From Many Lands

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 968, 10 May 1930, Page 19

From Many Lands

TABLOID READING FOR THE WEEK-END. - i

VERY SENSITIVE threw shoes at judge Acquitted of murder at Reggio, Calabria, Italy, Pasquale Evolt, who is hard to please, is to serve a gaol sentence of five years. He disliked remarks of the judge, threw a shoe at him and was sentenced for contempt. THE CASUAL GLANCE fatal for card-playing The tribulations of a bridge-player, who lost a game after dealing himself 13 hearts is told b; a correspondent, at Bosworth, United States. Mr. Stafford, after dealing, glanced carelessly at his hand, and noticed it was "all-red.” So, without further inspection, he bid "one diamond,” just to get the game started. The other three players passed. When Stafford looked again at his hand he found 13 hearts. He laid the unplayed hand on the table. NEXT, PLEASE! underwater marriage Katie Wilson and John Gutrlch were principals recently in the world’s wettest wedding. It took place near Sydney. Donning earphones and diving hoods, the couple, accompanied by a minister, waded into a swimming-pool and disappeared into deep water. Ail that the spectators could hear was a series of gurgles, the last one indicating the bride’s promise to love, honour, and perhaps obey. Attending the couple were three close friends who manned the air pumps. 20-HOUR SPEECH WOMAN FACES PRIVY COUNCIL Compliments on the way she had argued her appeal were paid by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council recently to Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell. Wife of a clergyman of Boston, U.S.A., she had the distinction of being the first woman appellant to ap pear in person before the Privy Council. She spoke for 20 hours in outlining her case. In announcing that judgment would be reserved, Lord Blanesburgh said that he and his colleagues wished to express their appreciation to Mrs. Campbell and opposing counsel for the way in which they had argued a case of much complexity and great delicacy with admirable temper on both sides. THE WHIP-SNAKE TRICK ENDS DISASTROUSLY Arthur Smith, car driver, who made a non-stop run to Alpha from Rockhampton, Q., covering about 347 miles, tells a snake story. When he was about 40 miles on the other side of Emerald, he was hailed by two men, and was told that one had found a brown snake. In bushman style he picked it up and cracked the snake like a whip. The head flew off, and hit his brother on the shoulder. Feeling a sharp pain, the brother tore off his flannel shirt and saw two punctures on the shoulder. As the worst was feared the wound was treated, and Smith brought the man to Emerald Hospital. VERY OLD FOREST DISCOVERY IN NEW MEXICO Professor George Wieland, of Yale University, announces the discovery of the largest, and proDably the oldest, of petrified hardwood forests, in the San Juan basin in New Mexico. The collection contains palmettoes, fern roots, and the bones of turtles and dinosaurs. These fossils, which are In extraordinary variety, indicate their appearance on the landscape 40,000,000 years ago, according to the University’s reckoning. HEAVIEST RAIN ON MONDAYS CAUSED BY SMOKE What connection, if any, is there between smoke and rain? A record of sunshine and rainfall tas been kept in Rochdale (England) for 30 years by Dr. Ashworth, of the Royal Meteorological Society, and he has something to say in the link between smoke and rainfall. He says Rochdale has. on the average, 13 per cent, less rain on Sunday than on the average of all other days cf the week. The doctor’s explanation is that it is due to the decrease of smoke and of hot gases from the mill chimneys on Sundays. Monday has the neaviest rainfall, especially in winter, and it has the most vigorous outpouring of smoke from all kinds of chimneys. GLASSES UNDER EYELIDS german invention Glass discs that fit under the eyehds and do the work of ordinary eyepasses better than spectacles is the iatest contribution of German optical science. An exceedingly thin piece of glass 3 ground to the measurements of the eye and then fitted in under the lid Professor Heine claims that one can C'en sleep in comfort without reniov ln g the glass. He has also found that even when the eyelid is seriously cut aud bruised the glass does not break A further advantage is that these passes remain at au even temperature and do not tend to fog up. Women 'ho shrink from wearing ordinary •’.asses will, he thinks, welcome the uiscovery. a pair of such glasses costs ‘bout £6.

