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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2055, 16 April 1907, Page 3

A FAMOUS CONJUROR. One of the most famous conjurors in tho world —Air. Charles Bertram—died at the end of February at his London residence. When a young man M. Bertram was intended for the Wesleyan ministry, but he drifted into the sloight of hand profession quite in an accidental way. He was in the habit of amusing his friends by conjuring tricks. He was induced at length to give a performance at a charity entertainment, and following this offers poured in upon him from those who desired to secure his services for private parties. This decided him to become a professional magician, and he at once secured public favor. He was one of' the earliest to perfect and oxhibit the now well-known “vanishing lady” illusion in England, and once induced the late Air. Gladstone to act as his assistant. Mr. Bertram, naturally, had some curious experiences,and one was really responsible for a new stage sensation. In this instance lie stepped upon a trap in tho stage, and at once dropped out of sight. The audience lauglipd, but Air. Bertram was badly bruised. However, he thought the matter out, and at last evolved the disappearing trick in which, jilacod beneath a shoot, lie vanished nightly from .the stage. Air Bortram has mystified audiences all over the world. He entertained the King on many occasions. A man of almost military carriage, with closely cut and pointed beard and waxed moustache, Air. Bertram was hardly the conventional conjuror in appearance.

On Tuesday afternoon at AVliangarei George Ferguson, the young son of Air. E. Ferguson, licensee of the Towai Hotel, met with a serious accident through falling from a dray, the wheels of which passed over his logs, breaking both of them. The little fellow is a general favorite in the district, and much sympathy is felt for the sufferer and his parents. An examination of the sandstone outcrops oil the beach at Brighton (Victoria) has " revealed the presence of 3grs of gold to the toil. A similar discovery was made in the sandstone near the Sydney University buildings a few years ago, blit the quantity oi gold, as in the ease of the discovery at Brighton, precluded the chance of payable operations for its recovery. In regard to weather, the Exhibition had phenomenal luck, there having been not more than six wet days during the season, and these not sufficient appreciably to interfere with the attendance.

Salt water, according to the two motor-men witnesses who gave evidence yesterday at the inquest rewarding the death of the late Mr. Huxtable, has a peculiar, if not dangerous, effect on the trail lines, Three witnesses stilted that after the salt water had been used for street watering purposes, a paste forms on the train lines. This paste is polished by the action of the car wheels .with the result that when the car brakes are applied the rails offer no resistance to the wheels, and the car simply slides on. Both Motormon said that some portions of the lines were more affected than others in this respect, anil that a car might slide for 50 yards after tlie emergency brake had been applied.

A now form of punishment has been adopted at Eton College. Offenders against flic school rules have now to

write a certain number of “lines” with the left hand. Tile scheme has met with general approval among the governing body, though it is said that

some hoys would rather lie birched than have to undergo the new penance. The headmaster, the Hon. and Rev. JO. Lyttelton, who is a

great believer in ambidexterity, is of opinion that everyone should be

taught to use the left hand. If the left side was' not as active as the right, the left side of the brain was

affected. Writing with the left hand would have a good effect upon the brain, and there would bp nq such thing as writer’s cramp. The hoys will not he kept ill school longer than they were formerly, and the number of lines allotted will be much fewer. A number of boys, it is said, are practising the art of writing with the left hand during their leisure time.

The smallness of. country schools, says Inspector' Hill, of Hawke’s Bay, presents a difficulty to the introduction into them of manual and technical training. It would be a very good tiling, he says, to foster in all country schools a knowledge of elementary agriculture, including soils, rocks, native plants, anil common weeds, as far as each district is concerned. But specialists must do the work in the country just as they do in the towns. If education is to have a utilitarian bias in the schools it should be in the direction of adaptation of environment and, probable future needs. Itinerant teachers could do the work in the country, and by a slight modification of the present manual and technical regulations dealing with “school classes,” it would he possible for a teacher to instruct the senior pupils belonging to twenty or more schools during the year.

A large number of sheep are at present coming to Auckland (says tlio morning journal). The AVanalca brought up 1,000 from Timaru on Tuesday, principally lambs; the Squall had ovor 500 from Gisborne; and the Uaurolo, which arrived from Picton yostord/iy, lmd 1,050. News from Rotorua states that 3,500 are on route from Gisborne to Wnimuuga, about 17 miles from Rotorua. Tho- Rotorua Times, referring to tho latter consignment, says: —“The country from Wailiuinga is mostly fern, is well watered, and in splendid grass. Hero is sufficient proof that the time is not far distant when tho district will ho second to none as a producer. Tho present 21 years’ failure is had, however, - for anything like rapid progress, as nobody will invest money on virgin lands on so short a lease. The Commission now sitting should solve this question however, before next session is over.” For Bronchial Coughs take Woods’ Gro ' Peppermint Cure. Is Cd and 2s b<« .