LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 20 July 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The annular eclipse of the Sun, which takes place to-morrow morning (sunrise) is, as already stated, a very rare phenomenon—seen perhaps once in a lifetime. It is as rare as a total eclipse and equally intersting.

A Dargavillo Press Association telegram states that at. an early hour this morning a fire was discovered in the engine room of the small steamer Pioneer, belonging to the Northern Wairoa Dairy Company. Fortunately the deck hand was on hoard at the time, and he immediately gave the alarm. The fire brigade turned out in double quick time and extinguished the tire 1m t not before it liad done considerable damage to the engine room and tlie men’s room. The amount of insurance is unavailable. It is expected to be some days before the steamer will lie able to resume running. Meanwhile a stand by steamer owned by the company’ is doing the run on the river. Tulips w'liose bulbs cost no less than £70(51) a ton were represented at the Spalding (Lincolnshire) Tulip .Show, when a splendid exhibition was got together. This expensive variety was the white Darwin tulip, “Rwnneburg,” but dozens of others, new and old, were represented on the various stands. 'File palm was taken by "City of Haarlem,” a deep cerise of great size, which secured for Mr R. D. Weilband, of Spalding, the prize for the best vase in the show. The two runners-up were also of the same variety. One hundred and ten tons of tulips were despatched from the L.N.E.R. Station at Spalding during the final week of a record tulip sesaon in South Lincolnshire. The house at-'Modling, Vienna, in which Beethoven lived and wrote many of his most famous works, has, through its present owner’s financial difficulties, come into the market. It is still in tile hands of a descendant of the family which let it to the composer. History has repeated itself in the debasement of Austrian currency, which went down willi a run 115 years ago. and for some years left Beethoven very poor. An Anglo-Austrian committee, including the Austrian Minister in London, Sir Landon Ronald, and Sir Henry Wood, is raising a fund for the purchase of the house, which they propose to convert into concert-rooms, as a “Beethoveneum.”

The Nelson Poultry Association’s show concluded on Saturday evening, when there was again a good attendance of the public. Attention of Richmond readers is drawn to the lecture to be given hv Mr W. E. Wilkes in the War Memorial Building to-morrow .night at 7.30. Mr Wilkes "has proved to be a most entertaining lecturer, and has some interesting and amusing experiences to relate.

The attention of all interested in boat sailing is drawn to an advertisement, of the A urea Sailing Club in this issue.

Trathen’s Thrift Week concludes on 9 hursday. Great Bargains for three Final Da vs.*

Simp at Trathen’s! Great Bargains *during Thrift Week.* Children’s Fawn Raincoats, rubberlined. Sale prices 15s 9d and 18s 9d. — McKay’s.*

Trathen’s have the Bargains. Keen price-cutting during Thrift Week.* Ladies’ Warm Raincoats, made of coveit cloth, thoroughly waterproof, formerly 84s; mnv 30s. At McKay’s Sate.*

Ladies’ Black and Brown Rubber Coats. Sale price 355. At McKay’s Sale.*

Fhe red pencils have been busy mark mg down special bargains for 'Flies. WocL, Tliur.—Trathen’s Thrift Week *

Robert Louis Stevenson once declared, according to one of his biographers: “No woman should marry a man who doesn t smoke”, and Stevenson, it must be admitted knew human nature. Another famous man of letters, Buhver-Lytton. wrote (see his novel. “What will he do with it v '') “He who doth not smoke hath either known no greater grief, or refuseth himself the softest consolation next to that which comes from heaven". As tc the 1 harm fulness of the habit much very much—-depends upon the tobacco. Boards honvilv charged with nicotine are best avoided. In (hat respect and in other respects our own New Zealand grown tobaccos hold pride of place, because they contain comparatively little' nicotine an diiiav therefore he indulged m ad. lit'., without a Hectic,g nerves or heart. Doubtle.-: 1 that is why they are finding favour with so many smokers. They rat* on sale everywhere, and are adapted to all tastes, “llivorhead Gold” is mild aromatic, “Toasted Navy Cut” (Bulldog) a delightful medium, and 'Cut Plug No. 10” (Bull’s Head label) a fine full-flavoured tobacco.*

Slio was n three months’ bride, and sa; m . : Jen knitting, while hei ; u if.; i, rn( the (.lav’s news to her lnive thousand four hundred and twenty-six elephants were needed to make billiards "halls last year,” he read. "How wonderful that such great beasts can be taught to do such delicate work,” she commented.

