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Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10503, 26 November 1901, Page 2

On our first page will be found interesting reading matter under tiie following headings: — ''Cricket," "Condensed Cables and Telegrams," "A Highwayman Foiled," "Temperance Meeting," and "Earthquakes in New Zealand." -

A prohibition order was issued this morning against Michael Flynn.

Captain Edwin telegraphs: — Strong northerly winds after 20 hours from now, tides high, sea considerable, glass fall soon. -

Mr T. Wilford, M.H.R., has been compelled to leave for Sydney to undergo a somewhat serious operation for an affection of the throat.

Mr James Niven, M.A., teacher of chemistry at the»Dunedin Technical School, has been appointed assistant in tho Hawera District High School. '

A woman living in Maine is said 'to make a living by administering, for a small fee, thrashings to such of the children of the neighbourhood as are in need of correction.

The Wanganui Bicycle Club has resigned from the League, and will in future hold open meetings, regardless of any league or of any other governing body.

The state schools in the Wanganui Education Board's district will close ffom i Saturday, December 21st, for the summer vacation, and will re-open on or about Monday, 27th January, 1902.

The Spectator predicts that within ten years there'll be something approaching civil war amongst the Australian States. And it'll start in Queensland over the' black labour question.

Mr J. <L. Harwood, an old Oamaru boy, and for a considerable time bandmaster of the Waimate band, has been appointed bandmaster of the Dannevirke band.

The success of the' last up-river picnic of the local Good Templars, on the 22nd January, has emboldened them tc repeat the experiment again, and another, picnic will be held on the 'same date next year.

Acting-Lieutenant Stephens, of Sydney, who visited Bisley, while in England, declares that the riflemen there can teach Australians nothing about shooting, or about conducting a prize meeting. Preaching at the Pitt Street Congregational Church, Sydney, the, other Sunday, the Rev. E. T. Dunstan said that if the moral tone of tho theatre was bad, it was mainly because the moral tone of those who attended .it was bad. It is reported in Palmerstou (says the Post) that Sir Joseph Ward is desirous of having the Mauawatu railway under his control at the beginning of the New Year, and that there is every likelihood of the Minister gettin his desire fulfilled. The following advertisement appears in the Otago Daily Times recently: — "I will undertake to make the passage between this country and Australia in au open boat for any sum ranging between .£SO and .£SOO. Anyone wishing to take mo on will kindly inquire of the editor for my address."

A clever advertising scheme is successfully practised by a Quebec shoedealer. With every pair of shoes sold he gives a pair of overshoes, on each solo of which is a stamp of his business, with the letters reversed as fii type. At each step the wearer takes in the snow tho shoe-dealer's advertisement is visible.

Tho Deputy Official Assignee (Mr John Notman) has been advised by the Crown Solicitor (Mr S. T. Fitzherbert) that the assignment made by Mr David Davics to the Anglo New Zealand Cyclo Company cannot be successfully attacked as a fraudulent preference, and does not recommend that any action should bo taken. Tli 2 drop in wool appears to be respoiiA.ble for the bankruptcy of F. J. McDonald, a Wellington wool and skin merchant. Before embarking in the wool branch his business showed a profit of iG3OOO for tho year, aud the balance-sheet submitted to the creditors' meeting showed his total losses at JJ12.351. Mr Barthop, of Huntervillc, who was highly delighted at the splendid exhibition of horsemanship displayed by the gentleman and lady riders at the Jumping Competitions in connection with the recent Wanganui Agricultural Show, as also with the splendid stamp of horses, has offered a - cash prize of £5 for the best lady's hack at next year's show.

The New South Wales Minister of Agriculture states' that reports are coming in from all parts of the country regnxfUni* what >s > described as a 'fly 1 ' which is destroying the foliage of potatoes. This "fly" is a Binall grey bug, that hides under the surface loaves and sucks up the Bap of the plant through its sharp tubular mouth. It appears m such numbers that it soon Kills tho plant if unchecked. -Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M"., was occupied a good part of yesterday afternoon in hearing a civil qction brought by P. J. Henley (Mr Treadwell) against the Borough Council (Mr Barnicoat). The claim was for £7 4s wages in lieu of notice and .£9 15s damages for alleged breach of agreement to employ plaintiff in connection with the electric light at te Opera House. Judgment was given for defendants on the first ground of claim, and for plaintiff for £2 8s (one week's wage's) on the second.

Most writers have at some time or other heartily wished that the English languago contained a bi-sexual pronoun to cover "him 1 " and "her," "he" and "she," and the rest. A. correspondent of the London Chronicle suggests that the gap could be filled by commingling "he" and "she" thus "heesh," and rendering "him' and "her" as "himmer," and "his" as "hizzer." But his sample sentence affrights ! What will our readers think of this specimen of the new English: "A writer is annoyed when heesh finds hizzer work treated as publio property rather than hizzers, and instead of being credited to himmer is pirated by papers by which heesh is not remunerated.' " ~ .

