NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1928, Page 8

NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS

WON THE V.C. AT 14. Bugler Dunn, A.C., who huh the coveted honour at the aye of 14 in the Doer W ar. was the guest of honour on the liner Suva when it left Sydney lor the Philippines under the American (lag. He had been chief steward of the Suva and lias had to give up his post with the change of the Suva's flag. Mr Jack Dunn was 14 when the whole world was talking of his gallantry and pluck for which he was awarded the V.C. Never since has the honour been earned by one so young. He was given the order to sound the retreat at the action of Modder River, but refused to blow it. He swam the river, and as he climbed out on the far bank his bugle arm was shattered by an enemy shell, but he took the bugle in his other hand and blared out the attack. The soldiers, inspired by such courage, swept tin? enemy before them and won tin action. DON'T SMOKE IN BED. The practice of smoking in bed was condemned by Mr 11. 1!. Oswald, who held an inquest at Paddington oi. Miss Emma Derry f(iO). of Marylebone. | who was found unconscious on the door of her bedroom, which wa full oT smoke caused by the ljed-elotho-having smouldered. Archibald Baker, a lire brigade officer, said dint a number of pa rtly-simnked cigarettes and used matches were found in tbo bedroom, There was no oil in the lamp, which did not appear to have been used recently. llis opinion was Ilia! the lire was caused by Miss Derry smoking in bed a.ud dropping a lighted cigarette. Recording a verdict ol “Death from natural causes,” the Coroner said: “I think lbe live was caused by Miss Derry smoking in bed. In in%- opinion it is a dangerous am' unhealthy practice lor people to'dopi themselves to sleep. II I had anything to do with an insurance company I would not pay compensation to anyone who caused a lire by smoking in bed.”

CHIPS OFF THE HOUSE. The hundreds of pieces of carved and decaying stone removed from the Houses'of Parliament and offered for sale to members and ex-mem hers of Parliament, have been eagerly bough! lip. An office of Works official said • “ The demand has been greater than the supply. We have just begun the long and difficult task ol thoroughly repairing the Houses ol Parliament replacing the present stone, when necessary, with stone of a much more durable kind, in the years ahead more portions will lie put up for sab as mementoes, anil the time will probably come when there will be some lor tlu* general public. At present we must confine the privilege to member? and ox-mombers.’ 1 Members are putting the stone to a variety of uses. The smaller bits, sold at 10s Gd a ton make artistic rockeries and garden paths, and can be used for the building of arbors. Pieces most in demand were the tops of pinnacles and cupolas and slabs of good size, which are being fashioned into sundials, bird baths, and basins for fountains. Some block weighed as much as three-quarters of a ton. There was keen competition for the little grinning gargoyles ane the graceful pinnacle tops. Price? ranged from 10s fid to ten guineas for one pieces of stone. The profits will go to the exchequer. CONST Al SBE SII OPR EA T\ EE. Tempted because lie wanted a smok( a young constable "broke into a slui' on his heat and stole cigarettes and aerated water. This was the plea put forward at Greenock Police Court when John Barber (19), a probationary constable, was sentenced to fit days’ iprisonment in Tnverskip road Mr W. 0. Young, prosecuting, said that, on August 29th Barbour was or night duty, and was watched for a quarter of an hour tinkering at the lock with some instrument. On tb< following morning persons living neai |,v were aroused by sounds coming from the shop. Barbour was seen m the roof. There was a skylight win dow mi the roof which could he easily onened from the outside. Accuser disappeared, and was seen a little time afterwards making his exit from the shop by one of the doors. AVliei arrested Barbour admitted the charge Counsel added that he would lie failing in his duty if he did not impress the serious nature of offences again*' property hv one specially detailed fo the duty <>f protecting it. Tt was a much more serious ease than house breaking committed by an ordinan individual. For the defence it w:r stated that Barbour looked into tin window of the shop and noticed tin skylight was open. It was a sudden temptation that caused him to go ii and steal the cigarettes and aerate' water. Me did not touch anything else, although there were valuable articles in the shop. Barbour wanted r smoke, and had boon sending money home to his parents. The delenei quoted several references, one ol which staled that lie had been a member a the church choir and Bible class.

