NEWS OF THE DAY.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13413, 10 May 1912, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Logal argument in tho caso of Martin V. Bisley Bros., wa3 heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when judgment wag reserved.

Another anonymous friend of London • University, has offered £70,000 towards the scheme to re-house tho University on the site- north of tho British Museum. This gift brings the total subscribed in eight days to £305,000. Tho other gifts are: Anonymous, £100,000 ; "Anonymous, £75,000; Anonymous, £70,000; Drapers' Company, £60,000. In addition, tnc ( Duke of Bedford has given £5,000, and the Bedford trustees have- volunteered to reduce the price of the site by £50,000. Sir Francis Trippel has undertakem to raise £1,000,000 to carry out the scheme.

A woman boot-black will shortly start in business at one of the street corners in the busiest part of the West End of London, where she will do for women, says tho "Daily Express," tho work that the boy boot-black has so long dona for men. In an interview with an "Express" leppesentative this pioneer said: "I think it is high jtimo that women should be able to get a quick shine in thet street. As things are now, unless women resort to the usual trick of cleaning the toecapg of their shoes by friction on their stockings, they are often compelled to go about with muddy shoes." She will only work for women and girls.

Somo ghoulish acts of unwarrantable cruelty occurred in the Wairarapa a couplo of years ago, when gonie youths made a practice, or skinning rabbits alive with their thumb nails, and then letting them loose. Tho unfortunate animals in som© casea' lingered for half an hour in agonj', but the culprits were nevar brought to book. A series of allegations of an equally horrible nature were made to the local branch of the S.P.C.A. some time back, and reference was made to them at last night's annual mqeting of the Society. It was stated that a report was received to the effect that a resident of this district kept fowls, which were allowed to run loose and scratched in the garden. To prevent this tho owner cut off the claws of the birds, and in.this pitiable plight they were allowed to run upon the severed stumps. A member at the meeting said that a representative of the Society had at once visited tho owner', biyt tho fowls, if they had been in that plight, had bec*n destroyed. The hon. solicitors of the Society communicated with th© oivner in question on the mattor, but answering correspondence was received emphatically denying any knowledge of the affair.