RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 12, 9 October 1928, Page 10

RANDOM NOTES

SIDELIGHTS ON CURRENT EVENTS LOCAL AND GENERAL (By Cosmos.) Auckland’s latest craze—picking tM starters at Ellerslie. China has adopted a new system of Government; its advice to foreign Powers annears to be: “Give us back the presents our misguided country has given you in the pafst, and see what a beautiful gift we’ll give you in return.”

One of the most cherished traditions of Ethiopia, which is figuring in the news of the day, is that of the descent of its line of rulers from the offspring of Solomon and the mysterious queen, Makeda, or, as now designated, the Queen of Sheba, who is supposed to have visited King Solomon in Jerusalem about 1000 B.C. From this time on for some three thousand years its dynasty is believed to have continued, and it is certain that, in spite of many civil, religious, tribal and foreign conflicts, Ethiopia has remained free and independent.

The Kuomintang (People’s Party), which is referred to in' the news as having established a dictatorship over China, was first organised in 1894. At that time it was a secret revolutionary party under the leadership of the late Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and was largely responsible for the success of the revolution in 1911, which overthrew the Manchu Monarchy. Because its political views were distasteful to President Yuan Shih-kai, it was dissolved iu 1913. In 1917, however, the party again came into prominence by definitely identifying itself with the Cantonese Government. Foremost among the foreign policies of the Kuomintang Party is the abrogation of the unequal treaties and the conclusion of new treaties on the principles of equality and reciprocity. Any nation which voluntarily relinquishes its special privileges in China will be treated as in actual fact a “most favoured nation.” We are informed that no foreign loans will be repudiated excepting the few that are detrimental to the political and economic life of China, or that were contracted by an . irresponsible government for illegitimate purposes. ♦ * * The title of “Lord Mayor” has not so far reached New Zealand, although it is sometimes bestowed on the Mayor of Wellington inadvertently by visitors from larger centres overseas. The nearest Lord Mayors to New Zealand are those of Sydney and Melbourne, but, as Sydney is now ruled by Commissioners, the post is a more or less honorary one for decorative purposes. Attention is drawn to this matter as His Majesty the King has this year graciously conceded to the chief magistrates of the cities of Nottingham, Leicester, Stoke-on-Trent, and Portsmouth, “the style and title of Lord Mayor.” Hitherto this title has been confined to a mere thirteen cities of England and Wales, but possibly as the number was unlucky His Majesty was induced to extend the honour. The thirteen cities with a Lord Mayor are London, Birmingham, Bradford, Liverpool, Bristol, Hull, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Norwich, Sheffield, York, and Cardiff. Of these thirteen five were bestowed on Yorkshire cities—Bradford, Hull, Leeds, Sheffield, and York. “L” writes:—“Sorry to discredit that very excellent story, told by 'a prominent Wellington bowler,’ about the wrong traveller, in Australia, who was put off at the right station. As a master of fact the very same theme was embodied in a song, ‘Don’t Forget to Put Me Off at Buffalo!’ which was making a big hit in New York when I was there about 28 years ago. The song was revived on the Wellington vaudeville stage about 18 years ago. This is not the first ‘good story’ which is merely an adaptation of an oldtimer. To that ‘prominent Wellington bowler’ I take leave to remark: ‘Tell us another.’ ” “Worried” has written asking if, in the course of our investigations, we have discovered anything of value to a bald-headed man. “Cosmos” does not list the occupation of hair specialist in his accomplishments, and is tempted to reply that a wig is the only thing he can recommend. In an endeavour to be of service to all inquiring readers, however, he has looked into the question, and is able to afford his correspondent a grain of satisfaction. There are many terse sayings regarding baldness, such as “A bald-headed man is seldom found in an insane asylum.” Many experts agree that premature baldness is common to those who perform intellectual work. As to •the cause of baldness, however, “Worried” is referred to his ancestors, as they are the parties responsible for the whole trouble. The hair on our body is but a vestige of a former shaggy coat which adorned the cavemen, before they began to discard their wild habits to accept the conditions imposed by an advancing civilisation. Since twentieth-century baldness is due to Nature’s decree and caused by habits of our ancestors centuries ago, it can be understood that a man to-day cannot correct this condition.

Among the forestry exhibits at the Government luncheon to the Empire forestry delegates was a thick slab cut from the trunk of a kauri tree, the age of which was placed at over; 400 years. A number of the ringmarks denoting the age were labelled with incidents in history which occurred at the various stages of growth, such as the discovery of America, the ascension of Queen Victoria to the throne, etc. But a 400-year-cld kauri is only a youngster, for there is one in Trounson Park, North Auckland, which is 27ft. lOin. in circumference, and is estimated to be between 2000 and 3000 years old. Even this is not the oldest kauri in New’ Zealand. What is not so well known is that in the same park there are four kauri trunks growing from one root, the only one of its kind as far as is known, and each of the boles is well grown.