THINGS IN GENERAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13435, 13 March 1907, Page 9

THINGS IN GENERAL.

P. . TO RESIST DISEASES. ■ i rt i KlA >-D people who cherish good health, ith complete immunity from prevalent ailments such as influenza, should not discard the dictum of the Lancet (a scientific Publication) * that there is no factor more favourable to the successful invasion of the ' human body by the disease-producing orcanitfa than when air is rendered stale, Mffarai, and musty by human exhalation. Vor that reason the visit to the place of ?f r -oi*l"P> the concert hall, the ballroom, the theatre, or the social gathering may often %e ? traced as the starting-point of a common cold or of influenza. There is prob- # sb jj-more illness caused by defective ventilation than by draughts. The person fjfjio shuts himself up in a very warm °° m fejs'" every source of ventilation practically dosed, so" that the vital quality of the air ;« destroyed, is invariably the first victim lUi influenza. Such a condition of environment has an extraordinary effect in lowering the general tone of the body and its power to resist disease. The body should be kept proof against the übiquitous disease fen's by preserving a power of resistance, |IjjDt' ? against- this there is the serious handicap'of having to submit to the indifference of others. Influenza, is not a summer disease, and it is hardly conceivable that the germ can only flourish in the winter, unless the view is accepted that its energies : : ;- are greatly stimulated by stopping the • supply of fresh air and by overheating the I1 looms in which we live. Cold and variations §fa temperature are of course a factor in ' tbe etiology of the disease, but its chances 3 spreading would be far less if people :.;ffouul insist on breathing fresh air. '■[ A PRESIDENT'S MOTTO. •■. .President Roosevelt has a card hanging '"on the wall of his office in Washington, bearing the following enigma:— -' "• tfa=ter of human destinies am I! ®?Fame, love, and fortune on my footsteps :i Cities and fields I walk; I penetrate : ; Deserts and fields remote, and, passing by '•"-'-'Hovel and mart and palace, soon ,or late, s '-I knock unbidden once at every gate. ; if sleeping, wake; if feasting, rise before 1•"•"■ I turn away. It is the hour of fate, ~ i.'iiud they " who follow me reach every Irvl/ v. •-. state , _ I "'■ Mortal's desire, and conquer every foe Save .death; but those who doubt or -f':.-;:■. hesitate. /'Condemned to failure, penury, or woe, Seek me in vain and uselessly implore. : I answer not, and 1 return no more. H/The:answer is: Opportunity. REFORMING THE CRIMINAL. "Just what should be done in the way of reforming the criminal has long been a serious problem an New Zealand,- along with older countries. In Michigan State -.'prison (U.S.A.), which is inhabited by 700 of the worst characters in the States, a scheme has been evolved to humanise and reform the convicts by kindness, not, to punish them. What will be the ulti- ',' mate result only a thorough trial can determine. The men are taught trades, and ; ; , can earn money for themselves. They may amuse s themselves for three-quarters of an '. Lour a day as they please on a playing green. They may join the prison baseball ; ;. Team. Bands play to them, and travelling -: companies perform in their theatre. They .: have -the- privilege of adorning the walls : of their,cells'with pictures and placing carpets on the floor. -By good conduct they have the chance of earning large re- •' ductions to their sentences. Tne various employments include, manufacture of agricultural implements, of furniture,- waggons, 'brooms, monuments, and grave stones, and I in addition to the . machine shops there is

a tailoring establishment, the laundry, kit-

f . chen, prison arm, and clerical work, Alter '^a:completing a set task satisfactorily man may work for himself at a stipulated rate of pay. They, earn irom eight, to 20 dollars a month. An excellent library is also attached to the prison, and ail the i ; leading magazines are received.

