NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1929, Page 6

NEWS BY MAIL.

MONEY" BEST Fail GIRLS. NEW YORK, Dec. 7. Mr William Merrill, a famous American editor, made in his will several bequests to women instead of to men, because lie believed that hardship, poverty, and want are the best'foundations lor a young man s success. Mr Merrill, explaining why he left his money to the daughters in preference to the sons of his friends and relatives, wrote: Aiy experience convinces me that the possession of a modest income is an aid to the ambition, independence, usefulness, and contentment of a young women .no hindrance to her happy marriage. But a small inheritance lessens the ambition and self-reliance of a young man and often offers an excuse ior sparing himself the strenuous efforts essential to the achievement ot any success worth attaining. BOY CIRCUS STAR. SOMERSET, Dec. 7. In a tent pitched in a iield beside this obscure village I have to-night found the luckiest boy in the circus world. Harry Paulo is ins professional name. He is English, 12£ years old, blue-eyed and flaxen-haired, and is a wizard on horseback. In this last fact lies his good fortune, for he is to be taken from his father’s little “travelling show” to appear at Capt. Bertram Mills’ Christmas circus at Olympia, Kensington, W. A friend of Capt. Mills who was motoring through Devon saw Harry perform his jockey “turn” and wrote to Capt. Mills suggesting that he should see the boy’s performance. To-night he did so and at once engaged him to “star” at Olympia. WheiC Harry appears there lie will face thousands of children and grown ups, but to-night his audience was composed of but a score of village children and half-a-dozen men and women. Th ring was strewn with straw in lieu of sawdust, and the “band” consisted of an ancient hurdy-gurdy and a cornet. GATES OF FAIRYLAND., When tokl that lie had been accepted for Olympia he was like a child who sees the gates of Fairyland opening. “Oil, won’t it be wonderful!” he said to me . “Will there be lots of people there ? 1 shall like it if there are; they will make me do my ‘turn’ better than I have ever done it.” “He is undoubtedly a wonderful find,” said Capt. Mills. "1 regard his as the | greatest discovery made in the circus i world for a very long time.” | The Olympia circus will be opened by I the Lord Mayor of .London (Sir Kvnaston Studd) on December 20. “TICK TACK TOCK.” LONDON, December 7. On Saturday morning I met three of the card-sharpers who are fleecing London business men travelling to the City in surburban trains. They introduced themselves in a very clever way. I was travelling from j Twickenham to Waterloo. The only other occupant of the carriage was at first a boy of 15. At Richmond a venerable old man entered the compartment and asked me for the latest news about the King. At Mortlake, the next station, a greyhaired, grey-moustached man with a bent nose entered and joined the conversation. At Barnes a well-dressed Cockney joined the train. He fell into the conversation by stumbling over the step. The three men talked as three strangers. Cards were introduced, not as the three-card, trick but under the name of “Tick Tack 'lock.” The venerable old man lost £4. Every conceivable means was tried to get me into the game, but I was more amused to hear the Cockney making jokes at the expense of the man with tlie bent nose. The jovial Cockney, who had been boasting of his skill at the game, joined in. When he lost, I. said, “My dear sir, that was surely a bad break on your part.” “Yes,” be answered, “but he caught me when I was coming out of the tunnel.” “Now that is a worse break on your part,” I laughed, “for there is no tunnel on this line. The game ended, and for the remainder of the journey the man with the bent nose talked to the 10-years-old boy about the three-card trick. NEW HARBOUR CHAOS. SEKONDI, Gold Coast, December 7. Takoradi Harbour was opened for frame on Monday, but chaotic conditions prevailed. The business of the assize court opening yesterday had to be delayed as the jurors were unable to use the roads in the neighbourhood of the harbour. The facilities for transporting goods and passengers are inadequate. Dredges are hard at work inside the harbour and its approaches trying to remove the difficulties. Takoradi Harbour which cost £3,300.001) to build, was officially opened by .Air J. H. Thomas, M. P., last April. In August, the Government of the Gold Coast reported that “certain delects have been found in the construction of the deep-water wharves.” It was decided to postpone the opening or the harbour to general traffic until the defects had been made good. Sir Robert Mac Alpine and Sons, the contractors, took.over the constructional work following the resignation of the original contractors three years after work had begun.