NEWS, VIEWS, AND OPINIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 31, 5 February 1910, Page 11

NEWS, VIEWS, AND OPINIONS.

•nr Frevberger stated at a London inn «i the "other day that "if the deceased ?Vliid his stomach removed he might Z e Bred for some time." The oldnotion that the stomach is es-l-hl to human life is, it seems, erroThe reflection that one could live t-V so much cheaper without a stomach than with one shouid recommend the idea with the or £ all to reall - v econwm caII - T - <iii P osed persons; but we don't suppose there'll be any great rush to have the operation carried out. There ire lots of other organs of the body beiges the stomach, it seems, without which a man may live quite comfortably. According to another medical authority, many people are walking about minus a tone/ or a kidney, broken hearts are not uncommon (we" often hear of these in breach of promise actions), and hundreds of people have lost ribs without being a na'porth the worse. Adam, to begin mth lost a r 'k- hut it has been a moot oues tion with the world ever since whether be ras an y the better off for it. That, however, by the way. "Medical records show," says the authority, "that 2UH may be minus one eye, one nostril, one ear, without mouth, teeth, a lung, ribs an arm, a leg, a stomach, and only half' s heart, and still retain his vital faculties-" Any of his friends meeting yjn thus would probably say he didn't look half the man he was.

X writer in the Christmas number of the "Sunday at Home" seeks to regulate the spirit of the festive season and direct the menial current of our souls by means of a = little lecture on the general wickedness of waist drives, bridge, the engagement of professional musicians and paid conjurers and dancing. Like a good many other earnest persons, with more zeal than knowledge or humour, he becomes quite wildly entertaining. Surely the following sentence, for instance, is a gem of purest ray serene: "Wha.t rational conversation likely to reveal the serious thoug-hts of people is possible in a ball-room?" What, indeed? Elsewhere he says: "The right dispensation of hospitality involves hard work." So it must, when it is considered essential that even partners at a dance should never stray conversationally from "serious thousrhts." And on the subject of bridge he asks: "Where is the hospitality trhich permits guests to win or lose money under the pretence of a social evening?" In fine, some of the readers of will begin to pant to meet its author. He must be stunning cornpan v, bless him!

A bnrglar who was committed for trial at Lambeth, showed great resource. He and a colleague were, it is alleged, in a house which wasn't their own in the snail hours, when the lady of the house confronted them. "If s all right, missus," lie exclaimed j "don't be anxious. We're invo tecs. Some fellows have broken in at the back." Then he obligingly accompanied her husband round the prenHses in a diligent search for himself! He washed his hands, too, prior to leaving, but then the police entered and arrested him. He seems to have 'been a nice, clean sort of a burglar. If the TXJliee hadn't appeared so inopporxssAr no doubt he'd have washed his, tote of the whole affair, and shown "a clean pair of heels" into the bargain.

The latest Anti-Kissing League is that formed in Brussels. Its manifesto says:—"Kissing, a delicious thing when properly understood, is a particularly dangerous action. Think, ladies and gentlemen, what can be more risky than kissing when one is not sure about the health of the other party? A thousand diseases may be transmitted by the mild contact of osculation. Statistics have been prepared by Dr. Martinez, who las written a cutting but true work on kissing. The bacilli of many snaladies live and have their being on and around the lips and in the mouth, and do a sort of looping-the-loop jump from one mouth into another. Kissing is but a survival of cannibalism. In the olden times, after a fight, the victor simply bit his victim's face—that bite has grown into the mere kiss of to-day. Kissing now means: 'I like you so much that I could eat you.' Isn't it nice? Let us kiss less; it will have a greater value when only bestowed on those we leaUy love."

Secently, in Lord Selborne's tour tttrongh Rhodesia, the leading Matabele asked permission to send representatives to lay certain matters before him. The High Commissioner, therefore, held an indaba at Bulawayo, when a request was made that Lobengula's son might 'be permitted to return to Matabeleland. His Excellency at once told +h<ym that each a request was not possible. At the dose of the proceedings Lord Selborne reminded the men that they had failed to give him the salute proper to His Majesty's representative. They had saluted him frith the shout of "Inkos," ■whereas rt should have been "Bayete." Eome of tha natives hesitated, contending that this was their personal salutation to Lobengula, but Lord Selborne was firm, saying: "It is my order that yon give it now." After a brief conference tie men rose and shouted "Bayete" in a perfectly satisfactory manner. It is proiable tfhat no disrespect was intended in the first instance, but as the primitima mind attaches much importance to such matters It wa3 well to insist upon iifi correct greeting ibeing given-

One cnrious and very satisfactory outtome of the transformation of London cabbies into taxi-men—a change which "The Daily Hail" "Cabbies'" Fund did mtich to help—has been the improved physical condition of the drivers (says an exchange). The typical London hanEom cab-driver of a few years since 'as somewhat inclined to be smart, lakish looking, and merry; the hansom cabby of to-dav —what there is left of kan—is, alas! "often enough a pitiful and tragic figure, whose shabby clothes and thin features betray the hard fight he must make to live." The taxi-man, on the contrary, is developing portlinees. The motor companies are complaining seriously of the unexpected expense in changing the uniforms of their men on account of the uniforms becoming too The reason for this is not far *° seek. Motoring is essentially a healthy occupation, and the man who masters his wheel can sit in comparative ease - Only the amateur clutches his steering-bar, and racks his nerves in fpnety. The motor driver, even though numbers are greatly multiplied, still sjakes a comfortable living, well above we average of his fellows. His hours are not heavy, his earnings are good, and fc* mind is at ease. ""Laugh and grow fat," -(vas the motto yesterday. otor and grow fat" is the word to-

Apropos of the proposal to adopt dogflesh for food, cays a correspondent, I find that in Brussels cat is considered in some clasßes a great dainty, and the ownere of such pets nave to take great precautions for their safety, or they mysteriously disappear. Workmen employed in a house are said to be fatal to pussy's nine lives, but not on their own account. They steal the cate for their friend 3, the brewer's men, who regard a cat as a "bonne bouche." They fatten them in the breweries, and turn them into a luscious stew when at bursting point of excellence. Dogs are not fancied as diet, but horse is a regular article of sale, and whole streets may l>e seen wherein all the butchers' shops have the significant stuffed or wooden horse' 3 head over the door. Vilvorde is said to be famous for horse steaks, and I am told people make trips there on holidays for a dish of specially prepared horseflesh.