THE WINTER SHOW. ~ Next May the country people will hold high carnival in the city, and consequently 4-it: will be. a harvest time lor city business ; bouses. The value of a winter snow is not |;Csumciently realised by the city people, who .-aid the- very .ones wno should support the movement with heart and soul, tor the best of all possible reasons, that of pocket. The §11 show will, be really an exhibition on a very large scale of the products of country indusS"tries, and there are so many attractions Vi; connected with it that it is expected to attract a very great influx of visitors from ail parts of the province, and also from other uistricts in tne colony. The fact that in Hthe factory butler and cheese classes there will be competitors Irom all parts of the ■ t . colony, will give an idea that tne Auckland ;i Winter Show is to be something more than a mere local side-show, and witn big courts : from at least the .Whungarei and East Coast §1 of North Auckland, the Waikato and the jlEast Coast of South Auckland, the display should be of very great interest. Amongst other attractions will be a court displaying t: frozen meat, chilled fruit, fish ana game Ipuid bouquets of flowers in blocks of ice, etc., :r : - : and there will be information at each court relative to the resources of different districts, the freezing industry, etc., and it is probable' special arrangements will be made ■ :' to enable the children of various schools to ' obtain the instruction that will be gained -'-". by a visit to the show. So far, however,, rv she fixture has not been made widely enougn m known, and the Agricultural and Pastoral ; Association will require to give very speedy ';'--■' Attention to this department. PERSIA'S PEACOCK THRONE. : , It" has been reported by cable lately that lithe new Shah of Persia, Mohammed Alt '% Mirza, had been crowned seated on the |rpeacock throne, which, with other almost r ; - priceless treasure is contained in the ffl throneroom at the Shah's palace in the Persian capital. Mr. J. Foster Eraser, in If his book, " Round the World on a Wheel," .v:-'describes this throne as one of the seven v wonders of the world. He says it is the - size of a massive bed with seven legs. It - is entirely of gold, exquisitely chiselled, f-and encrusted with thousands of precious stones. The two steps, sides and legs ; glisten with jewels; the raised back is §1 nothing but a mass of gems, with a scin--11 tillating circular star on the two and two little birds, which can by courtesy be described a3 peacocks, on either side. It is V' the most costly throne in the entire world, ami even.the pillow on which the Shah re- ,.•:'■" ciinco is ' entirely covered with pearls. ■"Many people say that its value is fc:'£s,ooo,ooo, but if we knock off a modest ;::million, and say that were it put up to . - auction, it would no doubt bring ?f: £2,000,000, it is still too dear for any M tourist to purchase as a memento.

"MUTTON NEVER POISONED."' , 'Hie person who enjoys a slice or two • off a good leg of mutton, or a piece of the • neck, has no need to have any misgivings M about poisoning, as may be the case with some other meat foods. A London medico, in giving evidence in a prosecution which ■' ' took piaco recently in England's capital .'-' ijjainct a butcher for supplying diseased . • fork, gave mutton and lamb an excellent character; but his opinion was not so -' favourable so far as pork and veal are construed. -Mr. M. Lush (for the defence) ; ,; Put the question: Pork is like milk, that it is the most receptive of these basillic poisons? Dr. Ross: Yes, pork and veal. There is a meat which has never poisoned . .anybody. Mutton and lamb never poisoned anyone. That is an interesting fact. ' daughter.) The Judge: You may eat as . •«och . frozen mutton and lamb as you like? Witness: Yes, they have never bernjible , Jo vske up a case against mutton. Nobody • hr.s ever been poLwied by it. With the *i<ie circulation this testimony should lfl|P^edly ; secure/ our New Zealand muti .'on and lamb shipments ought to be largely y|p£4 rerjuest amongst the : London meat-•liters"■'•■''•-T'■■'■■■ '"'■■' ' ; * . -•; .'''.. ■'" ■~

FRUITGROWERS AND COMBINATION.

The last people in the world who seem able to effect combination amongst themselves, and the very people whom combination would most benefit, are the fruitgrowers of Auckland province. For a time a Fruitgrowers' Union had a precarious, hand-to-mouth sort of existence. The executive met very occasionally, and virtually did nothing because it was not supported by the growers. Then the union drifted on to the rocks, and very nearly came to an inglorious end, but some enthusiasts who have laboured long and late to help the cause along until their hearts were sick, and who have done splendid work in the past, combined again for one more shove in the faint hope of being able to struggle against the killing apathy of the average grower. They are still struggling along, but if growers do not realise the position very soon, and abandon their attitude of sleepy indifference, the end will not be far off, and then some day they will wake up to the value of co-opera-tion after they had already killed it in its infancy. Auckland, in its peculiarly happy situation,' should have abundance of rich, ripe fruit in the season at a price cheap enough to allow one fruit meal a day in homes, which are maintained by even the most moderate means. As it is, fish and fruit are almost luxuries instead of being, as they ought to be, the most common articles' of diet in this city. The General.