RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 254, 23 July 1936, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current

Events (By Kickshaws.) Playing big brother in Samoa seems to include getting huffy and threatening not to play at all. ♦ * * First a two-power talk, then a threepower, and a five-power; after that all the nations will start talking together. We note that a halt is to be made in law-making, but the circle of legislation is still incomplete—the Government has invented no way by which it is going to pay our taxes. ♦ ♦ * “Regarding ‘Canterbury Plains” inquiry concerning Captain Moonlight,” says “F.W.G.,” “he was in New Zealand for several years. His name was Herbert Scott, and he went to Hawkes Bay from Australia as a young fellow aged about 22 or 23 in 1867 to a position as an assistant in the ’Hawkes Bay Herald’ booksellers’ shop. In October, 1867, the Hawke’s Bay Military Settlers, known as ‘Fraser’s Fighting Fifty,’ were disbanded and became, (most of them), with additional numbers No. 1 Division (Mounted) Armed Constabulary. H. Scott enlisted and was appointed quartermaster-sergeant. He served against Te Kooti on the East Coast and Taupo, and on the West Coast against Titokowaru until the end of the Maori War in 1872. He was afterwards stationed at Patea, where he took his discharge, returned to Australia and became Captain ‘Moonlight,’ the bushranger, got caught and was hanged. He was when he enlisted a verj’ quiet, unassuming young fellow. I knew him very well. 1 served in the Colonial Forces for over 22 years from 1866. I don’t believe there is a single member of No. 1 Division A.C. at present alive who enlisted with the original corps. Although 1 am 89, my memory is as*good as ever.

But for the invention of matches, the lighting of the torches that are to be carried by runners to Berlin would have a greater significance than it has. We take fire so much for granted these days that little import is attached to the lighting of it or the putting out of fires—except when the fire brigade takes a hand. There was a time when fire was not easily produced. In fact, the only way was never to permit a Are once kindled to go out. Strange as it seems to-day, it is only a few thousand years ago when, it on account of some calamity the community fire went out, it was necessary to fetch a new fire from distances as great as 300 miles or more. The new fire had to be brought as swiftly as possible in case it, too, went out before it arrived. This same ritual was observed not only in Europe, but also among the aborigines of Australia, who, until recent times, had no other method of relighting their fires. The problem is now solved, and we can devote our attention to other matters less important. » • • Fragments of Deuteronomy from the second century, it is reported, have recently been acquired and published by John Ryland’s Library. This fragment is some 300 years earlier than any previously-known manuscript of the Bible. We are apt to imagine that the Bible a we know it goes back right to the beginning of everything. Except for Caedmon’s paraphrase of the Bible in the seventh century and parts translated by Bede in the eighth century, there are no earlier European versions of the Bible in existence. Earlier versions are in Greek. The reputed oldest copy of both the Old and New Testaments is in the Vatican. It is compiled in Greek and belongs to the fourth or fifth century.. The earliest documents relating to the Bible are in Greek, but not in the classical Greek used 200 years before Christ. Subtle changes seem to have occurred in the Greek language in the. interval. It has been computed that there are some 500 words in the Greek New Testament the meanings of which have had to be guessed. Discovery of new papyri, therefore, is of considerable import, because new light may be thrown on old words.

The fact that the original documents of the Bible were written in Greek means that all the names in the Bible are, for the most part, of Greek origin. We talk these days of Adam and Eve as if the names were English, This is not the case at all. The names go back far into the Greek language. Adam was called Adam because he was formed out of the ground, the Greek word for ground being “Adamah.” Eve in the same way Is from the Greek word “Evach,” meaning “to live.” In the same way Cain comes from the Greek word “Canah,” meaning “to acquire.” It is now more understandable why Eve said “I have got a man from the Lord.” It is said that the name Hebrew itself comes from a nickname given to Abraham. Abraham, it will be remembered, crossed the River Euphrates and entered the land of Canaan. The inhabitants of that country nicknamed him “the Hebrew,” “one, who has passed over.” The full significance of names in the Bible is only understandable when it is realised that they are usually Greek names. Naomi means “delightful” and Marah means "bitter”; and one can appreciate more fully Naomi’s words toward the end of the fourth chapter of Ruth with this fact in view.

In the old days the creation of a new appointment in the King’s household caused no end of a twitter among those on the spot To-day the creation of a “Captain of the King’s Flight” will probably be a matter of only passing notice. The appointment is, however, significant, because one never can tell where it will lead. After all, it was from the King’s household that we got the foundations of public finance, law and even “the Government.” In the 12th century there sprang from the King’s Chamber the Exchequer, which to-day deals exclusively with public finance. Subsequently the King’s Council, Parliament, King’s Bench, Common Bench, all sprang from offshoots of the Royal household. It is for this reason that certain officials in Parliament are still included in the King’s household, being lent for their duties. It will be seen, therefore, that the creation of new appointments to the King’s household is not without a greater significance than that affecting the Royal household itself.

The Utopia which is rapidly arriving makes one wonder, says a reader, if the following is not going to prove truer than was ever imagined when it was first written:— A feather bed had every man, Warm slippers and hot-water can, Brown Windsor from the captain's store, A valet, too, for every four. —W. S. Gilbert,