MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1927, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

SraTACVJ.AK MURDER TRIAL. XKW YORK, November 'JO.

The trial which began on November I <> 1 .Mrs Frances ILali and her brothers Willie and Henry Stevens for the murder four years ago of hev husband, tlic Rev. Kdwnrd Hall, rector of the leading Episcopal Church of New Brunswick, New Jersey, and his• lover, Jhs Eleanor Mills, one of his choir singers, is now moving apparently towards its conclusion.

Yesterday’s proceedings occupy more than ;!l columns of closely printed matter in (lie " New York T imes.” Other newspapers display equal enterprise. One publishes a big cartoon showing a theatrical manager watching the trial and exclaiming: “1 cannot compete!”

While the testimony of witnesses ipnhlisiied tcxtunlly many extra col minii-i are dedicated to manifestos is sued to the Press by the chief characters in lhe trial.

The defence yesterday opened its case, which consists of numerous alibis. It called Henry Stevens, one of the prisoners. He began his testimony by announcing that it was Ills 57th birthday.

'Willi :i smiling countenance lie will oil i the prosecution line! depicted as crawl in*; lieneath an apple tree on tlie night of tlie murders and cutting llie throats of the rector and his paramour described Imw lie had spent the fateful night C!) miles from New Brunswick, fishing.

A mayor and four other wintessos all supported bis alibi, declaring that if in previous examinations they had fixed the dale of I lie fishing party oil another night they were in error.

A BIG INDUSTRY. NORWICH, November 20

At a very charming cage-bird show which closed in Norwich to-iliglit, at which the world-famous Norwich Plainhead canary was seen at its best, it was announced that one firm in the citv has received a shipping order tor 17,000 of these little birds.

The Norwich canary industry is a revelation to many people. The bird with the delightful song and rich orange plumage lias been associated with the East Anglican capital for many generations.

All the 17,000 canaries are to go to the United Stales, where the Norwich canary is a great favourite. Rut they will go via Germany, as the order has been placed by a German dealer. Ten thousand of them may he supplied by Norwich and Norfolk, for not less than that number leave the county every year. The rest will be found in other parts of England.

The farm labourers of Norfolk, whose wages in these years of depression on the corn lands are exceedingly small, have embarked on an industry formerly the monopoly of the Norwich shoemakers and weavers. ONE SOLD FOR £l2.

There are still about 1.000 workingmen canary breeders in Norwich, each producing from ,about 10 to 160 or more birds a year. The city still numbers its annual production in thousands.

A typical breeder told me that lie has bred 7(1 birds this year. About 20 pairs will go to the merchants, who buy for sale at home and abroad, and about .'ll) of the best birds he will sell privately.

“ Merchant birds,” be said, “ are worth 15s to Cl a pair, and even at that figure show a fair profit. Stock birds, for breeding, make £3 to £5 a pair, and show birds anything from Co each. The latest big price for a bird was £0 10s, and three years ago one was sold for £12.”

ALPINE HOTELS BLAZE. GENEVA, Nov. 20. One hotel was destroyed and another seriously damaged by fire at Murren, tlie Alpine resort in the Bernese Oborland. last night. People in the Lauterbruniicn Valley and at Wen gen saw a blaze as though the mountain on which Murren stands was on lire. The Tocsin was sounded at Wengen. Grimlewahl, and Tnterlakcn. and firemen rushed to Lauterbrunnen. As the cab'le railway was not working they had to make the 80-minutes climb to Murren on foot. On arriving they found that I lie. fire had destroyed the Hotel Edelweiss and spread to the Mote’: dps Alpes. which is part of the Palace Hotel, and to neighbouring forests. Burning branches of trees were blown into the valley, and fears were felt for the safety of Lauterhrunnen and Wengen. A ballroom which formed tt-kind of annex tn the Palace lintel was destroyed. It is stated that all the table services of the Palace Hotel, which were stored in the Hotel des Alpes, were melted by the beat. There were no visitors in the hotels, but they wore almost booked tip for the coming season. The main block of the Palace Hotel is intact.