WORLD MISCELLANY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 35, 4 November 1933, Page 7

WORLD MISCELLANY

Happenings Overseas NEWS IN BRIEF Liquor Test for Motorists After many tests in London courls to decide whether a motorist was under the influence of liquor, including ’the repetition of tongue-twisting alliterative phrases, medical witnesses. have generally reverted to the Romberg test, under which the suspect stands with feet together and eyes shut. If he sways, it is accepted as proof that he has lapsed from sobriety. Tlie Recorder of London at the Old Bailey, the whimsical Sir Ernest Wild, has now shaken faith in the medical test. He invited a doctor to step out of the witness box and try the test on himself. The doctor swayed. The jury stopped the case, and acquitted the defendant, which means that magistrates will be more than ever beset to resist the guile of defending counsel. Berlin Impressed by “Cavalcade” Berlin has been so impressed by the film version of Mr. Noel Coward’s “Cavalcade,” presented in the original version in Berlin this week, without being synchronised in German, that instructions to produce a film epic of similar value to Germans have been given to those responsible for the nation’s new pictures. Body in Glacier for 17 Years Some hunters recently discovered near tlie foot of the Weisshorn glacier the body of an unknown tourist, which has been comparatively well preserved owing to the long period it has been in the ice. In a pocket of the clothing was found a notebook bearing the date 1915, and it is supposed that the body is that of a German student who disappeared at that time when on his way to the Bieshorn. If this proves to be correct the body must have travelled about two miles in the glacier before emerging from It after 17 years. Germany Revises the Bible As part of the campaign to eliminate foreign expressions from the Germa i language as spoken to-day the Bible has not escaped notice. Luther took no trouble over the branslation of “Amen” and “Hallelujah,” ■which occur in the German liturgy of the evangelical church as they do in all other countries. “As God may will” is suggested as the rightful interpretation of “Amen," while “Praise God.” is suggested as the eventual substitute for "Hallelujah.” It is said that congregations, and not church synods, have suggested this alteration, which is being debated in all seriousness. The Pope and Pilgrims On the advice of his physicians. Pope Pius XI will discontinue his custom of allowing pilgrims to kiss his hand. During the present Holy Year, the attention of thousands of pilgrims who push forward to do so lias proved very tiring. Though there is no truth in the report that his hands are “sore,” the fatigue of people rushing up to kiss his hand has proved greater than ever. The custom will, however, be permitted when he Is receiving individuals in private audience. Cow’s Motherly Instinct A cow owned by Mr, E. Hopping, qr dairyman, ot Ryde, New South Wal®& showed remarkable intelligence and motherly instinct recently. It had been turned out on a property at Liverpool for about a month, and in the meantime calved. Later it was taken back to Ryde by motor truck, while the calf was left behind. Within a couple of days it disappeared from the dairy, and the loss was advertised by the owner, who later received word from Liverpool that the cow was outside his property. In order to reach its destination the cow swam the Parramatta River and travelled almost direct to’ Liverpool in less than 36 hours. Education of Girls Taking a cue from the head mistress’s lament, that modern girls want to leave school after they had received a training so short as to be almost worthless, Dr. Cyril Norwood, the headmaster of Harrow School, at a distribution of prizes at a London school, suggested that girls should remain at school until they knew something of their own country’s geography, history, religion, literature, and government, and of the history of modern Europe, and at least one foreign language. “As the modern world is to-day,” he said, “it is better to leave school with a mature mind.” Dr. Norwood denied that he had ever advocated the abolition of examinations. “My offence,” he added, "is that I suggested that examinations were not quite as good as they seemed, and that a too extravagant value was attached to them.” Will of Philosophical Chinese

Application has been made for probate on the will of a Chinese market dealer who died recently in Sydney. It is in many ways a curious document. The will has been translated thus:— “The proverb says, ‘Do not detain a person 60 years of age for the night; do not keep one of 70 years to dinner.’ These words are true, indeed. I am already 65 years old. In these my last years I am like a candle in the wind. After my illness in the past month I am always afraid that morning will not vouchsafe evening. During many years, by my sweat and blood, I collected some little money. Its balance is deposited in the bank. If the unexpected happens, the whole of my things, estate, and money shall belong to my cousin. Louis Chong, who shall receive. Thus the matter shall be settled and in order.”

The will purports to have been executed on “the 21st day of the Republic—the 4th day of the eleventh month.” and the signature of the testator. Louis On. also known as Ah On. is followed by the words, “written by himself.” Clearly these words do not refer to the body of the document., for the testator was a man of little learning, and the will is obviously the work of a master of classical Chinese It is exquisitely written in a language which is said to be beyond the powers of any Chinese in Australia to render into" anything more than approximate English. It is supposed to have boon prepared in China for the testator by some learned scribe, and to have been executed by him at Sydney. It was stated by an authority in such matters that the proverb referred to in the will is one attributed to Confucius. The translation, which is very free, conveys the sense of the phrases with fair clearness —a warning not to entertain people of advanced age lost they die in the . house of their host.