NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2628, 4 September 1923, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

The SO-mile walking 1 match round the Isle of Man, during which competitors had to touch the doors of all the parish churches on the island, concluded recently at the Palace Douglas. Mr Gerald Briddon, Labour member of Ihe Legislature, won, covering the distance in 20h. 23m. Mr Harry Bridson, who won the match ten years ago in ISh. 2fi minutes, but who ijow is 57 years old, gave up after covering 05 mil-

Thc largest passenger locomotive in the world has just been completed for the Denver and Rio Grande Railway in America. It is 05 feet long and weighs, when ready for the road with coal and water, over three hundred tons. The six driving wheels ai’e five feet in diameter and when working to full capacity will consume nearly six tons of coal and 8,000 gallons of water an hour. They can pull a steel train a ejuarter of a mile long at sixty miles an hour.

At the opening in London of the recent International Stamp Exhibition the Postmaster Genei-al gave some interesting figures about stamps. Altogether the annual sale of stamps in Great Britain totals six thousand millions, and their value is £40,500,000. The number of stamps sold at the most popular prices last year were 1,332 million half-penny, 1,459 million penny and 1,845 million three-half-penny stamps. The Government has kept specimens of every kind of stamp it has issued during the last fifty years.

In the State prison of Wisconsin (U.S.A.), any prisoner who chooses to devote his evenings to study can take courses prepared by the university of the State. All day the prisoners are occupied in making twine. Then they have three hours’ leisure before “light’s out.” During those,hours 84 men are working harder than university students Some are learning law, some engineering, some take a business course of book-keeping and methods of commerce.

A thrilling battle took place at Windsor between a bather enjoying a morning dip and a swan reputed to be 100 years old. The Encounter occurred just above the weir stream and it was with great difficulty that the swimmer, Mr Frank Sliarrat, escaped with his life. Mr Sharratt had dived from the Cobbler, just below Windsor bridge, and when the swan attacked him was in- 30ft. of water. He at once made for the shore, being assailed savagely by the bird all the way. Fortunately Mr Sharratt managed to scramble to safety, but was unable to cross the river to the point from which he had entered the water. For half-an-hour the bather was stranded, his clothes being on the other shore. He made sallies to cross the river, and ultimately, choosing a favourable moment, dived in and swam for the opposite bank. He was hotly pursued by the swan, but succeeded in gaining the bank as the bird was almost upon him.