NEWS ITEMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 706, 30 December 1902, Page 1

NEWS ITEMS.

A governess is claiming JCIO.OOO damages against tho 11-ycar-old son of Mr J. M. Hartshorns, a wealthy citizen of Now York, who, she alleges, assaulted hor 6 so violently by jumping on hor that sko is j permanently injured. It is said that the only thing Scotch in a set of bagpipes is tho shoepskin and tartan. The wood—ebony or coeus—comes from Africa or Jamaica, tho ivory from Africa, tho horn from Australia, and tho a cano for tho rood from Spain. 'A' Melbourne, hacker laid £25 to £f> f that he would pick ten losers at Mel- , bourne Cup meeting. Amongst his “ duffers ” he included The Victory 1 and Vanity Fair, the first and .second j horses in Melbourne Cup. t It is stated that had tho threatened , maritime strike troubles on tho other sido reached a crisis, delegates from the Seamen’s Union would have exploited every part of New Zealand for the purpose of placing their position before tho public, and enlisting practical sympathy. It is further said that the Shipping Federation would have been backed up by some of the most powerful British shipping combiuatious in the world. Knowing it meant a tremendous struggle against tho organisation of capital outside of Australia, tho representatives of tho seameu deemed it best, at present at least, to come to an understanding. A sarcastic correspondent writes to the Christchurch Press :—“ At Haumer Plains it is understood that Mr A. \V. Rutherford, M.H.R., has suggested to Mr D Rutherford, who proposes to put on a motor passenger car or cars on the road from Culverden, to hold the question over, as the Premier proposes definitely to put the Hanmer railway on the votes for the next session of Parliament. What Mr D. Rutherford will do is not quite certain, though if he looks at the progress of the Cheviot line he might run motor ears for two or three years without fear of railway opposition.” It would be more profitable to the colony if the Government pushed forward a line to the Motu.

The little commune of Naours, in the department of the Somme (France), has this year reaped a harvest that can truly be described as historic. In the month of November of last year some peasants discovered in an underground chamber a large quantity of wheat in excellent preservation. During the wars towards the end of the reign of Louis XIV. they were occupied by the English troops, who used them as storehouses. After the battle of Ivlalplaquet in 1709 the English evacuated the district, leaving a large quantity of provisions in these underground storehouses. The wheat discovered last year dates from this epoch. The peasants sowed this grain, without, however, founding too great hopes on the result. They were agreeably disappointed. The harvest has been magnificent, a striking proof of the persistence of the germinating power of wheat. It is curious to think that French peasants have reaped in 1902 English crops grown ifrorn English grain dating back 200 years, —Golden Penny,