GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2556, 17 March 1923, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

The most curious and perhaps the most spiteful will on record is that of Queen Austrigilda, consort of King Gontram, who, by her verbal testament, enjoined her husband to slay and bury in the same grave with herself the two physicians who had attended to Her Majesty during her last illness. Scarcely less vindictive was the will of the selfish husband who forbade his wife to marry a second time, concluding with the threat: “If she disobeys me I will come again if I can.” Quite at the opposite pole of sentiment was the direction of the married woman who predeceased her husband to her executors to seek out some nice, good, pretty girl who would make an affectionate second wife for her spouse. The Hippodrome, Cateshead, in London, was gutted by fire during the night recently. The outbreak occurred at about 11 o’clock, when all the occupants had left, and by midnight the building, which is surrounded by dwelling houses, was a. raging inferno. Brigade and police units could only endeavour to check the spread of: the-flames to adjoining property, it being evident that little could be done to save the theatre. Occupants of neighbouring houses hurriedly moved their furniture into the street, fears being entertained for some time that the structures themselves could be sav-

ed. The Hippodrome was known formerly as the Queen’s Theatre. A sensational ease of kidnapping has just been reported from San Remo. The victim is described as a multi-millionairess and her principal assailant is said recently to have fallen in love with her. It appears that the girl was walking with her mother when a motor car, containing three men, drew up close to them. One of the -men jumped out, and, seizing the girl, dragged her into the ear. Both the girl and her mother screamed, and their cries attracted a number of Fascists, who rushed to the scene and endeavoured to rescue her. The men however, declared they were police officers, and had authority to arrest the girl, and' one of them produced his supposed outhority. The ear then drove off at a great speed. The latest report is that the alleged lover has been seen in France with the girl, and the French police have been asked to look out for them.

“Eighty-four years of age, a magnificent horseman, and a remarkably fine billiard player, he was the most wonderful man I ever met,” said a witness at the inquest at Marlebone, London, on Mr John Wreford Budd, a solicitor, of Paddington, who died from injuries received by a fall from his horse while following the Pvtchley hounds on November 18 last. Dr. A. W. James said that Mr Budd rode continually throughout the summer with the Devon and Somerset staghounds and in winter lie went to Rugby to follow the Pvtchley. His vitality was tremendous and after the hardest day’s hunting, lie would display his finest form in the billiard room at night. After the accident he continued to conduct his business from his bedroom for some days, but increasing weakness obliged him to give it up. Death followed a fracture of tin* thigh. “The day before lie died,” added the doctor, “I asked him how lie was and lie smiled at me.” A hunting friend of Mr Budd’s dtscribed him as the finest pilot over Exmoor who ever lived'.

Married on Christmas morning at Guernsey, Mr and Mrs Warren experienced a terrifying adventure. Startled by the riec thrown as the bridegroom descended, the horses darted off with the bride in the carriage. The driver was thrown and gashed on the forehead. The bride jumped as the runaways galloped down the lane, and seriously hurt her leg, her wedding dress being torn from her. The horses finished up at the bottom of Fermain Hill, with the -carriage badly broken up. Dressed as “Father Christmas,” Miss Barr, headmistress of the school at Great Hatfield, East York, was cutting presents from the Christmas tree, when her cottonwool heard caught fire. Instantly her face," head and shoulders were enveloped 1 in flames. The senior scholars helped to extinguish the (lames, but Miss Barr was very badly injured. She was conveyed home, where her condition for some time was serious.