AJAH'S SON AND PEER'S DAUGHTERS

Grey River Argus, 21 April 1911, Page 8

AJAH'S SON AND PEER'S DAUGHTERS

HEIRESS TO THE THRONE OF

SARAWAK,

Around the wedding- at St. Peter's Oranbourne, Windsor Forest, of Mr Charles Vyner, Brooke to Miss Sylvia Brett, daughter of Lord Esher, a good deal of romance" hung.

Mr Brooke is the son of Sir Charles Johnson Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, so that his bride is now heiress to the throne of that wonderful kingdom in' Borneo — a 'kingdom with an area of 52,000 square,- miles and a polyglot population of half a million.

■Sarawak" was given- to Sir James Brooke by a grateful' native Sultan in 1842, and the present rajah is the nephew of Sir James.

Xuching, the capital, where the rajah' s palace stands, is situated on the River 'Sarawak, 23 miles from the coast, and has been the scene of tierce rebellions and encounters. But the Sea-Dyaks, the most formidable of nead-hunters, have been tamed by hte "English rajahs, and the peace of the little kingdom is rarely broken. Thb' annual revenue is about £180,OGo, and the uhexploited treasures of barawak include gold, silver, diamonds, antimony,, quicksilver,, and coal. The- army consists of 500 Eng-lish-trained- Dyaks, and the police number 150, both forces being under British officers.

The bride was given away by her father, Lord Esher, and Mr 'Ralph Anderson acted as best man. The Dnciesm'aids. wore Quaker • dresses. Representatives of the District Boy Scouts and the Callander (Perthshire) Scouts were present..

Among the numerous wedding gifts to the bride' and bridegroom were : — From the King and Queen, an enamel brooch, with the Royal cypher in pearls and diamonds; the Duchess of Albany, ' a book ; Prince and Princes Alexander' of Teck, enamel boiifoonniere ; the ' Rajah of Sarawak, a cheque ; the Ranee 'of Sarawak, necklace of precious stones ; Lord Esher, ruby and diamond cross and earrings; Lady Esher, ruby bow, ruby brooch, and cheque.

A curious laJSmospheTjic phenomenon which is' not unknown in Switzerland, though i are, is reported from various parts of the Canton of Arg-o-vie, and from Constance and Sin-g-en, writes the _6eneva correspondent of the "Standard." ' Large patches of newly-fallen snow were found to be black in colour^ on the surface, and examination showed myriads of insects resembling - the iflea which were in slow but continued movement. The insect is known to naturalists and is supposed to "fall" from the air when a warm south' wind blows. The peasants in their dialect call the phenomenon "moving- black snow."

A party of Boy Scouts made themselves very useful indeed at Corsair Bay. A young- woman who had climbed the hill above the' Bay was attacked by ii series of fainting-fits, which culminated in complete and con tinued unconsciousness. The aid of ; the Boy Scouts was invoked to carry the patient doAvn to the road.^ The Scouts-, who. belong- 'to the Trinity \ Congreg-ational troop, improvised , a stretcher with their poles and coats, and carried the young: woman safely down the hill. She was placed in a vehicle and driven to Lyltleton, where she received midical attention. The troop was under the command of Scoutmaster Boniface and assistant Scout-master*Boyce. ;

The member for/ Otaki (Mr. W. H. Field, M.P. ) ,, has been urging on the Minister of Agriculture the need ♦for more rabbit and. noxious weed inspection in his district. The Minister now writes that additionol. inspectors are .to. be . appointed, and tlVat in tlie readjustment of districts that will take place the claims of the Otaki district. .will" receive full consideration -