LONDON GOSSIP.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 8794, 7 March 1896, Page 2

LONDON GOSSIP.

An inquiry by experts into tho fatal oases of fever after eating oysters at the Stirling county ball shows that the oysters arrived fiom Holland in a hoalthy condition, but after being opened on the premises for consumption at the ball they were kept in a corridor adioining a lavatory, which, is supposed to have led to their contamination. A costermonger, summoned aj; th,e instance of a barrister for crying his wares in Wes(, London on a Sunday, was ordered to pay tho costs and told that on tho nert occasion his goods would be forfeited.

A mother was fined for allowing her boy, under 11, to bo iv publichouses in East London offering goods for sale. Ske was told that when over 11 years old the boy might be about the streets till 9 at night, but must not be allowed in public-houses.

A man was fined £10 at Manchester for inserting a wire under the skin of a pigeon's neck, the " faking " being done to make the head look fuller and thus deceive tho judges at a bird show. At the further hearing of tho five defendants charged in connection with the World's Great Marriage Association, a working houso •painter, aged G5, gave evidence of having paid a fco ot £7 12* to the Asbocialion on their promise to find him a wife with £500 a year. He said he was given the names o£ about 50 ladies, but only one of them had any money.

President Cleveland has signed a proclamation formally admitting Utah as a State to the American Union. The proclamation, while not interfering with marriage ties already contracted under the system o[ polygamy existing in the State during the rule of the Mormons, prohibits for the future any man with a wife or wives marrying another woman. Iv Berlin the penny -in the-slot system has been successfully applied to the sale of rolls of bread and various kinds of drink.

A. new ice-skatjng rink has been opened in the hall formerly known as Hengler's Circus,, Argylc street, Oxford, circus. The building has been decorated iv the. most artibtio style, a representation of the Auroa. Boreajis on , the ceiling, aud panelling depicting Arctic scenery, lending the appropriate atmosphere to the winter pastime. The electrio light sheds cool rays everywhere, thi3, together with the oold radiated from the ice, rendering the air delightfully invigorating. Tho hall is, called tho National Skating Palace, and lias been adopted as the headquarters of the National Skating Asso^ ciatkra of Great Britain,