The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1888-05-19 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

NOTES AND COMMENTS.  In another column Mr. E. Dobell calls attention once:more to the subject of the itsufficient lighting of the streets of the borough at night. In so doing our correspondent publicly voices a complaint which has many a time been given expression to by individuals, and not, it must be confessed, without good cause. We entirely agree with our conespondeht's letter, and hope that the cheese. paring or laissez fairs spirit which, gives occasion for these periodical grumblings will give place to a generous disposition on the part of our Town Council to dispense more light.  It is gratifying to know that the Barrow School I Board have at last definitely placed themselves in the pstition of being able to proceed with the erection of the New Higher Grade School. The scheme has for many years been in progress, and hss met with much opposition and with many enemies. The common sense of the Board has at laat, however, prevailed over the narrow minded views of certain individuals, and the new building is to be commented forthwith.  Our reporter was asked to leave the Board Room while the tenders were being considered on Tuesday last, but it has been whispered in the town since that two of the members who have never shown may great regard for consistency of conduct, were inclined to vote at the last meeting against the whole scheme, and so cause another long delay. If this is so, it is a matter for congratulation to know that they remained in a minority of two, and were powerless to work further mischief.  It should be borne in mind by the ratepayers that the Higher Grade School is a paying concern, and there is every probability that, notwitbstand ing the heavy expenditure incurred in the new building, in five years time the New Higher Grade School, so far from costing anything to the ratepayers, will be in a position to earn money to relieve the rates in respect of other schools.  The law against the use of profane language is tErribly severe in Germany, as may be inferred from a case lately before the Imperial Court at Leipsic on appeal. A farmer was heard by his servants to swear at an ox, and was accused before the local tribunal, which inflicted a sentence of three months' imprisonment. This has now been confirmed by the Imperial Court, on the ground that the blasphemous language was actually heard by the two servants and might have been heard by anybody else who happened to be passing.  People seem to be growing tired of sensational luicidea even in France. The other day a soldier committed suicide under the circumstances which are known as "romantic," that is. he killed himself because he was jealous. But, notwithstanding that there was a woman in the case, the colonel of his regiment declined to regard the deed of Private Richer as one at all creditable to a citizen and at soldier. He issued an order pointing out the unless the man was mad he was a coward and a fool, and he declined to allow the corpse to be buried with military honours. This may possibly hell) to deter foolish young fellows in France from blowing out their brains because of a quarrel with their mistresses.  English farmers and even English naturalists have long been at variance as to the usefulness of ; the sparrow, but Miss Ormerod, the Consulting Entomologist of the A gricultural Department, in a paper read before the Farmers' Club, has settled the character of the "pert, voracious bird," as Cooper called him, forever. The sparrow not only does not destroy insects, but he drives away martins and other birds that live entirely on insects— birds which, according to Miss Ormerod, would, if left alone by the sparrows, save the farmers from tight to 10 millions per .annum in the crops which  are now destroyed by insects. After this the sparrow may be expected to meet with some persecution, and the farmers of Cheshire have already begun to offer threepence a dozen for sparrows' heads or eggs.