Rev. R. A. Van der Las, of the Bethany Presbyterian Church, Seattle, t ,r>.A.* who preached the anniversary j sermons at the Nelson Trinity Presbvj terian t lunch yesterday, was greatly impressed by the hearty manner in which the congregation joined in the singiii". "Thank you,” he remarked at the conclusion of a hymn ; adding that when he got back to his people he was going to teach them how to sing.

People whose conception of the work of the Navy of to-day is summed up entirelv by Earl Beatty's well-known phrase about its “barging around the North Sea,” would profit by a glance at the number of vessels which are actively employed at some distaneo from the sea. Over a dozen gunboats penetrat into the heart of China. Five mo-tor-launches are still maintained on the Rhine, and the flagship of the Danube Flotilla, the Glow worn, is on a cruise which has taken her to Vienna. Tims is the White Ensign displayed to inland populations far from the coast.

Tim class had been requested to write an account of the historic, incident of Sir Walter Raleigh and his cloak. One lad kept fairly accurately to the fact's until iie had narrated how the cloak was spread across the pool of mud and the Queen had. safely passed; then he proceeded: —"The Queen turned to Sir Walter Raleigh and said, ‘I have made a ihcrs of your cloak,’ and Raleigh, drawing himself proudly up, replied in his best French ‘Mon Dieu, mon droit,' which, being interpreted, means, 'My God, you're right.

There is a pretty general idea that the United States is the great country for millionaires, and that, though Britons talk loosely about millionaires, they have actually very few. This is hardly borne cut by the’income tax figures. Great Britain has 134 people paying tax on more than £IOO,OOO a year, which at 5 per cent represents a capital of more than £2,00,000. If one takes, an income of £50,000 as representing a millionaire, then there are at least 529 millionaires in Britain. Even this is by no means the whole story, for there are 284 people paying on amounts between £40,000 and and 563 between £30,000 and £40,000; and it is probably safe to say that a good many of these are really on the millionaire mark. Altogether,’ Britain has probably a thousand millionaires.

The affectionate title “The Beautiful Child,” by which some of the native chiefs of South Africa have referred to the Prince of Wales, recalls an amusing incident years ago when a. deputation of Swazis was received by Queen Victoria at Windsor. The spokesman opened with a declaration that they had brought their babe to the great Queen Mother and appealed to her to take him to her breast. This being translated, her Majesty looked about in some surprise. and asked: “But where is the child? I cannot see him.” “He is here, O Queen; our babe is here,” replied the spokesman, and indicated a stalwart young chief of at least six feet.

After the church services last evening, Rev. Van der Las, of America, gave an address on the transformations which had take i place in that country since the introduction of Prohibition five years ago. The speaker quoted extensively from Government statistics, and said that every statement he made could be moved in t > the hilt There was a good attendance, Rev. 11. L. Blamires presiding-

The post of First and Principal Naval A.D.C. to the King, now taken up by Admiral Sir Montague Browning, was in stituted by a former sailor King, William IV.. who made it no empty honour by providing, or causing to be _ provided, an allowance of £1 a day ior the holder. It could formerly be held by an officer for years, but, in common with other high posts, changee hands more frequently. Admiral Browning is the fifth admiral to be appointed to it since ♦he war. Thereby he renews an acquaintance of long standing with the King, as in 1890 lie helped to instruct his Mn.jufMy, then Lieutenant Prince George, R.N., in gunnery on H.M.S. Excellent.

The death of the Earl of Ypres reduces the number of those entitled to wear the Order of Merit to 16; but that does not mean that the vacancy must he filled. The Order has never had a full complement -since it was created in 1902 by King Edward as a special distinction for men and women. Its numbers are limited to 24 British members, one less than the Chapter of the Garter. The only survivor of the original creation is Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Edward Hobart Seymour, now in his 85th year. Florence Nightingale was the first, woman to receive the Order in 1907. There are now three times as many civil members ns milifnrv.

Seeing an unattended motor-lorry dashing down a steep street at Blackburn, Mario Clarke, the 14-year-old daughter of a local insurance official, sprang on to the footboard and guided tilt' runaway into a house, so that it avoided some children playing in the road. The house-front was wrecked; but she jumped clear before the impact, and escaped with a shaking. “I only diil mv duty,” she told a Daily Chronicle representative. She said she was not afraid, and was influenced by heroines in some of her story books. She is a member of the Notre Dame Convent net hall team.

