GENERAL NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 44, 23 February 1915, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

The Federal Government has decided to pay pensions to those injured and the relatives of those killed in the picnic train tragedy at Broken Hill on New Year’s Day.

In Melbourne the Lord Mayor’s unemployment committee has decided to recommend the Government to withdraw from “The Constitution” (a newspaper published in Ireland) a Government agent’s, advertisement painting a bright picture of New South Wales and Victoria as lands of plenty and promise for the emigrant.

The unique spectacle of a line of some eight or ten monsters of the sea swimming in the harbour between Ward Island and the easte-n shore was witnessed by the pa lingers on the Cobar from Eastbourne to Wellington on Saturday morning. By their appearance many of the spectators were of the opinion the visitors were whales that* had just come through the heads.

At Kurri Kurd (N.S.W.), Joseph H. Shepherd, who is carrying on business as an auctioneer and dealer in second-hand furniture, received a bomb through the local post office. He states that he received a cardboard box about six inches by two inches, enclosed in a wrapper, and tied with string. On his cutting the string the enclosed explosive went off. The contents, consisting of screws and nails, were blown all over the place. The wrapper which enclosed the box was either burnt or blown to atoms. Anyway, il cgn’t be found. The extraordinary part is that no one was hurt, nor was any damage done.

The Government are now inyitbig applications for the position of official war correspondent with the New Zealand expeditionary forces. The salary offered is at the rate of £450 per annum, and allowances will bo made at the rateVf Jss per day, except when with the forces on the Cpntiaent orwhen actually in Egypt. In Egypt the allowances will be £1 5s per diem, and at tlie seat of war on the Continent £2 10s. The cost of a return passage, New Zealand to England, will be allowed. The date advertised for the closing of applications is March 22nd. M

A monthly bulletin of the international Institute of Agriculture, Borne, gives some details of experiments in feeding lucerne to milch cows. The summary states that lucerne alone can only exceptionally and temporarily afford a profitable food for milch cows; while, combined with other fodders in proper proportions, it is one of the best fodders. In the beginning of the season, while lucerne is young, it is best supplemented with mangolds or cereals; but, when the lucerne is older, it is better fed with oil-cake, or, in small rations, with oil-cake and cereals. When feeding cows in excellent condition the addition °I oil-cake to a limited quantity of lucerne was more favorable to the yield of milk than a corresponding quantity of oats.

A most unusual spectacle—for Wei. lington, at all events (reports the Times—was witnessed on Saturday morning, when two women met in Cambridge Terrace, near Queen Victoria’s statue, and casting off their blouses, went for each other “hammer and tongs.” At no time is it difficult to draw a crowd in Wellington, so :t may he conjectured that in a very short time a considerable number of people gathered to watch the Amazonie affray. Encouraging shouts from the partisans of either side rent the air, and the various blows and their effects on the recipients were hailed with shouts. It was a good, willing “go,” and as there was no representative of the law present the engagement was fought to a finish. Male friends then stepped in, and the rivals were hauled off by their respective convoys to havens of safety.