WORLD'S HAPPENINGS.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15895, 21 January 1924, Page 8

WORLD'S HAPPENINGS.

SEA BABY’S NAMES. A baby born in the Cunard liner Scythia on the voyage from New York to Liverpool is to be called after the captain, the ship’s doetor, the purser, and the ship, its full name being William Christie Edward Scythia Madden. SHOTS IN THE DOCK. An unusual incident occurred at Tiberias at the trial of an Arab who assaulted a Jewish girl. After the sentence had been pronounced the girl took out a revolver and fired at the man in the dock. She was arrested immediately.

MAGISTRATE’S BOUQUET. A flower-seller who was fined 2s 6d at Greenwich tor causing an obstruction said she had no money. The magistrate, Mr Ratcliffe Cousins: I will buy a 'half crown's worth of your flowers and then you can pay the fine. A large bouquet of chrysanthemums was brought into court and Mr Cousins ordered them to be sent to the Miller Hospital. PIANIST’S PEDAL CRAWIP. Mr Mark Hambourg, the pianist, is suffering from pedal cramp—cramp of the feet caused by constantly working the pedals of the piano (says the London Daily Mail). He had to be carried in an invalid chair into the Canadian Pacific liner Montrose, in which he left Liverpool for a lour of Canada. Mr Hambourg said he expected to recover from the cramp during the voyage. His tour is to last four months. I — ,

MAN — A SCHOOLGIRL’S ESSAY. Presenting the prizes to the boys of Kingston-on-Thames Grammar School, the Rev 11. Costlcy-White, headmaster of Westminster School, quoted a schoolgirl’s essay on man, which he commended to the boys l'or its originality and accuracy of thought and expression. The girl wrote: “Man is what woman has to marry. He drinks, smokes, swears and never goes to church. Both spring from apes, but woman sprang the farthest.” THATCH REVIVAL.

Norfolk thatches, with unlimited reeds available in the Broadland district and inherited knowledge of their artistic use, are experiencing a revival of the English craft of thatching. It is not only in their own country that there is a greater demand for this most ancient form of roof, but the village men of old thatching families are travelling hundreds of miles to satisfy the desire for roofs of trimmed reed, and such roofs are being put on all kinds of buildings, from country mansions to chicken runs-

« KILLED AFTER WEDDING. Three persons belonging to a wedding party lost their lives, while three others were seriously injured, in a motor-ear accident in a town in the Same Valley. The party was going home hy motor car after the wedding luncheon, when the car-driver lost control of the car. It collided with a tree. One of two best men, the bride's father, and the driver were killed on the spot, while the young couple and the other best man were so severely injured that it is not expected they will recover. MASSAGE STARTS HEART. Mr Ingleby-Oddie held an inquest at Westminster on the body of Edith Frances Murray, ■if), of Thrush Street, Walworth, who died in the Grosvenor Hospital for Women, Vincent Square, Westminster. The evidence was that she was admitted from cancer. She collapsed while under an anaesthetic and her heart stopped beating. Hand massage was resorted to, and alter seven minutes the heart began to beat again. This went on for three hours and, although there were occcasional signs of respiration, the patient died. The coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure.

BABEL IN COURT. As no one in court was able to translate the evidence direct from English into Estonian, when Minkel Nakk, a young Estonian, was charged at Sittingbournc with being a stowaway in a Norwegian steamship, the following procedure was adopted:— A Norwegian ship’s officer who understood English translated the evidence to another Norwegian member of the crow, who translated it into Swedish to a man who could repeat it in Estonian to Nakk. The Bench decided that they had no jurisdiction over a Norwegian vessel, and Nakk was sent back to the ship under police escort. HIS PRE-WAR SUIT.

