NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1849, 6 July 1918, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

The Naples police have arrested a gang of clever forgers, who specialised in the manufacture of British and French notes and American Express Company’s hills. The police confiscated magnificently- forged notes to the face value of £1.2,000. The organiser and scientific head of the gang is a German.

The British Dairy and Food Commissioner has addressed .a communication to the State Barbers’ Board requesting that action be taken to discourage the practice of egg shampooing for the period of the war. Thousands of fresh eggs are thus diverted from the food supply every day, said the commissioner.

I Convicted of having communicated military information to a German spy living in Switzerland, a Geneva druggist has just been sentenced to hard labour for life. Frequently the German spy received a shaving brush.by mail. The authorities became suspicious of the circumstances, and on one occasion closely examined the shaving brush. In the handle was found a crunched bit of paper bearing military information.

The amount of Customs revenue collected throughout the Dominion for the month of June was £233,362, and the excise beer duty £19,274. The figures for the month of dune, 1917, were £223,707 and £ll,611 respectively. The increase in the exeise beer duty is caused by the increased rale of duty, winch came into operation on 15th September, 1017. It was Sir John Moore, father of the more famous Sir Thomas, who said: “I would compare the multitude of women which are to he chosen for wives unto a bag full of snakes having among thorn a single

eel. Now, if a man should put his hand into this bag, he. may (‘banco to light on the eel; hut it is a hundred to one h'e shall be stung by a snake.” Kir John evidently lighted cm a “snake,” which accounts for his lack of chivalry.

Extract from Hansard report of a debate in the Federal House of Representatives: “You are a dirty little liar, Palmer, if you say that I, have anything to do with German gold.” .By order of the Speaker the words were withdrawn and apologised for. Another extract, this time from Hansard report of a debate in (he Senate. The President : “I ask Senator Needham to obey (he chair.” Senator Needham: “Obey (he -chair, he hlowcd —when a man is insulting me from the other side of the chamber.”

This from the Feihling Star: — From a dairy farm of 82 acres, a farmer in this district last season received £1,0(56 worth of huUer-fat. The price paitLhy the factory was Is 6d tier lb. A little calculation shows that the dairyman’s return equalled £l3 per a’crc. The land was valued at £BO per acre, and interest on the capital value, [Jus rates and taxes, would amount to £5 [ter acre. The money the farmer received for calves and pigs paid the cost of labour, so that the fanner made a clear profit of £8 per acre for the season. Of course, ho is an experienced man, lint it shows what can he done. Even on the highly priced dairy land in this district, the returned soldiers’ settlements should give good results, providing the soldiers are given helpful advice by experienced farmers.