LATE MAIL NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1920, Page 4

LATE MAIL NEWS.

TRAGEDY OF A PLAICE

LONDON, February 20-

A veteran North Sea plaice, probably 20 years old, a few days ago ended a romantic career in the inglorious toils of a trawl net. The fact is the more interesting because so little is -known of the age to which deep sea fish live. The fish, a large one, says an official report from Whitehall, was found in a catch landed at Lowestoft. It was the second tune it had been caught the first being 16 years ago, as shown by an identification disc on it which bore the date 1904. This disc also showed that the first captors were Germans belonging to the Kiel and Heligoland Scientific Fishery Commission, who marked it in accordance with the international scheme of inquiry into the migrations, growth, and age of fish. Caught and released to survive 10 years’ fishing activity and nearly five years of war in the sea, this plaice seems to have had a charmed life.

But presumably all lias ended in fillets, as the fishery officials say they regret that some salt-water tank could no have served for the veteran’s declining years. “A fish that had been (twice caiught and had survived the greatest crisis in the history of the sea was deserving of some more dignified ending than that which has in all probability overtaken it.” “PRY” REVOLT. NEW YORK, Feb. 24. What the Federal Commissioner dczeribes as an “open revolt” against Prohibition lias broken out in Iron County, in the State of Michigan. His official report describes how a party of State constabulary, having seized a supply of contraband liquor, was stopped by the chief of the county police with a- much larger number of men and forced to give up the wine and raisin brandy they bad confiscated.

Major Dalryniple, the Chief Prohibition Commissioner, lias applied to Washington or warrants against the chief of police and their officials of Iron County. Meanwhile lie is gathering a force of armed men with which lie declares he will “clean- up” the whole of the Iron County.

The extent to which the spirit of the Anti-Saloon League lias percolated into the minds of the Prohibition authorities may be gathered from a statement issued by the Chief Commissioner, who says: “I will take as many men as necessary and I will put the respect and fear of the law into Iron County, cost what it may. It appears that several other persons besides the State Attorney entertain the belief that they can defy the Federal authority. But they will learn very differently before we arc through with them.”

£2,400,000 WIFE. BUDAPEST, Feb. 24. Count Laszlo Szechenyi denies that lie is about to cause divorce papers to be served on his wife. It was recently stated .that the count was about to seek a divorce from his wife, who was formerly Miss Gladys Vanderbilt. She inlieirted £2,400,000 before her marriage in 1908. Her great-grandfather was “Commodore” Cornelius Vanderbilt, who started life without a penny and died worth £20,000,000. Count Szechenyi is a Hungarian. His property at the time of his marriage was stated to be worth £400,000. The couple have four children.

THE DANCING FACE. ' PARIS, Feb. 23. Beauty specialists and doctors in Paris are concerned at what they describe as the “tired Tango face.” Many young women in Paris lead busy lives all day in work of one kind or another and then spend half the night at balls or, dancing clubs. For weeks they cut their sleep to a dangerous minimum, and the effects become visible in faces sallow and wrinkled under the rouge and powder. Eye trouble is a frequent result of this burning of the caudle at both ends, but seldom will the young women accept the remedy offered to them, which is to give up excessive dancing and have plenty of sleep and rise early.

The dancing emsse is increasing all over France.

WEST END COMEDY. LONDON, Feb. 23! The Sunday afternoon stillness of New Oxford Street W.C. was disturbed yesterday by the loud ringng of a burglar alarm. People rushed from all directions to the clothing shop of Messrs Simmons, where a policeman stood outside' the closed door. Many gave advice to force an entry, and the fact that a. jewellery shop is next door gave colour to the rumour that a daring daylight robbery bad been attempted. More policemen came and conferred with their colleague, while small groups excitedly discussed the chance of the thieves being caught. Few could understand the slowness of the officers getting to work.

The crowd smilingly melted away when it was explained that the ringing of the alarm was caused by a policeman’s too strenuous testing of the shop door.