NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1928, Page 8

NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS

OLD PEOPLE’S LOSS

The Somerset police are searching for tile author of a particularly mean tlielt from an elderly couple, -Mr and .Mis George Smitliram aged (IS and 79, liotli old ngc pensioners. .Mr Smitliram is totally blind, and liis wile's sight is also defective. ’1 hey live in a lonely cottage at Hast Lyng. ii village on .'•eugmoor. During the night their home was broken into and a cash box containing Lot) in notes and gold, representing their lile savings was stolen.

TKKTII LOST I IKK -JO!!

As she refused to have two teeth out, her employers dispensed with a canteen kitchen girl’s services. Deciding that she losL the job through acting "unreasonably, ’ the Ministry of I.about' I mpi re in Whitehall has decided that she is not to be allowed to draw unemployed benefit. One ol the conditions of employment imposed bv the employing linn was that their employees should have their teeth examined by tin 1 works dentist liom time to time.

REINDEER RACING. Santa Claus is traditionally represented as being hauled on his merry mission by reindeer, they are ceitainly among the swiftest animals in the world and a project has taken shape for commercialising their line <pmlit\ of speed. A racing “stud” ol twenty reindeer has been established in \ ancojiver and six Eskimo drivers are being trained to guide the animals in I hi* straight and narrow paths of the racing tracks. I hey will four a number of centres, in Western Canada this winter.

LONDON’S Lit AN I NO TOW NIC I’eckham possesses a "Leaning low er,” visible from the High Street, that in the opinion ol many ol the dewellers vies in interest with that, at I’isa. It belongs to St. Chrysostom’s Church built in lSI.'l as a proprietary clmpel. i.aler on. when the majority ol the original shareholders had died, it, became a parish church. The tower was propped up about -0 years ago and pro iiouneed safe; but when the church's; present incumbent came there in 19-A, tic had it examined by a builder, who assured him that if it- over did fall it would fall inwards.

ELECTRICITY IN MI D

.Mud is the latest source of electrical supply in Berlin. A power station is being erected at Karnap which will depend on the mud ol the River Kins. This contains a cnmhiistible material that by a new method, will he extracted and dried, and then used as a fuel for the works. The heat value is stated to approximate that ol lignite. "Tagobla! t ” ( Berlin) describes the new process as ol international importance, since then! are many rivers in the various coal districts tlirmigout. the world whose mud could he treated and used in the same manner.

MEN ANTE TO WILD ROSES

A new line of business that juts heroine comparatively profitable in recent, sears in England is that ol the men who supply the growers of standard roses with briars from the hedges. Kac hgrower has three or 'lour men on whom he relies, and if a man strikes a good district he will get about 100 briar roots a day, which lie sells lor a pound. Owing to the shortage ol briars, some growers are using a Japanese rose, the rtigosa, Ifor stock, hut so long as any dog and lield roses remain, so long will they he taken. Ini they are belter than the rtigosa. The farmers db not mind, because wild roses cause discomtort to cattle.

SILVERED EARTHINGS. For silvering a number of farthings with intent to pass them its sixpence, Alfred Williams ((10), a shoemaker ol Smith Street, Chelsea, was sentenced by the Cdmmon Sergeant, Sir Henry Dickens, K.C., at the Old Hailey to nine months hard labour. Afv E. A. Byrne prosecuting, said Umt Williams was arrested after lie had been soon b.v a police ollicer to put one of the silvered farthings into an automatic cigarette machine. To his captor he remarked, “All right I do not mind earndit fairly. I. Imve had a good run ;lm fl have lm.l them guessing at the Yard for weeks”

(il'lllotink fou woman?. tlu* lirst time for ninny years a woman, lias lioon sentenced to ih'ath m K,..,,,,.,* without any recommendation for mo rev from Hip jury. At Hu* So.no \,si/.os rocently Joseplia Kures, who was condemned for tho »mrdor of a fourtoon-yoar-old girl in the Ums clu Holomie. Kures, who had »'-stignnted the child to steal C 240 from her (the child's) father, took the money and then murdered the girl. -It is »ot heliev<*d that she will ho executed, hut that her sentence will he commuted to penal survitude for life. Should she ho executed, however, she wdl be the first woman to lie guillotined m France for years.

TWO ROOMS TN A TREE. To convince his friends of the size of trees in the part of America to which he had migrated, a man decided to convert the hull of one of these giants into a travelling house, mounted on wheels, and take it hack with him to show them. For this purpose he obtained a Oft. by 10ft. log. First he h o red a 2in hole through the centre which he burnt out to -1 ft. Ilien, with an electric buzz saw and adzes, instriinien.s like axes, he completed the job of hollowing the lo fr . Eventually the interior was transformed into a two-roomed house, wired Tor electricity. and having an oil stove for cook-

ing. two beds, a breakfast nook, cupboard, and ward rope. Finally this curious I)iit comfortable home was mounted on a motor chassis and taken on a tour for all his sceptical friends to see.