The Spectator says that the services at the Chrißtchurch Cathedral lost Sunday were not crowded, and parsons, choir, and congregation all kept their eyes on the roof. In foot it was the most reverent congregation they've had for years. It is anticipated that New Zealand will be flooded with fruit from the Islands, as the Is per bunch on bananas imposed by the Federal tariff excludes the fruit from Australia. AMr Hunter, of Tonga, in order to encourage a greater consumption in New Zealand, suggests an import duty on all fruit arriving from the Commonwealth.

'A countryman went into the bar of a large hotel in Glasgow and asked for a bottle of stout. Tendering Is he received back 6d change. "Hiv ye ever been in the Gordon Hielanders?" he inquired of the barman. "No," replied tho barman j "but why do you ask?" "Only because I see ye're a gran' haund at ehairging," was the. letott.

Tho supposed audience chamber of Nebuchadnezzar is alleged to have been discovered by a German exploring commission that is now engaged in delving among the ruins of Babylon. The build-, ing measures 156 ft long by. s4ft wide. The wall-paintings and ornaments are well preserved, and several clay tablets have been unearthed with Assyrian inscriptions, said to be psalms and contracts. The excavations are being vigorously prosecuted. A passenger from Australia "to Lyttelton by the Talune last week was eased of the great part of his cash by a member of the "spieler" fraternity, who, it is said,- makes a regular practice of travelling on the intercolonial steamers. On this occasion the unsuspecting traveller who was left to bemoan the loss of nearly X6O, threatened to make matters warm for the individual in question unless he disgorged a portion of his ill-gotten gains, but threats were ot no avail. — Dunedin Star.

The Brough Comedy Company are about to pay New Zealand another visit. Mr Allan Hamilton, the com■panVs representative, in a letter just to hand, states that the tour will commence at Auckland on Boxing night, Dunedin being reached on February 26th. The new comedies include "Lady flantworth's Experiment," "The Second in Command," "Mrs Dane's Defence, and "Sweet and Twenty." These, are in addition to" some favourites produced here previously. The Wellington correspondent of the Dunedin Evening Star says there is a general consensus of opinion that after the Premier has attended the Coronation, he will cease to take an active part in M.L. politics. The same correspondent says that Sir.J. G. Ward is the only possible successor to the burly Premier, and that when Sir Josephs time does arrive, he .will thoroughly reconstruct the Cabinet. Of course, all thiß is in the air, but less unlikely things have been, foretold. By the last English mail a Dunedin resident received a lettej from a relative of his now in London, who says: "Whilst travelling on a 'bus tho driver pointed out several houses some of the occupants of which were ill with smallpox. The driver asserted that tho sufferers contracted the disease through eatinc 'froion meat.'" Whether such "statementa aie made because of the ignorance of the person making them ox whether these -persons are subsidised by.thoßO interested to damage colonial meat it is impossible to say.

The way in which the Shamrock was handled is giving rise to much criticism. Many men who .watched the_ series of races contend that the British yacht was beaten more by errors of Judgment than the superiority of the American. Too much talent, it is thought, was on board, and thus Captain Sycamore was hampered, not havinir a really free hand. Many yachtsmen maintain that if the challenger had been properly sailed she would have had two wins to her credit instead of being defeated. Errors are pointed out at length, and theoretically a good cose has been established. — Laffan's Agency.

A British officer who has served in "South Africa, and is now in the United States, tells on excellent story of Lord Kitchener, which may be untrue, but which, at, any rate, is distinctly good. A young subaltern in charge of construction work in Upper Egypt had the misfortune to lose native workmen through the accidental explosion of several cases of dynamite. Fearful of a "wigging" from headquarters, he telegrapnea to the Sirdar, "Regret to report killing of 10 labourers by dynamite accident." He awaited the expected rebuke with fear and trepidation. In a few hours came this laconic despatch: ' "Do you need "any more dynamite?"

An action in which Ellison and Evered, sharebrokers, Melbourne, were tho plaintiffs, "and Lieutenant Louis Bernacchi, who is attached to the South Pole expedition, about to start from Port Lyttelton, defendant, was mentioned in the Practice Court, Melbourne, on the 13th inst. The plaintiffs allege that the defendant owes them .£IOO under a promissory note for J2190. They "further state that the expedition to the South Pole would probably last three years, and be fraught with very great danger to the lives of those taking part in it. An application for the issue of a writ of capias was granted, and defendant held to bail.

