NEWS AND NOTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 13 July 1901, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

A man named Baumann has been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment at Elberfield, Germany, for having, for more than 20 years, systematically carried on the business of enabling recrui's for the army to obtain exemption from compulsory service on the ground of physical unfitness.

Mr Kier Hardie, speaking in tho House of Commons on the subject of the King’s Civil List, avowed himself a Republican. The founders medal of the Royal Geographical Society is to go to Dr Donaldson Smith, the American Explorer, in recognition of the valuable contributions he has made to our knowledge of the geography of the central regions of Africa. The cost of the Philippine war has been estimated at £4,000,000.

The makers of steel forks, most of which go to the army, recently demanded au advance of wages, being the third in two years. The Government contractors in Sheffield represented to the War Office their difficulties of production, owing to the scarcity of labour and the heavy demand on account of the war, and pressed the Department to accept a cheaper but durable machine-made fork of an entirely new pattern, Tho War Office have now adopted the new pattern, so that the contractors are quite indcpendant of the men.

Tho latest difficulty which confronts the Birmingham police is the lady bookmaker. A fashionably-dressed, smart looking young woman was recently arrested for betting in the street, but she pleaded that she only acted as a messenger, and that she was not a confirmed bookmaker.

King Victor Emmanuel has just paid a pretty compliment to his consort. Her Majesty’s fair features, not those of the Sovereign himself, are to figures on the new Italian coinage. Tho next groat event in Italy will probably be the coronation, which will take place after the year of court mourning is concluded, and which will be attended by all the heirs-apparont of Europe.

A curious accident occurred recently in Ludwig Shafew, Bavaria, to the Strasburg Express. Owing to the air-brakes failing to work, the train dashed through the station wall, crossed the street, thirty yards wide, ploughed through a freighttrain on the harbour siding, and wont over an enbanUment into the harbour. One woman was killed and several persons injured.

Canada’s m mortal to the late Queen will take the form of a Victoria National Museum in Ottawa to cost 1,000,000 dollars.

Lisbon has boon thrilled by the abduction of a young artist by a Brazilian Countess. The Story goes that the Countess, who is of imperious natu-e foil in love with the artist, who is remark bb for his good looks. The lady wooed .he youth, but he proved cold. Invitations to her house were scorned; her amatory epistles were returned unopened. At length the lady sent her servants into the streets, who kidnapped the young man, conveying him in a carriage to the Countess's homo.

A Jewish shopkeeper in Brooklyn, named Lovenson, was (says the Jewish World) a member of a German benevolent society, and entitled to burial at a cost of 200dols in case of death. When, therefore, ho underwent dismemberment, ho resolved to take partial advantage of his rights, and compelled the society to grant his leg a child’s funeral, costing SOdols. The limb was accordingly embalmed and placed in a child’s coffin, which was escorted to the grave by a nu-.nerons and sympathetic throng of mourners. Official rights, it is reported, were duly performed at the cemetery prior to and during the interment.