MISCELLANEOUS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1927, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS.

ALBINO RATS. LONDON, April 9. A new rat lias made its appearance in London. It is a complete albino, with pink eyes and white skin and hair, and its origin is a mystery. It has taken up its quarters in large numbers in the region about Piccadilly Circus.

Mr 'William Dalton, ratcatcher of the City of London and the London County Council, whose family have carried on the business of exterminating rats since 1710, told a Press rcrepresentativo that a little over a year ago be caught one of these rats • in a'trap in the Piccadilly area, and since then he had captured about 160 “I call them ‘Piccadilly Gingers, ” he said. “When 1 got tin first batch I could not make out wlnt they were.

I have got thorn as far up Piccadilly as Berkeley s : reet and ftlsi in Urgent street, hut they do not appear to have spread from that area. They, are just as fierce as any of the species of the ordinary rat. I can only suggest that they have bred from some escaped tame specimens.”

Mr Dalton said that the rat menace in London was undoubtedly iecrear.ng largely due to the invasion of the small “ship rat,” which could get into places that no otha- rat could reach. They could travel by coping stones, and even telephone wires, Item one building to another, and were smaller and more active than the Nor-

wegian rat. The old English black rat had almost been displaced by the Norwegian rat, which in its turn was being driven out hv the small black “ship rat.”

CHEQUE-CASHING TIME. LONDON, April G. A bank may cash a cheque after its usual closing time was the ruling of the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Hewart, at Leeds Assizes on Saturday, when Air Alfred Baines, trading as Messrs Baines and Co., bookmakers, Harrowgate, applied for a declaration that the National Provincial Bank was not entitled to debit a cheque for £2OO against his account. Air Baines said the cheque was honoured by the hank a few minutes aftethree o’clock the closing hour. When ho called the following morning to countermand the cheque he found that it had been paid. “A bank is not. a polling booth,” said Arc Mortimer, Tv.C'., for the bank, and be argued that it was under no obligation to cease work at the stroke of the clock. I

Lord Hewart gave judgment for the bank with costs.

DIVORCE PLOT. PARIS, April 0. A divorce case at Draguignan, in the south of France, lias resulted in five people being sent to prison for perjury Aline. Sibille, wife of a local manufacturer, recently obtained a divorce decree against her husband. The husband appealed on the ground that- bis wife had stayed at an hotel at Cannes with another man.

Almc. Sibille produced a medical certificate to the effect that on the date stated by her husband she was ill in bed, but the Appeal Court, basing its judgment on the production of an entry in the Cannes hotel register in the name of Ahno. Sibille, reversed the previous judgment and granted a decree to the husband.

It has since transpired that the entry in the Cannes hotel register was made by Mine. Sibille’s father-in-law, who went there at his son’s instigation with another woman. M. Sibille and his father have now been sentenced for perjury to one year’s imprisonment, and all other persons implicated in the affair have been given three months imprisonment each.

SEA SURA T EY BY ’PLANE. AIONTREAL, April 6. Hudson Bay Straits will be patrolled by aeroplanes during a "hole year, starting in June, the Department, of

Marino announces: The Royal Canadian Air Force has ordered six Fokkcr aeroplanes from the United States for the patrol, and will establish three Arctic bases, one near the eastern end of the Straits, another near the middle, and a third at the entrance to Hudson Bay. The 500 miles of the Straits will he patrolled to take observations to determine navigation conditions during the open season. The airmen will remain at their bleak, isolated posts all the year, making daily flights when possible, and will take photographs and keep comprehensive meteorological records. They work is expected to be invaluable to mariners. A KISSING DONKEY. LONDON, March 2. Kissing all comers to its snug stable in a Hoxton alley, N., lives a 21-years-old donkey, whoso earnings as an actress would make many stage-struck human beings dnvious. Her name is Jenny, and when not appearing at a total fee of £9 a week before applauding audiences, she earns a living for her costermonger owner, Mr W. J. Byatt, of Hoxton, by hauling his donkey-cart round the streets of London. “Kiss the gentleman,” said her owner, introducing the donkey actress to a “Daily Mail” reporter yesterday, and Jenny turned in her stall and bestowed a warm kiss on the visitor. Then she turned to her manger again

Her owner said : “Tor weeks recently she ambled on the stage the moment as actor said that ho spied eavesdroppers. With her ears in the air she raised a roar of laughter. Her recent engagements include an appearance at the New. Scala Theatre Charlotte-street, St. Pancras, W., a special season in the private theatre of the Prudential Assurance Company and an appearance at the Richmond Theatre. In addition she has made provincial appearances.

