RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 73, 19 December 1928, Page 10

RANDOM NOTES

SIDELIGHTS ON CURRENT EVENTS LOCAL AND GENERAL (By Cosmos.) “The atavism of a crowd,” says a prominent newspaper, “is a psychological cliche.” There you have it simply enough stated for anyone. * * * A new device attached to the instrument board of a motor-car records the comparative roughness of the roads travelled. But who, after travelling over Adelaide Road, wants to be reminded of the fact? Some of our politicians have no doubt arrived at the conclusion that every once iu a while when the dawn of a new era appears to be at hand it seems to cloud up before noon.

Mr. William Randolph Hearst, the American newspaper magnate, whose recent unedifying methods of newsmongering created something of a stir in international politics, addressed a number of English journalists at a dinner in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. “I like the truth-telling, truth-tolerat-ing qualities of England and America,” he said. “I like the fairness and frankness and the broad-mindedness and open-mindedness of the two peoples.”— He worships from afar, so to speak.

In the good old days of Merrie England the approach of the festive season was generally regarded as a favourable time to view the ghosts of one’s ancestors in the haunted castles and dreary dungeons of the land. The reference to ghosts in to-day’s news is therefore in season, to say the least of it. As a general rule, apparitions do not cause the people of New Zealand much concern, as the few cases reported of ghosts prowling round by night hare been frequently traced to adventurous young spirits beneath sheets surreptitiously removed from the bed in the spare room.

In England, on the other hand, ghosts appear to be a recurring problem which even this age of enlightenment has failed to dispose of. A little over two years ago a sergeant of the British Rifles faced court-martial because of an apparition he asserted he had seen while on guard in the Tower of London. He was brought before the court on charges of drunkenness after he had been seen to drive a bayonet into a door, with no apparent reason, while on duty. When testifying in his own behalf, the sergeant said that he saw a woman approaching him draped in white, but, most amazing of all, her head had been cut off. Seven other witnesses also testified that they too had seen the apparition at different times.

There is also the well-authenticated story of the ghost which was seen by Catherine the Great of Russia. One day, the Empress, accompanied by the high officers of her court and the ladies of her household came in sight of the chair of. State which she was about to occupy when she suddenly stopped. To the astonishment and awe of her courtiers she pointed to a visionary .which was seated on the throne. The occupant of the chair was an exact counterpart of herself. After a moment of silence, Catherine raised her voice and ordered her guard to advance and fire on the apparition. The order was obeyed, a mirror beside the throne was shattered, the vision disappeared, and the Empress. with little sign of emotion, took the chair.

Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia, who is reported to be dangerously ill in Paris, was, at the outbreak of the Great War, in command of the Russian armies. This member of the Russian aristocracy was practically unknown before the war. Yet within a year of the conflict he stood out conspicuously as one of the outstanding military figures of the day. He soon became the practical dictator and the hope of his country. He dominated the Tsar for a time and threatened to become the unchallenged leader of all the Russians. Cold and aloof, he was entirely a military man, who used men not as human beings, but as implements of warfare.

There was no nonsense about him and none of the dreamy frivolity that was characteristic of the Russian people under the regime of the Tsar. He was a hard and exacting man. who hesitated at nothing to get results, and not infrequently sent thousands of soldiers to slaughter when he thought there was an advantage to be gained. In 1915 a sensation was caused when the Grand Duke was recalled from the supreme command of the Russian armies, and the Tsar assumed full command. He was then appointed Gover-nor-General of the Caucasus, where he carried out a successful offensive. After the Revolution he retired to his villa in the Crimea, where he remained until its occupation by the Bolshevik forces in 1918. In recent years he has found a haven in Paris, where so many of his fellow refugees have gathered.

It is unlikely that an entirely new breed of mosquito has been found in the Auckland district, as it has been known for some time that near relations to the yellow fever mosquito have inhabited that district. Fortunately for New Zealand, yellow fever requires a certain combination of circumstances not generally found in this country, before the disease can break out. Yellow fever thrives in countries with a temperature of 75 degrees or over, particularly in damp climates. Added to this, there must be a special breed of mosquito, Stegomyia by name, to carry the infection. Even then yellow fever cannot break out unless the mosquito bites an infected person first At present there are no cases of infection in New Zealand, and strict quarantine regulations effectively prevent any such occurrence. However, in other countries yellow fever was once a grave menace. Even islands such as Bermuda, miles away from the nearest land, fell a prey to the disease. It was subsequently discovered that the yellow fever mosquito was a natural inhabitant of these islands. Special precautions were taken to prevent any occurrence of the disaster. Some fifty years ago, however, the disease broke out again. It is alleged by some of the older inhabitants to-day that the infection was caused by mosquitos alighting on blood-stained bedding washed up by the sea from a passing ship, the crew of which had been suffering from the disease. Within the last decade there has been little yellow fever in the world. Havana, once a hotbed of disease. instituted a determined attack against the mosquito. All water and puddles were sprayed with oil to kill mosquito lava, infected patients were kept in specially screened hospitals, and stringent laws were made preventing the accumulation of old tins ami other rubbish anywhere near the town. In the short space of a year Havana had ceased to be an origin of yellow fever.