GENERAL NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6552, 1 August 1899, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

THE MARINE COMMISSION. A telegram from Wellington states that an extension of time for a fortnight has been granted to the Marine Commission for the preparation of. its report, on the recent inquiry. It is expected that the report; will be presented to the House next week. A MAGISTRATE'S ADVICE. A peculiar case on the criminal side of the charge sheet came before the Stipendiary Magistrate at Wellington on Friday, says the "Post," when a landlord proceeded against his tenant for doing " wilful damage to a cupboard." . Defendant had chopped the cupboard to pieces for firewood. Mr Haselden, S.M., on having the circumstances of the case explained to him, pointed out that the 'complainant's remedy was by civil process. He also had once had a tenant who chopped up a partition, but he never thought of bringing a criminal case, but charged Mm for it. The incident, which caused some mer : riment in the Court, was ended by the Bench remarking that there might, of course, bs circumstances under which criminal proceedings would be perfectly warranted. • A STRANGE FISH. .-. . The " Timaru Herald " says that a remark-: able fish was caught by two of the crew of the dredge on Friday afternoon, just outside the breakwater. The fish Was seen floating with its back out of the water, and, having a very tempting appearance, a boathook was jabbed into it and its capture effected. The fish weighs— at various estimates — from 80 to 1001 b. It was brought ashore and displayed in Mr Day's shop at the Ship corner, where it attracted the attention of all passers-by. None of the fishermen ever saw such a fish before. " Sunfish " was the only suggestion., but this was scouted, and the only description the " Herald " has of a sun-fishi does not fit the specimen. It is 3ft 6in long, 2ft 4in deep from back to belly, and 9in thick, so that as it lies on it side it resembles a gigantic flatfish. It is beautifully coloured. The body is smoothly covered with very small scales, and is of a light reddish brown, \ -with whitish spots, and the whole body had a beautiful pearly lustre. It has a short tail with narrow lobes I7in from tip to tip ; a pair of ventral fins, one on the back and one on each side (all these long and narrow) ; a narrow fringe runs round the hinder hall of the body from dorsal to ventral fins; and all these fins are of a bright vermillion colour. The mouth is of the same colour but duller. The mouth is like that of a moki, and without teeth, a hard bony ridge occupying the place of teeth. This is a characteristic of the sun-fish. It. eyes are striking features, so large and fine are they. The eye socket is 3 in across and the pupil of the eye over . one inch. The gills are large and shapely. THE "DRAMA IN STONE." ' The latest report of the permanent architect of the Cologne Cathedral, according to the " Daily Chronicle," contains some interesting particulars regarding the cost of the additions and alterations which have been, made to this huge Gothic fane during the past seventy-five years. When tho work began in 1824 only portions of the choir and the basements of the two gigantic towers were finished. Since that year three masterarchitects have devoted their lives to the completion of the great " Drami in; stone," as the old Kaiser called it. Under Herr Ahlert, the first of these, nearly £30,000 was spent in eighteen years. The next master builder, Herr Zwirner, repaired, and raised, the outside walls, finished the portals, and improved the iron* construction in the roof at a cost of nearly £330,000. The final period, under Herr Voigtel, began in 1862. In the thirty-seven years which have since elapsed, £740,000 have been spent. The total outlay, therefore, since the work was begun in 1824 has been nearly £1,100,000. NATIVE OLIVES. Mr G. G. Boyd has forwarded to the " Poverty Bay Herald " some samples of native olives from the East Cape. They are rather rare, and, ho believes, are found only on Mariau Point and East Cape. The berries forwarded came from the Cape, where there are several trees. The fruit is not unlike the genuine olive, but is of a purple colour when ripe. AFFAIRS IN JOHANNESBURG. An interesting description of the state of affairs in Johannesburg about the middle of last month is given in a letter which Mr H. J. H. Blow; Under-Secretary for Public Works, has received from his brother (Mr W. H. P. Blow), who has lived in that city for some time past. The writer says: — "We are in a nice pickle here. Hundreds are leaving the town for Cape Colony and Natal every night, leaving their houses and furniture just as they stand, as a general feeling exists that as soon .as war is declared the Dutch will burn the town. Many of the lower class state that they would shoot every Englishman left. The foreign population are practically unarmed, while every burgher is supplied with rifles and ammunition. The Government has also built a fort overlooking the town, -with the guns trained towards us, so that when war is declared the Dutch will be able to enjoy * themselves bowling us over. It is admitted that there is not a week's supply of food in the town, and in the event of war none could be obtained from the coast, as the railway would be torn up to prevent the English troops using it. . . . There is quite a scare at the railway station every night when the trains leave for Capetown and Natal. Most of the passengers are women and children. A friend of mine who is ajurioua to leave, could only get an offer of £38 for furniture which had cost bim £300. Another offered me the whole furniture of a cottage for £10."

A NARROW ESCAPE. Letters which have been received by naval men on the Australian station give startling particulars of a remarkable occurrence that happened last month on board H.M.S. Australia while that cruiser was undergoing a full speed trial. The Australia is a sister ship to the Orlando, so long the flagship on the Australian station, and so well known here. She was, it appears from what can be gathered; on a full speed ran after being in Portsmouth dookyard for her annual refit. Through somebody's mistake the plugs to the hawse pipes were left out of the hawser holes, and it was not until the vessel had been a considerable time on her full speed run that it was noticed that she was gradually getting a list to one side, This very naturally caused considerable wonder on board, as there was no apparent cause for the vessel careeening. On investigation the discovery was made tbat the whole of the lower decks forward 'of the engine room were flooded to a depth of several feet, the water -having found its way into Uie shin through the unclosed hawse pipes and thence into the cable lockers. Fortunately the inrush of water was discovered in time, or it would have fared badly with two or three prisoners undergoing confinement in the cells, which are situated on th-s lower deck forward and were rapidly filling with water. As it was they had a severe wetting and a great fright, as they were boxed up like rats in a trap, and no help seemed near at hand. Beyond this trying experience on the part of tho prisoners and the damaging of some stores no other injury resulted from what might have proved a serious disaster.