TIMELY TOPICS

Northern Advocate, 26 October 1935, Page 8

TIMELY TOPICS

THE ELDER STATESMEN. In a difficult international situation, the elder statesman comes to his own, asserts “Atticus” in the “Sutnday Times.” He may have lost —or he may never have possessed that contact with popular opinion which is necessary in domestic affairs, but he has a knowledge denied to the ordinary man of the basic facts of world policy. We have only two elder statesmen in Parliament today, Mr Lloyd George and Mr Austen Chamberlain, and the House of Commons in late years has unanimously recognised the value of the latter’s judgment and experience. But we have a notable list of retired pro-consuls and ambassadors who have that expert knowledge which only the years can give. No other nation can draw on such a reservoir, Lord Har-

dlnge, for example, has been j us salutary warnings lately about toe. danger of following in exact histon-. cal precedents. We have Lord Howard of Penrith, Lord Rennell and Lora Tyrell, who. are familiar with the international scene. We have Lord Lugard, who can speak with unique authority on the problems of our tropical Empire, and Sir Edward Gngg, who has the advantage of recent administrative experience. How valuable such “expertise” can be was shown by the part played by the exViceroys, Lord Reading and L ° ra Halifax, in the discussions on the India Bill.

Words That Tell a Story. NARCISSUS.— According to Greek mythology. Narcissus was a beautiful youth for vain loye of whom Echo died. Nemesis punished him by making him fall in love with his own reflection when he saw it in the water of a fountain. He pined away in desire for it and was.. changed into the flower which bears his name. <S> <S> ' ® Do You Know—? (1.) How many species of fish have been found in New Zealand

• waters? (2.) When was a British Resident first appointed in NeSy Zealand. (3.) What is the height of Mount Rua-

pehu? (4.) What is the area of the Solomon

Islands? (5.) Who was Nana Sahib? ■ (6.) Who wrote “The Last of tne Mohicans”?

Following are the questions, with answers, submitted last Saturday: 1. —Which is the heavier —a cubic foot ■. of gold or a cubic foot of lead. —The weight of the gold is 12041bs and the weight of me lead is 7071b5. 2—Who wrote “The Bride of Lammermoor”? — Sir * Walter Scott, 3_What historic interview took place at Ems?— King William of Prussia and ambassador of Napoleon 111 had an interview in which led to the Franco-Prussian War. 5. —What verse in the Bible contains all the letters of the alphabet excent “i”? —Ezra 7 : 21. . 6 —What is the area of Madagascar? —228,000 sq. miles. Its size can he realised by comparison with Britain and Ireland, the area of which is 121,331 sq. miles. <S> <s> <s> *&■ Words of Wisdom. The sun will pierce the thiclcest cloud earth ever stretched. —Browning. ' <S> <s> <S> <s> Tale of the Day.

.Mike was “down and out.” _ The pastor of his church, meeting him in the street one day looking very threadbare, took pity on him. “Come with <me, Mike,” he said, “and I’ll give you a shilling out of the poor box.” Bfict Mike was on his dignity at once. “Indade ye won’t I” he exclaimed. “Sooner than accept charity, I’ll beg •• -