NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 888, 6 September 1910, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

Of the prisoners received into the gaols of New Zealand during last year only 28 were of what is described as possessing “superior education.” No fewer than 4885 males and 533 females were able to read and write; 64 males and seven females could read only ; and 230 males and 22 females could neither read nor w r rite.

During the 36 years of its existence the recently demolished Mount View Mental Hospital—upon the site of which the new Government House in Wellington stands —treated 3142 patients. Of these 2401 were discharged under headings of —recovered, 1312 ; relieved, 346; not improved, 743 ; and 513 died.

The Duke of Norfolk is one ot the richest peers in England. He owns 50, 000 acres of laud, besides big slices of properly in Sheffield and Loudon. The latter, which includes a portion of the Strand and the streets running into it, is especially valuable. As a great ground landlord he gets a lot of unearned increment. Quite naturally, therefore, Lloyd George’s proposal to tax that source of revenue filled him with indignation, and he took the stump against the budget.

Al Montreal recently Mr Marconi announced his intention to make a series of tests at the end of the summer for the purpose of ascertaining the practicability of sending a message across Canada, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The principal difficulty to be overcome will be that of getting electric waves across the Rocky Mountains, but Mr Marconi does not anticipate that it will be greater than other difficulties which have been overcome, especially in connection with the Swiss Alps.

Says Lord Charles Beresford : The British Empire is singularly like an open hand, of which the United Kingdou is the thumb, with which each of the fingers co-operate. Canada represents the fore finger. South Africa the second, Australia the third, and little New Zealand the fourth finger. The ocean, with its line of steamships for sinews, and its electric cables for nerves, is the palm of the hand, and gives us the living organism. Let us lose the palm, and we have no longer a hand. The fingers are then detached, paralysed, shrivelled and powerless, and can be picked one by one at the will of the victor.

In the course of an address in Melbourne last week Mr W. H. Judkins related that on the previous Sunday night, under cover of a disguise so complete that his own father would not have recognised him, he went into two Chinese gambling dens right in the centre of the city, and watched all that took place at the gambling tables. He went to another place shortly afterwards, and could have got fourteen more. If he had had two men only the same size as himself he could have raided both places. Later in the same night, he, with a friend, went to other places, where they saw such fearful immorality that made them shudder. It made them think that, in comparison with modern Melbourne, Sodom and Gomorrah were highly moral places. If he could find out these things, why could not the police do it, seeing it was their duty ?

‘‘The very thought of a ‘boy evangelist’ makes me shudder,” said Bishop Julius in a sermon at the Christchurch Cathedral. The Bishop went on to say (reports the Eyttelton Times) that for a callow youth, inexperienced, without weight or authority and without the guidance of the sober teachings of the Church, to undertake to deal with men’s souls was utterly presumptuous. Dealing with revival missions in general he said that while he believed those conducting them were good earnest men, that they preached the Gospel and that they did good, he also believed that they lacked in many instances the proper qualifications for the permanent winning of souls. Too many people were ‘converted’ for five or six weeks, and then were ready to be ‘converted’ again by the next mission which came along.

An instance of sagacity on the part of a dog is reported. The animal, for which the owner had recently refused ,£25, was sent down from Wellington (where its owner lives) in charge of a Christchurch resident, who happened to be on a visit to the northern city, for the purpose of entering it for the Dog Show. The canine was duly exhibited, and was well up in the prize list. When the show was over on the Thursday night the dog was taken by its guardian for the time being to his home, and apparently settled down philosophically in its new surroundings. On Saturday morning, however, it was found that the dog was missing, and subsequent enquiries showed that a neighbour’s child had left the gate open, causing the animal to make a dash for freedom. A very anxious day of searching was put in by those responsible for the dog’s welfare, but without result. Late that night, however, the wanderer returned, and his reappearance was warmly welcomed. The dog’s bump of locality must be exceptionally well developed, as he had only been in his temporary home practically a tew hours before he broke away.