RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 184, 2 May 1933, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current Events LOCAL AND GENERAL

(By

Kickshaws.)

If we understand things correctly, although the missing trampers say they were never lost, searchers who have been looking for them for a fortnight are very glad they are found.

Complaints have been made that butter buyers have been pursuing a hand-to-mouth policy. Well, what better policy for the disposal of butter can the Dairy Board suggest?

It is reported that efforts are being made to peg the dollar to stop gyrations. Unfortunately, a peg as a panacea often has just the reverse effect.

“Being often in Hanson Street-” writes L. A. Line, Wellington, “1 am wondering if you can tell me after whom it was named. I think I remember reading some three or four weeks ago in your interesting and informative ‘Random Notes’ of a Mr. Hanson who was employed in Wellington in the early days and was mentioned as gong ou a trip to Chatham Islands."

Hanson Street was named after Richard Davies Hanson, who arrived, in Wellington, January 1842, by the “Cuba.” He subsequently became Crown Solicitor. In 1846 he moved to Adelaide, where he carried on his profession and became Attorney-General, and afterwards Prime Minister and Chief Justice. Knighted in 1860 he died in 1876.—Kickshaws.

A piece of lemon rind and a spoonful of jam does not appear to be a lavish meal upon which to go foodless for another four days, as the recentlyfound trampers had to do. Yet it does show that at a pinch a scratch meal of this nature can take one further than might be expected. In fact, one can but feel that we normally over-eat in a gross and greedy manner. If lemon rind can keep body and soul together what about the leather in a pair of > boots? There is.good nourishing stuff sewn up into a pair of boots. Besides the leather, the chemicals essential in tauning, the nourishing, oils essential to waterproofing such as mutton fat, castor oil, and blacking, there are usually a fine supply of nails. If readers imagine that this is becoming far fetched, let them be introduced to the. bishop who ate his boots. His little story appears in the next paragraph.

Now that we have bad trampers subsisting upon lemon rind for four days, it is only fair to point out to them that in the year 1909 no less a person than a bishop lived on his boots for a week. The bishop concerned, Dr. Stringer, Primate of Canada, Archbishop, of Rupert’s Land, at one time used to make many journeys in the depths of the Canadian winter on snow-shoes and by dog team. On one of these journeys the bishop lost the trail. • When the food ran out he boiled his spare boots. The soles, he said, were really quite palatable. Being made of seal skin, enough nourishment was obtained to keep life in the worthy prelate until he was found. It is understood that boots as an article of diet can be recommended especially for those anxious to slim. Dr. Stringer lost nearly four stone.

As a matter of fact, all manner of unusual things may be pressed into use as articles of food at a pinch. Few people realise that there are literally hundreds of edible funguses iu addition to mushrooms. The trouble, though, is to avoid poisonous ones. Even dandelions and thistles can be eaten. In fact in some countries these are served as a vegetable.- One octogenarian found living a hermit-like existence in the .Sussex Downs, England, had lived on rat stew for forty years. Best of all food be declared, are little grass lizards wrapped in dandelion leaves and baked in clay. Australian aboriginals in their wild state, ate anything that was going. Fat brown beetles, grubs, and ants were their hors d’hoeuvres. Frogs they used to squeeze to eject the water and bake in the ashes of a lire. Snakes coiled round a twig and roasted were an especial delicacy. When times were hard these hardy eaters were not above putting caterpillars on the menu. But the piece-de-resistance was, and still is, kangaroo’s tail cooked in its own skin in the ashes of a fire.

The Americans, we are told, are busy blasting out giant figures of some of their famous statesmen iu the face of a cliff in South Dakota. They hope that these monuments to the present, age will last for all time. As the nose of George Washington is to be 18 feet .long, hacked out of solid granite, their ambition should be realised. But time is only comparative. “All time” in reality merely means a very long time. There is therefore, a definite limit to the time that these monuments will last. Geologists who have made expert investigation into the matter, have come to the conclusion that at the present rate that this granite is wearing away. George Washington should oe just, recognisable as the figure of a man in 500,000 years. This sets a new standard for modern monuments.

As a matter of fact, as monuments go, the pyramids and Cleopatra’s needle are comparative youngsters. The oldest monument to himself that man has left: behind is his own skull. Early man has kindly left behind the fragments of one or two skulls that ate thought to be at least 200.000 years old. The next most enduring monument. of man is bis collection of Hint instruments. Some of them are nqjtrly as old as man himself, perhaps half a million years. Even Stoimhenge, which is probably considerably older than lite pyramids, is _ young as monuments go. For in certain caves in France and elsewhere there may lie seen to this day coloured ilrawings executed by primeval artists at least 25.000 years ago. Moreover, unlike many modern masterpieces, the colours are as fresh as the day they were applied. Some of these yariy monuments to human life mentioned above tire so enduring they will cerlainlv last as long as the world. Wlmt can we point to to-day in onr Hvilisntion that will endure for even 16.000 voars? Practically nothing.

“Being a regular ami appreciative reader of your interesting column. I am taking the liberty of asking you to answer, if possible, the following questions. says “J.K..” Martinborough: Are the temperatures of boiling fat and boiling water, exactly the same.' Would the temperature of boiling water, half way up Mount Everest, be the same as that of boiling water at sen level Water boils at sea level at 212 deg. F. Fat boils at about 450 deg. F. In realitv fat doesn't boil properly, but decompose*. Half way up Everest water boils at 136 dog. F.. making It impossible to boil an egg or make tea in an open cooking vessel. —Kickshaws.