GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2294, 25 June 1921, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS .

The Bombay coast oi' India is ut present afflicted by an invasion of wlmlcs, half a dozen of which have been washed ashore in the last few Weeks. The largest,* 50ft. in length, was found in a creek several miles from Bombay. • There is consternation among the Indian fisherfolk, who believe that the gods are angry, and perform a “pujah” to Qhe stranded monsters —a devotion usually extended to a diety. They declare that the 52ft. whale was escorted to a lonely backwater by two other whales. The Natural History Society found the whale covered with garlands of flowers. These had been placed on it by the fisherfolk, who did not go to sea for several days after the discovery.

A record in luxurious imprisonment is being created by Bebe Daniels, the cinema star, who was sentenced to ten days’ imprisonment for exceeding-the motoring speed limit at Los Angeles, and decided to serve the sentence instead of appealing. She installed a gramaphone in her cell, with an electric winder, and played .jazz records constantly to amuse herself, other prisoners, and a stream of visitors who made the gaol look like a centre of high'society. Bebe h#d her most attractive gowns in her cell, and .changed several times a day in order to keep up her record of always wearing the proper frock for the proper hour.’ She received on the average 30 visitors a day, including the leading cinema “stars,” artists, and other prominent people. “With women who take up athletics the tendency is to .overdo it,” said W. G. George, the famous athlete and world’s record-holder, to a London press representative. “Hockey and lawn tennis are all very well in their way, but the competitive element, from my observation, has a damaging effect, on account of overstrain, mental and physical. As for women’s ‘soccer’ football, T scarcely think it conforms to the average woman’s-ideal of modesty,, especially when staged as a public exhibition. When you discuss the recent women’s Olympiad you get me in tw« minds. Whilst L consider'the athletic tests, in a mild form, might he beneficial fo young womanhood, I fear the carrying of physical and nervous strain to excess. We have to keep in mind the motherhood of the future, and, as a nation, foAmke up our minds as to whether this forging process in .women’s sport, which is associated with a new mentality, is a beneficial or detrimental. This point, 1 am inclined to believe, calls for an official investigation, under Govern* aunt auspices, by medical authorities of the highest repute. In the Jong run. women might develop physically to such an extent as to compete in -port on equal terms with men. Blit will it be for good or ill?"

I tow a child, adopted by the Lewisham Guardians at the age of 12, iiad been kidnapped, made a

story that was told at a meeting of the hoard. A committee reported that instructions had been given for t,ciion to be taken against a woman for harbouring her child, whom, it ’was alleged, site had kidnapped from school. It w::** stated that the child was out for a walk with a number of utners. Several ot them went into a confectioner’s shop, and during the attendant’s momentum absence jhe mother took the child away, leaving a note with unothei child. A member suggested, that ihey had better leave the child wit! the mother, but the board decided t< consult a solicitor.

Shopping in ~ si ore in London recently wiis a well-dressed woman, upon whose arm a blue and red parrakect was balancing itself. .It was not tied in any way-bill walked up and down her arm as she moved ahoul the shop. To an assistant, surprised by this strange shopper, the woman explained that the bird was brought lo England from abroad. She went out and left it in the house alone, and on her return found the bird in groat distress. Later, when it saw that she was ready to go out again, it made signs of not wanting to he left alone, and now regularly goes on shopping expeditions. The bird seemed oblivious of the other shoppers, but made faint clucking sounds at intervals, as if in approval of his mistress’ purchases. A man who tried in turn to outwit the military and the police told his story when he appeared for his public examination at Northampton Bankruptcy Court. Debtor, Ilenrv Israel, is now in prison because he did not appear for his public examination two .years ago. Israel said he sold his farm, Bozcat Grange, Northamptonshire, and left the place with £I,OOO. When called up for military service he kept up two in order to evade arrest, At length he was discovered and taken to Gravesend, where, he said, lie’ deserted, Inil was arrested again. But once more lie obtained his freedom by breaking out of the guardroom whie awaiting a court-martial. A few' months ago he was captured a third time, and was taken to Bow Street. He was released on bail, and abscondetP, only to be re-arrested in London.

“Have you no kinsmen to kelp you ” was asked of a poor man who applied for relief in Brussels recently. “My only brother died 150 years ago,” answered the applicant. Amazing as was kis statement, it proved to be true. A still mu re-ex-traordinary lapse of time between the birth of two brothers is recorded by Henry Bellenden-Ker, a wellknown English lawyer, of the eatrlv nineteenth century. One of the witnesses in a probate action in

which Bcllenden-Ker was engaged was asked if he had any brother * or sisters. He replied that his only brother had died 152 years before. A murmur of incredulity ran thro■ugh the court, yet documentary evidence was produced to confirm the old man’s statement. His father had married at the age of 19, and by this wife had a son who died in infancy. He married again at the age of 75, and had another son, the witness, who was 96 when he gave his evidence.

“Pending the discussion by the Board of Health and the receipt of its recommendations,” said the Hon. C. J. Parr in speaking of the American allegation that New Zealand has a very high materniiy mortality, “(he Health Department has asked medical officers of health to visit personally - every hospital from

which a case of puerperal sepsis is notified. Specimen report forms have been provided, and these will enable inquiries to be made to determine if there is any fault in the technique of such cases. As a further check, the Department has ob-

tained from the Registrar-General a promise to inspect the registers in all parts of New Zealand, and so keep under supervision any deaths of women occurring during the bearing years.”