CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 245, 6 March 1913, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

TOUCHING OX JURIES. They were talking reminiscences on the train, and a well-known North Island barrister related a hitherto unpublished jury story. It was the case of Smith versus Brown, and the Crown Prosecutor. in ringing np a client on the morning of the trial, happened through a contact (if the wires to hear the expression, "Tell -Uu-k that I'etroskovski is all right.'' For some instinctive reason the expression dwelt in his mind, and when on arriving at the court he found the name Pctroskovski on the jury list he at once tumbled .that his learned friend, coun>el for the defence, had been "gelling busy'' with the jury. Therefore, when Pctroskovski was called, he was promptly challenged bv the Crown and ordered to "stand down." The Crown Prosecutor, after the trial, gleefully narrated the story to his brother harri-fer, only to find that his Roland had been met by a singularly apropos Oliver. Oil the jury list was a man named White, who happened to be a brother-in-law of the defendant, and just before the jury was being ballotted for counsel overheard the chiefdetective whispering to the Crown Prosecutor "Challenge White." White's name was drawn late in the panel, and the moment it was called counsel for the defence leaped to his feet, and stentoriously shouted "Challenge White." "But." commented the judge, "you have already exercised your full privilege of six challenges. "Is that so. your Worship?" commented counsel. "1 am particularly anxious that this man should stand aside. 'Would the registrar please check my challenges." The registrar

having endorsed the judge's count, conn sel mournfully remarked, "Very well, your Worship. I must- bow to the inevitable." and the Crown Prosecutor complacently allowed the defendant's brother-in-law to take his place in the witness-box. It is a curious coincidence that bull] incidents should have taken place i.i the same case, and yet liol.li those brother barristers still speak io one ;-.iio!.hcr.

Till': VALUE OF TRAIN IXIi. A press correspondent who travelled through Bulgaria at the end of lastyear found the country, as he had expected, stripped of its men. The ablebodied mail's between the ages of sixteen years and sixty years were bearing arms at the front or along the lines of communication, and the women, the young lioys and the old men were working the farms. lint in one village he saw two hale men, who stood idle and dejected. He asked why they were at home, and was told by a scornful woman that they had refused to be trained in the days of peace. When the hour of their country's need had arisen they had volunteered for service, hut the army authorities had refused to be bothered with raw recruits, and the two "objectors" liad been left to listen, to the sneers of the women and children while Bulgaria's national existence was staked on the field of battle. The punishment was as severe as it was inevitable. AX UNUSUAL INCIDENT. An unusual incident occurred towards the closing of the land ballot at Napiei(says the Telegraph). Although all the sections had been applied for, yet on account of a number having made application for more than they could hold, one was left which wn« open for the unsuccessful. Two went to the ballotone a stalwart young fellow, the other in more advanced years. On the numbers being drawn, the section fell to the elder man. The young fellow, with true manliness, and in spite of the disappointment depicted on his countenance, advanced with outstretched hand to congratulate his more successful rival. The latter looked up, and noticing the disappointed look, at once gave up the section to him, saving that lie would have another chance some other time. A general handshake followed—the young fellow being congratulated on his luck, the elder for his generosity in giving up the section. • In spite of our commercialism there is still some milk of human kindness left in the world.

PLAIN SPEAKING. General Bethune, Director-General of Territorials, indulged in some plain •speaking recently. He said: "It is our duty to our country to do the best we can to keep the trade and commerce of the country prosperous, but in our spare time we might give a little of it to learning the most important duty of every citizen, which is to prepare to defend his country if necessary. There are too many football matches and too many kinematograph shows for men to secure their attention on the things that are absolutely necessary. Every man has a duty to his country to render personal service in some form or other. If every man takes advantage of the opportunities now presented to him he can make himself a soldier able to fake his place in the ranks to repel any possible invasion, and we can have as good a second line army as any in the world. If we are invaded to-morrow the enemy cannot challenge us to play them at golf, or football, or cricket, but at a very different game. Why cannot people be as proud of their local Territorials as they are of their local football team? The worst Territorial that walks about is a better man than the man who has done nothing to help his country." THE PANAMA CANAL. The old Panama Canal mail service, which was terminated on March 3, 180!), followed approximately the route which will he used again when the inter-ocean canal is opened within the next year or two. There was no canal in those days, of course, although the project had already been discussed by many skilled engineers. But a railway had been completed across the isthmus in 1855, and the transhipment of mails and passengers was a comparatively simple matter. The Australian Direct Steam Navigation Company received a charter of incorporation in London in 1853, and its prospectus announced an intention to use the Panama route. The American steamship company which carried goldseekers and settlers to California, via Panama, had been making very large profits, and the discovery of the goldfields of Victoria and New South Wales had caused the London company to be formed. The service did not connect with New Zealand until many years later. The original prospectus, it is interesting to remember, said that the company's paddle-wheel steamers would use sails as well as steam, and wouhT offer a special attraction to passengers in the form of "an unlimited supply of fresh water," obtained by means of condensers.

CHEAPER PETROL. A number of motorists in England have formed a company to supply petrol to shareholders at a low cost, the company's plans including the purchase of certain oilfields, the establishment of a petroleum refinery in England, the equipment of a fleet of oil-tank steamers, and complete independence of other concerns. In the words of the prospectus: —"It will be no part of the policy to cut prices for the benefit of motorists who do not come into the scheme, but it will instead divert into the pockets of those who join it some of the huge profits which go elsewhere, without reducing the margin to local traders, for retailing its products," Motorists and others are hard put to it to find a remedy against the petrol price trouble. Under the circumstances it is natural that people interested in motor, traction and the development of motor power generally should be looking for fuel from sources other than petroleum wells. A writer in the Daily Mail says that an alternative fuel has become indispensable to England, since the country is dependent upor other countries for the fuel that is rapidly ousting steam in transport. "There is 110 shortage of supplies as yet, and when the large fleet of 50 or GO new oil-tank ships which is now building is on the water supplies will be even more plentiful. But it may not be always so. Many wells have already nn dry. and although new oilfields continue to be discovered and opened up. and our supplies are. in no immediate danger of running out. we have to reckon with the fact that, while we do not know the extent of supplies available beneath the earth's surface, we do know that the already enormous demand is growing at a tremendous rate:"