BREVITIES.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LIX, Issue 10626, 25 July 1931, Page 4

BREVITIES.

From Far and Near. AUSTRALIAN AIRMEN SWAP EXPERIENCES At the end of an air pageant, a festive group of fliers were telling some tall ones around the clubroom fire in Sydney. One young “B Licence” gave grim details of his first parachute drop, during the thousand feet of which the “umbrella” failed to open. “That is nothing to niv ordeal,” commented a joy-stick confrere. if you have heard it before stop me—but not until I have told it. It was at one of the toniest circuses ever staged over this fair young land of ours. In the presence of the whoest of the who, including Vice-Roy-alty, I was sent aloft to do some introductory sky-writing in smoke. The big act waslo trace the cheery word ‘Hello’ across the heavens. The tragedy happened just as I finished the second T and found I had no smoke loft to do the concluding—and condoning—‘o’ for the scandalised crowd below.”

CURING ACHING MOLARS; VICTIM ON A STRING

Referring to a report from the United Slates about the magic method used by Cherokee Indians to cure toothace, by drawing a green snake across the teeth, Mr A. S. Kenyon, Australian ethnologist, said that the Australian aboriginal also had some cures for the complaint. Among Northern Australian tribes, almost generally, Mr Kenyon said, one of the approved methods of curing toothache was to take a woman’s hair belt—or any other article of attire if she had any other—and wind it around the aching molar, pressing it tightly against the gum. Another method was to wrap one end of a string of human hair about the tooth and hand the other to the wife or husband, as the case may be, or to a magic man. The string was pulled tightly until the blood came. The pain was supposed to leave the tooth thfough the string or belt. If these methods were effective, it was another triumph for cure by faith. If the ache was not cured the tooth was knocked out with a stone and a wedge of wood.

WOMEN EASILY GULLED; GIRL PROVES IT

Because she thought women were too easily fooled by men, Jane Maubert, an attractive Nancy girl, decided to masquerade as a man and teaeli the women a lesson. So successful was she that she became affianced to 10 young women, the latest of whom sued her for breach of promise, and broke down hysterically in court when she learned her fickle lover's real sex. Mile. Manbert carried on the masquerade for 10 years. She was a bank clerk, and very popular among women. VISITOR’S LIVELY LAY IN PARIS Owing to his defective knowledge of French, a visitor from Melbourne, Mr J. Nielson, was arrested in Paris while visiting the Colonial Exposition. A turnstile official, not understanding him, referred him to a bystander, who produced a roll of tickets and said he would require GO francs (10s) worth to enter the exposition. Mr Nielson found he had been tricked into buying more than necessary, and offered to sell his unused vouchers to a man who asked him where he could buy tickets. Thereupon, a .gendarme arrested him for selling tickets without a license. It took Mr Nielson many hours to convince the magistrate that he did not intend to break the law. He was fined 120 francs (£1).

KING PREFERS ANTHEM SUNG AS HYMN The King’s attitude to the National Anthem is revealed in the reminiscences of the great conductor, Sir Landon Ronald, entitled “Myself‘and Others," published by Sampson Low. ■ Sir Landon recalls that after a couI cert at Albert Hall, at which he con- ! ducted, he was summoned to the Royal Box, and the King, somewhat perturbed, and not addressing anyone in particular said: “I do wish musicians would not play ‘God, Save the King’ so quickly. To me it Means a great deal. I regard it almost as a hymn.” Hurriedly the King added, as if he felt that he might h at Sir Landon’s feelings, “I am not referring to anyone specially, but am speaking gnerally, particularly of military bandmasters, who should know better.” The next day Sir Landon conducted at a Melba concert, and the King summoned him, and shook his hand and said: “ ‘God Save the King’ was very well played to-day.” Sir Landon explained that formerly he had played it quickly owing to King Edward’s wish that he should always “hurry it up.”

LONDONERS PUT FOOT DOWN ON FREAK DANCES

No new dances will be introduced during 1931, according to the decision of the dance hall managers’ official board of control of ballroom j dancing, London. Santos Casani, a I leading manager has announced that he is concentrating on popularising the waltz tango, and is specially featuring the Viennese waltz. Freak dancing will not be allowed in English ball-rooms. WHEN MASTER OP NATURE DOES NOT PAY “A scientist might congratulate himself on makihag two stalk of sug-ar-cane grow in place of one, but an industrialist might see his financial I structure tumbling about his ears I when every improvement for increasing his mastery of nature tended to increase the supply, dislocating the balance between agricultural and industrial production,” said Sir Harry McGowan, president and deputy chairman of Inaperial Chemical Industries Lt., recently, speaking before the Society .;*pf Chemical Industry. He added that: the majority of workers were slow in realising that unless costs fell proportionately with prices, unemployment would result. The only relief from the many difficulties of Britisdi industrialists would be the adoption of tariffs by Britain, the promotion of an Empire economic unit and th e great unification of various industries in each country.

GOLF EX-CTIj VMPIOX’S LONG SUIT ENDED After litigation extending over two years between the former amateur golf champion, Mr Cyril Tolley, and Messrs Fry. c hocolate manufacturers. a King's Bench jury awarded Mr Tolley £so>t) damages. The case arose out of Mi essrs Fry’s use of ToL ley’s caricatur e in newspapers for advertising pm -pos'es. The golfer complained tha t this meant that he had permitted to be so used, and that it endange red his amateur status. The jury which first tried the case awarded . him £IOOO damages. The Court of i .ppeal ruled that the amount was exa essive. and Tolley appealed to the Hi ouse of Lords, which took the same ’ view, and ordered a new trial.—The advertisement of which Mr Tolley complained was an artist’s drawing, showing him playing golf. A cj irton of chocolate, with the brand di splayed, was in his pocket.