NEWS BY MAIL

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1920, Page 3

NEWS BY MAIL

i SNAKE IN, THE gTREET. i LONDON, June 4. | A snake was seen gliding along the pavement in Store-street, Bodfordsqunre., W.G\, on Saturday afternoon and was smartly cUptured, but up j to last night where it had come from was not known. i Two little children first saw tlie snake and they ran into a butcher’s shop and told Mr C. 11. Hill, the manager, who picking up a- cardboard box, dashed out, and secured the reptile, which was later transferred to a tin biscuit box. The snake is 3ft. long and about Jin. in diameter in the centre. On either side of the head is a crescent-shaped yellow mark. Its body is coloured faint yellow with small black marks. On Wednesday last a- maidservant at a house close to whore it‘was caught reported that she had seen a snake in the garden but her master thought she Fas mistaken.

ARCTIC CURRENT STOPS. COPENHAGEN, June 4

The Christiania journal Morgenbladet publishes an article referring to Captain Roald Amundsen’s Folar Expedition. It is -based on information received from experienced Arctic mariners, and states that since 1917 no drift ice has come to the east coast of Greenland from the Polar basin. This means that the current Which made it possible for Dr Nansen many years agp to carry out his expedition, and upon which Captain Amundsen also was relying has for three years now not been gunning. This is regarded as indicating that the current is only periodical, a discovery which is of great scientific- interest. Morgenbladet will as soon as possible try by wireless to inform Captain Amundsen of the Arctic na vigators’ observations.

Capt. Roald Amundsen left Norway on June 25th., 1918, in the Moud on a- North Polar Expedition, axe is expected to be away about 5 years. His intention was to skirt the Siberian Coast to the New Siberian Islands and from here make for the North Pole. His attempt to enter the pack ice and drift cross the Polar Sea had to be abandoned, as tlie ice was drifting south’.

U.S. WAR GRATUITIES. NEW YORK, June 4

The House of Representatives yesterday, after a debate of only 40 minutes passed a Rill calling for an expenditure of £320,000,000 for the provision of bonuses for ex-service men. The Bill would give ex-soldiers 6s. for every day they served in France up to a maximum of £IBO. Those who did not- leave the United .States are to receive 4s. for every day served, provided the total amount does not exceed £IOO. Bonuses are restricted to those under the rank of captain. It is not. expected the Senate will deal with the Bill until after the general election.

JUTLAND ANNIVERSARY. LONDON, June 3,

Portsmouth paid homage yesterdny on the fourth anniversary of the Battle of Jutland, to the memory of the officers and men who fell, more than half of whom belonged to the / “port! Wreaths were placed at the base of the temporary cenotaph on the,.town hall steps, tlie first being from tlie Command, er-in-Cluef at Portsmouth. Admiral Sir Somerset Gough-Oalthorp. The mayor and corporation brought a wreath inscribed “To the imperishable memory of the officers and men of his Majesty's Fleet who died for England at the Battle of Jutland.” Another wreath, inscribed to thp piemory of both the British and German fallen, was deposited by Lord Phjllimore and delegates of thp International Law Conference now meeting in the town.

GILDED ARMY MISERY

FRENCH OFFICERS’ HARDSHIPS.

PARIS, Tuesday

The movement in England against the revival of the gold-braided, redcrated regime in the British Army baa ts counterpart in France in the storm of protest that is being raised against tlie “gilded misery” of officers in the ('T'.-ineli Army,

Instances arc quoted of * a colonel whpse wife and children are forced i live in bnrrafcifs, of a major who lives in working-class quarters and whose wife lias to perform the whole household duties, and a lieutenant who liable to educate his children only by a weekly “whip round” among his brother officers.

At present a lieutenant gwts £3O 8s a month apcl a captajn £4l 16s. A .sergeant-major gets less than a scavenger-,