'A constable found a woman wandering about near tho West Footscray (Victoria) State school on the 13th inst. with a gun slung over her shoulder. She told the officer that she was looking for her children. Upon his suggestion that she should give up the weapon tho woman becamo wildly excited, and engaged the constable in a desperate struggle. While it lasted the contents of both barrels of the gun were discharged, but the only damage done was to the policeman's helmet, a portion of which was blown away. Finally, the woman wa9 overcome, and charged at the polfoe station with lunacy. A number of cartridges wero found in her possession.

Probably one of the most extraordinary banquets ever held was that which took place at Rochester, New York State, recently. The principal item on tho menu was snakes served in a variety of appetising forms, such as watersnake stew, fried rattlesnake with butter sauce, boiled python, roost boa constrictor, concluding with snake tails. Tho dinner was givon by Mr Peter Gruber, a well-known reptilian fancier of Rochester, in honour of Professor rLenry Davies, of Denver, who is also a famous snake expert. Eighteen guests joined in the meal, and it was generally conceded that the serpent constituted a delicious dish. The table decorations were quite in keeping with the unique character of the repast. A big Tattler, caged in glass, constituted the centrepiece, and stuffed reptiles in various attitudes were substituted in the place of tho more conventional flower embellishments. The walls were draped with hangings of snake skinß, rattlers' rattles, canes made from wrigglers'" skins, and many other reptilian curiosities.

"Good-bye, my dears," said the Czar on one occasion as he bade farewell -to his English cousins at Copenhagen. "You are going back to your happy English home, and I to my Russian prison." To the present Czar (says the World) belongs the distinction of being the first ruler in Russia v/lio made a tour of Siberia. Former Czars have sent a good many other people to that inhospitable climate, but had never ventured there themselves. The Empress of Russia 19 very tall — taller than her husband. She has a wonderful dignity of manner with strangers, and her voice is low and deep, but in her own home circle she is brimful of mischievous humor, and her high laugh — her voice rises when she is laughing — rings pleasantly. That fclie Ciar is a* highly uervous man is well known. Once at a private entertainment, at which some English officers were present, one of the latter bogan to applaud a singer by vigorously clapping his hands. He was just behind the Imperial seat, and at the first crack tho Czar started to his feet, white and trembling.

Some remarkable figures are given in the 'Statistical Abstract relating to British India,' a blue book just issued for. the information of Parliament. In it we read that no fower than 587,884 prisoners wore in the prisons of British India in 1899-1900, an increase of 92,064 over the number in 1891. Of this huge total only 24,555 were females, which is a much smaller proportion than in western countries. Some staggering figures with regard to tho depredations of wild animals are given. Dangerous beasts thrive more and more in India. From 23,851 human beings who perished by them in 1890 wo get to 27,585 in 1899, which io the highest figure on record. Singularly enough, the cause varies from year to year. In 1897 it was tho tigers, leopajds and wolves' benefit. The snakes had it all their own way in 1899, when they accounted for 24.G19 liftman bdings. Snakes are always the greatest danger. Thus, in 1899, the tigers' bag only amounted to 899. In the same year wild beasts destroyed 98,687 cattle belonging to men. Against this huge casualty list it must be admitted that human beings pile up a big balance on the other side. In 1899 18,887 wild beasts- were slain, and, in addition, no fewer than 93,921 snakes.

Three months ago a young man named Sydney Charles King obtained £100 as compensation for a broken leg from Messrs Firbank and Company, who had extensive works at Southampton Docks. Since then he had been living at a rapid rate, -and squandered the whole amount. Late on Thursday he was found in an almost dying condition, having endeavoured to end his life by taking oxalic acid. At the police court he said, "The devil had advertised for an engine-driver, and he wanted the place." He was remanded to a nursing noji'i.

Why don't they catch De Wet? Well, perhaps this Army Order No. 380, by Kitchener, lets some light on the problem: — "The Commander-in-Chief in South Africa desires to impress on officers in command of mobile columns mat the object of such columns is mobility; that he has learned that such forces carried with them furniture, kitchen ranges, pianos, and harmoniums, which nullify that object; that these articles must be handed over to the nearest stores, etc." Fancy hunting De Wet with a force that carried pianos, harmoniums, and- kitchen ranges?

A Methodist Church in New Jersey has been struck six times by lightning, and always in the same place. This is by no means an uncommon experience, and it not ■ due to any action of the electric currents upon the church, thereby magnetising it, as was supposed by a lightning conductor fixed in the north when a colliery chimney was repeatedly struck. It is because the same, conditions exist, rendering :the path by way of the church the most favourable in' the neighbourhood, and very much more favourable than any other, and these conditions are reproduced after each accident.