BUFFALO AMOK

A female buffalo, which a butcher had bought at the Chitpore mart for slaughter, run amok on Monday afternoon on Strand Road, injured four persons, including a Bengali doctor, and was eventually shot in the Jorabagan Court compound. It appears that the butcher, along with another man, was leading the animal along Strand Road, when, nearing the Howrah Bridge crossing, the animal broke away and running in a southerly direction knocked down a Bengali doctor, fracturing his leg. The animal was eventually caught by some carters who secured it with a stout rope and with great difficulty took it to the Jorabagan thana, where it was tied to a tree in the compound of the Court. Suddenly the animal became restive, and in struggling broke the rope and began to run about the compound charging everybody there. The animal then got into the compound behind the Court, when Rai Bahadur P.C. Lahiri, Deputy Commissioner, shot it from a window upstairs. His shot injured the animal.

A LUNATIC S FREAK

Quite a sensation was created at the High Court in the courtroom of Mr. Justice Rankin by Jotin Lal Ghose, who has been almost a daily frequenter of the High Court for several years past and who is believed to be of unsound mind. Entering the court room of Mr. Justice Rankin, Jotin produced some papers, and addressing his lordship declared himself to be the King of India and said that the laws administered here were of no value whatever, that there was money due to him and that he could not obtain it. Saying this he suddenly threw a stone at the Judge, but fortunately missed him, the stone striking and shattering the shade of one of the electric lights in Court. His lordship sent for the Inspector of the High Court Guard and had Jotin arrested, directing that he should be placed before his lordship for contempt of court. Subsequently, his lordship ordered that the man should be placed under medical observation with a view to ascertain whether he was of unsound mind or not. It is stated that Jotin came one day to the High Court dressed as a European Lady, on being questioned by some people as to the reason for his costume, replied that he was the “Queen of India.”

THE INDIAN RAILWAYS

In connection with the future of the East Indian Railway the Pioneer suggests that the course that will be adopted will be the making of a contract for a short term on a new financial basis, which presumably will be more favourable to the Government than that now in force. When normal conditions are restored the policy of the Government in regard to the Indian Railways will no doubt be settled. Indian politicians strongly favour State management, but the weight of opinion in the commercial world is against this policy.