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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 938, 27 February 1908, Page 20

In future every French soldier will receive half a pint of wine daily;

A bottle of whisky has been taken from the foundation-stone of a house built 203 years ago, near Washington, U.S.A.

At Gisborne last Saturday, Constable J. Thomas Irwin was fined £1 and costs, £9, in default seven days’ imprisonment for using undue violence in removing from an hotel a drunken man. The magistrate characterised defendant’s action in strong terms.

At Hastings last Friday, in the Magistrate’s Court, on a charge brought under section 6 of the Licensing Act Amendment Act, 1904, Alfred Clayton, for supplying a native with two bottles of beer, was fined ten pounds and costs. The case is the first of its kind. The defendant contended that he gave the liquor to the native to carry home for him.

Between midnight and five o’clock last Friday morning a number of bed-rooms at the Commercial Hotel were entered and money removed from the clothes of the occupants. The clothes were taken out into the bathroom, sitting-room and verandah, and carefully gone through. Nothing likely to lead to a clue was taken, only.,notes, and coin being required. As far las can-be gathered about £3O ; was secured. The matter is in the hands of the police, but there is no clue as to the perpetrators, though they are supposed to have come in by the late train from the Te Aroha races.

At Lytteton last week. J. E. Bunnell, licensee of the Lyttelton Hotel, was fined £5 and costs for permitting drunkenness on his premises. The license was ordered to be endorsed.

Counterfeit .sixpences.. are in circulation in r Carterton. The imitations are perfect, only being betrayed by the dull ring.

In the case of Mr Patrick Quinlan, hote’keeper, of Auckland, against Messrs Swan and Co., brewers, of Wanganui, a non-suit was granted by. Mr Justice Denniston. ~

At Whangarei last week, a man named Harry Morgan was fined 40s and . costs for having supplied a Maori with liquor. • * . * ■ • '■ ■ *

A man was arrested in the bar of the Cafe de Paris Hotel, Christchurch, the other day, on suspicion of having deliberately caused the fire which was discovered at the rear of the hotel last week. » » * *

In the middle of last month a couple of probationary constables took up their abode in a Wellington boardinghouse largely frequented by working men and seamen. Dressed like working men they took care to act so as to avoid suspicion of their actual business. A few yards from their lodgings is another boardinghouse of a similar character. One Sunday morning the two probationers sauntered out of their lodging carelessly attired, and stood at a near-by corner. Presently a man from the second boardinghouse, recognising them as neighbours, offered for sale; a bottle of beer. The offer was accepted. The' vendor received a shock a few weeks later, when he learnt whom he had sold the beer to. His little mistake cost him £5 7s.

It was cabled from London last week that the Government has appointed Lord James, of Hereford, chairman of a Royal Commission to inquire as to whether it is desirable to place restrictions on the materials and processes used in the manufacture of Scotch and Irish whisky.

The no-license convention recently held at Feilding approved of a Bill to be presented to Parliament embodying adoption of the absolute majority in the issues voted on at the local option pol’s. The main clauses of the Bill are as follows Anything in the Licensing Acts to the contrary notwithstanding, every issue respecting the granting of licenses submitted at any poll of the electors m any licensing district shall be determined by the majority of the voters who record va-

lid votes at such poll- If in any district there be such a majority for the proposal “ That the existing number of licenses in the district continue,” and also for the proposal “ That the existing number of licenses in the district be reduced,” the former proposal shall be declared to be carried and shall take effect; and similarly the proposal “ That no licenses be granted in the dis.rict ” shall be dec.ared to be carried and shall take effect if there be such a majority for both that proposal and the proposal “ That the existing number of icenses in the district be reduced ” ; and if there be such a majority for the other two of the three proposals herein mentioned that proposal shall be declared to be carried and shall take effect for which the largest number of valid votes is recorded.

The wine and spirit department, and the offices of the Campbell and Ehren-

fried Company, Ltd., have been removed to Elliot Street in premises adjoining the Albert Brewery. A magnificent suite of offices has been opened in the first floor of the Strand Arcade, the furnishings of which have been carried out in the best and latest style.

For the first time in its history, the Royal Mint in London last year used a'uminium for coinage purposes. In all, 31,872,134 coins were struck from this metal, these comprising half-cent pieces for use in Uganda and one-tenth of penny pieces for circulation in the Nigerian Protectorates. A good deal of Imperial silver finds its way to the West Coast of Africa, much of it going into Northern Nigeria. Bronze coins also circulate to some extent on the coast, but it is very rare for them to be met with in the interior. In these regions the little shells known as cowries, the value of which Js continually fluctuating, being highest in the remoter districts, have hitherto formed the medium of exchange. “ It is hoped these small aluminium coins will gradually take their place as the medium for exchange,” stated Mr Ellison-Macartney, Deputy-Master of the Mint. “ They have

a fixed va.ue, which ought to be of great advantage to the native as well as to the general trade of the country.” Mr Macar.ney explained that the low value of the coins and .he immense number of .them required, rendered it necessary to make them of some extremely light metal—hence the adoption of aluminium. Both the new coins are perforated in the centre to permit the natives to string them together as has been their habit with the cowries from time immemorial.

