News and Notes.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8105, 4 June 1906, Page 3

News and Notes.

On Saturday afternoon one of the iron boxes attached to a tramway pole attracted a small crowd in Lincoln-road, Christchurch. The box was a mass of blue flame, due to the escape of the electric current from within the box. The tramway authorities were communicated with, and the matter was rectified. In a leading article on harbour mismanagement at Gisbourne, the " Poverty Bay Herald " says : — " The net results of a fifteen years' endeavour and a vast expenditure of money is a slight gain in smooth-water conditions, no gain in security in rough weather, and a great amount of uncertainty as to the future," Dr. Marshall, lecturing in Dunedin, assured his hearers that New Zealand was once a tropical country, and that at one time theie was a coral reef all round our country.' As a result of a period of elevation this reef was lifted out of the sea, hence the great area of limestone formation all over the country, and notably, the Oamaru stone, of which most of us see so much and know so little. Amongst the " sights " on H.M.S. Encounter during her visit to Nelson were (says the Mail) a couple of " prisoners " under guard. The door of their " cell " was open, but a sentry with fixed bayonet kept them in. These men, it is understood, are alleged to be concerned in the Port Chalmers " mutiny" on the Encounter about a fortnight ago. The discontent arose from the circumstance that the men had been deprived of their " washing and mending " afternoon—a Thursday half-holiday observed on the ship —the captain declaring that the vessel had not been cleaned up properly. Many of the crew were put to washing decks fatigue, and some of them showed insubordination. Hence these tears.

The following Japanese story is related by Lady Lyttelton. A certain English official in Port Arthur, many years before the outbreak of the RussoJapanese war, engaged for his children a Japanese male nurse, who, in time, became the " Admirable Crichton " of the household. On the outbreak of the war. however, the nurse said he must return to his company, and join the Japanese Reservists. So, with many regrets on the part of his master and mistress, he departed. Imagine the astonishment of these latter to perceive, on the victorious entry of the Japanese troops intoPorth Arthur, their quondam domestic, his breast glittering witti medals and others, at the head of a co'lumn. It appeared subsequently that their beloved nurse had been a Japanese general all the time, and that the long years of obscure domestic service were but an aspect of that self sacrificing love of country that prompts all classes to sacrifice everything for their beloved Japan.