GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2165, 19 August 1920, Page 1

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

A new peril for children at play is reported. Qwonda Jones, a girl of five years of age, was flying a toy aeroplane in a Held near her home at Dylfryn, Barmouth. In its swift return flight to. earth the aeroplane hit the little girl in the right eye. The pupil was pierced, and, the girl lost the sight of the eye. Some curious evidence was given in a Derbyshire police court in a case of alleged drunkenness. Defendant, a timber feller, contended that he was not drunk because he had only had six half-pints of beer. Two independent witnesses had signed statements that defendant while drunk climbed the church steeple at Edridgehay, and threw down his coat and vest; but other witnesses contended that ability to climb the steeple was a proof of sobriety. The magistrate decided that defendant was drunk and used bad language, and inflicted a small fine. The theatrical world at Rome has been convulsed over a certain seriocomic incident between the principals of two important companies. The matter began with a discussion as to the rights of a new and successful play, “Galnco,” which wn> claimed by both parties. 'Che leading lady of one company went with some friends to one of the opening performances of the rival.company, and by means of her presence and exaggerated and sarcastic laughter succeeded in irritating the opposition to the point of desperation. The result of the evening was a formal challenge to a duel between the directors of the Talli and the Xinchi companies. Signor Xinchi sent his seconds to Signor Talli attired like knights of the middle ages, carrying in their hands an elaborate parchment, document, three feel in length, containing the formal challenge. Talli and his seconds were furious at the insult offered to the code of chivalry, and refused to have anything to do with “such buffoonery.”