GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2313, 9 August 1921, Page 1

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS

Stanley Mansell, son of John Mansell, a well-known Oxford referee, fell dead while playing a game of tennis. It was stated at the inquest that his death was due to clotting of blood in one of his' heart veins. Violence of exercise would help to bring about death, said the doctor, who added that such a condition was unusual in an 18-year-old youth.

“This man told me that he could not possibly drown, as he was too good a swimmer,” said the missionary at Old Street, when Thomas Dedford appeared on a charge of attempted suicide. A policeman said that Dedford went to him and said, “I jumped in the canal and tried to drown myself. I am out of work, and I think that I am best out of the way.” Lace curtains were an unnecessary luxury, said Mr Oddie, the Lambeth coroner, at an inquest on Mary Hodges, aged 4, who was burned to death in her bed through the wind blowing the curtains agninst a lighted gas-jet. He had recently had a fire at his house from the same cause, continued the coroner, adding that people with lace curtains in their houses should either tie them down or close the windows before going out. How a provincial delegate came to London and fell among thieves was told at- the annual conference of the Grand United Order of Oddfellows. On his first night in London he went to a theatre, and afterwards visited a public house, where he had “just one drink.” Next morning he found that he had been robbed of his purse containing the whole of his money. A whip-round was made, and £ 10 was subscribed to extricate the unfortunate one from his plight. Devizes Fire Brigade have gone on strike, but not for increase in pay. When they take the tiremanual to the scene of a fire, they are ridiculed by the inhabitants generally. The matter was discussed at the Devizes Council, when it was decided to give all the villages around six months’ notice that tlie brigade would not. after that time attend any fires outside the borough. Councillor Catley suggested presenting the manual to the local museum, in which is a collection of implements used by prehistoric man. The elk are in danger of extermination, 10,000 head supposed to be in Yellowstone having disappeared, states an American paper. This seems to be caused by cattle men grazing their herds on areas formerly occupied by the elk, which perish in great numbers when they find their old pastures denuded. Ranchmen in many cases have fed them with hay out of pity, and the Federal authorities have bought and stored hay in the hope of preserving the breed. Cattle men are much interested by these splendid examples of animal life.

There has been a tragic end to a visit to the guardroom at the Nottingham Drill Hall, for Alma Clarke, a 20-year-old girl, has died in hos-

)ital, and Private James Gorham is n military custody. It seems that wo girls were invited by members >f the guard not on duty to look ■omul. In fun, Alma picked up a ■ille, and, shouldering it, marched ip and down the guardroom. Gor-

ham picked up another rifle, which, he says', he did not know was loaded. He was explaining its mechan-

sm when it went off. Alma was hot, and fell to I lie ground. Gormin lias denied that he ran away, aying lie left the room to get help.

A father and his son were drowned at Sheepwash, Northumberland, in trying to reach a ball from the River Wansbeck. Thomas Broom took his family for a picnic in the woods. Edward, his son, had taken

\ ball with him, and near the banks ic and some comrades began to day with it. During the game the

ball rolled into the river. Edward immediately rushed toward the water in the hope of rescuing it, but overbalanced and fell in. His father had meanwhile also gone to the

ater’s edge, and he, too, fell in

when making an attempt to drag the boy out. The river at this point was muck deeper than had been thought, and father and son found themselves out of their depth. They called for help, but all efforts to save them failed.