News in Brief.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 8 November 1917, Page 1

News in Brief.

Owing to the steady hoarding of small change by the citizens of Dusselsity of introducing municipal paper money ,the tramway conductors have been forbidden to give change to patrons, and everyone who cannot pay his fare in small coin will be put off the car.

Brazil, according to the last census, has a population of 24,000,00, of whom more than 18,000,000 are listed as illiterate. The figures show that only eight persons are found to the square mile. Brazil's territorial extent is equalled only by four other countries — the British Empire, Russia, China, and tho United States.

The moment that a young crocodile breaks its shell it is to all intents and purposes as active as it is at any time during its life. It will make straight for the water, even if it be out of sight and a good distance off, and it will pursue its prey with eagerness and agility during the first hours of its free existence.

According to the "Dunedin Star," from all appearances Calit'ornian and Canadian fruit will be in short supply in New Zealand for Christmas and the Now Year, and prices are likely to be very high, owing to the unsuitability of the steamers' time-table and the San Francisco steamer not being able to carry apples, she not being fitted with cool storage. The last boat landed only 8000 eases for the whole of New Zealand —not more than a ten days' supply —and these apples arc now selling in the North at from 19s to 20s a case. The next supply will not reach the Dominion till a month has elapsed, and it is predicted that those apples will be worth anything from 20s to 25s per case. The following lot will not reach Dunedin till Christmas Eve.

John Erie Mattson, guilty of attempted bodily harm at Dannevirke, appeared before his Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) at the Supreme Court on Saturday for sentence. Oil behalf of Mattson, Mr H. F. O'Leary stated that if prisoner were bound over to keep the peace two business men, well known, would act as sureties. His Honour said he could not grant probation, nor could he, under the circumstances, order prisoner to como up for sentence when called. People must be brought to realise that they eculd not take the law into their own hands, no matter what the justification was. Mattson was sentenced to four months' imprisonment. From the Ingle wood "Record":— The great much discussed film, Intolerance, was exhibited at the Town Hall on Saturday and showed to a nicety how thoroughly these show proprietors know how to fill their halls —and incidentally their pockets—by simply advertising a picture as "questionable" and letting the public do the rest. How clearly this was proved on Saturday will be seen from recalling the proprietors' notice which stated inter alia: " ... Here the visitor must steel

himself to witness pictures of 'voluptuous nudity,' " and the expectation which filled the hall did not come off, and a large proportion were loud in their expressions of disappointment.

An Auckland resident, whose son is a prisoner at Ruhleben, in Germany, has received a communication from the High Commissioner, Sir Thomas Mackenzie, who writes: "I have arranged with the Central Prisoners of War Committee, on behalf of our New Zealand Prisoners of War Department, which is under my control, to undertake the sole responsibility of keeping your son supplied with food, clothing, and other comforts. Parcels arc now being sent to each New Zealander at Kuhlcben individually, instead of being forwarded in bulk to the Australasian Association at Ruhleben, as has formerly been done.'' The High Commissioner adds that ho had just received a postcard from one of the Ruhleben civilian prisoners, dated May 12. This mentioned the safe arrival of parcels, and stated that bread arrived regularly from Switzerland. Sir Thomas concludes by saying that he does not think there is any present cause to fear that Now Zealand prisoners will not receive parcels sent to them.

In a letter to liis brother in Dunedin, Mr Thomas Sandilands, of Musselburgh, Scotland, tells of a visit he made to see Harry Lauder, after a matinee in the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, on 18th August last. "After asking for a great host of the old friends in and around Musselburgh,'' the writer says, '' I got him to talk about the death of his only son, Captain John Lander, who was killed in France. He told me how he found the grave of his son, and how he was buried in a plot of ground with about 250 of our own men who, like him, had fought and died for King and country. John's grave is in the ccntre. He was able to pick it out at once. It had a largo Union Jack floating over it. The cross seemed to be bigger than the other crosses, and there was a wooden border round John's grave. They all seemed, out yonder, to vie with each other who could do most for the soldiers' graves. Instead of the name and number being on some of the crosses, there was only the words ' British Soldier,' ' Somebody's Bairn,' 'Somebody's Son,' and other simple epitaphs. 'Man, Tammas, it's an awful job when one thinks of it all!' he added. I asked him if he would bring John's body home when the war was all over. 'No, that would be pure sacrilege,' he replied emphatically. 'No, John will lie there for ever, with his men, in the glorious country of Francc, where they have fallen. Bless them for all that they have done for their country. My heart is broken, but I must go on as an example to others. I may erect the greatest monument I like, but that will not bring John back. 'Still,' he added, 'I would not like otherwise; and, besides, I am no worse off than hundreds of thousands of others who have lost their sons.' "