Professor J. Macmillan Brown, of Christchuroh, in the June number of tliß Journal of the Polynesian Society, has an article on the islet of Raivavai, or Vavitu, the most southerly of the Austral Group, which lies about 300 miles south of the Society Islands, and just out of the tropics. The population at the last census, in December, 1911, was 412, nearly one-fourth children. Males predominated amongst both children and adults. "The richness, of the soil," Professor Brown says, "and the easy harvest of the. sea, make one think of thousands as the natural capacity of the island in the time of its ancient population, and thousands would be required to account for such luxuries as the great stone statues I found there and the great 'maraes' I heard of, and it would have to be thousands well or- . ganised and disciplined." Oranges, tobacco, and other useful plants are grown all' over they island ; the coffee plant is so plentiful that it overshadows the ancient statues. He had some difficulty in taking photographs of these, and the prints are speckled with spots of sunshine that straggled through the foliage of coffee bushes twenty feet high. Some time ago the president of the Southland League indicated that he was j convinced that the rabbit difficulty could be very greatly minimised by means of electric power, and in a conversation with a representative of the Southland Times on Wednesday, Mr. Rodger said that a practical test of his suggestion had been made with very satisfactory results. He had consigned to him a few days ago a dozen live rabbits, and through the kindness of Mr. E. G. Foster, the borough electrical engineer, and Mr. Crane, his assistant, the idea of killing the. rabbits by electric power was proved to be possible. The test was made by meanH of a length of ordinary sheep-proof wire netting, the electric current being pased through it at 230 volts, the ordinary voltage supplied to a private house. The rabbits coming into contact with the wire netting were electrocuted, and while two rabbita received only a slight shock and recovered after a time, this was found to be due to the primitive method of experimenting ' Tli« resuh ot t'na experiment has convinced. those interested that further exhaustive tests in a practical way should be made, and arrangements have been made- whereby these tests will ba carried out within the next few weeks. Your first duty is to your own and your family's health. Got Baxter's Lung Preserver. Best of all remedies for couglifi, colds, chest, and bronchial trouble*. Detest good from hist. dose. Baxter's not only effects a cure, but also fortilies against reattack. Strengthens the lungs, vitalises constitution. 2s buys large bottle,—Advt.
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Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 15, 17 July 1918, Page 3
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456Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 15, 17 July 1918, Page 3
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