NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2589, 5 June 1923, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

A curious action is that in which a woman in London claims damages from a wealthy spinster for having enticed away her husband. A •still more curious action was heard in New York some years ago, when a spinster sued a bachelor for having deprived her of the affections of her eat. It appears that the eat, in his wanderings, visited the bachelor’s home, and the bachelor was in the habit of leaving out a saucer of milk in case the cat called. Finally the cat took up his quarters in the bachelor’s home. The spinster gave evidence that she had thus been deprived of the society and affection of a hitherto devoted cat, and a sympathetic jury punished the callous and cruel bachelor by ordering him to pay substanti/ri damages.

The Colonial Sugar Co. evidently makes huge profits because of the public's love for sugar. According to a recent cable a dividend in the old company of 20s per share, less the Commonwealth absentee tax of fid in the £, has been declared. In addition, the liquidator of the Fiji Company will pay on May 31st 40s per share on the shares in the old company, held on May 15th. Also, oTi 4th August next, £4 per share will be paid on shares then held, thus making the shares again fully paid up to £2O. In addition the directors have had their annual fees increased from £1,500 per annum to £2,500 per annum. And Mr Massey will keep on telling us that we ax*e getting cheap sugar. It is a matter for inquiry in the House whether this huge monopolistic moneymaking machine is making its shareholders and directors rich at the exp( use of the rxeople who must have sugar, or whether it is getting its profits in two ways—out of the necessities of the people and out of the workers employed in this huge industry.—Exchange.

An astonishing storv. of 1,250 sheep and cattle secretly thrown overboard in mid-ocean and drowned without trace to hide an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, was revealed in the House of Commons recently by Major Ba rust on. The steamer Ilartington left Buenos Aires with a cargo which consisted mostly of grain for London. At Monte Video 250 cattle and 1,000 sheep, consigned to Antwerp were taken aboard. When the vessel was a few days out at sea from Monte Video disease, believed to be foot and month disease, broke out. All the animals were jettisoned, and all the fittings and fodder were also thrown overboard. The decks were cleaned in order to show no trace of animals having been carried. The vessel put into Antwerp, and later arrived at London. No declaration was made to the Customs authorities at London about the jettisoning discharging her cargo of feeding stuffs, information about the animals reached the Ministry from a private source. The feeding stuffs was immediately traced to their deso£ the animals, but live days later, when the vessel had almost finished tinations and disposal was held up until the Ministry was satisfied that release might be permitted. Everv practicable step was being taken to prevent the spread of the disea.se.