NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1731, 18 September 1917, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

Excellent stories from (he hospitals and trenches are to lie found in “Happy Though Wounded,” the bonk of the 3rd London Hospital. Here is a sample: —A young officer, being ti-iod for drunkenness, (-alls his servant. “Did you see me when I came home on that night?” he asked. “I did.” “Was 1 drunk or .sober?” “You was sober.” “Are you quite sure?” asked a member of the court. “Yes, sir, he was perfectly sober, and left orders to be called early.” A pause. Then the president of (he court chipped in: “Did he assign any reason for wishing to lie called early?” he inquired. “Yes, sir, he said he was lo he Queen of the May.” Those who remember (heir Tennyson will appreciate the rich llavonr of the above joke.

li'is always easier for people to realise aeroplane performances if they can he reduced to motor ear equivalents. They are'more likely (o he impressed with the information that an aeroplane will climb at sixty miles an hour than if they are fold its rate of ascension is 1,390 odd feet per minute. As a matter of fact, a good modern aeroplane weighing all on about 2lcwt., and having an engine of a brake-horse-power of ISO, would climb a gradient of 1’ in 31 lo 1 in 4 al about sixty miles an hour; thal is what rapid aerial (-limiting really means. 25 cwt. is about the same weight as an average 15 h.p. four-seater open ear complete, hut without its passengers. A good many of the aeroplanes now in use weigh more, and a few somewhat less.

A. strange accident oeeni-red recently at the Christchurch Hospital, whereby a returned soldier named John McGregor suffered serious injuries, including fraclnre of the skull. Several nurses were engaged in the operating (healre when McGregor crashed through (he glass roof and fell to the floor. Fortunately no, operation was in progress at the time, and the nurses escaped the (lying glass. McGregor is supposed to have been hosing down (he glass on the outside of (he roof, when he slipped and fell.

A message from Rome indicates that the War Minister staled that Italy has now mobilised 4,200,000 fighting' men. The Austrians have mox'e than twice as many troops on the Italian front as at (he beginning of the war, besides two-lbirds of the best artillery and an abundance of amnnmilion. The Italian front covers four hundred miles—about equal to the entire West front.

Some lime ago a Wanganui union secretary wired to Mr McCombs, M.P., to inform “Brother Massey” that kerosene was costing 21s per case in Wanganui. Of course, Mr McCombs, with his usual impulsiveness and incapacity to think hack or verify the statement, sprang it upon the House. Mr Massey said the Government were endeavouring to get a supply of kerosene from America. The point, however, is (hat the retail price of kerosene in Wanganui is 17s 9d per ease, and not 245, as stated.