NEWS AND NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1921, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

A CLEVER PICKPOCKET.^

A story illustrative of remarkable dexterity on the part of si pickpocket was told in the Criminal Sessions in Melbourne recently. One evening, George Day, of Fit/.roy. got into conversation with a man whom he met casually in an hotel near Spencer St. station. He mentioned that his brother had lost both his legs at the war. The stranger expressed sympathy, and Day, with a pass or two of bis hands over the stranger’s thigh, indicated that each limb had been cut off “there and there” In this simple manipulation Day had cleverly gone through the stranger’s trouser’s pockets, and abstracted a purse containing Cl. Being found guilty he was ordered four months’ imprisonment by the Judge for larceny from the person. This recalls to mind (says the “Age”) a story that Dante, a clever magician, who was accidentally killed some years ago by a companion whilst on a shooting expedition, used to tell privately of how, on the public platform, in face of, a large audience, he was robbed of a valuable gold watch that had been given him by his father. Preparatory to performing ono of his tricks it was Dante’s custom to invito some persons from the audience to walk on to the platfrom. and, after pnssing their hands over his clothes, tp assure those present that he had nothing concealed about his attire that would assist him in performing the trick. One evening at the close of the performance Dante found that one of the members of his committee, evidently a highly qualified pickpocket, had got away with his watch.

A SETTLER’S HARDSHIPS. As n case of backbloeks hardship, says the Stratford “Post,” the following experience of a settler on the Mangore Rond, which is practically unform_ ed for the greater portion of twelve miles from Whnngamomona to the AYaitnra River, was related to Mr R. Masters M.P. on his visit to that portion of liis electorate last week. This settler in question has been on his selection for seven years Ho said he had proeticallv sold his dry sheep last season at 28s a head, but owing to the terrible state of the track he would not risk taking them out of the township. The slump came, and evontualjv he sold for 12s fid. “The. wool is still in the shed.” he added enlmlv. “T can tell you there’s a big hurdle for anyone farming in the hark.” This settlor has a wife and two children, and like all the others on Die road, lie wants (ho Government to carry on road work in the hackhlocks. to give them a chance to earn soomtliing extra and hold on to their homes.

D'ANNUNZIO WEDS. It is reported by the Homo newspaper “Epooen” that Gabriel D’AnimiK'.io has wedded the young pianist. Luisa Baccara, who kept him company throughout the dictatorship of Finnic to tile end of the siege. She is the daughter of all ex-colonel of Bersaglieri, and is affectionately known among the soldiers as "the Little Venetian of Santo Stefana," the parish wherein she was born. It is stated that D’Annunzio, before quitting Finnic, got tht‘ local authorities to grant him a sentence of divorce from his wife, the Duchess Maria di Gallese, and that the new marriage was quietly celebrated in a small town within the Swiss border,

RE( APTI'BKD AFTER NINE YEARS. .lean Care], a notorious French criminal, paid a (lying visii io Montmartre, where he was recognised by detectives as the man who (.‘scaped from Cayenne nine years ago. lie is in prison, and will he sent back to Cayenne unless clemency is shown him. Carol's first, acquaintance with the police was at 15 voars of age. He bad committed a burglary. Two years fitter he was sentenced to ten years’ detention for an impudent robbery and sent to the convict station at Cayenne. No sooner arrived in the land of the alligator and the mosquito than he made three desperate efforts to escape. His fourth attempt was successful. He landed in France, and paid a visit to Montmartre. Then he went to London, where he earned an honest living, rising to the dignity of head porter at a fashionable West End hotel. When war broke ouj. Carol hastened to France. Speaking Herman fluently, he was entrusted with a number of perilous missions. These he accomplished successfully. MONGOOSE AND COBRA. A cobra in the act of “mesmerising” a king crow in a field near Calcutta was attacked by a mongoose and, after a fierce struggle, killed. The cobra was so intent on capturing its prey that it did not notice the mongoose which pounced on its neck from behind, just as it was about to strike the bird. The cobra fought furiously, writhing and hissing, but the mongoose won. The mongoose then disappeared as quickly as it had come. When the bitd was picked tip there were no marks on the body, but it, was dead—apparently from shock.

STEEPLE FALLS ON PROFESSION. Two disasters, each caused by bellringing, marred the Ascension Day celebrations in Tuscany. At San Donato, about four miles from Florence, a large bell swung loose and crashed through the roof just as it procession was entering the church. A young girl was killed and twenty others were injured. At Villa Basilica, in the Luoca province, joy hells caused the collapse of an old church steeple, which had hewn badly cracked by the last earthquake. Here, too, a procession of women and children was caught by the falling masonry. A girl of ten was killed, and three women and four children had arms or legs broken.