POOR DUKES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2325, 19 October 1908, Page 2

POOR DUKES.

Some few months ago, writes Mr Labouchere in "Truth,” a dim crick competition ivitli a first prize in the shape of £5 a week for life was. started iby a (photographic firm in Baker Street. (One of the competitors, who lias just obtained -a list of the prizewdnners, sends it to mo as a curiosity 7. The interesting feature in it seems to ille the appearance of his Grace the Duke of Argyll as the winner of a consolation prize. It is the ■first occasion on Which I have heard of any of the higher nobility patronising these gambles. The amount of the consolation prize is not stated, but I hope, it was sufficient to ready compensate his Grace for- missing the £5 a week for life. Immediately on top of this, I read a speech delivered by the Duke of (Devonshire at Eastbourne on the occasion of ‘a sale of ■the herd: iof Southdown sheep? on the diical estate there. His Grace explained that nothing hut the monetary,stringency 7 caused by payment of death duties had brought about tho selling-up of his live stock. One gathers 'that, had the sale not beep effected .‘voluntarily, •it might have been carried out compulsorily-—by the sheriff at the suit of the Orowui. The Duke held out a hope, which all must share, that (things would right thpmsolves _dn time. While he is waiting, like Mr iMicawber, for something to .turn.'up-, might I call attention to tho example of his (brother duke in the north, who is not above picking' up an honest penny by trying his hand at limerick last lines? Limericks 'are getting rather scarce, hut I would pount out to ionr (distressed dukes that a couple of guineas -may easily he made in a weolc through the. medium of the "Truth’’ Puzzle Rage. If T found a great rush of dukes, I' might ibe moved by. compassion to give a few consolation prizes. W