LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 February 1912, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A number of supporters of tiic Opposition and of the..Labour candidate held a, private meeting 011 Saturday and passed, bo we are informed, a. resolution of confidence in Mr Robertson. The opinion was expressed by Oppositionists that Mr ltobertson would vote for the no-confidence motion, and this resolution was passed with the object of strengthening his hands. Per contra, it is vehemently contended in other quarters that Mr Robertson. who has always repudiated any pact or understanding with Mr Massey's party, is solely the nominee of the l 1 lax Hands Union, and that they have now released him from his pledges and given him a free hand to vote as he thinks in the best interests of Labour. It is said that the meeting on Saturday was more like a funeral service over disappointed hopes than a political meeting. Mr ltobertson visited. Levin on Saturday, and on Sunday ho had numerous callers from the Opposition urging him to vote for the no-confidence motion. On Saturday night the political situation was hotly discussed in Levin, Mr Robertson being severely criticised in some quarters and wai ml} eulogised in others. It is difficult at present to ascertain what Labour in the mass thinks of the situation, but those members of the Opposition who most bitterly assailed Mr Field, and who "threw in" for Mr Robertson at the second ballot, jut intensely chagrined.

'iiic War Oilice recently iissued an oilieial correction lor "inadverteii'je" in having used the term '"Great liritain" instead of the "the United Kingdom" in connection with the oiler oi prizes for the best militury laeropiane announced 011 December 14.

A recent Lancet publishes the resuiLi 01 an investigation which relates Lo tiie amount, quality, and e'lietU 01 the soot lulling annually 111 London. The calculation shows that the total amount of deposit falling annually upon the administrative County of London, including the City, amounts to no less than 7G,U50 tons, in which are present over GOOD tons of ammonia about aOUU tons of sulphates, 3000 tons of chlorine in chlorides, besides carbon and tar.

There was a capital muster of lads at the Y.M.C.A. rooms last evening when Mr Gibson presided. It was resolved to commence a beginners class at the swimming baths on Wednesday and Saturday afternons; also for all boys to go in for training for trophies promised to the department, which is divided into two sections, under and over 14. Mr Vincent kindly offered to act as coach to tho swimming division, and Mastor Coppin the diving class, with Mr R. Herd and Master J. Mclntvre as their respective assistants.

'i lie oldest member of Parliament in the world, the Hungarian deputy .\L Joseph Madarasz, who is now in Jiifs OiJth year, issues a denial of the statement that he is about, to retire into private life. M. Madarasz say.s that he means to retain his mandate till he has completed his hundredth year, if not longer. Me carries a list of all the centenarians in the world constantly with him. and marks them off as they die. He is determined to outlive them all. and some day to have the distinction of being the oldest man in the world.

In examining prospective jurors for a murder trial in the General Sessions Court of New York, counsel for the accused said to one of the prospective jurymen:—" This indictment accuser the defendant of killing the deceased with premeditation and deliberation. What do you understand by that?" "Who, meP" replied the talesman. "If you please,' 'said the lawyer. "Why," answered the man, "thorn's the weapons he done the killing with." The man was excused from service. Subsequently it was learned he had been foreman of three previous juries in the Special Sessions Court.

Startling statements regarding I he sums gambled away annually afc the French casinos and the amount ol money given to the croupiers in lips were made in the Chamber of Deputies recently by M. Kerduezoc in supporting a Bill for a progressive taxon gambling clubs and casinos. Ho said that the amount of the takings :ii: Engliien ,tli<! casino near Pnn o , this yisar was £380,000; at Vichy, C] 56,000; and at Trouvillo, £137-, 000. The tips to croupiers ot Engliicn amounted to £09,480, the head croupier receiving over £2000, while afc Vichy and Trouville the tips amounted to £20,280 and £35.b20 respectively.

Mr D. Petric, ex-Chief Inspector of Schools for the Auckland district, who has just been on a visit to Mount Egmont, remarked to a Taranaki News reporter that 11 most remarkable thing about the Horn v/as that numbers of southern plants, particularly those known as cedars, which in the parts of Otago where they were to be found attained an ordinary growth, grew at the mountain to an unprecedented size. Tn the south he had never seen cedars half the size of those in the upper portion of the forest reserve, between 2000 and 3000 feet above tho sea-level. To his mind this was attributable to the plenitude of rain and the more favourable temperature. A gentleman qualified to know told Mr Petrie that he ad been interesting himself in finding out whether the cedar would do for lead pencils. According to him. Mr Hiardmuth's well-known pencil-mak. ing firm had been searching tho world for suitable cedar.

j At Poorangakau, Hawke's Bay, a ; great many buildings are being : elected by Maoris, some of them be- ; ing veritable mansions, and having coat a lot of money. The chief topic or conversation amongst the Maoris . is Jtugby football, and they ar eal- ! ready discussing proposals for the [ coming season. One native, who is I building a fine residence, is including a room in bis dwelling specially ; for visiting footballers.

