NEWS AND NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 488, 16 September 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEWS AND NOTES.

Captain Welbv, an Englishman who is exploring pouth-west Abyssinia, has discovered a tribe of giants seven feet high.

The Auckland City Council have made terms with Mr Bingham for the construction and running of electric trams. The agreement is subject to a poll of the rat-payers should one be demanded, which must be held within twenty-one days.

It is reported in the South that although the Hon. J. G. Ward's suggested submarine cable service between the Bluff and Stewart Island has not been carried out, it is just possible that the "silver stieak" in the shape of t'ovcaux Strait may be bridged, so to speak, by other means—wireless telegraphy, to wit. A gentleman who takes an interest in the latest developments of science and their application to colonial requirements has the subject in hand, and more will probably be heard of it at an early date.

An amusing, and probably the latest joke concerning the electric light is just going tbe round of the Bedforshire paper?. It seems that at Bedford an old lady, on seeing electric light in that town for the first time, was arrack with amazement. After gazing at it for some time, she entered a grooery shop, and addressing tbe assistant, said: '"lsay, mister, how do you make that big light o' yourn ? I am tired of burning paraffin." The shopman replied : '' Oh, it is caused by a series of electric currents.' " Oh, is it!" Haid the old woman. " Then weigh me a pound ; if they won't do for lighting, they'll come in for puddings "

Tbe fine appearance of the Wellington police force has frequently been commented on by strangers visiting the Empire City (iaya the N.Z. Times). And Wellingtonians have reason to be proud of their police constables, as probably no other body of guardians of the psaee in the world can show such a high average in height and weight as its doughty memberscan. A recently taken return gives the following extraordinary results:—Average height of men, 6ft If in ; average weight, Ust 321 b. These figures compare favourably with that picked body of men, the London Metropolitan Police Force, whoie figures are:—Height, sft lOin; weight, 12st 71b.

The infant child of Mra H. Hamerton, of Fatea, was attacked by either a rat or a weasel when lyiug asleep in its cot two or three nights ago. The mother was awakened by hearing a choky cough, and on procuring a light found the baby to be completely smothered in blood, the cough being produced by the blood in its mouth. Closer examination showed its face to have been bitten in six or seven places, one bite on the no3e being quite half an inch long, and at one place deep. The youngster had been fed and returned to its cot only something lesa than an hour before.

Says the Otago Daily Times: Town clerks and others who have been called upon to make a study of the Municipal Franchise Reform Act are finding that under the new law there are many anomalies. One town clerk on Thursday pointed out' that the Act gave every faoility for the manufacture of faggot votes, and the names of a dozen persons might be placed on the roll for one property Another town clerk pointed out that while the owner of a property who had not paid his rates was not eligible to vote, his tenants would be able to exercise that privilege even though their rent had not been paid to the landlord.

When summing up at the Farquhar inquest in Wellington, the Coroner (Mr Ashcroft) said a great deal of time, trouble and expense might be saved iu cases like the present if the Legislature would so amend the Criminal L»w that the depositions taken at a coroner's inquest might be accepted by the magiH- ' trate on the attestation of the coroner on the application for the committal of any person implicated for trial, at the Supreme Court, with power to the counsel of the accuned person to recall any witness for cross-examination, and for either side to call additional evidence. At present all witnesses had to give evidence three times, which seemed quite unnecessary and inoonvenient. So far 52 members of the Ho use of Representatives hove expressed 1 n opinion on the Federation question m reply to an interview, and of the r 0" mainder 6 are Ministers, 4 are abse Q t from Wellington at the present time, and 4 represent the native race. Sufficient have, therefore, been approaohed on the subject to enable some idea to be formed of the mind of Parliament on this important question. Of the 52 members who have spoken eight have given no clue whatever to their personal convictions on the subject, admitting that they have formed no definite opinion but are wait ing for more light. Of the remaining 44, 27 may bo taken to be inclined to favour Federation, while 17 go in the opposite direction. The views of members may be further classified as follows : —ln favor of Federation 15, against 8, favorably disposed 12, unfavorably disposed 9, no opinion one way or the other 8. The general opinion appears to te that there is not much chance of the House being given an opportunity of disoussing the matter this session.—Hawko's Bay Herald.

How the unsophisticated farmer fills before the machinations of those who would prey upon his pocket and his credulity was graphically told by Mr Syme at the Gore Farmer's Club meeting the other day (says the Mataura Ensign). An acquaintance of Mr Syme's went to the Gore yards to buy some bullocks to eat down a patch of turnips. After spirited opposition bidding by an individual apparently as anxious to secure the bullocks as he was, the farmer utiinately triumphed, and had the beasts knocked down to him, discovering later on (and the things he thought when that time arrived may bo graphically and accurately imagined) that the man who bid so strongly against him was none other than the vendor. He was * trotting out' with a delicious vengeance ! The farmer took those bullocks home, and they lived on the fat of his land (otherwise turnips) for several weoks, after which he railed them to the Dunedin market. Reckoning nothing for his cupical lying idle in the interim, ignoring altogether the value of the turnips, brushiug aside as a fleabite the cost of raibge, giving noteveua second thought to incidental expennes, risks, etc , those bullocks brought less in Dunedin than the unfortunate farmer paid for them in Gore.

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