NEWS BY MAIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 51, 9 June 1910, Page 8

NEWS BY MAIL.

SIR G. RE ID'S BANQUETS. FULFILLING A DUTY TO THE COMMONWEALTH. London, April 15. ''Beware of dinners, or they'll wear you to death," was the advice given to ■Sir George lie id from two exalted quarters when he arrived in England a little while ago as High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia. Sir George was grateful for the advice, but he always forgets to follow it. He is, however, quite surprised 'by the rate at whi<?h British hospitality travels. He dined with the Savage Club last Saturday, with the Authors' Club on Monday, and with the Association of Muni-i cipal Corporations on Tuesday. During the week-end he is keeping engagements in the Birmingham district. After that his immediate engagements are overwhelming:— April 28—Newspaper Press Fund dinner. April 29—Atlantic Union dinner. April 30—Academy banquet. May 2—Royal Asiatic Society. Slay 3—Royal (Societies Club luncheon, to meet Commander Peary. May 3—(Sphinx Club dinner. May 4—Canada Club dinner. May 's—Royal Literary Fund dinner. In attending all these functions Sir George considers that he is fulfilling a duty to the Commonwealth.

WIRELESS TELEPHONE. INVENTION* BY WHICH ONE CAN SPEAK FROM THE CLOUDS. I London, April 15. An invention which, by means of a .portable apparatus, establishes tele* phonic communication without wires, was demonstrated with remaPkabfe- success to a (press representative. The inventor is a young man named Mr. Grin-dell-Matthewa, and his appliance *'ill enable an aeronaut to telephone from the clouds, or a submarine commander to communicate, while in motion, with the land or a battleship. On the table was a small square box, with a mouthpiece allixtd to-it, while in another apartment, separated oy seven rooms, was a duplicate instrument. Both were detached, yet the press representative was able to communicate with ease through tile thick walls from one room to the other. The voice is a 9 audible as m an ordinary telephone, no matter what obstacles are in the way.Mr. Grindell-Matthews ia a native of Gloucester, and began experimenting as an electrical engineer at the age of ten. The Royal Institution .has invited iiim to give a demonstration- '»f his new "Aerophone" on April 22. COMPULSORY FOOTBALL. ILttSERS ORDERS THE GAME TO BE PLAYED BY ARMY. Berlin, April 15. Tile- military authorities are awaiting with interest the intro ; '^o i: on in the Army, at the direct instigation ©Ji the Kaiser, of compulsory football and other sport*. Football is the game abwre all others. The Kaiser is convinced that it cannot but help to increase the physical and mora! value of his troops. Sport as it is known in the English Army awl Navy is entirely a novelty in Germany. It is the Kaiser's intention that his soldiers, after acquiring freedom of movement at and fondness for football shall take up other 'sports, including tugs-of-war and track athletics. WHOSE HUSBAND? COMPENSATION CLAIMED BY TWO WOMEN. Deal, April 0. Judge Shortt had to solve a curitms (problem in the Deal County Court yesterday. Harry Mepham. a pit sinker, employed at Snowdown Colliery, near Canterbury, was accidentally killed in December last, and two women claimed the body, each alleging that Mepham was her husband. Both women—one of whom is named Lydia and the other Lydia Mary—appeared in court yesterday to claim under the Workmen's Compensation Act, and 'both produced marriage certificates. Lydia Mary married Mepham in 1909, and was. living with him at the time of his" deatßL Lydia stated that she married George George, a marine, in 18S2. Eleven years later, believing him to Ibe dead, sne married Mepham, but obtained a separation at Dover, and did not subsequently live with him. " She was then confronted with her husband —George. She declared that she did not recognise him, but the man stated that the woman's features were those of'his wife, though she was much stouter than when he last saw her. Judge Shortt held that Lydia MSry was Meipliam's lawful wife, and awarded her compensation.