Notes and Events

Manawatu Herald, 21 April 1894, Page 3

Notes and Events

Talking about the beauties and power of composition, a wonderful instance is quoted of the effects of a letter written to a widow by a young man. It was a letter on condolence, but it influenced her so quickly that she took off her mourning weeds forthwith 1 Letters are dangerous things to use, or write, as was shown in a Court case so late as last week. " Beware of widows," we have been told to, and " Beware of letters " some have now found out.

There is a By-law in Foxton inflicting a fine tor a chimney being permitted to catch fire. We think it is just possible that this has occurred in premises in which the guardian of the law could give clear evidence of. It is perhaps too much to ask that a man shall proceed against himself, but we put on record that a Liverpool Magistrate was honest enough to five himselt for a breach cf the law. The case is reported thus :— On Tuesday an incident of a novel character arose. In the course of the proceedings of the court, over which Mr G. Behrend presided, a number of persons were summoned for allowing their chimneys to be on fiie, amongst which the Magistrates name appeared. He being the only magistrate present he asked the clerk of the court (Mr Ellis) if he oould fine himself, to which that gentleman replied " that he thought if he would inflict double the usual penalty justice would be met."— Mr Behrend promptly fined himself 2s and 2s costs — the usual penalty being Is and Is costs — and paid over the money to the clerk. A minute after he advised a defendant to be more careful in future and get the chimney swept oftener, and those present in court could not possibly refrain from smiling.