For some time past Marseilles has boasted a publican who comb : ned the selling of iquor with the practice of the surgeon’s art. Lucca Burraschi, who had been a hospita attendant, opened a wine shop in the St. Barthelemy quarter, and fitted up at the back of the shop a consulting and operating room. As a result of several complaints regarding his illegal practice, a police inspector paid a sur-

prise visit and found Burraschi operating on a patient, who was groaning loudly. Burraschi, wearing a surgeon’s white blouse, received the inspector with haughtiness. “ Don’t you see,” he said, “ I am busy with an operation? Take a seat in the shop and wait your turn like the others.” The inspector, however, took the surgeon’s knife from the publican’s hand and seized the contents of the operating room, which were taken away in a handcart.

In Wellington last Friday, at the Magistrate’s Court, Robert Wilson pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully se’ling beer in a place of public convenience in Wellington. He was fined £lO and costs, or six weeks’ imprisonment. James Robinson, for illegally selling beer in a bottle yard in Wellington, was fined £3 and costs, or three weeks’ imprisonment on each of two charges. Wiliam Cody, for being illegally on the above-mentioned premises for the purpose of s’y grog-selling, was fined £2 and costs, or 14 days’ imprisonment. Robert McNab pleaded guilty to a similar charge, and was fined 20s and costs, or seven days’ imprisonment.

In We’lington last week, at the Magistrate’s Court, Charles Clarke, a’ias James Clarke, was charged with unlawfully selling beer to Leslie Roy Capp, a probationary constable, on January 20. Mr Riddell, S.M., fined defendant £5, or in default 14 days’ imprisonment. John Smith, a seaman, who had been boarding at Barrie’s boardinghouse, We’lington, was fined and costs for sly grog-selling at the boarding-house. Notice of appeal was given. David Barrie and Mary Barrie were charged with being occupiers of premises on which sales of liquor had. taken place. The case was adjourned till the appeal in the Smith case had been decided.

■ Some men have the ambition to do things. Then the world hears of an Alexander, a Caesar, a Napoleon, a Grant. Other men there are whose only ambition is to do nothing, not even “ sit by the fire and spin.” When such men dies the worM says, “ Good riddance; there goes nobody.” Men who have ambition to do nothing are found everywhere. They are the curse of society, the drag of business, and the dregs in the cup of life. 9 9 9 9

A short time ago a young man was discharged from his position by his employer. In extenuation of himself, he said. “ Why do you discharge me? I have done nothing.” “Yes.” said the employer, “ that is just the reason I discharge you, because you have not done anything.”

The suffragette oratress waxed more and more eloquent. “ And what,” she demanded as she came to the climax, “ what is to be the result of our emancipation?” She paused and looked round (he audience with the calm assurance of one who has asked a poser. This was too much for the litt’e man who was waiting to take his wife home, and who was sitting in a far corner of the room. “ I know.” he shouted. “ Ah !” returned the new woman scornfully, “ the little man with the bald head thinks that he has solved the problem which we are here to discuss this afternoon. We will gladly give him our attention while he tells us what is to be the result.” “ Cold dinners and ragged children,” roared out the litt’e man.

In the Supreme Court last Monday, Mr Justice Edwards upheld an appeal made by Mr John Jacentho, of the Settlers’ Hotel, Kaeo, against a conviction under the Licensing Act.

In the local Police Court last Monday, Mr Johnston, of the Empire Hotel, Victoria Street, was fined 5s for allowing the lamp outside his entrance door to go out on the night of February 15.

The Bank of Eng’and is to be asked to repay a sum lodged about 1722, which at compound interest would amount to £BO,000,000. Though the receipt was, -it is said, made payable at sight, the money was never claimed. It was deposited by a hetman, or little govenor, in Little Russia, the district north of Kieff.

A policeman, Irish, therefore innocent, got into conversation with a man in Liverpool. The stranger was also a native of the Emerald Isle, wanting information about the neighbourhood. He had been in the watchmaking business in Dublin, and wondered if there was room for. a j ewe ler ’s.. shop in that street,. At parting the officer said, “ I wish you every success in your new venture.” A few days later he met his countryman in the Police Court. In reply to the Magistrate he said: “He told me, sor, that he was interested in the street because he hoped to open a jeweler’s shop later on.” He kept his word,” said the Magistrate, “ and left with seventeen watches.” “Begorra, then, sor,” answered the policeman, “ the man may have been a thafe, but he was no liar.”

Thg Rev. Stanley Jarvis, of Gui dford, in a sermon on drink, says that a large percentage of patent medicines contain 42 peir cent, of spirit, and that thousands of gallons are bottled by American distilleries annual’y. This news ought to bring cheer to those who are under the Prohihibition. Act. There’s nothing in the Act to prevent them from going on a “ jag ” on soothing medicines or some tonic like that.