TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14408, 16 July 1912, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Perhaps nocommunity in the British Empire

Remoto should be more grateiDependcncy. ful to Signor Marconi

than the inhabitants of tlio Falkland Islands- That remote dependency, lying in the South Atlantic off tho coast of South America, has just been placed in direct communication with tho outside world by means of wireless telegraphy. Few inhabited parts cf the Empire are moro forbidding to the eye than the Falklands as one approaches them. The hills are low and sad-coloured (the epithet is applied by a resident of the capital), and the shores are defended by sharp reefs and a belt of gigantic seaweed. It is a treeless land, and tho "commonest atmospheric phenomenon" is a gale laden with sleet. Three bleak isolated islands, however, are the homo of a happy, healthy and prosperous community. The staple industry is sheepraising. The whole of the land, with tho exception of Government reserves, is in tho hands of sheep-farmers. Although these men own little more than tbe grazing rights, closer settlement is impossible, and there 13 thus no opening for -new settlor*-. Tho inhabitants are described by the resident quoted above, who writes in "The Times," as extremely hospitable, good-natured, cheerful, and iaw-abiding, but Chinese in their conservatism. N 0 novel idea, unless it offers an immediate return in cash, stands a chance of being adopted. The people of the Falklands are mostly descendants of emigrants from the North of Scotland, with sailors of various nationalities, and Norwegians from whaling expeditions. Twice a year there is a great meeting in Stanley at Christmas for sports, nnd i n May 'for dances. "Altogether there are'worse r T in 1?° °? * SUtion itt th * Falkland Better Uve an d die amon t the shesp than grind oat life ij poa ". in office stool, or risk it hourly on icy seas, soaking m oil aboard a whaler *' Attached to the .Orkneys are/ Some st j** more inhospitable and is-olatc-d i a _- 1 South Georgia, the South Shetland Graham's Land, which stretches * pre'

sumably, to the.Pole, the South Orkneys, and the Sandwich Islands, Thero aro no fewer than eight whaling companies operating in South Georgia, and ten in tho Shetlands, and the 800 miles between tho Falklands and South Georgia will soon bo bridged by wireless.

Tho social laws and Rigid conventions which cirConvention. cumscribe women : n Mexico, suggest Oriental lands and meuirevalism rather than the New World and to-day. While the English or American woman competes with men in their own professions, travels about the world often enough by herself, and generally enjoys equal rights with men, her Mexican sister leads a widely different kind of existence. Her home is her self-contained world- To her interference in tbe business affairs of men, or tho demand for female suffrage, would seem a gross impertinence, an absurdity provocativo of laughter or amazement. The Mexican lady is kept securely immured in her home. Her husband is her absolute lord and master. In many cases visitors in tlio houses of wealthy Mexicans aro not afforded any chanco of seeing tho wives or daughters of their hosts, so carefully secluded are the latter. Young girls of the higher class take tlieir daily constitutionals under the eagle eyes of watchful duennas, who zealously and inexorably ward off young men. Tho way in which a Mexican courtship is carried on is something as follows. Tho affair begins with a dazzling glanco flashed from the eyes of tho young lady as sho pursues her. walk, attended by hor faithful duenna. Tho smitten swain follows at a respectful distance, mutely looking his passion. Ho ascertains the lady's abode, and treats her to a course of love-songs, murmured to the accompaniment of a mandolin, beneath' her balcony. This performance is known locally as "playing tho bear." Thc flutter of a curtain at the senorita's window, the waving of -a . dainty hand, tho dropping of a flower, encourage the suitor from timo to time. Letters may bo interchanged by means of a string and hook lot down from a balcony, or by the agency of servants or tradesmen. A convent gapes for tho luckless lady if her parents disapprove of tho "bear's" attentions. If all goes well, however, tho "bear," after a' year "or two of romantic wooing, calls on tho parents and formally proposes marriage. Even if ho is accepted, tete-a-tetcs with his beloved aro usually attended by the parents, uncles or aunts, or at least tho duenna. After tho marriage, surveillance on the part of the" girls' parents still continues, to sec that the husband docs riot play "bear" to some other girl. Many of theso old'fnshioned customs are tending to at the present .time. Rich Mexicans are sending their daughters abroad to bo educated, and new ideas, (hinting at troublous times ahead) aro beginning to disturb tlio Old World quiet of the Mexican household.

Now that scientific Missionaries methods arc replacing in the haphazard methods in Making. all departments of edu-

cation, it is but natural that tho systematic training of missionaries with a view to fitting them for their work, should receive moro attention than formerly. Dr. Harford, the Principal of Livingstone Collego, Ley ton, a famous training' school for missionaries, describes in a London paper the process of missionary-making on approved lines. First of ' ail, says the Doctor, tho would-be missionary must havo a "call." Secondly, ho must havo sound health. • Hence, two entrance examinations are necessary: the examination of Ms own conscience ami a strict medical examination.Adaptability, be it to customs, language or climate, is another essential. Castiron views on any subject will inevitably lead to failure, maintains the Doctor. Tho best time to take up missionary work is .therefore during youth, which is tho timo of adaptability. Neophytes are given two years' preliminary residence in a country to master tho language. In many cases tho peoples to bo dealt with havo no written language, hence the need to speak their tongue with fluency is all tho moro pressing. • Pilkington, of Uganda, used to imitate even the grimaces, of the natives, to get more "en rapport" with them in speaking their language. Missionary-training has increased, too, in its complexity and scope. Formerly tho missionary was expected to be a.sort of Jack-of-all-trades—to preach, heal tho sick, educate, .translate, and so forth, without, ! however, having been properly trained for all these tasks. Now men who are both fully qualified clergymen and doctors are sent out, and_ every missionary must havo somo kind of medical knowledge. An acquaintance willi the elements of medicine, 6tirgery, and nursing, such as is afforded, at Livingstone College, is invaluable to missionaries in lands where sleepingsickness, plague, or malaria are, rifo. Such a practical training is also useful in counteracting the merely bookish element in tha missionary's courso of studies. Women aro subjected to a similar courso of training. At tho Mildmay Mission, a two-years' course of training is given, including classes in theology, comparative religion, theory and practice of teaching, physiology, nursing, account-keeping, foreign money systems, singing, physical exercise, and mission-work methods, a sufficiently varied curriculum. The Principal ot tho Mildmay Mission, however, laments the lack-of enthusiasm among women for this work, nn indifference which sho attributes to the prevalent absence of seriousness of purpose, and the allabsorbing craze for pleasures and sports among the women of to-day.