NEWS FROM OVERSEAS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1934, Page 15 (Supplement)

NEWS FROM OVERSEAS

DEATH OF FAMOUS DOG “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. REWARD FOR SHY LOVER 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 went 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. CURE FOR “ROAD HOGS” Flogging for bad cases of dangerous driving was advocated by Mr N. R. Dobree, of the London Metropolitan Police 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 corporal 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.” ANCIENT MACHINE-GUN The Duke of Buccleuch has lent to the Armouries of the Tower of London a very 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. The gun, of brass or gunmetal, is mounted on a tripod and the chambers are revolved and pushed into place by a crank-handle on a screw-threaded axle. ' The barrel is engraved “defence.” No information is available as to whether Puckle was a practising gunsmith 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 Buccleuch has also lent what is probably the first rough model of the gun in iron.

CHILD WITH CHARMED LIFE Two and a-half-year-old Patricia Shirley Collinson, daughter of Sergeant Collinson, of ’ the Queen’s Bays, at Aidershot, bears a charmed life. Three times in one week recently she has had narrow escapes from death. At Southsea on Sunday the child was carried away by a great wave when paddling and was saved by a powerful swimmer. On Tuesday, while playing, she ran toward a runaway horse in the barracks square. The horse drew up suddenly within a few inches of her. Then, on Wednesday, she fell from the running board of a car, which passed over her. She was only slightly injured. KNITTING BY THE TON Knitting their way steadily through four tons of wool, the Deal branch of the Personal Service League has in two months produced two and a-half tons of woollen garments. This was revealed lately by Lady Reading at a garden party at Walmer Castle. Lady Reading said that in the last four months the league had cut up 40 miles of material for garments, which were being cut out in electric-ally-equipped workrooms at the rate of 600 a day. She said the league was supplying nearly 1,000,000 garments a year to the unemployed. They clothed 1000 people a week. AN UNLUCKY HONEYMOON Following his appointment as curate at Christ Church, Woking, the Rev. Gordon Blacktop, formerly of Peckham, was married recently. He had a house completely furnished at Woking. People living near by were surprised to see a furniture van again at the house and to see men removing the furniture from the house. Their surprise was nothing compared with that of a friend of Mr Blacktop—who had nromised to keep an eye on things while he was on his honeymoon—when he let himself in and found that the dining and sitting-rooms had been completely emptied. KING FOR FIVE DAYS SHOWMAN’S SON ON THRONE Otto Witte, the son of a Punch and Judy "showman, who 20 years ago hoaxed a nation and for five days became King of Albania, has suddenly appeared in Sweden in the guise of a hiker. Although over 60, he still dreams of his brief experience as a king. Witte’s adventure in Albania seems to-day to rival the improbabilities even of film heroes. In 1913 he was travelling in the Balkans when he heard that the newly created State of Albania was looking for a King. He heard that a Turkish prince had been invited to Albania in person to submit his candidature to the throne. He immediately telegraphed the time of his arrival at Durazzo in the name of the prince, and, arrayed in a dazzling uniform, 1 completely deceived the prince s supporters who gathered to. meet him. They gave him an enthusiastic reception, which was taken up by the whole of Albania.- , While the festivities in honour of the “King” were in full swing another telegram arrived —this time from the genuine prince. Witte promptly denounced the prince as an impostor, and nearly succeeded in having him thrown into prison.