tcvstc that lai \n ingenious hut unsuccessful attempt to escape from Pontomvillo Gaol, London, lias Ikhmi revealed. A prisoner was engaged in cleaning Hie prison yard when a laundry van nas

driven in. The driver went into one of the buildings, Brough out a large, empty laundry basket-, and returned for another. The coast seemed to be clear, so the prisoner slipped into the van ancl curled himself up in the- basket like another Fallstaff, that valiant knight who, according to .Shakespeare, escaped from a difficult situation by hiding in a basket and being covered with linen. He heard footsteps approaching, imagined it was the van driver, and chucked to him,sclf at the thought that he would soon he trundling through the prison gates to freedom. He was mistaken. A stern voice suggested that he should “Come out of that.” and the vigilant warder, who, unseen himself, had watched the manoeuvre, marched him back to his cell. SAVED BY A KICK. By a few feet Miss June, the woman parachutist, escaped from landing on the sports pavilion after making HKlOft. descent at the Crystal palace. Her parachute. “The Guardian Angel." landed in 03 seconds, and she was carried nearly 300 yards across the ground. She just missed the pavilion. “Although there did not seem to bo very much wind on the ground,” said Miss .Tune, “it was very strong above. T thought I was going on til" pavilion and it was only because I gave a fierce kick that I managed to avoid it.”

BABY HANGED BY “DTTAIMY” CORD.

A baby's death by hanging was recently investigated by Dr .Met arthv, deputy coroner, and a jury at TTacknev. The mother. Mrs Harris, of Fl'.rfieM Road. Hackney, said I hat site left the baby. Boy, aged 14 mouths with a sister ol two years and four months while she did some ma.iigfing. On I'eturning she 'found Rev hanging by flic cord ol bis “dummy” 1.0 the handle of a chest ol drawers. The jurv returned a verdict of accidental death and asked that their foes should lie given to Mrs Harris.

EDGAR WALLACE CONFESSES, “Although the producer may have improved tin* story oO per cent, one is always on tenterhooks and wondering what is coining next,” So said Mr Edgar Wallace at a luncheon a‘ the Kit-Cat Rest a lira ill prior to r. private film show of “ I lie Ringer. He confessed that In* never went te see any of bis stories on the screen. “Some years ago I went to see film adaptation of a book of mine in which there were seven murders. After the third murder I crept out, and I have not seen a. trade show since. From that date I have limited my murders to five.” Air AVallace mentioned that during the twelve months endc* 1 A Lurch 31 lie sold 0,000.900 books. “As you applaud T hope* you will sympathise with me when T say that T did not draw royalties on one-LlilnT of them.” MINERS SHY OF BATHS. A scheme* for the erection of pithead baths, costing £20.000. at Llav Alain Colliery, near AYrexham—the newest and biggest mine in North AVales| —is in pbeyanoc because the men declare that they don’t want them. The managing director of the collieries, which employ 3000 men, says that lie realises that a certain amount of prejudice prevails among some of the men against pit-head baths, hut ns these were to he built on the cuhi'system he was hoping that they would lx* acceptable. He lias appealed to the wives to persuade their husband* to take kindly to the baths, and it is now proposed to send thirty of the men to see the system at work at a. large colliery in AYurwicksbire. where it is stated they are exceedingly popular. T:t is hoped that the visitors will bo favourably impressed, and that the conversion of the LI ay Alain workers to the scheme will follow. THROAVN INTO SEA. The authorities are investigating an amazing “rag,” of which a roeonl critic of stag-hunting was a victim, which took place about midnight during a. fancy dress ball held at a ATinehead hotel, 'l'he man was standing in a- part of the hold used only by tin* stall’ when several men. understood to be prominent stag hunters, burst through the door and seized him, blowing hunting horns. I lie man was dragged by his arms, head and legs into the public part of the hotel, through the hall, and then, billowed hv a. crowd of dancers, lie was dragged out of the hotel grounds across the promenade and thrown into the sea. AA'aiters and others were -liable to interfere. The man pulled himself on to a. breakwater, but one “nigger” is alleged to have thrown him in again. The matter has been reported to the police, and three wellknown Army captains are said to he implicated. _