NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1926, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

j WHISKY IN SHAM BIBLES. ! NEW YORK, November ‘27. A somewhat humorous situation has I developed in the State of Texas, with I Mrs Miriam A. Ferguson, its governor, • as the central figure. I Her enemies, whom she identifies with the Ku Ktux Klan, threatened to ) violate the rules of political chivalry by | impeaching her for undue sentimentality in pardoning more than 1,000 ronI victs. To this she has replied by issuing a proclamation offering £IOO reward for the arrest and conviction oi any rich citizen committing crimes for which poor people have been sent, to gaol.

In the proclamation and in interviews explaining its necessity, after dwelling on the case of u labourer oT 18 who was sent to gaol for sharing a “ thin pint of corn whisky ” with a friend behind a hedge, Mrs Ferguson thus describes a big party given by a multi-millionaire oil magnate: “ Why, he had his garage fitted up like :i regular bar, with brass railings and sawdust on the floor. He gave a dinner at which GOO pints of liquor were drunk, and to his guests he presented as souvenirs 300 imitation Bihles and 300 canes each containing a pint of whisky.” The governor proceeded to state that the same millionaire appeared at a football match on Thanksgiving Day. “drunk as a boiled owl and waving bis cane, presumably filled with liquor.” Mrs Ferguson also publicly accuses a district judge of drinking hoot-log whisky a few moments after sentencing to imprisonment a hatch of bootleggers.

THE GENTLEMEN-AT-ARMS. LONDON, November 30

Many people who filed past the flagdraped coffin of Queen Alexandra as it lay in the Albert Memorial Chapel at Windsor after Saturday’s private service, were struck by the height and wonderful bearing of one of the Gentlo-men-at-Arms on duty. He was Colonel I’lric Oliver Thvnne, D. 5.0.. who commanded the Royal Wilts Yeomanry from 1911-1921. and saw service in the Chitrnl Campaign (1895), in South Africa, and throughout the European War. The colonel stands Git Sin in his socks, and is believed to be the tallest member of the Geiitlemen-at-Arms.

Every member of his -Majesty’s Body Guard of Honourable Corps of Gentle-men-at-Arms must be a retired combatant officer of the British Army, Indian Army, or Royal Marines. With the exception of the Yeomen of the Guard (members of which also guarded the coffin of the dead Queen during the lying-in-state) the Gentfemen-at-Arms constitute the oldest military body in England. The corps was formed by Henry I 111 to attend him at bis coronation. The features of their gorgeous uniform are a scarlet coatee, with goldfringed epaulettes, a sash worn arcusid; the waist with tassels hanging on the left side, white gauntlets, a gold crossbelt. and spurs. All the members are armed with a long cavalry sword and a halberd. The helmet is of the same shape as that of the Household Cavalry, but has a. long white plume. The present uniform was adopted in 1851. when it was made to resemble that worn by Dragoon Guards of that period. .

WOMEN BELL-RINGERS. LONDON, November 30. People going along the Strand on Sunday night, hearing the bells of St. Clement Danes, a famous peal, would have been surprised to know that up in tho bell tower were ten young women, each ringing a heavy bell, but making light work of it. They were members of tlfe Ladies’ Guild of Change Ringers, anil they were ringing a quarter peal of Stedinan Caters, a feat never beforo done -byj women only. Tho ringing was for a memorial service to Queen Alexandra.

The youngest of the ringers was given the rope of the heaviest bell. She was Aliss R. Hawks worth, aged 19, of Crieklewood, who rang tho tenor bell, weighing 25cwt. The other bells weigh from 12 to loewt each, but the ten women rang for three quarters of an hour without pausing and enjoyed it.

Til addition to Miss Hnwksworth were Aliss E. Chapman, Ballwin, S.W. ; Miss N. Shorter. AValton-on-Tliames: Miss P. Upster, Edmonton, N.; Miss F. Orr, Ballwin ; Mrs A. D. Barker. Slough ; Aliss E. Tlardeastlo, Halham; Afrs F. I. Hairs, Clnphmn. S.AAL; Airs R. F. Deal, East Ham, E.; and Aliss E. K. Parker, Edmonton. Airs Hairs secretary of the Guild, said to a reporter yesterday that if a man who did not know the art, were to try to ring one of the hells he would probably hang himself. “ It is a matter of knack,” she said, “ so that one pulls the rope just at the right moment to keep the beli swinging.”

Mrs Hairs helps to ring the bells at St. Margaret's, AVostminster, at weddings, and is the only woman to do so.

FI LAI GLAMOUR. TRAGIC ARMY OF APPLICANTS. LONDON, December 3. AVith the number of films being made in England at a low point, It is heartbreaking to realise the glamour which the kinenw studio still lws for countless men and women in this country, says “ Film Critic,” in flic “Daily Afail.” The. manager of one of the leading Ltnidon agencies through which producers engage their artists states that 15,090 would-be kinenw actors keep their names on his hooks, hut oiilv a bare -2.000 of them stand a chance of even such casual employment as is provided by British studios.

Among the pathetic crowd of applicants are white-haired grandparents of the middle’classes, out-of-work then!ideal people, the queerest assortment of ambitious youths and maidens, and piteous women with rouge hiding the hollows in their cheeks. This does not include the sternly discouraged men and women who drive up in motorears, ami typists and housemaids hoping for triumphs before tbe camera. From the rare applicants who stand a chance of employment because of

their qualifications and experience are drawn the actors who do “crowd work” and occasionally are lucky enough to earn n guinea a day as “ supers ” in a ballroom scene, providing their own evening dress. Tho hours are long and the work wearisome; and the super aho can get ten weeks’ work in the year is fortunate. Nor is it. better for the small-part aet' i-s, for dozens of excellent art is! a in England are unable to get one iiionth’s work in twelve. And while a British Mar nmy earn from L‘2s n week upwards, such highly paid people are few.

BANK. DINNER TO AYORKAIEN LONDON, Dec. 20. The directors of Harnbro's Bank. I limited, entertained to dinner first night the -if!) workmen who have lcen engaged in the building of their now premise* in lii.-dmpsgate, as an appreciation of their speedy' am.* ill! building is estimated to have

cost about £250,000, is six stories high, and lias been built within twelve months.

.Sir Eric Ilambro was in the chair at the dinner, which was served in the banking hall of the partly finished building, and at his table sat many of the men employed on flic building. The principal bavernge was beer. An orchestra composed of workmen of tbe building firm of Trollope and Colls provided the music.