On Wednesday Mr Justice Denniston informed William James, who had been convicted the day before of theft and sentenced to three yeans' imprisonment, that he was entitled if lie wished, to have another trial, as one of the jurors hearing the case had not been sworn. Prisoner elected to have a fresh trial. This morning, however, James informed the Judge that he had not quite understood his Honour's remarks the other day. and he was now prepared to accept the verdict of the eleven jurymen. A new trial will therefore not take place.

To the (Scottish people. pronunciation is an important mutter, ami tliits truth was exemplified at the Supreme Court at Christchurch (reports the Times). A witness, whose second name was SLrachan ,pronounced the woi'd as " Strach-an,'' and Mr Justice Dcnni.ston suggested that the word'was "Strawn." The witness insisted that the name was .Scottish, and that his version war; correct. His Honour drew on the poets for his authority, quoting two lines of the verse, <; ls there not," he asked, "a celebrated verse, telling of an earl' with sword drawn who 'hiond waiting for the Earl oi Strachan ?" His Honour pronounced the name to rhyme with "drawn,'' but the witness overruled the authority quoted by his Honour, and insisted 011 " Strach-an."

An Auckland man found himself in trouble in a peculiar way. He purchased a pair of prism lield glasses, or what were said to by such, the price being £2. He paid 5.s deposit, and came bade later with the balancc ol' the purchase money. Then lie discovered that the glasses were not what they had been represented, and demanded the return ol his deposit, which was refused. The next step was to rise early one mornisg and paint on the pawnshop window the words: "Stole fivi; shillings." This was washed off by the pawnbroker, but still there was no redress. The disappointed one then got: a tar brush and ornamented the canvas screen with the emblem in big letter:?. "Thief!" This ended in a prosecution, in which he was fined fa and 10s costs on each of the two informations. He was advised to try a civil remedy for the repayment of his deposit.

A novel strike occurred on a recent Sunday night at a picture show at Wonthaggi, Victoria. Dur-

ing the week the management of the bliow discharged the pianist, aud a man engaged in his place was said io have accepted the position at a reduction oi 10s per week in salary. While the Jiitst picture was being shown tin; pianist was pelted with potatoes, tomatoes and fruit, and had to seek shelter. The show was stopped, and an explanation made by the management, but this was not accepted by tho crowd, and at the cry of "Unionists, leave the hall!' the audience rose and left the building, only a- few women arid children remaining. Had it not been for the- police serious trouble would have occurred. T(, subsequently transpired that neither of the pianists was a number of a union.

-Mi' Samuel Turner, F.R.G.S., Alpinist, butter i or. etc., climbed the office stairs the other day to tell the AVellington Free Txincc that he had a bone to pick with it. Yhe bone-picking ceremony arose out of a statement that Mr Turner did not impress the casual observe)' as a great athlete or a King of Climbers, lie informed the Free Lance that a fortnight ago on the Hntt cricket ground, in the presence of a number of cricketers, he skipped 10,550 Limes in 1 hour 20 minutes, the ! ast 200 skips occupying one minute. Still as fresh as paint he then hopped 200 times on each leg after a couple of minutes pause. The world's skipping record is only 6000 times, but skipping is not a mania with Mr Turner. He was only doing some quiet training for another big climb. Nevertheless, Mr Turner has given the Lance permission to throw the gauntlet down on his behalf that he will skip any man in the world for £25. As he makes a condition that the stake be devoted to the Wellington Hospital, perhaps Mr Aitken, or some other trustee of that institution anxious to succour its funds, will take the wager up. Mr Turner further urges on his beliall' that a ilea can jump twenty times the weight of its body, but an elephant can't, and he also points out what a line little climber the Manchurian pony is, and yet the big horse as an Alpinie is no good at all. Further, M. Jules Zurbriggen, the famous mountaineer, who tackled our peaks some years ago, was about his own hoijht (oft Gin). So was Napoleon. >3ut would Napoleon, dressed after our own fashion, or Zurgriggen, attract more than passing notice on Lambton Quay to-day? Finally, Mr Turner says he can't help being a little man, but he has settled down in Wellington's salubrious climate, which, he admits, is the best in the world, and hopes to leave a bigger race behind him.

Gentlemen requiring a most agreeable lotion for after shaving will find Extract of Cucumber and Glycerine delightfully cooling and refreshing. Price one shilling per bottle from C. S. Keedwoh, Dispensing Chemist.—Advt.