NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1051, 16 January 1913, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

An English millionaire landowner named Dearden, who lived at Rochdale, Lancashire, left a will directing that his remains should be cremated and the ashes interred in the same grave as that in which his dog Pompey was buried.

A peasant ploughing in Bassanodisatri, Italy, last week, unearthed a bronze Greeco-Romau statue of Apollo. Roman dealers, on hearing of the find, hurriedly motored to the peasant’s house, but found that the Government had forestalled them, paying to the lucky finder. The statue is estimated to be worth 2,000.

A Danuevirke legal firm is reported to have received the following letter from an anxious native : “ Having the greatest opportunity of writing to you. Why I am writing to you to ask if my laud is settled or not. Let me know at once as soon as possible. For I am longing to hear what is going to be happened.”

Some startling revelations are made in the annual report of the British Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The report declares that during the past year no fewer than r,255 children iu England, Ireland and Wales have been killed as the result of ill-treatment. During the year complaints regarding cruelty to children numbered upwards of 50,000.

Here is a rare specimen of business humour received the other day by a Loudon firm. It ran: “Our cashier fell unconscious at his desk this morning. Up to this time, 4 p.m., we have been unable to get a word out of him except your name. May we say to him, with a view to his immediate recovery, that we have your cheque, as we think that is what is on his mind.”

It is customary in many public schools lor a teacher to ask a pupil his father’s occupation. The following is the result of such questioning in a certain school a short time ago. Teacher —What is your father’s occupation ? Little Boy—l can’t tell. Teacher—But you must. Little Boy—My father doesn’t want me to tell. Teacher —I insist on your telling me. Little Boy (tearfully)—He’s —he’s—the fat lady at the circus.

In these days of steel aud concrete construction work, structural engineers are frequently asked what the fate of the buildings will be when the steel beams have rusted away. The best answer to that is found in the report of the surveyor of St. Paul’s Cathedral, who recently caused an opening to be made in the concrete of the dome in order that the condition of the great chain which binds it at its base might be disclosed. This chain has been imbedded in concrete for more than 200 years, and it was fouud to be as bright and perfect as when new. The reason why steel encased in concrete is prevented from rusting is that the oxide of iron chemically combines with the cement, forming a covering of ferrite of calcium, which is a good protective agent.

To determine whether a man is insane or not is often a difficult matter, especially when that man is more or less on his guard. A case in point occurred at the Stratford police station a day or two ago, when a man who had been flourishing a big knife “out East” was brought into town to be medically examined as to his sanity. To the officer in charge he talked sensibly, and showed himself to be a well educated and cultured man, and the officer was somewhat in doubt as to bow to proceed. When being taken to the cells, however, the suspect dramatically asked what was the charge. When met with the reply “Lunacy,” he jumped to his feet, waved his arms, and exclaimed, “ You can’t do it. Since the passing of the Penny Postage Act the police have no power to arrest.” That settled it. Later on the man was conveyed to Porirua.