GENERAL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3229, 27 May 1911, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

. ' The death of Mir ©. Mcberly Bell, the managing editor of the London “Times,” was tragically sudden. Ho had just returned to. his office- after partaking of lunch, when lie was fatally seized, and died 1 from heart failure. He atained his sixty-fifth year the previous Friday. The following story of an incident in Mr Bell’s Egyptian career illustrates the man. He was slightly | lame, as the .result of an accident, and i walked with the aid of a stout stick, I the head of which was formed by &. cunI ously-shaped bone, which' a surgeon would at once, recognise as a human astragalus. This was Mr Bell’s personal property in the strictest possible sense. He was crossing a railway in Egypt, when; his foot was caught in the points, and it seemed impossible to extricate it. A train was approaching at the moment, and lie, had no time to unlace liis boot, but with a mighty wrench he freed 1 himself, tearing the bone from its j>lace in the effort. It had to be removed: by a surgeon,, and Mr Bell had it mounted, as stated a*bove, as a memento of the occasion.

I The Department of Public Health has decided to issue weekly bulletins regarding the cases of plague in Auckland, and copies of the bulletin will be sent throughout New Zealand to Mayors of the principal centres, chairmen of liar--1 bor 'boairds, chairmen o:f medical as- . sociations,-Consuls for foreign countries j and officers of the department, and 1 the j information will also, be communicated ito the Director of the Australian OomI moil wealth Department of Health. Dur- | ing the period from March 20th to May [ 6th notification was given of seven cases : of plague, of which- four remained l under treatment on May 6th. Between January Ist and May‘6th 382 rats were examined in Auckland, and of that number four were found to be plague-infect-ed and four others were suspected to uv infected. The last infected rat was found on May 6th. flhe bulletin for the week ending on Saturday last states that one patient was discharged, leaving three under treatment. Forty-five rats were examined, and all of them were found to he free cf plague bacilli.

The Acting-Prime Minister of the Commonwealth (Mr Hughes) lias taken to horseriding. One of his supporters met .him* the other day riding along the Kilda. road on a very large horse, which looked as though it had been used to carry a very large artillery officer. Riding up 'behind on his bicycle, the elector, in the- free and easy manner peculiar to Labour voters when addressing Ministers of the Crown—a sort of mingled familiarity and patron-age-remarked that he didn’t know that Mr Hughes was an equestrian. Mr Hughes, feeling for the left stirrup, said that he was—a little. “Nice horse,” said the other. Mr Hughes modestly admitted the fact. “Tellvou what,” said the elector, “you ought to call that horse ‘No, No,’ and kick his ribs in.” Mr Hughes rode on.

The current issue cf the “Journal” of the Agricultural Department, comments: “Farmers in the Tarata. district, Taranaki, have formed a vigilance committee in connection with noxious weeds. If the intention of snob a committee is to support the local officer responsible for weed-eradication, its existence will be heartily welcomed. Extension of the principle would! do much to bring about a more healthy conception on the part of settlers of their responsibility in weedcontrol. The noxious weeds inspector can do little good in the absence of a healthy public opinion and loyal support of landowners. The Tarata settlers are to be complimented on leading the way in this connection. They can be assured that the officers' of the department will render them every assistance; and they can bo further assured that their action would be of the utmost‘benefit in a district, such as theirs, where weeds have net boon permitted to obtain a foothold. It is in these districts that early action is of the utmost advantage. It should be pointed out, however, that coercive action can only be undertaken by the department’s officers, who do not coerce except where other methods have failed, or after systematic endeavors at reform have not been responded to.”

The new form of administering the oath in courts of justice does not meet with the approval of Mr Justice Edwards. _ At the Supreme Court last week. His Honor said the form of words that had. been devised was the most inept, cumberous and unimpressive that lie could imagine. The old Scotch oath was highly poetic and exceedingly impressive, but the framers of this form seemed l to have no conception of either poetry or impressiveness. “Why, it is no more impressive than if you got a cockatoo to administer it,” His Honor added with much indignation. Mr F. Earl remarked that it was to be hoped the old method of kissing the Book would not be revived. “Oh, no,” said His Honor. “I don’t suggest that, it was farcical of course, but it was more impressive than this.”

Complaints have been made of ext’umelv reckless shooting on the part of deer-stalkers a few miles up the Wanganui river, where there are generally a good number of guns out during the season. Eacli small party acts independently,. and_ consequently, it is said bullets are flying frequently in unpleasantly close 1 proximity ‘to other parties, and some narrow escapes are reported. Another grievance of sportsmen is the way seme stalkers are indulging in the wanton destruction of does and fawns, and it is stated that, if this goes on as at present, it will be only a question of time when there will be no more deer to shoot.

The many friends of Mr. G. M. Thomson, M.P., will be pleased to learn that the operation he underwent in Haavera was successful'. The member for Dunedin' North expects to be able to leave his bed at the end of this week.

An incident which happened in C’atn,edral Square the other day served to show in a novel manner the value of knowledge of first aid to the injured, A large black dog in its gambols failed to notice an approaching tram, which struck it on the leg. Help was at hand, however, in the person of a young lady, who -carefully examined the injured limb, and! pronounced a small bone to l>e broken. She gently tied up the leg with, a pocket handkerchief, and confided the sufferer to the charge of a policeman, who carried it off to a place of refuge.