AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1923, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

ROMANCE OF A VIOLIN. SYDNEY, May 9 A violin which the owners are ci vineed is a genuine Stradivarius 1 come to light in a curious maun A hoy named Scholes, living at Buiq wannah, near Albury, on the N South Wales and Victorian border, u sent to Sydney by his parents, who ti musical people, to complete his edu< tion, and while in the city he cm to know a poor violin teacher, fre whom ho took some lessons on the i strumem. The teacher possessed violin of which he thought much, b be had fallen on evil days, and w glad to part tvitfi it to his pupil f the proverbial “mere song.” Takii it home, with him, the boy thougl little of it, and it was long before 1 even strung and played it—but whe he did both he and his parents wei enchanted by the rich mellowness . i its. tone, and close inspection reveille Ihe inscription “Facicbat, anno 173 G. They were not long in convincing then selves of lho possibility of its being genuine Stradivarius, worth anythin about £IO,OOO. Naturally, they los no time in submitting it to experts i Sydney, and later in Melbourne else hut these declined to make a definit pronouncement-, but confessed them much impressed. Still conrincci that the violin was a production of th< mnestro, Mr and Mrs Scholes had i insured for £7OO, and placed in tin strongroom of the Allniry branch of Lin Commonwealth bank tor safe keeping A heavy ease was made for it, and lasi week it was sent by the Moldavia ti London, insured for £IOOO. An expert- from Christie’s, the fa turns dealers in art ware, will be invit'd to inspect the violin, and later offer t for sale. The owners arc of opinion :hat if it is a genuine “Strad” it may

soil up to £IO,OOO. FEROCIOUS lIATS. INCIDENT IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY, May 9. A curious infestation of rats in certain quarters near the waterfront in North Sydney, which .lies across the harbour from the city, and is a favourite residential area, has been marked bv several incidents of extraordinary ferocity on the part of these creatures. The most horrible of these has been made public through a report by a sanitary inspector to the local Council, in which he gives details of a persistent attack upon a baby by a large black rat. The inspector (Mr Trickett) stated that ho had been called upon by Mrs Kelly, of 3 Neutral street, North Sydney, who described how her baby had been attacked by ‘‘an enormously big black rat.” She stated that during the night her habv was very restless, and had constant fits of screaming and kicking. Her husband got a light, and discovered that the baby "'as bleeding from the noso and head. She took the baby up in her arms, and noticed a big black rat biting the back of the infant’s head. It was only when she lifted the baby tDat the rat made

The inspector states that the rat had very bndlv bitten the infant's nose, and marked its face in a number of places. There were at least a dozen small strips of flesh torn from the child’s head, while the back portion of the head was badly punctured. The

child was later taken to the hospital. Mr Trickett added that he inspected the premises, and found evidence'"of serious rat infestation there, as well as in other premises in the neighbourhood. Mrs Kelly's house was as clean as it could be kept. The Council has appointed rat catchers in an endeavour to overcome the trouble,