Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY. FEB 9. 1899

Manawatu Herald, 9 February 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY. FEB 9. 1899

Two recent sentences in conneoti n with the administration of justice shows the in equality of th> law as interpreted in different portions of the colony. *t Gi-'borne the other day Charles Smith bookmaker, •as fined £20, or thrpe months' imprisonraent, for laying total is* tor odds, whi's* a resident of Co'Ungwood (Nelson), named Seymour, was fined £10, or th»-ee months imprisonment, for brutal y kicking and b ating his thirteen-year old daughter. The Hon. John McKenzi* is expeo'ed to eav«» for the Old Con try in April. He •> il' be accompained by Mrs McKenzie and Miss McKenzie, a<? we' l as by Mr Mewhinney, his private secretary. The erstwhile Hermit of Island Bay, Wellington, has abjurpd his solitary life, and is now on his way Home to rejoin his friends there. Th-? 'ate James Tyson, Queensland, millionaire and w>m°n hater, who had the cutenes* of Solomon without Solomon'? nmorons proc'ivities, used to receive plenty of matrimonal proposals from women. And it was waste paper b >sket every time. Th<> United States Government is going to bo the first to experim Q nt with flying machines, as distinct from balloons, for reconnoitring and militavy purposes. A sum of 25,000dV8 has been apportioned for this purpose by the Board of Ordnance, and experiments are to be made by Genera' Greely, with the sc : entific assistance of Professor Langley, the most distinguished authority on aeronautics across the At'antio. New Zealand continues to ?how by far the lowest death rate of any of 'he colonies of Anstra'asia. The rate for 1897 was 9.14 per thousand, against 10.89 in New South Wnle3. 11.18 in South Australia, 11.33 in Qu^ens'and, 11.53 in Tasmania, 12.83 in Victoria and 17.63 in Western Austra ia. enough Ihe birth-rate in New Zm'andisalso lowrr than in any other par of Austra'asia. In 1897 it was 25.96 ocr thousand, whi c the iatrs in \usralia -anped from 26.44 in Snnt Anstra : ia t-> 29.92 in Qaeens'aud. Tle bir h-rat? is d c ining in all the co!oni fc g, but l^ast rapidly in New Zealand, so that there is evidently an equa ising tendancy at work It is probable that next session may see steps taken by the County Council to make a notable improvement in he structure o' London The scheme proposes a bou'p"ard, 100 ft wid*. gar'anded with trees and flanked by handsome buildings, stretching from Holborn to the Strand. The stivet, starting from a pom» in Ho'born, opposite •>outhanopton row, would take the form or a crescent, one horn pie>cing the Strand opposite Waterloo bridge. th a other «erving as an avenue from the north to the Law Courts. The construction of the boulevard, would mean the clearing away of Wych street, Ho'ywel' street and parts of Drury lane, being the mos sordid quar'ers of C ntral London. What is now the narrowes f part of the S'rand would become one of the widest 1 borough fares in London. It wdald cost a prodigious sum, but wou'd in 'he end meer i<s own charges. Notwithstanding repeated warnings (says the Kaikoura Star) neople here do not appear to rea'ise the danger of bathing near rocks. Mr R. Monk, jun., had an un.pleasant experience in this connection a dav or two since. B,e was indulging in a bathe near some vncks by the Baramai tunnel, and was just coming out of the water when an octopus c ught hod of him by the ca'f of one eg. Mr Monk managed to get hold of a rock, and ca : led out for help. Fortunately Mr Bernard Chapman was close at hand and went to the assistance of his companion. Their united efforts proved successful, and Mr Monk was dragged from the c'utchfS f the octopus, in a frame of mind that has lef r, a 'as ting impre sion on his memory as to the uncanny s -nsation of being in the grip of one of these creatures. Tbe octopus only managed to got hoid with one tentacle — ti be six fee' in ! engih — or it is doubtful whether Mr Monk would have escaped. The Right Hon. Cecil Rhodes is negotiating with King Leopo'd, of Belgium, f»r tbe ultimate junction of the Khartoum Zambesi Railway. The new steamer Himitangi, which is being built for Messrs Levin and Co., of Wellington, has been launched at Paisley. The Town Clerk gives notice that all rates out-standing on 6th March next will be sued for, also notifying tbe registration fee for dogs. The codlin moth pest is reported to be worse this year all over New Zealand than it has ever been. The Queensland police think that matters in connection with the Gatton tragedy will now sptt'e down, and have advised the newspapeis specials to "go home,

There is some likelihood of a charge of cruelty to animals arising out of the running of the Welter Handicap at the Takapuna meeting last Saturday. At the close of the race the jockey who rode the winning horse was accosted by a policeman, and his name taken, the complaint being that the horse's sides showed spur marks. The jockey, seeing the probability of a summons being issued against him immediately took off his spurs, and in the presence of the policeman, handed them to the secretary of the Takapuna Jockey Club. The American Senate has ratified the peace treaiy by 57 votes to 27. There were two doubtful votes, but the recent attack by the Filipinos at Manila practically decided the position. Senator Gorman predicted the war would iast for years. There is intense public excitement throughout America. Unless an a ien has been naturalised for a term of five years at least before the passing of the O.d Age Pensions Act, the claim is void* It is reported that Mr D. L. Moody, of j Moody and Sank.-y fame, is likely to visit New Ze land. Mrs G adstone is said to be daily grow ing feeb er in hea th, and has ceased to take interest in affairs passing outside her room. vVord has b°en received tha f the steamer Douglas, trading to Mokau is ashore a' the mouth af the Mokau river. Mf Mullinauxhas abandoned the English football lour to Australia owing to the tarms asked by several players proposed to bj included proving unsatisfactory.