RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 260, 30 July 1937, Page 10

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current Events

(By

Kickshaws.)

Hitler has decided that poultry in Germany may not be fed on bread or grain. The hens of Germany are reconciling themselves to a fowl life. New Zealand, it is stated, has 31,000,000 sheep. When election times come, some people wonder if the number does not drop to 1,500,000. Small bakers, it ie reported, are frightened that the Industrial Efficiency Act will put them out of business. We understand that they are not in favour of a compulsory loaf. « * * “Ginger” writes: “If Tito Schipa only knew what the Maori word ‘tito’ meant, he would be more annoyed than he was over the saluting episode. ‘Tito’ in Maori means ‘liar.’ ’’ According to Winston Churchill, if the world could have another few years of peace, the ground would master the air; marauding aeroplanes would be unable to slaughter the civil population. So far as Britain is concerned, a discovery of this nature would mean that the ’bulwarks of that country would once again become the sea. The discovery of some method to render aeroplanes impotent is about the most important discovery that the Empire could make. It is a discovery that would render Mussolini’s schemes valueless. It would solve the Mediterranean impasse, because no Power could hope to control the Sea routes with a few cheap aeroplanes. The British Fleet would take up its role of 1914. Just how this state is to be obtained is another matter. Gunfire does not appear to offer a likely method. Even to-day, the modern ‘‘Archies” are not formidable enough to prevent raids. Nets of ste.el are too clumsy. There remains the death-ray.

Death-rays capable of killing life have been invented already. They suffer from the disability that the rays are effective only at comparatively short range against flies, mice, and pigeons. The power required to bring down an aeroplane flying at 10,000 feet would involve the use of the entire output from power-stations suitable for supplying electricity to large cities. Possibly the neutron ray will eventually be utilised for this purpose. At the moment it offers the most likely avenue of experiment. Neutrons are high-speed radium products. Being uncharged electrically, they penetrate over a foot of lead with ease. Such rays should travel a mile or more in air before losing their potency. A beam produced in sufficient intensity would offer a formidable obstacle to aeroplanes. When a neutron ray passes through flesh and blood it has been shown that intense biological effects are produced. Rats have been killed With very small doses of this ray. Moreover, the rays have a chemical effect on inorganic matter, often producing radio-active results and weakening the material. Five years of intensive research work might well prove money well spent so far as the British Empire is concerned—regardless of cost.

The recent legal decision in this Dominion that if a woman is kissed against her will the act is an indecent assault merely confirms what judges in England have agreed upon. Indeed, one English judge stated: “When a man kisses a woman against her will she is fully entitled to bite his nose if she pleases.” With these words, an action brought by Thomas Saverland against Caroline Newton was dismissed. Thomas the impetuous had become indignant when he had his nose bitten, and had instituted legal proceedings for damages. The last word, therefore, is always with the woman, because only she can say whether the kiss was against her will. This introduces an added danger to kissing. It is already beset with enough dangers. Medical experts insist that one kiss involves 7,000,000,000 germs, many of them of a most undesirable type. Indeed, in order to mitigate the dangers of kissing. It has been'suggested that a small wafer of paper should be inserted lietween the kisser’s lips and those of the “kisseo.”

Those New Zealanders who travel in America should do so ’warned that, unlike their home country, any kiss may be illegal according to what State one finds oneself in at the time. In some States, kissing has been officially condemned as unhygienic, and Acts have been duly passed making it an offence. This stands out in strong contrast to the kissing habits of early America and Englaiid. lu those far-off days the kiss was universally accepted as the normal form of greeting. A visitor entering his host’s house kissed everyone. extending the gesture in some cases to the household pets. Erasmus, the Dutch philosopher, records his astonishment at the welter of kissing involved when he visited England. One, therefore, can take one’s choice in this kissing business. It may be an assault. It is certainly unhygienic, . but the human race has contrived to survive that. It may bo a salute, but to-day the hand-shake is the more normal method. It may be a thrill, or, on the other hand, it may take a year off your life. * * * It is just possible that this curious habit of osculatory lip-work would have died out altogether but for the cinema. Future historians writing the history of the cinema, with that unbiased indifference that makes nil historical facts so dull, may decide that the only use of the cinema was to encourage the continuance of the kiss. The Japanese and the Chinese are nonkissers, in spite of the cinema. The Burmese, Samoans, Polynesians, Malayans. and Eskimos and many African races are non-kissers. Nose-rubbing is their form of salute. 'These contented folk do not realise that, according to the pictures, there are eight ways of kissing: “Heart in throat.” “Gotta-go-now,” “Take that and like it,” “I could do bettor,” “Gee whizz.” “I surrender.” “Not fair,” and “Grand finale.’’ Exactly how many of these are illegal in New Zealand will no doubt be fought out before our learned judges in due course. The hardest, it is said, is the “I surrender” kiss. Marlene Dietrich is the expert, in this type. Mae West is the accepted “Grand finaler” with her kiss to end stories. * * * Alas! how easily things go wrong! A sigh too much, or a kiss too long. And there follows a mist and a weeping rain, And life is never the same again. —George Macdonald.