NEWS AND NOTES

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 513, 14 November 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

NEWS AND NOTES

According to n London paper n slump in the price of bicycles is imminent. Two well-known house, the Humber Compmy (Limited), und the Raleigh Cycle Company (Limited), are said to be about to join issue, and as a result we may expect the announcement of an £8 8» cycle.

A syndicate of Dunedin gentlemen have mvle arranpements to have a serious of animated photographs taken on the spot of the complete operations of the Transvaal War. The exhibition will be first shown in the Southern city as soon after the war as possible. One of Edison's lateit model cinematographs will be utilised in connection with the pictures.

At the Magistrate's Court at Timaru the other day a young man, named Jones, was fined 20s for throwing a pscket of flour at a wedding party (of which he was not a member), by which the bride's and bridearoom's faces and clothing were bespattered. Defendant admitted the offence. He said he saw others throwing rice, and as he could not Bet any rice he obtained some flour. He did riot know that there was any difference between throwing rice and flour. Wis Worship said that though throwing rice at a wedding might be foolish, throwing flour was abominable. Some Boer words constantly rn curring in the cable messages may need explanation. There is the word "spruit," for instance, as in Modder Spruit. A "spruit is a small creek. " Laagte"—as iu Elands Laagte—means flat broken country ; in which " elands," antelopes, used to be found in plenty. "Drift, as in Rork's Drift, is a crossing or ford.. A "kopje" of course, is a rocky hill, and "laager" is a stockade formed of waggons or stones. When it is laid that a place is defended by "donga* " reference is made to broken ground, uround which has been washed away by floods, leaving a sort of dry creek bed for cover

The Wellington Post Carterton corrfupondeot wires to that paper :—An experiment was made lost week with a patent mixture to destroy florae, broom and other noxioiiß weed*. The mixture wa| applied to the gorse, etc., with a spray pump in the presence of several parties interested, and left for a week to Mcertain the results. Yesterday an examiu»tion took place, und the noxious weeds were found dead euro enough. A valuable cow grazing in the paddock where the experiment was made died yesterday morning. Stock Inspector Webb made a post mortem, and an analysis of the contents of the stomach disclosed the presence of caustic potash and arsenic in quantities sufficient to account for the death of the beast, or even a team of bullocks.

-Mr Villicrs tells rather a good •tory about the kilted Highlanders, whose bravery in recent campaigns has been so conspicuous. The Boers seem to have been somewhat surprised at the appearance of " the soldiers in little cothes—half men, half women," and, according to Mr Villiers, the Khalifa's fighting men were equally puzzled at tho costume of the Highlanders. They, however, evolved an ingenious theory to account for the gurb of old Gaul, in which this section of the British Army appeared. Some time ago, they said, these soldiers ran away in battle, and, in punishment, their women took thtir trousers away. 'J hat was why the Highlanders now, fought like devils—they were anxious to wipe out their former disgrace, and to get their trou&ers back.

As a very strong counterblast to those Irishmen at Johannesburg, who, it is reported, have banded themselves together to oppose the British, we are officially informed (says the London 'Daily News), that, in answer to a circular issued to the members of the Loudon Irish Rifles (Volumteers) in London by the acting Commandant, Major Stephenson hears every man has signified his readiness to go for service for foreign or home worh if required. The replies to the circular have been most satisfactory. It may be observed that the whole regiment is ultra Irish, and not London Cookuey Irish, and the names of the ofriceis have been before now before the War Office. The Irishmen cannot believe that any of their kith and kin have joined hands with the Transvaal, because, in the event of war, they would be fighting witk the most ultra Irish regiment, the Royal Irish Fusiliers, and others of their own blood.

A recent burglary incident at Adelaide proves the value of trackers, even in a city, when conditions are favourable. Tliero had been a number of burglaries undiscovered, and, as the thefts continued, the police took to watching certain warehouses, one of which had been already robbed half-a-dozen times. At 3.15 a.m. two constables heard voices in this particular place, and entering found that the office door had been opened with a skeleton key, one of the three safes removed, and another safe partly drilled through, but the disturbed operators had vanished, leaving their tools behiad them. There had been a shower of rain just before, and one of the constables, struck with a bright idea, went off and got a black tracker. Thiß man, aided by ail the circumstances, picked up the tracks, followed them right through the city, and finally carried them into a house it Hilton, wherein dwelt two youug men and their mother, and where the police found a cunningly-coutrived cache containing loaded revolvers, burglars' tools, aud goods.

As an inHfctincH of incredible incredn ity it ia related by the L ndon Chronicle that in County Limerick an old man who received very liule cducntion in his youth, Imr, who rose from poverty to he very r ch, was reoentl) victimised in a marvellous manner. One day a well-dressed stranger called to see him, and, after conversinc for a few minutes, produced a piece of store from his pocket and seriously affirmed that it was a portion of the North Pole. He stated that he was a traveller, and had personally ascertained that the abstraction of the etone had done so much to injure the Polo that unless it was speedily repaired a collapse would occur, with awful consequences to the entire globe. He said he was collecting funds for a proposed expedition to the Pole to repair the damage, and to this he invited contiibutions. He received no less than £3O on the strength of this preposterous fallacy, and vanished with an alaciity calculated to land him at the North Pole long since.

Speaking a few weeks ago to a London newspaper man, an old South African trader, who was in a volunteer corps at Johannesburg at the time of the Raid, expressed some doubt as to how far the war would spread. The Dutch, he remarked, are just one family, but it is doubtful whether many of the buighers of the Free State or of Cape Colony would actively assist the Boers. They would be afraid of losing their farms and propeity, The war will, of course, create a feeling of bitterness, which it will take a generation to wipe out. The Outlanders in the Transvaal have their grievance, but I do not think they ate concerned about the franchise What they want is English teaching for their children in the schools. There are thousamh of men who have married there and are bringing up families, and it is precious ham on them that their children should be taught only in Dutch. I do not know very much about the franchise, but I do kno«' that the Free State is the best part of South Africa to live in, and they make you a burgher whether you want it or not if you are a respectable tnau. I did not ask to be made a burgher, but as I had over £201) in property I was put on the roll at ouce. They call you out every three months for a day's drill and shooting—it is a picnic really—and you have to provide yourself with a horse, a rifle and so many rounds of arai.iunition. You do not have to take any o>th of allegiance, and if they want you to fight, and you don't, they give you twenty-four hours to clear out of the State. '