TOPICS OF THE DAY

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12091, 13 January 1905, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

: The heat wave in Sydney ! The Heat was responsible for a tre-! "Wave, mendous demand for cooling • drinks; as a writer in the "Daily Telegraph' , puts it, "the big, the strong, the frail, the fat, the fair, the lean; the Tank,'the pretty, the plain, the young, the old, tho rich, the, poor—thirst had levelled them all." Throughout the whole city there was unanimity on one subject, and that was the utility of lemon squash. Everyone struggled to a counter and gasped out, "Squash, please!" Tho "Telegraph" estimates that the amount of liquid drunk during tho heat wave—and it must be remembered that it coincided with tho welcoming of the New Ycar-r-would make a decent-sized lake, while tho empty bottles would make a small mountain. Tho favourite soft drink was lemon squash, and tho thirsty one invariably said, "A long one, please, and put a pieco of ice in it!" Ginger beer seemed to have "worked itself into the heart mof the young nation," but water did as much as anything to quench the thirst of tho people. "Everywhere in tho city where there are drinking fountains thoro wore crowds of people, waiting thpir turn for a quaff, while it was common to sco a man with his mouth glued to somotdelicious tap." The consumption of ice in town and country was tremendous. One company provided considerably over 100 tons on one day, and Avoro despatching truck-loads as fast.as they possibly could to the country. The refusal of the Post Office officials in Sydney to allow the operators to work with their coats off produced some strong remonstrances. One correspondent pointed out that the operators were practically hidden from the «gaze of the public, and that they wore only seen by distinguished visitors. On tho other hand, one of tho staff took the sido of tho officials, and declared —ao a number of tho operators considered tho rule a good one. "Surely, anyone will admit," ho says, "that there is no hardship in wearing a cheap light office coat witli your waistcoat off, in the same way as one often sees in other offices. It looks far bettor, and is not more uncomfortable than wearing a waistcoat and white shirt." This may be so, but New Zealanders would not like tho prospect of working in a room with tho temperature at HO with a coat on. Fortunately, the heat wave was not so'sovore as tho great wave of 1896, when tho country , districts suffered dreadfully for weeks, and when for days tho thermometer in the city stood near, 100. It was remarkable for the number of deaths from heat apoploxy. There wero over-thirty in Bourko alone, and there was hardly a town in the country in which deaths did not occur. All tho world probably Courting at knows that Mr GladZion City, stone Dowie has 'the distinction -of nover having been kissed by a girl. Thrae years ago a young and beautiful Swiss lady, ildlle. Ruth Hofer, who was also conveniently rich, was selected by Dowie senior as his son's brido, and the conversion of the young lady and her mother to the doctrines of Zionism followed. Last year Iwhem the "prophet" descended on London, Mdlle. Hofer wf companied tho party. ; The young lady's family were furious, and declared that iif tho marriage took place the bridegroom should have a penniless bride, but the young lady approved of the "prophet's" son and was hailed as Lis bride at Zion City. Now, however, it is announced that the young lady -hue loft Zion City, and returned to her Swiss home. The "Daily Express" is responsible for the statement that'the following rules were included in the etiquette of Zion City courtship, explained by Dowie, junior, to his bride. "(1) Kissing should not take place until the solemnisation of the nuptials. (2) Parents' consent must be given before courting commences. (3) All courting should be done in the presence of at least one of the parents. Two are preferable. (4) Lovers must not walk out after dark without the consent of the parents." The "Daily Express" surmises that courtship on these lines soon began to pall on tho young lady. The London Zionists admit that she is now outside the fold, so to speak, but they are said to bo "happy in the thought that Gladstone is still the unkissed." Tho elder Dowie, who is said to have searched for some time for a suitable bride for his eon before he chose Mdlle. Hofer, will have to look again, and as none of the Zionist young ladies are said to be fit for the exalted position he will perhaps go to Europe once more. The Chicago lady who publicly announced % her intention of kissing Dowio's son has not been heard of again, and whether or not she has made her heroic attempt we do not know. But if she had succeeded we would surely have been informed of such a sacreligioiis act.