THE INFLUENZA

A Medical Conference was held yesterday at the house of Dr. D. Chakravarty, the Civil Surgeon of the State, with a view to discuss the nature of the epidemic fever, or influenza, which has been prevalent in parts of India during the last two months, and the means to successfully combat the malady.

All the medical officers and practitioners in the town were present. Prince Victor N. Narayan was in the chair. It was resolved, after a prolonged discussion, that a full report be submitted to the State Council, and that pamphlets be printed in the vernacular for free distribution all over the State, in the hope of nipping in the bud any outbreak of the influenza in Cooch Behar.

Dr. A.C. Karjee proposed that in the interest of the State and of the medical practitioners such conferences be held here annually if not monthly. The proposal was seconded by Dr. Agazar Rahaman, and unanimously carried.

POSTMASTER S BREACH OF TRUST

Mr J. Macnair, I.C.S., Sessions Judge, Faridpur, disposed of the case in which Mukundu Lal Guha, branch postmaster of Erikati post office, in the Madaripur subdivision, was charged under section 409 I.P.C. (criminal breach of trust by a public servant). The case for the prosecution was as follows: The accused was a postmaster of Erikati branch post office from October 1917, to January 1918.

On three different dates in January last three remitters of money orders entrusted him with Rs 20-4, Rs 50-8 and Rs 35-6, but instead of crediting these sums in the accounts of the post office or issuing money orders to the payees, he misappropriate the total amount.

On the evidence produced the Judge was satisfied as to the guilt of the accused and directed him to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 3 years and to pay a fine of Rs 500, out of which a sum of Rs 141 was directed to be paid to the Postmaster-General, Bengal. In default of payment of the fine, the accused would undergo rigorous imprisonment for 2 and half years more.

INTENSE AIR FIGHTING

In a communiqué with regard to aviation Sir Douglas Haig says: There was intense air fighting on the 10th of August. We destroyed forty one machines and drove down twenty out of control. Twelve of ours are missing. We dropped twenty-three and a half tons of bombs in the daytime and thirty-one tons, principally upon bridges and stations in the Somme valley, during the night.

The amount of small-arms ammunition fired from the air upon the retreating enemy broke all recent records. We brought down two night bombing machines, one being a giant German machine with five engines and a heavy load of bombs. Anti-aircraft guns brought down two other hostile machines recently.