DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 76, 20 March 1914, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS.

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

(Pkb Prbsb association.] Wellington, March 19

Five cases of infantile paralysis have been reported in Wellington district, two in the city,, one at Shan-, non, and two at Levin, one of which has proved fatal. In one case the disease followed.an injury ,to the nose, and the patient, a. sixteen-yeaivold male, never recovered.- The history ofytlie patient's family is ,v er y sad - This makes the sixth case in the family, five other members having died under three years of age, from this disease. In the case of a boy,, aged 8| years, the onset of the disease was influenza and catarrh of the Stomach. Six days later the patient lost the ; use of the right leg. In the case; of j.a female, aged 22, paralysis of the,foot set in five days after the onset, and., -later general paralysis, which was followed in four hours bydeath.

THE UNWRITTEN LAW.

Gisborne, March 18

Inn the Supreme Court Michael Mannix was found guilty of shooting with intent to maim. The-prisoner,; an elderly man, made an impassioned, appeal to the jury, stating that, he had been tormfented by false accusations bn,the part of complainant, and,; after consulting a lawyer .and the law ineffective, was constrained.,to believe that the < only .action left .Junt-as-a poor man was to shoot .complain-: ant in order to get, dum into court, and, have the case .ventilated, He had to stand-up-for his charcaoter, even, if he -hung for it. He knew he would have to face a. jury. and perhaps join,.the company of criminals, but the .man who wquld not face these things when his * honor ; was at stake was scarcely a man at all. Mr Justice Hosking, referring to ".unwritten law," said attempts to rectify grievances by unwritten* lawought not to be allowed to prevail. There was - evidence .-that accused, .was, a hard-working man., and..that the man-shbt had not a ypry,good-charac-ter.- They . were - not - called upon, however,; to decide whether accused had, : a. grievance, and), the. fact that he* had>, shot another man. wap a case for, the law to ; j»tep,uiit;;. Sentence, : ... , deferred. . , . ~-.f,

A< PLAGUE OF ANTS. , , .-i ■ i >

Auqkland,, Mar,ch

Within the last few years lh"k ants have-spread rapidly-in the vicinity of Auckland. During the, warmest hours of yesterday, myriads of these insects were flying %bout. Fort •Street was. swarming, with, thenij j and they were in plenty on the wharves and in Queen Street. Men could Bo seen claw, : 'igf cLv.n the ;».v;kf olUt'jpir necks,, and women ..with the fashionable low r eut dresses were badly pestered, for the black ants bjt • viciously, and some of those who received,their attentions found ■ little, - -lumps raised on ■ their skin. The phenomenon .is of annual occurrence, but more striking yesterday on account of its great extent. ■ The swarming of the a st s is connected, with, what is. known as the. "marriage''' flight" of the insects, the males and females leaving-th.eir nests at this time of the year preparatory to settling, in new colonies. After the flight the females settle down to domesticity, and pluck off their-wings, so that during the greater part of the year the ants can rarely be found able to, fly. . The particular species which was, such a nuisance yesterday appears to be an imported-.one,- which is multiplying very rapidly, and of which great colonies can be found in many, houses, where the insects are the cause ofmuch t trouble of their fondness ifor, edibles of all kinds, and their persistence in searching for food and swarming; upon,, it when found.

NO-LICENSE PROSECUTIONS.

Pahiatua,.. March 19

Several licensing cases were heard in the local Court to-day. William A. 'McDonald, painter, was charged (1) with keeping liquor for, sale at Pongaroa, which is in the no-license district of Masterton'f and (2) illegal use of the premises -as a place of resort for the consumption of intoxicate liquor. The first charge was 'dismissed, but he was fined £5 and costs for allowing, the premises to be a resort for the consumption of liquor. Tbr.ee charges were brought against Thomas, Patrick Crawford, formerly ltcenseo of the Aohanga Hotel, 1 nowin a no-license district. " One charge was dismissed; on the second he. was convicted and discharged, and he was fined '4.og and costs for storing liquor for.anoffiel' person.-

MR.ATMORE AT WELLINGTON.

Wellington, March 19

Mr- 4tniP r e*..,M»P., for, Nelsqn, .addressed a meeting of about 3000 people .in the i Town Hall; this > evening. His speech criticised fin general terms the administration of the, present Government, and' was ■ w.ell received, applause being, frequent,, while, at i»i» clobo the speaker' was, cheered. The mention of Sir Joseph Ward's name was also the,signal for. an.enthusiastic outburst, while »>• *b.*> mention of the. Hons. Massey, Allen, and Fisher there waR some hostile demonstration.