GENERAL NEWS.

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 July 1901, Page 1

GENERAL NEWS.

The Dunedin correspondent of Christchurch Truth telegraphs that he has good authority for stating that the recent count of the sheep in New Zealand shows a large increase for the year, and the figures, at any rate for the South Island, will give a complete answer to the pessimists who foretold that the freezing in-

dustry would result in bringing clown outflocks. The increase is chiefly noticeable in Canterbury, but Southland has also a good return to show; At an inquest at Melbourne on the Bth instant, concerning the death of Loveday Katherine Mankey, aged 22, whose body was found ,on .the St.. Ivilda. Beach, the

police stated that over 500 people 'present;' ed themselves at the morgue to see the body,:either to identify, or what is more likely, to satisfy a.morbid curiosity. At the same time,: scores of.-telegrams and

letters came to "hand from parents in : the country asking , for further details in the description of the. clothes, etc.,".worn by the deceased. They indicate pretty..' clearly that' a large number of young .women have disappeared from their, homes in rcL cent'years, and have not been traced.by their anxious .relatives. . : :

A love for the bagpipes is generally suiroosed to be an hereditary, not an ac^ quired taste; But, thanks to' the Kaid Maclean, one of the chief, officers of his court, the Sultan of Morocco- is said to have developed an--extraordinary fondness for the pipes, and for Scottish music. Ten years ago a piper became one of the ml stitutions of his court, and ,very_ recently

he commissioned a- well-known Glasgow pipemaker to furnish him with a set of bagpipes.for his own use. Possibly this set of bagpipes now .furnished is' the most ornate and costly that has ever been made in • Scotland.. , They are mounted, with 18----carat g'vl; ; and cost J3300. ■ ;..-. A stffltingly typical stoi'y of Mrs Kru--ger,'"who- has just died, Avouched for by unimpeachable aiithoji-itiea, lhas reference to a statue of President ■ Kruger erected in Pretoria during' the' days- of ■■■his ascend; ancy. It was:a true*likeness of the Boer leaaer, and ho was made to give the • image- > adornments . and beauties •' riot possessed. by •..the: original. ,0om: Paul i£ 'picturedl'wearing r;ftne :inevitable baggy trousers, loose,frock coat,- and high, chimi ney-pot rhat. .Pew pebpie-wlio have seen the statue knofw that the'hat has no roof; It ■ ,was i'-Mrs>; Kruger'st idea. She, good kindly soul,: -saw ;;that;:the absence of the top tof-;the jhat rwauld never 'be noticed; and in the depression'tlius left."the rairi would collect•;and provide the-birds of th 4 ail 1; with- a drinking-pool. . -The birds' have appreciated her kindness. : : ■■■■■■ Justices' ideas of; jttstide are notorious for their inconsistency, and'the inability of ■ the average" J.P.- in oases'to make 'the punishment.fit the crime' was exemplified in therMilton- Court proce'edirigg the other day.' 'A rman got very drunk 'on Sunday ■evening, 'andj judging"-by "tlie account of the affaii-; in ithe IJruce Herald,' his' con^ duct! was"sovdisgraceful'-thatr" liis■ -prompt . arrest was essential. He ■ proved: so vio-f lentl that it: took, the united efforts of the local constable arid six: or seven residents to overpower . him. After .being har.dfcuffed, heh'ad -to'be carried bodily tothe ,lpck-"up,. while front his lips flowed a of .: profane:/" and disgusting lani guage,": He' '•■-. -appearedr -• -before.: a trio- of ■JiP/a: next morning: to - answer: os charge of tising.obscene* language-.in;;public,; and after being lee. ored- by thejehairmrfrr was r.cqnvictied,". aad. discharged! - For "resisting the police" he[;was.fined;'<2os." ;.;: •■• -."A i ''''.Tjie:''f:seeond*;:a^nmversaryr ofViN"ordrach' Cottage1 ;Sainat6rium, 'Flagstaff,:1: IHunedih^ wafe 'celebrated'laW'week by' a dinner, at ,yrhich r a njimber of old'patierita were pre^ -s'enfci';- Iriciudirigrithe medicar.arid nursing staff, 24 assembled, at the-'dinner-table,1 ■ and a very - interestirig"'timev was ' spent comparing ■notes -of weights' gained, temperatures, -'-'andl o'ther1 important' matters; pr-'Step-hensbri ''read1-a ■ number 6f'letters -from former"Mtients'^w^io were unable to be.present^"'es^r^ssing' tiejr'-eiijoy&ient of continued goodr.-hesiltS 'arid; a r:.very'kindly I'feeliria1 towards;the'- iiistrtutibn 'which'had j; been, instninierital;, in. v'theii- recovery:" He j'stated that' "4(J' ]->atien,r9,,,had 'noiv ■under-( gone the opeh-ai.* treiitinentj/'with bferiefi-' cial lesmlte in. the large ;majo:ri^' of /case's j | Much more migMy hoT^'ever, be-.'dbne if the; treatntent were always commenced jat an early stage -and1 '<S<Sritiriued for a sufficierit lengtho-f time. ', :. '''.' '..','''■" '?•''■■ -'- ■- ' ''";j: ■•• ''". ■"'' "\ •■ . ■■"■' \

The peculiarities of the. Cocopas, a queer tribe of savages living in the yallev of the Colorado River, in Lower California and Mexico,' have been brought to IMit by Professor McGee,'of Washington, wlio says:—"The Cocopas are of fine physique, and the'men are tall and robust. Their skins are dark. They have very lar»e feet, notable for the fact that the middle toes ure invariably the longest. It was. common to. see the lnen.c.ome. to our'camp-fire and poke the .coals with their "naked toes. One' fellow had thus burned all his toe nails blade, although his feet were otherwise iininjurted. The toes of these people are • remarkable for their nimb'leness. I saw one man, pick up a .red-hot coal with his foot to. light his cigarette. Another, walking along the road, thus clutched a..stick .which he wish? Ed to use for acane. I,' ga-ve a, child a lump of sugar.. He./dropned it, but the nimble toes caught at and" brought it,-to his hand. All- the Cocopas paint their faces, ;and- are-more; or, less; tattooed.- Th^ fSrebfeads i-of; the; men.- are' litattooed.*wlth circles or zig zag;-marks.' Upon marrying the woman must* be''tattooed with various designs. When a C?ocopa girl is ready to take a husband,: a. hole, is dug in the ground, a"nd in if is built afire, kept bumf ing until the surrounding - earth .is ..thor^ ouehly' warinea.''The fiire'W then extin-i guished, ?and'th'e!brife. elect is placed iri itho.-pit... She. is burnedrjo ;her.neck, and in this condition t,is left standing :until morning. After being, n dug out • thei-nex^ jnorning she is;supposed1 to be .ready..for the, duties, and .trials-,of,matrimony,.; -<■■.'.'■ \