NEWS ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9425, 22 April 1909, Page 2

NEWS ITEMS OF INTEREST.

An important legal action by a fruxer against a firm ;of pqtato shed merchants Jhas, says the Auckland Weekly 'Newsi' just been decided. The farmer bought a lot of Up-to-dates from the merchants, and the seed was duly forwarded,. but the crop crown from these seed disclosed the tact that very few of them were Up-to-datesstall. The non-warranty caluse was pleaded, but _Without effect, and judgment was given for the farmer for £2lO 6a 6d. As"a rule, child-witnesses are not at all adept at answering questions in a point of law, but there was an exception at the Lower Hast Magistrate’s Oourt on Monday. The youngster!in question, a particularly bright youth, whose evidence was important, while not being at all impertinent or forward, appeared, to such advantage as to earn the silent approbation of all present. Now, is it not a fact,” enquired examining counsel, “that this story of yours was a concocted beforehand with your mother?” “No.” replied the youthful witness, with undisturbed complacency. “Now, come, come, young man 1” expostulated counsel, “did you not talk over this matter with your mother? Did she not tell yon what to say?” “Well, mother told me to speak only the truth, was tbe rejoinder. After a mcmentary pause, the solicitor as to whether witness was quite sure that his brother, who had also given evidence to much the same effect, had not talked the matter over with him prior to the hearing day. “Yes,” answered the boy, with ohild-like simplicity; “he told me always to use ‘sir’ when speaking to the Magistrate or those gentlemen (looking towards the imposing array of solicitors), much to the diversion of the Court.

During one of the banquets of the Church Congress in London, a certain bishop had as his left-haod companion a clergyman who was completely bald. During dessert the bald-headed vicar dropped his napkin and stooped to pick it up. At this moment the bishop who was talking to his right-hand neighbor, felt a slight touch on his light arm. He turned, . and, beholding the vicar’s pate on a level with his elbow, said, “No, thank yon, no melon; I will take some pineapple ! Two ladies, who had known each other in years gone by, met in the street. One of them, “who had been married for some years, was pushing a baby in which were fine triplets, all girls. The other lady had been in the bonds of matrimony a couple of weeks. “What beautiful children!” exclaimed tbe newly married one with much interest, 'after the two friends had exchanged greetings. “Yes,” replied the prond mother, and it was the funniest coincidence. At our wedding supper the boys who played with my husband in the orchestra serenaded him and played ‘Three Little Maids,’ from ‘The Mikado.’ Isn’t that queer?” The newly married one breath and turned pale with horror. “Merciful heavens I” she gasped, “at our wedding sapper, a couple of weeks ago, Tom’s friends serenaded him also apd they rendered tbe sextette from ‘Liioia.’ ”