VITRIOL THROWING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9048, 6 February 1908, Page 3

VITRIOL THROWING.

Paris has been visited lately by an epidemic of vitriol throwing crimes, most of which have caused atrocious sufferings and the loss of one or both eyes to the intended victims, while in one case two passers-by were severely injured by the recklessly flung fluid. Most of these fiendish assaults, however, have their origin in some squalid love affair, and Paris juries make it a point of honour to acquit the culprit when brought before them. The result of this immunity from punishment is, says the correspondent of the London "Morning Post" that vitriol throwing is becoming more popular as a method of private revenge. A young girl living in one of the crowded quarters of Paris, having quarrelled with another girl who was her intimate friend, bought a quarter of a litre of vitriol and flung it into her face. Little chance remains of saving the victim's life. This latest atrocity has aroused public indignation, and it is doubtful whether, juriea will maintain their present attitude towards assault by vitriol.

A. settler who resides near the bush skirting Longwond, Southland, while out rabbit shooting, had his attention attracted by the cries and strange actions of a tui. On investigating the cause, he ascertained that a stoat was making its way up the tree to the bird's nest. Being a lover of New Zealand birds, he instantly despatched the stoat, and thus saved a nest of beautiful parson birds. Tuis, mockers, fantails, tomtits and robins are (says the "Western Star") becoming very scarce, and there is an alarming increase of stoats and weasels. The latter were introduced to keep down rabbits, but da very little in that direction. All is food" that comes within their reach, and they seem to prefer native birds to rabbits.

A correspondent, who gives his name as "A. H. Byron," and his address as Wellington, New Zealand, has written to Reynolds' in regard to an invention. He says—"l have invented and perfected a war machine. I wrote to the War Office offering them the first opportunity of seeing it, but could get no reply. Fourteen months ago 1 wrote to his Majesty the King, and he had the matter placed before the Army Council. But I have waited eight months and have had no letter. I was offered a large sum for my machine when the Rusao-Jap war began, but I was too much of a patriot to hand it over to another nation. My invention works in the Ueel of a submarne destroyer, and at the same cime pots as ballast. I u'e an explosive five times higher, lhan gun cotton or cordite The bo:il; I have experimented with is 277 feet long, and one ton of my mutive power will drive this boat 46,000 miles, and the power can he obtained lor £l7 10s per ton. With small machines to go on land my invention would destroy the whole of the armies o.i the earth within six months, and I feel grieved the War Office has not accented it."