Miscellaneous.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 307, 12 September 1908, Page 3

Miscellaneous.

“ I was looking at the costume, when I became dizzy, and it fell into my arms,” was the defence of Fanny Platt, who was sentenced at Manchester for shop-lifting.

A wealthy syndicate, including representatives of Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, has been formed to compete with the American Oil Trust in Europe. The new company intends joining hands with the great Russian oil firms and eventually buying them out. The headquarters of the syndicate will be at Basle.

With reference to the nuisance caused by motor-buses, a correspondent of a Home paper says that all that appears to be necessary is a boiler that can economically raise steam without tubes or coils, which always cause expansion troubles. “In this case,” he says, “ away go your noise, vibration, smoke, and smells. Surely here is an opening for unlimited prospects.”

The sexton and parish clerk at Keynes, Sussex, has had one of the strangest experiences that ever fell to a sexton’s lot. While digging in the churchyard he saw a skull protruding from the earth, and he took great pains to avoid disturbing it. As he proceeded with the work he thought he saw the skull move to and fro, and the incident so unnerved him that he discontinued his work and watched the spot. After a few moments the skull came right away from the earth and moved towards him. and then, to his amazement, a large mole popped out.

A question of gastronomy is suggested by the announcement that in Paris last year 50,000 horses were killed for food ,5000 more than in 1906. “It may be fearlessly asserted that even the menaces of dear beef will not lead London to imitation, says an English paper. We are assured on the highest medical authority that horse-flesh is extremely nutritious, and free from some of the dangers of beef. But, apart from the prejudice against its edible qualities (which is said to be baseless), popular feeling in England is not likely to consent to an animal which has won itself such a place in human affection as the horse being reared for slaughter. Prince Louis of Battenberg, who has just celebrated his fiftyfourth birthday, is one of the ablest and most popular commanders in the navy. Like Lord Charles Beresford, who is known affectionately and without disrepect as “ Charlie ” among the men of the lower decks, he rejoices in a nickname, being known as “ Batts.” He is tremendously keen on his profession, which he has always taken as seriously as if he had to make his living by it, and has the reputation of being a first-class all-round sailor with a special and unique knowledge of naval tactics and signalling. His ships are always known as “ the happy ships ” because he has the happy knack of managing his men and personally seeing to it that they are well treated, and he is adored by his staff. “ I prefer,” he says, “ to be regarded according to the rank I have won in the navy rather than to that which I have inherited ” ; and in the words of a brother officer, “ Batts may be a serene highness but he’s doing his best to live it down.”

According to Mr Bell, tempoiary chairman of the Democratic National Convention, the most important issue in Mr Bryan’s platform will be a protest against •what he calls the increase of child slavery in America There has been a big increase in the number of children employed in the American slaughter-houses, - mills, mines, and factories, and, according to Mr Bell, the chief offenders are the Beef Trust. sus reportsand one’s observation,” says Mr Bryan and Mr Bell, “prove that, in our crusade against the enslavement of American childhood, an enslavement which involves a horde of illiterates for the next generation, we have the facts on our side.”