TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13410, 30 April 1909, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Despite the lionising to The which he and his colleagues Nimrod have been treated since Again- their arrival in Australia, Lieutenant Shackleton has not been unmindful of the necessity for carrying the scientific work performed in Antarctica to the furthest possible stage of completeness. In detailing at Sydney last week the reasons prompting the despatch of the Nimrod southward again, he said the intention was to make a complete search in subAntarctic regions for several islands the existence of which is doubtful. Successful or not, he felt it would be an interesting piece of work, for no one had ever landed on tho Emerald, Nimrod, or Dougherty Islands. The general intention is, as hae already been partially explained, for the Nimrod to go to the Macquarie Island, to collect specimens. From thence she proceeds to Emerald Island, the existence of which was reported somewhere about the year 1820. It is proposed to ascertain if this island has any foundation in fact. A similar course of procedure will be adopted in regard to the Nimrod group. A further attempt is then to be made to prove or disprove the existence of Dougherty Island, over the supposed position of which the Discovery, returning from Antarctica, sailed without inconvenience. The latitudes and longitudes given by the early mariners were not always correct, and as a result many islands, when searched for again, have not been located. As an instance of this, Lieutenant Shackleton cited Bouvet Island, which was searched for by two or three expeditions without success, and yet 100 years later—in 1892, to be precise—Bouvet Island was located. It is thought that if Dougherty and other islands are found to exist, the discovery may reveal the presence of large numbers of fur seals. It is maintained by many that what the discoverers of these islands really caw were iceberge; but, as Lieutenant Shackleton pointed out, even should the Nimrod fail to find any trace of land, the expedition will result in much useful knowledge being gained. The Nimrod, in addition, is to take soundings,

and will also call, at other places to make collections of zoological, biological, and other specimens.

Enveloped in an aura of An breezy optimism. Mr Australian Sidney Kidman, the Au&-_ «• Optimist. tralian "Cattle King," arrived in Sydney not long since from a tour of England and tho Continent. He stated tha]t he returned with a better opinion than ever of Australia. 'Why," he declared, "any young rcan who likes to work ant. help himself, the country is so good that it will help him." Mr Kidman relates that he started out to work j on Mount Gipps station, where Broken Hill stands, in 1874, at 10s a week. It j is reputed that now he does not know ! by tens of thousands how much he is j worthi '"I remember," he said, dipping into tire past, "that I asked for-] a rise and would' have taken another 2s 6d, but I got the sack instead. People complain about hard times! Why, I poy plenty of men £2 a week who don't work half as hard as I did foi 10s. Those who cry out about hard times want to go to England and , see the heartbreaking poverty there among the masses. It would make them think hew lucky they wore to be in such ft fine country as this. The working classes here get better wages, are better fed> have better accommodation, and have a better climate than in any of tho old countries of tho world; and their prospects of getting on hero are in every way incomparably greater." Good sound philosophy, all of this, and when one renlises that it is wedded' to practical philanthropic endeavour, profound admiration for the man iollows as a natural sequence to approval of his homely advice. In order to give some deserving men he met at Home a better chance in the world than has hitherto come tfieir waVj jf r Kidman, brought out three London 'bue drivera to work as boundary riders on his station, together with their wives and' little once, all at his own expense. In addition, he paid the passages out of 22 likely young fellows from all parts of England. "I gave them work on arrival," ho explained, in answer to objections raised by the Labour Party, "and if anyone else can give them anything better, they are welcome to them. It is my intention if I return to England' to assist some more out. There are thousands there who would) jump at a chance to emigrate if they only had places to come- to. I have had a hundred letters if I have had one since I returned from men in ail parts of England asking if I coul<l> give them work. The men I brought out won't displace any of my other men, as has been mid. I've got plenty of work for another 50 or 60 at any time, if 1 can get them to suit me."' In his own way Mr Kidman is advancing the cause of Empire-building substantially, end: it Is a pity that patriots of his practical type are so few and , far between. A charming little roAobleman manco comes to us as from Russia. It conLady's Maid, cerns the fortunes of a nobleman, who, in order to mnrry the object of his affections, successfully acted the part of lady's maid. A plan somewhat on parallel lines was carried out in New Zealand a few days ago, but with disastrous results. The unusual story from Russia, on the other hand, contains no disagreeable elements. Everybody concorned has since proceeded well on the way towards living happily ever after. • . . . Once upon a time (nineteen months ago, to be more exact) the wealthy and beautiful Baroness Urusoff, widow of a distinguished Government official, took up her residence in Moscow, and, with an elderly relative, proceeded to live in tantalising seclusion. Everywhere she went she left a trail of broken hearts—for tho young cavaliers of Moscow are as susceptible as ardent. The baroness rejected all attempts to obtain an introduction to her/ and it verily appeared as though tho heart of the haughty beauty had been turned to stone There came one day to the residence of the baroness a peasant maiden, proffering for sale" to the servants cheap ornaments. Once she brought some old Russian porcelain, which she tendered to the notico of the baroness. Other transactions ensued, and final!)' the beautiful patrician enquired of the peasant maiden whether she would enter her service as a lady's maid- She would, and she did, and for a fortnight discharged her duties perfectly. And then Prince Charming stood revealed. The peasant maiden threw off the mask, for "she" was r-one other than a handsome young nobleman named Maximoff, who had adopted the role of domestic in order to break down the barriers with which the beautiful baroness had surrounded herself. The inevitable happened. The baroness was so much impressed by the ingenuity and perseverance of the devout lover that she forthwith became engaged to him. They were wedded early in March.