HERE AND THERE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LX, Issue 9347, 19 April 1909, Page 7

HERE AND THERE.

Police on the look-out for sneak thieves at the dressing-sheds of snrf- " bathing resorts find great advautage iv beiug iv inconspicuous attire. But sometimes a constable wants to swim .hiuiself, aud then his unofficial clothes ygfefeok the same as auy other mau's as hang ou pegs iv rows. This was realised receutly by oue of Sydney's expert thief catchers. Ho had a line swim at Boudi, but wheu he weut to dress, his shirt was uot where it had beeu left. With the shirt went a pair of haudsome liuks aud a set of studs. The detective went home without them. King Alfouso of Spaiu is a model husband. He weut to Pau to see the Brothers Wright aud their aoroplauo, iv which he takes the keeuest iuterost. He had hoped to make au asceut iv it, and was keenly disappoiuted. He told Mr Wright aud Miss Wright that he had hoped that day to have broken auother record ; for several mouths fie had held the lecord as the youugost sovereign Now he had been beaten by the Kiug of Portugal aud the Emperor of China. His great desire was to bo the first King to fly m au aeroplane. He had fully made up his v mind to undertake a flight, and communicated with Mr Wilbur Wright ou the subject. But unforseeu difficulties •iuomed up. His wife refused to allow to make the trip, aud insisted on his promising to give up the idea. Alfouso was naturally disappoiuted. but he was true to his word, aud abaudoued the project. A "sceue" occurred at a meeting of the Barren Shire Council, Queeuslaud. While Councillor Glacherty was speaking. Councillor Keebie called him a liar. Councillor Glacherty picked up a tumbler and threw it at Councillor Keebie. A light commenced, but the combatants were separated by the other councillors. It was some minutes before order was restored. A somewhat remarkable piece of litigation came before the Magistrate's Court at Gisborne the other day, when a litigaut proceeded against another party for the sum of 4s lid. Tbe case was defended, counsel retained, and a witness brought from a lengthy distance iv the couutry. Plaintiff, who appeared in per.-ou, wished for au adjournment, which was grauted upou his paying £1 for expenses. Au enterprising Presbyteriau pastor of Baugor. Pennsylvania, bought up a priutiug establishment aud started to work publish ivy -'sermon" post by the thousand. The sermons short and readable, aud the demaud for the cards is so great that the debt ou the church of £3000 has beeu paid, new schools have been built, aud the pastor has large profits iv baud. Mr Towuley, of Reidstou, has shown the North Otago Times a uoveltv iv the way of a staple of wool from the Omarama Statiou, which was taken from a six-year-old hermit merino sheep running there. The sheep had never beon brought iu,owing to the fact that it had separated itself from the flock. The greasy wool measured OOiu iv length, aud a staple of scoured l'.'iu. There was uot a break in the wool, notwithstanding the snowstorms aud the rough weather to which it had been subjected. "I have got the church on one side doiug nothiug," said au aggrieved property-owner in the Auckland Assessment Court, in endeavouring to impress tbe Court with reasons why the valuation of his property should be reduced. "The church," he added, "is a bad neighbour aud a poor farmer, and to make matters worse I have got Chinamen ou the other side." After this recital of his tale

of woe. the objector was granted a ■^.reduction. m W The Tribuue Cougolaise, ot Antwerp, publishes a thrilling account of the wreck of the Congo Stato steamer Capitaiue Stagestroetn, which occurred ou tne Congo river. The captain was advised not to leave the harbour of Lusambo because the steamer's rudder was disabled. "Nevertheless he persisted in proceediug on his journey. The Capitaiue Stagestroom was caught in the rapids above Stanley Falls, aud. being out of control, was swept over tne falls. Wheu the captain" realised that the steamer was lost he shot himself. Twenty members of the crew were drowned, ouly one native being saved. A number of people witnessed the tragedy from the shore, bnt were unable to render assistance.