General News.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9619, 23 April 1900, Page 3

General News.

~a.& other evening a Christchurch newspaper boy was calling out in Cathedral Square "Truth"! "Truth" ! "Latest edition," when a man stopped and asked if there was any news. "Oh, yes," replied the boy, "all the latest newsj of the war." "How many men •killed?" "Two or three." The man then said, "It's not worth while buying ai paper to see that." The boj* looked up into the man's face, and replied sarcastically, "Look here, mister, do you want a bloomin' thousand men killed every evening for a penny?" A shrapnel shell 1 fired into Kimberley on January 30 took a curious course. Entering a drapery shop it penetrated a brick wall, and made a clean sweep of the stockroom on the upper floor, it severely punished a, group of lay wax figures used for window dressing. One dummy figure of a lady, was ungallantly riddled by twelve bullets, whilst a boy's wax head was smashed to atoms. Speaking of the rejoicings at the Stock Exchange, Melbourne, on the relief of Ladysmith, the Australasian remarks: Why brokers should so easily catch fire and burn so has not been explained, but it is a fact that they break out in enthusiasm more readily than other people all the world over. Practically no* business was done on Friday, March 2,, but cheering, singing and celebrating toasts. The day's excitement ended with a procession in the rain up Collins street.

! A frequent and amusing sight at I Modder River is that of Mr. Atkins zealously soaping his khaki uniform all over, and then diving into the river with it on in order to give it a good wash. Some trouble is sa,ved by this process, but the time and temper expended in waiting for the clothes to dry somewhat detracts from its value. The following death notice appeared in the London Times weekly edition of February 2: "McLachlan.—Oa Christmas Day, shot in the Market square, Harris.mith, Orange Free State, South Africa, for refusing to fight against hi si own countrymen, John McLachlan, • junior, aged 30, eldest son; of John McLachlan, of Wandsworth. and grandson of the late John McLachlan, of Lambeth."