ETERNAL INDEED! A SCIENTIST'S THEORY Dr. Walter B. Jones, Alabama State geologist, says “women haven’t changed much in the last 10,000 years or so.’* “Of approximately 600 skeletons unearthed during excavation work near Moundsville,” Dr. Jones observed in an address, “all the women had their mouths open, while the mouths of men were characteristically shut/* Ancient burial grounds are being examined by the Alabama Museum of National History, of which Dr. Jones is the director. COLLISION WITH COW AIRMEN BROUGHT TO DEATH Two business men of Great Falls, Montana, were killed when their airplane collided with a cow. The cow survived the crash and led to the early discovery of the bodies. George McKenna went to his barn to milk. One cow was missing. He found the animal crippled some distance away from the milking shed. Nearby was the twisted wreckage of a plane; and beneath were the bodies of Henry B. Lorentz and E. C. Smith. INTREPID CLIMB TO SAVE SEAGULL Hundreds of people saw the daring rescue of a seagull which had become entangled in a lightning conductor on the tower of Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno, Wales, recently. Three men, all of Llandudno, went up the tower, where they were joined by the verger. They made their way on to the lead roof over the belfry, where one of the men and the verger were assisted through the trapdoor. To reach the bird the rescuer climbed the tower, and the crowd 100 ft below saw him perched on the coping as he released the gull. He then returned safely. BELLICOSE COWS WAR ON FOX A nest of six fox cubs was discovered under a fowlhouse within 20 yards of a harmhouse at Yatton Keynell, near Chippenham, Wilts. For two days the vixen tried to rejoin her young, but was chased away by cows every time she came into the field, and the cubs died from starvation. A LIGHT STORY ROBBERIES IN MINIATURE Sydney's first big robbery in miniature occurred recently. The thief was a tiny five-year-old boy who stole a box of matches from a baby car. A plain clothes man saw him jump on a baby car and take the matches. “Now. you be i good boy and put them back," he said, "or a big policeman will be after you.” Then he delivered a fatherly lecture and went on his way. PROVIDING HUSBANDS MAYOR’S QUIXOTIC ROi!e""“ Providing husbands for lonely women willing to make a good man a good wife is still one of the duties of Councillor W. A. Wilkinson, exMayor of Durham, England. There is a Darlington woman who sadly writes: “I am still a widow, but very smart and up-to-date with everything I am a good housewife, my hair is not bobbed, but is dark and curly I have a fair complexion, and do not use powder or paint. “I want someone gentlemanly. 1 could not stand anyone rough I like singing and music.” Another woman declares:—“l have lots to be thankful for, but life Is nothing without love.” “I would welcome love and companionship and a good man,” wrote a third, pleading for a husband. , A TALL STORY! TOLD BY A SEAMAN Much amusement was caused by a coloured seaman at London Sessions when be was questioned about what was suggested to be a false passport. It was pointed out that he was nearly six inches taller than the height given on the passport. Through an interpreter he explained. “I was a very fat' man,” he said. "When I was fat I was short; now I am thin I am tall.” NOSTALGIA TOO MUCH FOR FOXHOUND A foxhound won undying fame among officers and crew of the Clan liner which was bound from Liver pool to Bombay. It was one of a pack which was being taken to India, and while the vessel was crossing the Bay of Biscay, i* was the custom to walk the dogs on deck in the early morning and then tie them up on the afterdeck. One morning a bitch suddenly dis appeared. Half an hour’s search was unavailing, and it was evident that she had fretted over her departure from her beloved England, and in a desperate bid to return had slipped her collar and jumped overboard. Only then was Captain Turton Informed. He immediately turned the ship round and steamed back for half an hour, but saw no sign of the d °The ship turned back and resumed its course southward. Somebody then sighted the dog right ahead, still swimming The captain lowered a boat and the do = was rescued, exhausted. Tt was carefully nursed and has completely recovered.