Speaking at a Liberal meeting at Horning, in East Norfolk, Sir Robert Price, cx-M.P. for the constituency, was arguing that tariffs put up prices and illustrated his point by saying that in former days if his clothes were a little worn he could buy a new suit, but now he had to send it to be cleaned and pressed. (A Voice: You have your best suit on to-night sir, I expect.) Sir ftobert advanced towards his interrupter and, lowering his voice to a whisper, replied, "Pre-war." The audience laughed heartily, as they also did when Sir ftobert, raising both arms aloft, turned round so that all might see the condition of his suit. "You don't, work as you ought In have done or you would have it worn out," commented the interrupter. Sir Robert: I used to keep it as best then. (Loud laughter).

HOUSE BUILT IN 3J WEEKS. Although builders la London - and the south of England are experiencing dilliculties in obtaining skilled labour, builders in Yorkshire are establishing records for rapid work. Writing from Barmby Moor, \YHberfoss, in the East Hiding, a correspondent says: “Six weeks ago I bought a piece of land, selected a builder and told him what sort of house I wanted. One week afterwards they started building and in three weeks and four days my house was completed. It contains three bedrooms, a sitting-room, kitchen, bathroom with hot and cold water, indoor sanitation; and electric light throughout.” In the south there is any amount of unskilled labour, but it cannot be utilised because of the dearth of skilled labour. CRACKED GAS MAIN. Through a leak in a gas main said to have been caused by the frost, Miss May Hill, 40, Miss Hone Hill, 34, Miss Nellie Hill, ‘29, and their aunt, Mrs Sarah Ilowson, 70, all living together in Bayswaler Hoad, llarehills, Leeds, had a narrow escape from suffocation. One of the Misses Hill awakened shortly after 6 a.m. and, smelling gas, tried to arouse her sisters. They were unconscious and the sister was also overcome. A neighbour, Mrs Parker, who went to their assistance, was also overcome. All five were got out of the house by other neighbours.

ATTACK ON BLIND MAN. George Mitchell, 30, seaman, was indicted at the Central Criminal Court, London, before the Recorder, for robbery with violence on John lloUoran, an inmate of St Dunstan’s, and stealing from him the sum of Is 4d, a badge,, and other articles. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. The jury found the prisoner guilty and the Recorder sentenced him to five years’ penal servitude. 'Hie prosecutor stated that he was going home to St Dunstan’s on the night of November 14, when, in the Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, the prisoner and a woman passed in front of him. He got on their heels and apologised. The prisoner asked j him where lie was going, and he re- j plied that lie was on his way to St I Dunstan’s. The prisoner said he would go with him. He declined. I The man took him by the neck and | collar, twisted him round, and said: "Are you blind?" Ho replied: "As near as can he blind.’’ The prisoner then took from bis pockets Is 4d andj a St Dunstan’s badge, struck him on the mouth, and knocked him down. As the witness was getting up, the prisoner stoic two Braile watches, a silver chain, and two medals, and 1 then struck him again. The witI ness called for help and gave the | prisoner in custody of two police ' officers who came up. j The Recorder, in passing sentence, I said one would have thought that if i there was any class of men safe from such ruffians as the prisoner it was a

blind man. He directed a reward of £5 to be made to the prosecutor in recognition of the active part he took in the apprehension of the prisoner.

WOMAN SHOT IN 3ED.

Mrs Majorie Bailey, wife of Major Norman Percival Bailey, was found dead in a Hat in Adelaide Crescent, Hove, England, by the police, who made tiie discovery as a result of a. communication by telephone. Tha body was lying in bed shot through the left eye, a spent bullet being found embedded in the wall over the bed. The woman had also been stabbed through the left breast. In the bed-room the police found a note, said to be in the handwriting •of Major Bailey, in the followingterms: "It is not jealousy or conceit, but love. If you go to look for me, I shall be on the seashore." The dead woman, who was only twentytwo years of age, came from the Midlands. A domestic servant employed in the | house stated thai. Major and Mrs I Bailey seemed attached to each other and were apparently very happy. No I shot was heard jn the house, but on I going to the flat it was discovered ! that the door was locked. Major i Bailey, who left the house during the ■ morning, is described as 28 years of I age, 6ft in height, well built, of fresh complexion, with dark hair and a military moustache. He was wear- , ing a blue suit, dark-green overcoat, and a cap.