NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18017, 16 February 1922, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

COMPOSITION OF THE EARTH.

Some new data have recently been published by the United States Geological Survey with regard to the elements of which the earth consists. Oxygen constitutes 47 per cent, of the lithosphere, i.e.. the crust of the earth for a depth of 15 to 20 kilometres, and more than 35 per cent, of the hydrosphere, i.e., the ooean. Next to this is silicon, which is the solid clement most widely found. Taking the three spheres together (air, water, and earth) oxygen represents about 50 per cent, of them and silicon 25 per cent. Next in order are aluminium (7 per cent.), iron (4 per cent-), calcium (3 per cent.), magnesium, sodium, and potassium (a little more than 2 per centeach) and hydrogen (less than 1 per cent).

PENNY FARES AGAIN. Passengers on tho tramways and omnibuses in London are now able, on payment of a penny, to travel as far as in recent months they were carried for three recent months they were carried for threepenny stages have also been extendod. When the London County Council abolished halfpenny stages on the tramway routes people grumbled a little, but paid their pennies for short rides. It seemed to be recognised that the halfponny as a purchasing unit was flbsolete. When, however, the public was asked to pay three-halfpence for a penny stage, which had already been shortenod, passengers did not content themsolves with grumbling. The;' bogan to walk. Both the Tramway Department and tho London General Omnibus Company quickly discovered that the higher fares resulted in a reduction instead of an increase in their revenues. They decidod to restore tho penny rido. Simultaneously another popular reduction in the cost of travelling was arranged by tho railway companies. Passengers living within 15 milea of soveral of the London termini are now able, between 10.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., to obtain for a single fare day-return tickets to town. Tho only condition attached to these shopping tickets is that the return journey must be made before 5 p.m. or after 6 p.m. On Saturdays the return journey can be made at any time. The concession applies to both first and third-class tickets.

BUILDINGS IN LONDON By statutory restrictions continued since tho Victorian era, the height of buildings in London is limited to 80ft, above the street level. In one case at least, a new store has been built down to the levol of the underground " tubes," but sinco it costs as much to build one floor j below the street level as two above, this is not a satisfactory solution of the problem that is embarrassing the shopping centres. Largo West Er.d and other London stores, which find themselves cramped by tho existing restrictions, are asking permission to orect buildings to a height of 120 ft. from the street to the top floor, and, whore sites face open squares, parks, or river, to a limit of 150 ft., provided lighting is not affected. The expert advisers of the London stores, who aro represented by the Incorporated Association of Retail Distributors, have framed a definite scheme for higher and larger buildings. They agree that nothing must interfere with the development of London on the lines of congroity and beauty. Tho rapid expansion of London into tho surrounding counties, so far from decreasing, only adds to the size and value of tho heart of London. Tho ever-increasing value of building sites makes it more difficult to exploit them commercially. The fear of those who have great interests in Central London is that the ultimate result of this process will be that the centre must cease lo serve the whole in anything like duo proportion, and that deterioration will be tho oonscquence.

LIVE-PIGEON SHOOTING. The Bhooting of captive birds has been prohibited in Britain, and live-bird matches at Monte Carlo have been stopped. This is tho result of a campaign started early last year, when the London Times published a letter from Mr. H. W. Massingham protesting against tho cruelty of tho practice and expressing the indignation which it excited among visitors to Monte Carlo, and supported his appeal for the abandonment of "a subsidised survival of medieval callousness." Letters were published from many well-known men and women condemning the continuance of tho competitions, and declaring that the repulsive spcctaclo of the maimed birds spoiled the enjoyment of one of the spots most favoured by those who resort to Monte Carlo, A message was also received from the Prince of Monaco stating that he would gladly place himself at the head of a movement to suppress the use of live pigeons, not at Monte Carlo only, but also in other countries. Attention was also directed to the pigeon-shooting matches in England, and eventually a Bill prohibiting the shooting of captive birds was piloted through tho Houso of Commons hy Sir Burton Chadwick and through the House of Lords by lord Lambourne, the Government affording facilities for its passage. It is now the law. Tho Times also states that, as a result of the influence of the Prince of Monaco shooting at live birds has been prohibited in tho Principality, though the promoters of the matches have transferred them to Cap Fleuri, just across the French frontier.

KITCHENER'S DEATH. A categorical denial of the "betrayal" of Lord Kitchener was recently issued by tho War Office. It refers to the numerous statements to the effect that the War Office is in possession of evidence indicating that the sinking of H.M.S. Hampshire, with Lord Kitchener on board, on June 5, 1916, was due, either wholly or in part, to information supplied to the German Government through the instrumentality of a female German spy named Elbie Boecker, resident in London at tho time of the disaster. It has been alleged, with some detail, that this spy obtained her information regarding tho forthcoming departure of Lord Kitchener from a British officer, that, on obtaining this information, she transmitted it to Germany, and that for her services she received tho sum of 10,000 marks from tho German Government. The War Office is not in possession of any such evidence, nor, indeed, of any evidence whatever indicating that tho sinking of the Hampshire was duo to information supplied lo the Gorman Government, cither by the woman Boecker or by any other person. Reports have been received that this woman has boasted in Berlin "to anyone who is willing to listen to her" that she was instrumental in causing Lord Kitchener's death, but the War Office declares that her story is wholly untrue. Elhio Boecker was, in fact sentenced at Marylebone Police Court on May 8, 1916 (no less than four weeks before tho Hampshire sailed for Russia, and long before any arrangements had been made for Lord Kitchener's journey), to two months imprisonment and expulsion for having travelled beyond the five-miles limit imposed on the movements of alien enemies. She left the country on an expulsion order on June 29, 1916. The fact that she was never at largo in Britain after May 8, 1916, effectually disposes of her claims; and statements to the effect thai she was arrested on suspicion after tho sinkfhe of the vessel and deported on ac count of her suspected share in the dia aster are therefore obviously contrary to the fact