GENERAL NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 221, 30 December 1910, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS

Nearly a year ago, as the result of an article published in the Sydney Telegraph, a number of Australian prospectors sent to Professor T. H. Laby, of Victoria College, Wellington, minerals to be tested for radium. Only one contained radium, but, unfortunately, the sender of the calico bag containing this specimen did not enclose in it his name and address. The specimen consisted of fine shining black particles and layers of a canary yellow color, in a translucent and faintly pink matrix. The yellow layers are probably carnotite. Professor Laby would be glad to hear from the sender of the specimen, as he has found a strongly radio-active and valuable mineral. 1

Mr. J. P. Firth, principal of Wellington) College, made some interesting observations on education at the prize-giving ceremony recently. "No matter what, views one may hold on education mat-; ters," he said, "there are certain to be| many strong opponents of those views.) I give here a few that have been expressed to me:~i-'The only way to teach boysj so as to get good results from your teaching is to stand them in a row and test them in the work they have been set to learn, beginning at one end With a cane and finishing up with it at the other.' (Laughter). 'Boys should be set no work at all to learn. Preparation sol called is worse than useless.' 'I do not feel inclined to submit to the brutality' you have displayed in thrashing my boy.' 'I wish that, instead of punishing my boy by detention, you would give him a sound thrashing.' 'Why need boys be punished at all? You can do as much by moral suasion.' 'I have no faith at all in the moral suasion business. Give a boy a good thrashing, and 'it does him a world of good.' 'lf my boy were lacking in ability I could understand his failure. But he can't be that—look at me!' This from the father of the boy. 'Look at his father!" This from the unele of the same boy."

There was a sensational opening to the trial at New York of Edward' Rosenheimer, a young millionaire, who was indicted for the manslaughter of Miss Grace Hough, who was driven over by his automobile and killed in the streets of New York. It transpired that a juror named Yeandle told a friend that he was open to substantial argument in the form of a monetary bribe. The friend promptly informed counsel for the defence, Mr. James Osborne, who is one of Tammany Hall's best-known lawyers. Mr. Osborne, before the court opened, telephoned to the Judge and asked his advice. The latter suggested that coun- ; sel should make overtures to Yeandle , and see what happened. Counsel did this, and within a few minutes the juroT 'had taken £IOO as part payment of £soo the balance to be handed over after th» discharge of the jury. Yeandle was swiftly bundled into prison. A new juror was sworn in, and the Public Prosecutor opened the. case against Rosen-1 heimer. who, it is alleged,-after his ma-! chine 'had ploughed through the small I vehicle containing the victim and two other ladies, drove off, and when pursued Iby another motor car and called upon j to return and assist the injured, angrily exclaimed, "Go to h—t-!" >■' - ;i.*V "' ' . . V; 'v ' '