NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1928, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

THE STRONG TURK. BOMBAY’, Dee. 2. Oriental splendour marked the opening ol it week’s iesticities at Kapurtlmla in honour of the 50th year since the accession of Colonel M. 11. Alalm--1 ajab Sir Jagatjit Singh Bahadur. ' Iho t ice my, Lord Irwin, was met on arrival by the Alabmarajail and drove through the decorated streets of th': capita) in a silver state coach, escorted by state troops in blue and silver, two aeroplanes overhead giving an oddly modern note to the scene. Lord Irwin’s sombre morning dress contrasted yitli the brocade lobe, jewelled orders, and diamond crown of the .Maharajah beside him. Lady Irwin and the Heir-apparent followed in the second coach. At the palace entrance the party passed between lines of elephants gaily caparisoned. There uas a dazzling scene in the great banqueting ball in the evening, when tile numerous lights were reflected by hundreds of small mirrors set in gold and placed on the walls and ceiling.

A (i.vr.iea I oAtertaininont followed the banquet, including dancing ly noted iiauteli girls and tho performance of Indian songs anil music. A public entertainment was given

in tho grounds in tile afternoon, including lights between animals. Rams battled with each other, and another feature was the exploit of a Turkish strong man, who allowed an elephant (o walk on him without apparent inconvenience from the beast’s ponderous feet. AFTER THE DANCE NEW YORK, Dec. 2 Gilbert Stanley, manager of a preparatory school at Great Barrington Alass.. is alleged to have shot and killed yesterday Peter Fulee, a baseball and basketball professional who. against orders, parked his motor-car in the school grounds. Stanley says lie found Fulee at midnight seated in his ear with a young woman. As Fulee refused to move he entered the school buildings and obtained a shot-gun to intimidate him, but Fulee, lie says, instead of being intimidated, sprang out of the car and rushed at him. Tim gun was discharged and Fulee fell dead. The story of the young woman is that she and Fulee were returning from a dance with a woman employoil at the school and her companion, who left, tile car to escort the woman to the school lniildingk. The. other woman and Fulee were waiting for their friend to rejoin them when the manager arrived and ordered them off the grounds.

Stanley was arrested and then released on £2.000 hail. He is charged with manslaughter.

WIDOW’S AGONY ON A PYRE. ALLAHABAD. Dee. 2. A remarkable story comes from Barb, in the Patna district, concerning a Brahmin woman’s determination to follow the ancient but nowadays very rare practice ot “ suttee.” This is die practice by which a widow immolates herself on the funeral pyre of her husband, thereby, according to her faith, acquiring great religious merit. It was abolished by the British in 1828. The woman’s intention was widely proclaimed. A crowd of 5,000 assembled on the banks of the Ganges and cheered when the widow climbed to the top of the pyre and took the body of her dead husband in her arms.

A small force of police attempted to prevent her. hut the crowd frustrated these efforts. The widow was unable to endure the flames for long, and, badly burned, she fell into the river, dragging with her the body, which disappeared in the water.

TWO DAYS AT THE PYRE. In spite of a hostile clemonstration the police rescued the widow, who, however, refused to leave the side of the pyre. In this decision her rela-

tives acquiesced, and a crowd prevented her removal by the police. She lay there for two days, attracting thousands of Indians who came from great distances to pay homage to the woman who, they declared, had acquired so much religious merit. To satisfy the demands of religion the pyre was relighted and the dead husband’s sandals were burned. This time the police frustrated the woman’s further attempt at “ suttee,” and she was eventually removed. Three promoters of the ceremony were arrested.