THE BONES OF A HERO.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12635, 24 October 1905, Page 7

THE BONES OF A HERO.

The removal of the body of Paul Jones from Paris to America, and the recent controversy concerning the actv.al resting-place of Columbus have caused a general discussion. It is reported, for example, that there is a movement on foot to carry the bones of Fernando Cortes back to Spain, and though nothing is likely to come of it an effort is being made to ascertain where the conqueror of Mexico now rests. Cortes died near Seville in 1547, neglected by the great people who should have honoured him. Partly in bitterness against his native land, part-1 ly out of affection for the new world, he had directed in his will that, where'l ever he might die, his remains should bo transported to New Spain and in^ torred in the Convent of La Concepcion at Coyoacan. The property which In had bequeathed for the foundation of the convent, however, was insufficient, and all that could be done was to build a little chapel to his memory at Coyoacan. The direction of the will, therefore, could not be carried out, but the body of Cortes was faithfully carried to the New "World and interred in tho church attached to the Hospita! de Jesus in Mexico. There it remained until 1823, when, owing to tho prevailing bitterness against all things Spanish, there seemed to be a danger of th? sepulchre being profaned The representative of the descendants of Cortes in Mexico at the time was Don Lucas Alaman. He removed the body secretly, giving out that it had been forwarded to Italy for safety. There was, no doubt, a very imminent danger, because the Mexicans wer«s talking seriously of scattering the ashes of Cortes to the winds of heaven, and prompt action was necessary. It is known now that the remains never left Mexico, but their hiding place is a, secret, known only to the Duke of Monteleone, in Italy, and perhaps to the son of Lucas Alaman, in Mexico.

an expenditure of £4000 and £3200 respectively. It is calculated that in New Zealand the labour necessary to manufacture tho same number of machines »vould have meant an expenditure of £0000. Comparisons of a lika_ nature r.-ere made m respect of cultivators, ploughs, disc harrows, tine harrows, ■rakes and spring teeth harows. Finally, it is estimated that the selling value of tho £82,383 worth of implements imported was £144,910. If the whole of the machines imported had been manufactured in New Zealand employment would have been given for one year to oUO men, who would have received approximately £47,430 in wages.