GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1951, 13 March 1919, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

THE PRESIDENT'S CAKE,

A good story is told of M-i Clemcnceau. The Presidential train on its Avay from Slrassbourg to Colmar, had to slop a £cav minutes at • Ponfeld, and the President of the Republic and M. Clemenccau alighted to talk to* the crr.Avd Avhicli bad invaded the little station. An Alsatian'woman, anxipus to tesify her grailude, promised to bring M. Clemcnceau a cake of the country which she had made. She had, lioavever, not returned to the station with it by the time (he train was due to resume its journey. M. Clemenceau protested. “Pardon,” he said, “I have been promised a cake. 1 hould to the promise.” The train was a quarter of an hour late in arriving at Colmar, but M. Clemeneeau got bis cake, which avus eaten at the Presidential luncheon, and declared excellent. WHOLE VILLAGE SOLD. In Ncav Zealand it is not usual for whole villages to be disposed of at auction. The estate of the late,Miss Mary Louisa Ekins Bell, of the Manor-House, South Marshal, a pretty North Wiltshire village, four miles from Swindon, and on the borders of Berkshire, came under the hammer recently. ■ The lots offered comprised the Manor House, Manor Farm, and eight dairy farms, also allotments and small holdings, the village post-office, and 2(5 cottages, the Avhole exlending to 709 acres, with a rent-roll of £1,797. Every lot Avas sold, the sale realising over £II,OOO. The Manor House (rental £l3O per annum) was bought by Captain C. W. Carlton for £2,(500, avlio also secured "Manor Farm (125 acres, rental £277 ,1.0 s) for £(5,850. Rowborough Farm, 200 acres, fetched £7,200. TOLL OF CONSUMPTION, . In London recently. Dr. Noel Bards well spoke of the prevalence of (überciilosis, slating that more than any other form 01. illness this disease look its 101 l 01. workers in the prime of life. Every year (50,000 deaths occurred from this disease. At that moment there were, it was estimated, a quarter of a million consumptives in England, the larger portion of whom were to lie found among (he Avorking classes. Among the contributory causes of tuberculosis Avere malnutrition, sweated labour, impure milk, bad bousing and oyercroAvding, and illventilated workshops and Avorkrooms. This Avas a matter Avhich must be dealt Avith by the new Government. LIQUOR TRADE ’WITH NEGROES. An important announcement respecting the liquor trade on the Avest coast of Africa was made in London a few Avecks ago by Mr Waller Long, Colonial Secretary. As a member of the Cabinet, he said, it was his intention to recommend to the representatives at the Peace Congress that (he liquor tratle on the west coast of Africa should be pul an end to. This would mean a, loss of revenue of one and a-half millions, and Avould lake some time to do, but, whatever the cost, (his reform must he brought about.’ AEROPLANE LINERS. At his vasL central works on the outskirts of Milan, Gianni Caproni, who ranks among the men of genius who helped to win the Avar, is putting the finishing touches to a gigantic new type of triplane, destined for trans-Atlantic service. It is fitted with dining and sleeping cars, every up-to-date travelling comfort, and is capable of conveying 100 passengers at a time. The first model, which will probably be inspected by President Wilson during his forthcoming visit; to Italy, will start shortly aftei’Avards on its maiden voyage to the United Stales. Another giant type, designed especially for the needs of the international postal, merchant, and newspaper services, is practically ready for (light. A third type has been planned with a vioAv to superseding (he ancient and insecure caravan routes of the Asiatic and African continents, and of bringing their remotest regions in constant contact with the centres of European civilisation. CHINA'S GREAT CALAMITY. It was announced by Major S. L. Norris in London recently that 10,000 square miles of North China had been Hooded for 27 months. No crops could lie grown, and nhop 1 a million of inhabitants died each winter, mainly from starvation. The Bishop of London said the story was an appalling one, which had not been heard of before because they Averc busy with their own affairs. He hoped that the fund Avhich was being raised by Major Norris, whose brother avus bishop in the affected area, Avould be on a generous scale. CHEVRONS FOR MARINERS. - The merchant service bodies in Liverpool recently received information from the Board of Trade that it has decided to authorise the Avearing of Avar service chevrons by officers and men of the mercantile marine, and also by licensed pilots. The chevrons may be Avorn by masters, officers, and seamen of the mercantile marine, licensed pilots, and fishermen avlio have served at sea, or have been captured or interned during the Avar. Chevrons earned for naval or military service may be Avoru in addition. AUSTRALIAN GOLD FIND. Great excitement prevails in Temura, Ncav South Wales, oAving to

the discovery of rich nuggets of gold. While impping stone from a heap at the old Mother Shipton mine, at: Upper Temora, a man found several specimens, estimated to contain up to 9 oz. of gold. The stone had been stacked since 1887, and already 50oz. have been found in parts of this heap. The oAvners of the syndicate, Messrs \V. G. G, Lucas and party, are now engaged in sinking an underleaf shaft, trying to pick up the shoot of gold, as it is evident former prospectors have passed through the shoot and thrown away the rich nuggets. DECOY FOR SUBMARINES. Some of the methods used by the British Navy in ridding the North Sea of the submarine menace have been revealed' by Comma ml! r George H, Hill in Canada. Tavo circular nets Avere spread, said (he commander. One was a half-mile in diameter; the other, on the outside, avus three times that size. As a decay for submarines a cruiser avus “stalled’’ in the centre of the trap, and distress signals were run up. In 99 eases out of a hundred the submarines Would dive to avoid combat Avith Avarships, with the result that they became entangled in the.nets.

JUVENILES’ HIGH WAR WAGES. A booklet issued by the Ministry of Reconstruction contains the report of r.n inquiry on juvenile employment. during the Avar and after. The inquiry was undertaken at (be, request of Dr. Addison, Minister of Reconstruction, who contributes a foreAvord. Quoting statistics as to earnings, the report states that in a certain Avorks one boy (lot), for 52 hoars, got £3 9s lOd; another, for 50 hours, £1 19s sd; while the boy whom the other boys envied most was he who, in five consecutive weeks, earned £1 18s 5d (59 hours), £1 7s ltd (53 hours), £7 8s 3d ((53 hours), £7 12s (itd ((53 hours), ami £7 (is 5d ((53 hours). NAVY’S UNSHAKEN CONFIDENCE. The navy's unshaken conlidence in victory even during the blackest hours of the war avus expressed in a little story told by the Bishop of Kensington, at a London prize-giv-ing. lie was with the Grand Fleet at the time of the disastrous events in March, when it looked as if the British and French armies were going to lie pushed off the map. An English admiral said to him, “Well, bishop, take it _at its worst, things look very black. Suppose they take Paris. Suppose they push the British army and the Ereneh right with their back to the Pyrenees. What then? I tell you avo cannot be beaten. They cannot invade England; they dare not come out. Wherever our army is the British Navy Avill keep the lines of communication, I tell you, bishop, we cannot be beaten.” That, said the bishop, was the spirit which we had produced . by our love of good sportsmanship.