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Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 24 July 1901, Page 4

Some curious illustrations of the law may arise out of the late accident at the words being carried out by the City Council at Nihotupu (says the N'.Z. Herald). Two men were killed, one being the contractor and the other a man employed by him. Both were in about the same pecuniary position. If the contractor was insured for, say, £4OO, I lien the whole of the money will be taken from his'family and given to his employee. If neither of the men were insured, then the employee can come upon the estate of the contractor, if he lias any. And if lie has left nothing, then the City Council are liable for £4OO to the relatives of the employee. How the relatives of the contractor will stand wo do not know. Surely they can recover from the Council F

In referring to the Licensing Laws the Premier stated in the House on Tuesday, that it was evident that there had been evasions of the law in allowing a license to drop in one part of the district. The licensing laws did doubtless require material amendment, but whether the House would be able to come to a conclusion on such matters, time would tell. The prohibitionists, people in the trade and the pubile generally, all acknowledged that the law, in this respect, required amendment and extension.

Thanks to China, and the passing of men-of-war of all nations through the big ditch, the Suez Canal Company are able to report that the traffic of 1901 was almost equal to that of 1896, the record year. Judged by our part in the procession from Said to Suez, we do not seem to bo in danger of losing our maritime supremacy for a year or two. Out of the 3441 ships that passed through the Canal last year, 1933 were British; Germany was a bad second with 4G2, and France third with 285. It is estimated that the total cost'of the Christchurch review in connection with the Yorks’ visit will bo over £IO,OOO, or nearly £1 for each man and cadet who took part in it. Included in this is the cost of transport of the various corps, both from the North Island by train and steamer, as well as the bringing of the South Island and Canterbury men and horses by rail.

A curious pulpit reference to the elections was made at the Presbyterian Church Queensland, N.- 8. W„ by the Rev. Mr Moffit.t This clergyman denounced the See Government, and urged voters to put them out of office. The entire sermon was a repetition of the indictment made by the Opposition and Mr Maffit concluded with the statement that the recent droughts and other calamities were proof of Divine anger against the See Government.

Emily Harriet Taylor, aged 62, and her sister, Mary Taylor, two years younger, rented a small room at Arundel terrace, Glebe (Sydney). They had formerly held good positions as governesses, but were now in necessitous circumstances, and applicants for old age pensions. The sisters retired to rest at the usual hour one evening, and not making their appearance next morning, and no reply being got to knocking, the door was forced in. The eldest sister was found dead in her bed, and life had apparently been extinct for several hours. Mary Taylor was unconscious, but after treatment at the hospital she recovered. A medical man detected an odor of chloral in the room, but a search failed to discover any trace of that drug. At the anniversary dinner of the Newspaper Press Fund in London Mr C. E. Hands told a little yarn to illustrate the effect upon the men at the front of criticism of the Army Medical Department. Omrday, he said, a man was taken into a field hospital and treated for a wound in the thigh. Under an ansc-thetic the surgeon in charge prabed and found a metallic substance—a battered sixpence which had been driven by the bullet through his pocket. When the man came round the surgeon handed him the sixpence and said “This is what wo got out of your thigh,” The man answered, “Oh I know all about your B.A.M.C. tricks, I have read about you in the papers. You give me the other nine and a tanner, I lost half a quid.’’