RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 108, 31 January 1934, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current Events

(By

Kickshaws.)

Gas risks in war are said to be greatly exaggerated. One wishes that the same could be said of public speeches in peace time.

A politician in Arizona has been arrested for digging a tunnel. It looks as if he was determined to get in a hole. .

When General O’Duffy was denouncing the Irish Government a public meeting his platform is reported to have caught fire- Burning jvords are always dangerous..

“Your: correspondent who recently asked you to najue the .100 best books is certainly an optimist,” writes * bcipio,” Feilding, “and you, in, passing on the impossible problem, demonstrate again your admirable diplomacy. However, as you invite suggestions I am making one. I contend, of course, that the Bible and any books of religion, etc., together with, such works of art as dictionaries, timetables aud telephone books are excepted. I name as my first selection ‘Les (Hugo). As you will probably get different first . selections they should satisfy the enquirer.” < • • •

“The old Brandy,'Whisky,'Beer, episode" recently given in your column might be quoted as an example of frenzied finance, but I submit the following as a good example of credit,” continues “Scipio.” “It happened B.D. (before Douglas) that a wise man riding his camel came upon three brothers in heated argument'. The stranger asked the cause and they said ‘Our father fias died and his will directs that half the property shall go to the eldest son. half the remainder to the second sou and half the remainder to the youngest; what is left thou shall give to tiie stranger within thy gates —aud lie lias left us seven camels.’ It is obvious then that three camels had to be slaughtered in order to comply with tiie conditions of the quota. M hereupon the stranger says, ‘ ’Tis simple. I give or lend your father’s estate iny camel, (equivalent to 1060 tickeis), you may now divide according to the wording of his will. The result, of course, is that the eldest son receives four camels, the second son 2, instead of one and a bit, whilst the youngest gets a wly»lo camel, instead of seveneighths. ‘Then,’ says the stranger, ‘I am within thy gates, I take what is left, my own ciynel back.’ I humbly submit this as credit properly applied.”

Whether or no there is commonsense behind the outcry against sending flax plants to Japan, the fact remains that efforts to deny plants, to another country have never met with success. One tiny seed is enough to supply a whole country with the plants that spring from it. Despite, all efforts to make it impossible to export rubber plants from South America, a few seeds were eventually smuggled out—yes, by Englishmen. Those seeds laid the foundation of practically every rubber plantation all over the world. Just bow many quadrillion rubber trees have sprung from those half-dozen or so plants, it is difficult to say. When Mrs. Eliza C. Tibbets, of California, obtained two navel orange trees and planted them in her back garden, perhaps she did not realise that nearly 200,000 acres of navel orange trees would spring from her two trees. One of these original trees is still growing, and may be se-m to-day at Magnolia Avenue, Riverside. California, graced by an appropriate tablet. The parable of the grain of mustard seed has had many practical examples.

It would appear that it is virtually an impossibility to prevent a nation acquiring the seeds of plants that it desires from foreign countries. One has only to take a short walk in many parts of New Zealand to acquire sufficient seeds to populate the entire world with plants in a decade or two. The fact is that, the so-called British flowers that flourish in Britain’s gardens, not to mention those of New Zealand, come from all over the world. The tulip that made Holland famous originally came from the Mediterranean. The lilac and the hollyhock came from out of the way corners of Europe. The sunflower came from China. Calceolarias,' petunias, and the fuchsia came from the Amies. Tbe gladiolus came from South Africa, and daffodils from Asia Minor. China and Japan are responsible for our chrysanthemums. Even tbe dahlia had to be imported from Mexico in between revolutions. The nettle, common in England, but. not so common in New Zealand, was brought to England by the Romans. They grew it on account of its medicinal properties when used to cure jaundice and rheumatism, not to mention several other complaints. i

“C” writes: —"I possess a small book of poems by Robert Burns. On tbe flyleaf is the inscription: The poetical works of Roberts Burns with his songs and'fragments, to which is prefixed a sketch of his life, Edinburgh; Printed by W: Aitcbisou. IST High Street, far James Sawers, 1815. I wonder if there are many here in New Zealand of that date?”

“Quinneil” writes; "New's appeared in ‘The Dominion’ recently that treasure had been salved twin Vigo Bay where tbe Anglo Dutch Fleet found the treasure galleons that Admiral Benbow had sought to intercept in the West Indies. Benbow was basely deserted by his captains, two of whom were shot and another cashiered at Portsmouth; later the Admiral died of wounds at Jamaica. Captain Thomas Hardy viewed the news that the galleops and their escorts were at Vigo, but owing to a gale was delayed in getting the news to Admiral Sir Geo. Rooke in Cadiz. On receipt of the welcome intelligence the combined fleet, sped to Vigo. Fifteen English, ten Dutch, with fire ships were sent in. troops being landed to attack the fort, south of Redonella. The harbour entrance was protected by a strong boom, tiie ends being attached to t-he two largest French ships. ‘Bourbon’ and •Espereuee.’ Sailing in the attackers were baffled awhile by the wind falling—however a strong breeze sprang up and tbe H.M.S. Torbav (Vice-Admiral Hopson), clapping on' all sail, burst the boom—aud ay between the two French ships. Contrary w’inds delayed the other ships and the Torbay suffered severely. However. the Dutch followed and tbe ‘Burbot:’ was captured. Tbe action became general, the result beipg total loss to the French—l 7 ships of 900 guns, 5823 men. Three Spanish meu-of-war were destroyed out of 15 galleons. Four fell to t,he English, five to the Dutch ami four were destroyed. An immens-e treasfire was taken—and also sunk m the Bay.”