does go beyond the safety zone and does come back, what's the use of fining him? POPE LEAVES THE VATICAN For the first time, since he was elected Pope, over 12 years ago, Piijs XI. recently slept away from the Papal Palace at the Vatican. Unnoticed by the villagers, he drove from the Vatican to a little hill town on the shores of Lake Albano, near Rome, on his first holiday since 1922. When the news of the Pope's arrival had spread villagers and holidaymakers gathered in the street and he went on to the balcony to bless them. The Pope had no choice about his visit. His architect told him that the rooms which lie occupies in the Vatican Palace are unsafe and that he would not be responsible unless they were reconditioned without delay. ANCIENT MACHINE-GUN The Duke of Buceleuch has lent to the Armouries of the Tower of London a verv early flintlock machine-gun based on the revolver principle. The patent was taken out by " James Puckle, Gent'., of the City of London, on May 15, 1718. A , . The gun, of brass or gunmetai, is ; mounted on a tripod and the chambers , are revolved and pushed into place by u crank-handle on a screw-threaded axle. The barrel is engraved " defence. No information is available as to whether Puckle was a practising gun- • smith or merely an amateur inventor, " Gent." certainly suggesting the latter. He provided round bullets for use ■ against Christians and square bullets against Turks. The Duke of Buceleuch has also lent what is probably the first rough model of the grin in iron.

FAMOUS RAILWAY DOG DEAD " Victor." Euston Railway Station's famous collecting dog, is dead. During the past seven years " Victor," a black retriever, had collected £2700 from passengers for charity, and as a result of his efforts over 500 cases of distress caused by sickness, etc., among the London, Midland and Scottish Railway's staff have been relieved. The successor, to " Victor," a big two-year-old, curly-coated retriever, "Jack," has been acting as understudy to the older dog. CURE FOR " ROAD HOGS " Flogging for bad cases of dangerous driving was advocated by Mr. N. R. Dobree, of the London Metropolitan Polico College, in opposing a motion at the Gray's Inn Debating Society recently, to the effect that corporal punishment should be abolished. " Would it not be a good thing to have corpora] punishment for some of the young fools who drive high-powered cars and who have more money than is good for them? " asked Mr. Dobree. " Imprisonment is no good. It does not carry the official stigma that it ought for motoring offences." BAN ON DOGS AND CATS Hundreds of families living in council houses in Aberdeen, will have to part with their dogs and cats, or give up their houses. They have been presented with these alternatives by the Aberdeen Corporation, following complaints that dogs have destroyed gardens. Every tenant has received a notice forbidding the keeping of pets in the houses. An official stated that: " Domestic pets are forbidden by the leases, but the relevant clause has never been enforced." Mr. James Mac Donald, a tenant, complained: " Liko a great many other people, I never read the lease. All the tenants who keep cats and dogs are indignant, and all those to whom I have spoken say they will not dispose of their pets. I would rather move from my house than have my dog removed. I think we should appeal to the Canine Association to see if they could give us any help."