NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1926, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

PARIS TRAIN LUXURY. „ j LONDON, November 9. A contract has been signed between the Northern Railway of France and the International Sleeping Car Company to build and operate a new Pullman ear service between Calais and Paris. It is intended that the new trains shall be of 10 Pullman cars each, of which half shall have kitchens, so that passengers may be served with meals without moving from their seats, as is the case on English Pullman ears. The service is to begin some time between may 15 and May 30, 1926, and will run in connection with the 10.40 a.m., and the 11 a.m., trains from Victoria Station, London, and the noon train from Paris to Calais. An order for 30 cars, amounting to £250,000, has been placed in England by Sir Davison Dakiiel, of the International Sleeping Car C'o., with tlio Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon and Finance Co., Ltd., and the Birmingham Railway Carriage and AYagon Co.. Ltd.

A further 30 cars are in process of being ordered from French constructors. While the cars will possess every luxury found in English Pullman cars, they will he able to give additional comfort because of their greater length, breadth and height. Each train will seat 300 passengers. It is hoped that arrangements will bo made for hand luggage from England to he examined in the train from Calais. By a test run last- Thrusdny it was found possible to reduce by about 20 minutes the journey Time between Paris and Calais.

SICK BED WEDDING. LONDON, Nov. 9. Difficultie.s in the way of regularising a Scottish marriage by declaration have been overcome in the case of a man who was too ill to attend the Sheriff Court in Glasgow, The man, Mr AVilliam Richmond, a marine engineer, of Marvliill, Glasgow. returned from a voyage dangerously ill. He and his sweetheart. Miss Agnes Dickson Smith, in the presence of witnesses made a declaration that they were man and wife. The bride and Die witnesses went to the Sheriff and asked him to regularise the marriage. As the bridegroom was not present he could not. ITe agreed to go to the bridegroom, hut as he was not allowed to move the register from the Court House during the day. ho went to the bridegroom’s house in the early evening, uc' ompanicd by his clerk who carried the bulky register. The bride and the two witnesses were present. The bridegroom was very ill hut fully conscious, and in a few minutes the marriage was completed and registered.

“AVIIEN I AM DEAD.” LONDON. OH. 29. Widespread interest and discussion have been aroused by llio publieatuii in the “Weekly Dispatch” of the remarkable series of articles under the title: “When I Am Dead.” These articles disclose the intimate thoughts and personal beliefs ol leading men and women in every walk ol life concerning the supreme problem uf (h;.> Hereafter as they envisage it for themselves. Next Sunday Father Ronald Knox, tlio eminent writer and son of the Famous Bishop of Manchester, is contributing his opinion. Exceptional interest centres in the view ol I'ather Knox by reason of tlio fact that lie was received into (Tie Roman Catholic Church after being ordained a priest of the Church of England. Father Knox throws out a direct challenge to Spiritualism and says: “1 hereby give the Spiritualists leave to raise my ghost as often as they like, because J feel fully convinced that my sold will know nothing about it and will have nothing to do with it.”

COUNTESS OF LONGFORD. LONDON, Nov. 9

Tim Earl and Countess of Longford figured in the Degree List at Oxford on Saturday, the earl taking his B.A. and the countess her ALA. The countess was Aliss Christine Trow, of Somerville College, and the couple met when the earl was an undergraduate at Christ College. Their engagement was announced in December 1911. and the marriage took place in July last at St. Margaret’s Oxford.

'Hie earl was horn in 1902 and succeeded his father as sixth earl in 1915. The family seat is Pakenham Hall, Cnsllepolhird, AVestmcath.

SHOCK FOR A SON. LONDON, Nor. 9

After Thomas Powell, aged 15. oT Ogden-street, Chaddortmi, near Oldham. had won the prize for the best hoy player under 16 at a hand contest at Leigh oTi Saturday, he was informed that his father and mother had died that afternoon within half an hour of each other. His father, who was formerly handmaster of tlio (Mt.li. Manchester Battalion (“Oldham Pals”) and was suffering from the effects of war services died in a Durham hospital. His mother, an invalid, died at home. Neither parent had heard of the other’s death.

There are several children in the family. MEN’S EVENING WEAK. LONDON, November 7. The black, soft felt hat with bound brim is in some quarters taking the place of the old-fashioned opera hat. The new type of Chesterfield overcoat —rather close fitting, with doublebreasted front, fairly wide lapels, and no vent in the back—is the evening overcoat that well-dressed men are wearing. The diced or mareella materials for shirt fronts continue to be popular. The studs are of porcelain marked tc match the shirt. Tlie cuffs are either double or in the new cow-heel shape. The latter arc very rounded, and when worn narrow grip the wrist tightly. They are suitable for the fashionable narrow sleeves. i MYSTERY 01' A GIFT. ; 'LONDON. Nov. 7. Two gates of Australian oak have been set up by an unknown benefacioi 1 in place of old and dilapidated railings at the entrance to the churchyard af Cold Norton, Essex. j They were placed in position during . the night and there is no clue to tlu identity* of the donor.

ACT OF 1737 INVOKED. LONDON, Nov. 7

An Act of Parliament of 1737 was invoked at Brighton yesterday when Mr Graham Hooper, on behalf of the l’earl Assurance Company, applied under the Distress for Rent Act of 1737 for possession of a flat over their offices. lie said the tenant and the furniture had disappeared, and it was only under the provisions of this Act that the company could legally regain possession of their prpertv. It would he necessary for two magistrates to inspect the premises and satisfy themselves that there was nothing left upon which distraint could he -made, and a .second visit- had to he- made 1-1 days later to see that the place was deserted. The only other case on record of a similar application was one at Brighton in 1858. The application was granted.

STORY OF AN EX-GERMAN MINISTER. BERLIN. Nov. 7. Did the .Minister sob and file countess steal ? These are the two questions engrossing public attention in Germany.

The Minister who is accused of sobbing is Dr Schiele, a- Nationalist, who had to leave the Cabinet when his party denounced the Pact of Locarno. Dr Slresemann (Foreign Minister.) fold a largo party of journalists at Desdeii, in strictest confidence, that when the Cabinet committee discussing the Pact broke up Dr. Schiele sobbed because lie had to retire. Some of the journalists have given away Dr Stresenmnn. and a fierce controversy is: raging whether Dr Schiele was so untrue to Nationalist principles as to sob or not. The Countess llolhmer, a. member of

the aristocratic society of Potsdam, is accused of stealing money from another woman in an hotel and of stealing I carpets and plates from the house of a friend in Potsdam.