GENERAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 247, 17 November 1903, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

f ATTACKED BY TWO LIONS. A Central News correspondent at Pretoria writes Mr Wolliuter, one of the -rangers of the Sabie game reserve, had a bad experience near the Olifant River about a week ago. He was by night on horseback, with a dog and g\i», when he was attacked bff two lions. He was knocked off his horse and dragged some distance away, -when he managed to draw his knife, and stabbed the lion twice behind the shoulder. The lion dropped him, and stood growling, taking advantage of which Mr Wolhuter stabbed him again in the throat, severing the windpipe, and so finished the animal. The other lion chased the horse, which got away, and before it came hack Mr Wolhuter had managed to climb a tree, where he was able to keep the brute off till daylight, when it disappeared.

MR JOHN'BURNS' 200-MILE WALK. In order to see the condition oi the army at close quarters, Mr John Burns, M.P., marched with one of the infantry battalions throughout the recent manoeuvres. In eight days he covered 200 miles —an average of twenty-five miles a day—and lost 14ttv in weight. Nevertheless, he describes it as " one of the most interesting and enjoyable experiences of his life." He speaks highly of the work done by the army. " Even the War Office has failed to spoil the men," he declares.

THRILLING RESCUE OF A GIRL CYCLIST. A thrilling rescue of a girl cyclist from almost certain death was reported from Woodhouse, Leicestershire, recently. She was riding -i» company with her brother down a steep bill when she lost control of the machine. Her brother dismounted from his bicycle, but was powerless to help her, anfl she sped at terrifi© speed down the hill, at the bottom of which was a wall. Shjß screamed for help. Her cries were beard by Mr Hartopp, of Leicester, who was driving 1 in a dog-cart in the opposite direction. Seeing that the giirl was in imminent peri: of being dashed to dfeaith, he leapad the cart, placed himself sideways in the road, and as the girl came up to him be lifted her safely out of the saddle. The machine collided with the wail and was smashed.

—o — LUXURIOUS MOTOR CAR. The Marquis of Angl«s»y baa fust purchased a most luxurious motorcar. Inshle, inetdaid of the usual seats, are four revolting armchairs, upholstered in leather, and let into the sides are cabinvts and small tables, which can be extended aoroea the car. The windows are fitted with curtains, and batteries are carried to light the iriterior with electricity, while hot air from the engine is available for heating purposes. An indicator is placed on the footjbbard, by which the owner can signal "slow," "fast," "stop," etc. The body is enamelled dark blue, and the frame is painted yellow. The engine is a 22-h.p. (nominal) Mors, giving 40-h.p. on the brake. The exterior fittings are silver plate, and inside fittings of solid silver. " The total cost of the car is £2500. —-o THE DONKEY AND THE SEAL. There is a donkey on St. Mary's Island, of the Scilly Group, which, it may be truly said, is no ordinary ass. This animal, which belongs to Mr Woodcock, farmer, of Portloe, was strolling along the beach near Bant'hcarn, when it discovered a seal which had indiscreetly fallen asleep on the rocks. The donkey seized the unexpected prey in its mouth, and carried it a distance of a quarter of a mile inland. Here some labourers rescued the seal alive. It is 141b in weight, l and 3ft sin in length. 0 ■ GOLF, OR FISHING ? Apropos of golf links and the wet ?ummer season, a correspondent informs us that the Dissbury Club is likely to preserve as a memento of this atyncrmal season a roach caught in "casual water" upon the green by one of the members of the club. WHAT THEATRES COST. Mr Fitzroy Gardner, in the World's Work, gives some particulars as to tfhat theatres cost. The expense of running a play in a West End theatre varies between about £4OO and £ISOO per week,'including rent of the theatre, but apart from the expenses incurred in putting the play on the stage, known as " cest tjf production." The first-named Mini would represent a farcical comedy with very few characters in onu of the smallest theatres, the other sum a piece at, say. Hip Majesty's or Orury Lane- Thus, with seven performance* a week, it costs from £57 to £i4to raise a curtain at oach performance. The average expenses are set down at £Bo# per we«k. A GURATB'S~REMARKABLE TEXT. Two curates at a church in Maoport {Cumberland) have just rusignad. The senior curate preiifched his farewell sermon, and he chose a t'ext which astonished ttie congregation. It was a portion of A'ljraham's direction to his young men : " Abide ye here with the ass ; and I aai {he lad will go yonder and worship." The Oumberlap?! papery quaintly add that " nfuch comment has beea excited by the teat !" A VALUABLE BOOK. When, a few months ago, the monks of La Grand# Chartreuse were expelled from Frdhce, the senior abbot cariied with him a tiny casket of tenijjered steel. Therein leposou the recipe for the world-famous twinliqaeurs—the chartreuses, green and ysllow—that was to fetch shortly afterwards in the. open market no fees than £330,0(f0. For centuries the precious script had lain secure in the monastery's strong room. Originally it consisted of a single fragmet of parchment six inches by nine, but as time went oh other ingrc-di-«nts were discovered, and supplementary directions and instructions were continually being added, until the one bit of skin has grown to a volume of over one hundred pages. It is, without doubt, the most valuable book in the world. VALUABLE RECIPES. Interesting particulars of the value of several secret recipes are given bv a writer in Chambers' Journal. Wiltshire firm of bacon-curers no less than £IO,OOO for t»denburg method of ci'' while a eertain spec'' rather, the luetho'' iginally boupifrom a po' hands '■ Tin-

Southern Cross, found some years ago at the Lacepede Islands, changed hands a short time ago for £lO, 000. Experts, taking the Southern Cross as a value this latest cluster at from £15,000 to £2O, 000. The only other knowa cluster of value is in the possession of the British Government. This exhibit from the Commonwealth pearl lishies will, no doubt, be a centre of attraction for many visitors. —o — SMUGGLER'S TRICK. When the Strasburg express arrived at the French frontier station of Avricourt recently the Customs officers asked a M. Lorimer if he had | anything to declare. He had a quantity of German cigars in his pocket, but he replied that he had nothing dutiable. The officers thereupon searched him, and, finding the cigars, appropriated them and fined him £2. On arrival in Paris, a fellow passenger, to whom M. Lorimer had confided that he hoped to get his cigars through duty free, drew him aside and pressed £2 into his hand. " Please accept your fine," he said, " and I will send you a fcox of excellent cigars. I pointed you out to the Customs officers, in consequence of which they did not search me. I got through - with £2OOO worth of lace."