NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1925, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

SOLDIER’S LOVE AFFAIRS. LONDON. June 20. An inquest was held yesterday on William George Billingshy. JO. I incoScrgeant in the Ist. Grenadier Guards, who shot himself at Wellington Barracks. Ethel Florence Rose, of High Street, Wandsworth, stated she had been engaged to Billingshy for more than a year, and at 8.30 p.m. on Thursday she went to Wellington Barracks to see him. No appointment had been made up. and she found another girl inquiring for Billingshy. She sent her name up to Billingshy who returned a message that he would rather not see her. An hour later she saw him. hut nothing was said about the other girl. Mhrn he told her he would have to see the Sergeant-Major for not going down to her. she said. “Billy, will vou come and see me to-morrow It will bo quite id! right,” and gave him to understand that she knew about the girl. Regimental Sergeant-Major James Brown said he received a report from the sergeant of the guard saying that two girls were waiting to see Billingshy, and that lie had sent, seven or eight messages up to the man, who had refused to tome (loan. He told Billingsby that disciplinary action would be taken against him. Later the man was found shot in the maoliine-giHi .store-room to which he Had climbed by ail external lire escape. A verdict of suicide while of unsound mind was recorded. SOLDIERS’ GERMAN WIVES. LONDON. June 20. A good deal of discussion is taking place at Aldershot concerning the women of German birth, who, having married British soldiers serving on the Rhine, now live in the barracks there. It is stated that at North Camp, where many of them are quartered, relatives and friends from Germany live with them in the barracks while on holiday. The permitted period is two months, but in more than otto case, it is said, the stay lias been extended to four months. APOLLO STATEE OF 2.000 YEARS AGO. NAPLES, June Id. A large bronze statue about 011. in height, believed to represent Apollo, was excavated in the Via dell’ Abhondaii/.a (the street of Abundance) yesterday in Pompeii, the ancient city which was destroyed by an eruption "I Vesuvius ill A.I). 70. The statue >.- in a good stale of preservation, and is Milled to lie ol </reat Yiiliio. It lias been taken to Naples Musemil, where it will be examined by the .Superintendent of Monuments to determine its artistic mid historic;'.! value. • , Rome experts declare that !'-c Isronze Apollo statue may prove the most important, discovery of its kind for manv years. It is stated to be perfect in all its details. It was found indy a little way below the ground. Tt was in the* Street of Abundance four years ago that several notes on ivory tablets front patrician girls to successful glndinlors were found. A translation of one of these love letters of 2,023 years ago reads: Art, thou Phoebus Apollo in the body of Hercules? Indeed Hum are a Coin to me. Thy beauty and strength have blotted from my eyes all other men. I am young and the suitors I despise say that I am bountiful. I will await thee, beloved one, near the Temple ol Dos, KNIFE SWALLOWER. LONDON. June lb. At an inquest at I’arklnir-J Prison, Isle of Wight, yesterday, on Joseph Kearon. 13, labourer, wlm was serving a sentence of seven years’ penal serviture passed at Manchester recently for wounding with intent to murder, too jure ton iit 1 that death was due to chronic iiillamniatioii caused by swallowing foreign substances while in prison. Dr Craig said Kearnn had been addicted for about three years to swallowing handles ol knives, locks and .pirns, parts of scissors and machinery and buttons. Ho had been operated upon two or three Times in other prison:. for i lie removal of things ho bad swallowed, and last November lie swallowed the handles of two spoons. There was mot hod in the madness ot prisoners who adopted this habit, a doctor said, because, to prevent excessive injury, they broke oil' the sharp parts ol the knives and forks and other tilings before swallowing them.