Mr Henry Arthur Jones, the distinguished playwright, in the course of a recent speech on woman, said he was prepared to allow that "she might be developed into a creature as far superior to man as is that female spider who, when the poor male spider comes timidly up to her to make love to her, if she doesn't like the look of him, simply eats him up there and then." He added, "Such a development of woman is conceivable, but I am glad I shall not live to ccc it." Incidentally, the gentleman who was eaten wouldn't live to see it either, if that would be any consolation. It is a truly alarming picture of what may happen in the future which Mr Jones has conjured up. Even at the present time, however, it is said many unmarried ladies are eager to "snap up" the first man who comes along. The lady of the future, however, if she eats her euitor in the more literal way which Mr Jones conceives, will probably be of too nice a taste to devour him raw. She'll want him cooked. So whether she marries him or whether she does the other thing, the poor fellow in any case will find himself either in the fire or the frying-pan.

In the little town of Essen, Germany, is an hotel—a first-class hotel—at whicu the principal guests who put up there never have to pay for their accommodation. It is owned by Frau Bertha Krupp, the richest woman in Germany, and owner of the gTeat Krupp works at Essen. She runs it at a loss of more than £20,000 a year. This hotel (remarks "M.A.P.") was built by Fnui Krupp solely for the entertainment of the representatives of foreign Governments who visit Essen to superintend the execution of orders. Emissaries from the Emperors of Japan and Russia, from the Kings of Roumania, Bulgaria, Spain, Norway, and Sweden, as well a3 from the President of the Central and South American Republics, have been entertained at the Krupp Hotel for months at a thne in the most lavish and princely style. Ordinary travellers sometimes can find accommodation at the Krupp Hotel, but only when the rooms are not required for Frau Krupp's foreign official guests.

Under tie name of "Giant's Eye," a very interesting and useful instrument las been introduced into Paris. It is a walking-stick with optical devices which enable a person to look over crowds, the ha-ts of any ladies, fences, walls, etc., that hinder the outlook. The stick is a hollow tube, near the top of which is to be screwed on one-half of a neld-glassl Near the lower end of the stick is a hole fitted for the eye. The explanation of the reflection of the rays of this giant's eye is as follows:—The rays of light pass through the lenses, and strike the prism inside of the stick. Here they are reflected at right angles to another prism opposite to the eye-hole, -where they are again reflected and enter the eye, showing very clearly the objects to be viewed. A camera may be attached to the field-class, and thus pictures may be taken from objects not otherwise visible.

Most readers of Royal biography can cite instances of a King shouldering a trooper's musket and taking his place on guard. Something of the kino? is related of Napoleon, and, with less truth, perhaps, of a still greater disciplinarian, Frederick the Great. But the whimsical humour of the idea is as old as the hills, and figures in folk-lore under various forms; just as does the converse idea of the peasant promoted to a throne for the passing amusement, and sometimes the edification, of his betters. The latest version of the sentry Story comes from Livadia, and there eeems no reason to doubt its basis in fact. It is reported that the Tsar, in taking an evening stroll through the palace gardens, found one of the sentries the victim of a passing illness. "Fin compassion took the form of a dispensation from duty, which the man -would not accept on the ground that he had not been relieved. Autocratic authority asserted itself, for the Tsax took over the man's rifle and his duties till more regular relief arrived. The maTfcinet mil frown at the episode, perhaps, and the cynic may sneer, 'but the incident will do no harm with the Tsar among his people, ft is no reflection on him personally when we cay there is no man living who can afford less than he to dispense with the qualities that make monarch* popular and their loyal.

Apropos of Lord tMe'fchuen's appointment as Governor of Natal, the "Pall Mall Gazette" prints a very curious story which reached it some time ago. It goes to the effect that General De la Rey had a tame prophet, who frequently saved Ms force by telling him the exact movements of British troops. On the last occasion the prophet mentioned that three bodies of British troop* were closing round De la Rey, but that if he would attack them, one by one, he would escape. He added, "The strongest force is in front of you. I have seen you defeat it, and on the ground lay a great red bull, sorely wounded." After the engagement one of his men came up to the General, and said: "There is a British officer lying wounded. He seems a. man of importance; but his helmet is tilted over his face, and I can't see who it is." Dβ la Rey -went to the place, had the helmet lifted, and saw Lord Methuen, whom he knew. "Come," he said, "old men like us don't die of wounds; we leave that to the boys. I am going to have you put into my own wagon, and you will be right soon." Towards the end of the war, the narrative goes on, De la Bey's men were dull. It occurred to them to stir up the prophet, and to demand to know when and where the next fight would take place. ,r N"o more fighting," said the prophet. "Two of our burghers are now riding towards us to tell of talk of peace. I see them crossing the river. One has turned to speak to an English officer who has ridden there with him." "Take the time," said the sceptical Boer. "Two o'clock? All right, my friend, 1 think we have caught you this time." The prophet wrapped hiinseU in silence and emoke.