GENERAL NEWS

Wairarapa Age, 29 March 1920, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS

TOO MUCH UNDERPROOF! Three men are under arrest at Chicago charged with selling two barrels of rainwater to a fourth man for £3OO on the pretence that the contents of the barrels was whisky. PURSE SAVED BY NEEDLE. Sentenced at North London to three months' hard labour as a rogue and vagabond, Charles Wright (26), waiter, was said to have put his hand into a woman's handbag containing her purse, but, pricking his finger with a needle, cried out and was arrected. BRITISH FLEET RECORDS. J The British Fleet now holds every possible naval record. It possesses in j the Hood the largest battleship, in I the Renown the fastest battle cruiser, in the Hawkins the fastest cruiser, and in the Tyrian—which has just steamed at forty knots—the fastest destroyer afloat. In addition, it owns the largest and fastest submarines, HUMAN PLUG. Owing to fog the Fowey drifter Clara ran on to the rocks near Batten breakwater, Plymouth, and was badly , holed, says the Daily Mail. The inrush of water was checked by one of with sail-cloth and old clothing, into tho crew, who forced his body, bound the hole. For four hours, before the boat was towed to harbour, he remained up to his waist in water. TRAIN WITH A DISPENSARY. Not only was the train used by .the Prince of Wales in Canada the heaviest in the world; it was tho most luxurious and the most costly train on the American continent, and that is saying a good deal. The total value of the engine and nine cars, with their furnishings, was estimated at about £150,000. In one car was a doctor's dispensary; in a baggage car was a dark room for the official photographer; while shower-baths and cold storage cupboards wer.e also available. HUGE SHIPPING PROFITS '■ "Incredible" protfia by shipping companies are regarded as one of the important reason of high prices throughout the world. Mr J. H. Rosseter, ex-director of operations of the Government's Shipping Board, giving evidence before the Commerce Committee of the American Senate, declared that during the war one vessel operating between San Francisco and Calcutta under the direction of the Shipping Board made over £IOO,OOO by a voyage of 100 days. Another vessel operating under ar~ rangement with the Italian Govern-; ment made nearly £120,000 by a voy-' age of 92 days. Vessels under private, management exceeded these earnings.,!

BARRISTER'S STRANGE WILL. * 'ln his will Mr Samuel Barringtoni Tristram, of Worthing, barrister, who 1 left £19,000, wrote:— *'; "I beg that my body may not b$ interred in a leaden coffin or deep in; the earth. I have no preference consecrated ground, and I should wish/j to be buried in a wicker basket on $ slope of the South Downs, facing the /south and the sun." i As the testator had a fear of being buried or cremated alive he directed that a main artery be opened after his apparent death. . In a codicial he desired that his medical attendant should give a written certificate that ,he had severed the jugular vein. Mr Tristram also expressed a wish that "no solicitor, stockbroker, stock-] jobber, or any future husband of my] w'fe shall be appointed trustee otmyi will.'* •

PRISON FOR PROFITEERS. For the first time the law of Octo-j ber 29 last, providing for exceptions ally severe penalties for profiteers, has been applied in Paris. On November 29 a M Chabas, manager for a wholesale dealer in butter and eggs, sold eggs at 715 and 720 francs a thousand, instead of at the normal price of 695 francs. For this illegal increase in price M. Chabas, was sentenced to a year's imprisqn-5 mentand a fine of a thousand francs! The dealer was fined two thousand; francs for complicity. i Other, profiteers in foodstuffs have been imprisoned until their case can, come before the Courta. '* Not only does the new law deal witb< profiteers in provisions, for a aaloß-; man at Chalons-fiur-Saone has been, sentenced to six months' imprison--ment and three thousand franca finch for speculation in boots and shoes. '