The modern girl was again subjected to criticism when Miss Burstall, the late head mistress of the Manchestei High School, spoke at the Hull Women’s Luncheon Club. The presentday girl, she alleged, was too frivolous. Girls of leisure, she continued, should be useful in social and public work. There were far more opportunities for social work to-day than there were 50 years ago, but tile difficulty was that the younger women were not doing their share. With changing conditions had come a terrible temptation for pleasure an<l frivolity. Of course, there had alwavs been frivolous women, but Miss Burstall thought there were now far too many in proportion. There were too many women wanting to dutch and take, women who were always out for a good time and enjoyment. When they came to the age of 50, they would find that all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and probably a breakdown would result. She added that- there was a great danger of superficiality in tlir education of girls to-day. Schools needed the force of public opinion to maintain the standard of thoroughness. Only 10/8 ! Oik- only Lady’s Tan Waterproof Coat, formerly 48/6; now 10/6; at McKay’s Sale.*

In his annual report the Chairman of the Bank of New Zealand sounded a warning note to wool growers against expecting a continuation of the present high prices of wool, owing to the iucreasing use of wood fibre as a mixture in many cloth materials. The day - s coming when we will be dressin materials largely manufactured f;.m wood fibre. This all means eu.n..ce meut of timber values. In the i mantitne plant Pinas Insienis.—H. G. Kingsland, Forestry Specialist, Wakefield.*

Lord Eustace Percy, the president of! ilif Hoard of ■Education in Mr Baldwin’s Cabinet, is in excellent company in his confession that he cannot distinguish one tune from another. Lord Birkenhead has tile sable failing. Wordsworth once descanted on the difference between tin* sense of rhythm which a poet must have and the sense of music, and declared that, lie had none of the latter. Dean Stanley was supposed to be a little further advanced than Lord Eustace, since he is supposed to have divided music into the National Anthem and the Best. There is only one recorded instance of Macaulay having recognised a tune, and the tune was “The Campbells are Coming,” which may have been a reminiscence of his Highland ancestry. And there was the distinguished Frenchman who l defined music succinctly as ‘Che only noise, to hear which one is expected to pay.”

There, were exceptionally large congregations wt both services at Trinity Presbyterian Church yesterday, when the anniversary sermons were preached by Rev. Dr. R. A. Van der Las, of Bethany Presbyterian Church, Seattle, U.S.A. The subject at the morning service was “An Old Testament Masterpiece,” and in the evening, “The Secret. of Victory.” Both addresses were of a stirring and helpful nature, and were followed with the closest attention. In the morning the choir gave the anthem, “Praise the Lord of Jerusalem,” and at the evening service Mrs Hunter sang “But, the Lord is Mindful of His People.” Five of the members of the Coolidge Cabinet are more than 6ft tall. The At-torney-General (Mr Sargent) holds the re.cord with 6ft 6in. and a weight of 2601 b. Then comes the Secretary of the Navy (Mr Wilbur) who is 6ft. 2£in. tall and 2051 bin weight. Mr Weeks (Secretary of War) is also above the 6ft-. mark ; and other Cabinet members who complete the pentarchy are the Minister for the Interior (Dr Work) and the Post-master-General (Mr New).

The Baroness Ravensdale is an unfamiliar title by which in future Lady Irene Curz.on, eldst daughter of the late Lord Curzon, of Kedleston, will be known. If ever the House of Lords consents to peereses in their own right having a seat in that august assembly, there will be quite a. nice little group of young women with titles of their own, while Lady Rhondda, Lady Powis, and the Duchess of Norfolk (who is Lady Herries in her own right) will give weight- and dignity to the group.

Members of the Nelson Professional Musicians' Association, Regd., are invited to meet. Mr Geo. F. Vincent, the examiner for Trinity College of Music, London. A reception will be held in the Marsden Church library next Friday evening at, 8.30. Mi- Vincent comes of a well-known North of England musical family, and he has rendered notable service as organist, pianist, violinist and composer.

Friends of the Town Schools children are reminded that a meeting will be held at 8 on Wednesday, at the Education Board Room, Hardy Street, in connection with raising funds for books, piano, and other requirements. A start, has been made, but more helpers are wanted.

Ladies’ Fawn Raincoats, rubber-lined, all sizes, usually 32s 6d ; now 21s. —McKay’s Sale.* ,_J