GENERAL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2175, 3 September 1907, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

For every English person who lives in a liouso valued at over £2O a year, six live in dwellings of lower value. All persons born in His Majesty’s dominions, whether of British or, foreign parents, are British subjects. There are thirteen ox-Lord Mayors of London living. Sir John Whittaker Ellis was Mayor so long ago as 1881. To wash a white shirt easily, tako sour milk and dilute with water and soak the shirt in it overnight. Then wash in the usual way. In Southern Hungary the railways are in places protected by miles of thick hedges of Provence rose. These aro most useful in preventing snow from drifting upon'the line. The worm testudo navalis lias cost ship owners more money than all the wrecks that have ever happened.. Especially in tropical seas this worm destroys all wooden vessels. Up to date four offers have been made for the great Cullinan diamond. These vary between £350,000 ,and £560,000. The stone weighs 3024 J carats, or 1 Jib avoirdupois. rue In the Canary Islands many buildings are constructed of pumice-stone, and in Ceylon a stone called “cabook,” a species of pumice, is employed for the same purpose.

Work is particularly brisk at Hillside (Dunedin) workshops just now, and there is evey likelihood of night shifts being kept going- till the end of the year. Another large order lias been received for waggons. In the erection of the new Victoria and Albert Museum at South Kensington 12,000,000 bricks and 250,000 cubic feet of stone, weighing 10,000 tons have been used. The building will cost over £1,000,000. The following • placard was placed in the windo.w of the place of meeting of tlio Beaconfields (Bucks) Urban District Council in connection with tho election: “Beaconsfield U.D.C. election. This business is under entirely new management!”

A featuro of the new offices of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Christchurch, is a collection of barbarous implements that have been gathered by tho inspector, Mr. W. H. Zouch, from time to time, during the investigation of cases of cruelty. There is a tremendously powerful rabbit-trap that a cat brought to Mr. Zouch’s doorstep one morning. It had been set for tho cat, which took tho bait, and was grasped by tho shoulder. The effort of bringing the trap homo was too much for tho animal, and it succumbed almost immediately. There is also a. fearful spear, fashioned out of a walking stick tipped with a throecornered file, with which a boy speared cats in a box. A very useful looking gaff lies against the wall, itte fighting days over. It was very effective, until the inspector confiscated it, for driving little pigs to slaughter. There are several bits of diabolical design for breaking horses. They could also break a horses’ jaw on occasion. Not the least' sanguinary devices are a couple of dog collars, fitted with sharp cutting blades for fixing in dog’s mouths so that they would be unable to w-orry sheep. Mr. Zouch discovered them by accident, the dog that! was wearing the first having attracted his attention by caressing him while he was chatting to tho owner.

Physicians, chemists, and physiologists (many of thorn smokers tiliemsolvos) agree that smoking before maturity is readied always leads, toßjj ivasto of norvo power and brain force, and thus squanders life by weukoning the very centre of strength. 1 -4In all Lord AA’olsclcy’s campaigns lie made it a rule, whore possible, to allow each soldier lib of tobacco per month, which ho considered a fairallowance. In Italy, tho military authorities recognise tlio weed as one of tho comforts essential to the troops, and cigars aro served out to them pvith their daily rations.

That the majority of us are susceptible to some form of superstition is well known, and among bridge-playere luck has (says Modern Society) brought into existence an entirely now set of charms, which superstitious women carry about with them in, tho firm belief that they are indispensable to their success 'at cards, .and very often in other directions in life. There are some who cannot be persuaded to sit down to a card-table if they have omitted to bring their favorite talisman. Sometimes it is hidden out of sight; others lay it openly on 'the, table, and there are oven those who never let tho lucky object out of their hand during the progress of the game. Among the charms generally worn are the signs of the zodiac, cut out, ill gold. These act, it is said, against had luck for the month in which the wearer was horn. Then there are jade stars, having points to accord with .the wearer’s' lucky number; small pieces of wood, begged from 'lucky tables and carried ill tiny gold boxes; lucky nails, and, of course, tlie lucky coin, which, if bent or mutilated by chance, is considered to have a most benevolent influence. Then there are chirms with an Oriental reputation; and these are most coveted of all. A Chinese “Joss” in miniature has a great value, for it 16 supposed to possess no end of virtues, and one lady who possesses one guards it as though it were a priceless gem. Genuine Egyptian scarabs are also in request, and ail amethyst or turquoise with ail Eastern inscription engraved is considered a power which will ward off misfortune of any kind.