Wa XDER TNG BRI TON. PATHS, April 2. A mystery in which it is stated a British officer belonging to a famous regiment is concerned is occupying the attention hotli of the Paris polio© and tlio British Consul-General. The police yesterday found a man, who onlv spoke English, wandering almost naked in the cellars of a partly constructed house in Passy. lie gave a. name which the police magistrate at once took to he an assumed one and alleged that he was suffering from loss of memory and could not explain how it was that he was in such a condition. Steps were taken to transfer him temporarily to the depot infirmary lor mental eases. Later, however, on the British authorities being informed, a different view was taken of the case. The young man was removed to a private nursing home, and meanwhile the British Con-sul-General undertook to verify the confidential statement made concerning his identity. I am informed that there is little doubt that this wiH he found to be accurate and that then the Consul-General will arrange for his return to England. The French police have been requested to keep strict silence concerning the young man’s identity, and it is declared that it would he regrettable if a youthful indiscretion should lead to the ruin of his career.

and it was in 1791 that by accident slic made the" first Gamembcrt. It rapidly grew in favour in the locality, and was soon taken as far as Rouen and Paris. Real Gamembert is made ail over Normandy, and an effort is being made to restrict the use of the name only to cheese made there. WHITE slave traffic. MALTA, April 2. The Prime Minister was asked in Parliament here to-day what steps he was taking in connection with the charge made by Mr Monte Bayly, national organiser of the Variety Artists’ Federation, in a statement to the “Daily Mail” on March 10, that: “Malta is one of the blackest spots in the world, and has been responsible for many girls being caught in the net of the white slave organisation.” He replied that the statement was wicked and false. Only forty-five artists had come from England m the last three years, and with one exception all had been satisfied with t-heii agreements. Artists arriving in Malta had regular passports and were subject to the most careful supervision. On a pro vious occasion Mr Bayly had showi hostility towards Malta. CHARMING ROBBER. NEW YORK, Feb. 16 A charming successor to the fam<

G \MEMBERT STATUE. PARTS. April 6. In a few days a statue is to be erected at Vimoutiers, in the Orne Department, to a Frenchwoman, Mme. Marie Harel, who invented the Gamembert cheese. She was the wife of a local attorney.

bobbed bandit who more than a year ago robbed scores of shops here appeared to-day in the busiest section of Flatbusli, Brooklyn. She wore a small turban coat trimmed at the cuffs and at the bottom with white fur. silk stockings, and , trim shoes, lie age was at the most 18. She advanced to the counter of a grocer’s shop. 1 lie manager, William .McCarthy, aged I'd. looked cxpectantj ly at her. “A pound of huter." she said, lie handed it to her. She hesitated a moment thinking, as a young wife might think, and then smiled. •’Oh, yes, a dozen eggs, please.” The order was carried out, and then another. “That’s all.’’ said the girl. She fumbled at her bag and asked, “Can you change a twenty dollar bill'” McCarthy opened the safe. She took the change, pressed it into a hag, and pulled out ;i revolver. The susceptible manager blinked as he gazed into its barrel. “Put up your hands! Don’t move! Keep quiet!” rapidly exclaimed the ■ girl. ’ A hoy entered also with a revolver. ■ “Now.”' said the girl to the manager, 1 “put your hands on the counter and keep them there.” He obeyed, and the youth helped himself to the contents of the safemore than £6O. The girl picked up her 1 packages and the couple left the shop m 3 quietly, disappearing round the corner.