General News Items

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21054, 12 December 1931, Page 5 (Supplement)

General News Items

ROPE SEVEN MILES LONG. 'A rope between seven and eight miles long has been made for the William pit at Whitehaven. The rope is for uso on a haulage road irhich goes quite a long way under the lea. It weighs thirty-five tons. NOVEL CHANNEL FEAT. A young' Frenchman found a new way of* crossing the Channel the other day when ho travelled over on a small surfboard towed by a fishing-vessel, lie was Tronquet, of Joinville le Pont, Paris, who left Boulogno shortly after noon'and reached Folkestone Harbour at . 7.30 p.m. Tho surf-board was sft. long and 2ft. wide. Tho fishing-boat was fitted with a motor. WAR ON RATS IN TREES. Los Angeles'has carried its war on rats •j n to tree tops. Recently health officials discovered that legions of the rats had deserted their homes on the ground and had taken to nesting in tall palms. To reach them a special ladder with three extensions was devised, tho top section making a horizontal platform to reach the nes ts without damaging the foliago of the tree. Poison was then poured by the bucketful into the nests, and after it had taken effect cify trappers made a haul of tlioulands of rats. WHISTLING CHURCH SERVICES. The congregation of Broadway Temple Methodist Church, ono of the largest churches in New York, was led by the pastor. Dr. Christian Reisner, in a whistling service recently to keep up its courses and to counteract tho industrial depression. Instead of sinking the hymn's, tho congregation whistled them, the pastor asserting that this was tho best way to meet the crisis. Cheerful favourites such as " Onward Christian Soldiers " and f There's Sunshine in My Soul" were chosen. BRITISH BULBS IN DEMAND. A number of people who have been trving to buy British-grown bulbs for planting in their gardens have been disappointed—and a little puzzled—to find that there may bo difficulty in obtaining them. The Reason is that, there has been an increased demand, owifig in part to "Buy British " appeals, while the supply has been limited. A much bigger acreage has now been put down by" growers for the dry bulb trade, however, and a greatly increased supply shouM be available next year. Recent experiments have resulted in improved types of British bulbs. They are now pronounced equal to the best that can be grown abroad. IN COLUMBUS' FOOTSTEPS. 'An interestine attempt to cross the Atlantic in a 'replica of Columbus' famous sliip, the Santa Maria is to be made. The daring navigator who is planning this enterprise is a Spanish naval officer, Captain Don Julio Guillen, who was in charge of the building of the replica for the Seville Exhibition two years ago. He is to navigate by the. old methods, and will not employ any instrument or equipment of a kind not invented-in 1492.

Many adventurous ocean voyages have been made recently in vessels still smaller than th's reconstruction of Columbus' ship, but they were, of course, of modern type. Still, Don Julio and his companions will have at least one advantage over Columbus —they know where they aro going to, and Columbus didn't! THE .FIRST MOTOR-CAR. It seems early days yefc to be celebrating a motor-car centenary, but that is what -Austria has just been doing. It is the centenary of Siegfried Marcus, whom the Central Europe people claim as the original inventor of the motor-car. His first car, which appeared in 1864, was driven by oil, and an improved edition of it came in 1875. This vehicle is still preserved in Vienna. But Marcus' car was not the first selfpropelling road vehicle. A British inventor, Richard Trevithick, ran a steam coach on the London streets 128 years ago. and for a long time the steam road vehicle was a very real competitor of the railways. The.use of oil in Marcus* car, however, makes it a real landmark in the itory of mechanical road transport. STORIES OF KEW GARDENS. It is reported that people aro to be charged a penny for admission to Kew Gardens, London. Ninety years ago, Dr. Lindley recorded his experiences during a visit to the same gardens. " You rang a bell by flie side of a wooden gate," he said, «' which of itself was perfectly emblematic of the secrecy, tho unnatural privacy of the working principle within. You were let in bv stealth, as if the gatekeepers were 'ashamed to see you come, or you, yourself were ashamed to be seen there. " And when you were there, you were dodged all the time by an official, as if Jon were likely to walk off with the St. Helena wllow tree in your buttonhole, or one of the Smaller hot houses in your waistcoat pocket." It was largely through Dr. Lindley's efforts that the gardens turned from almost a royal preserve into a national possession." FRANKFORT'S GOETHE MUSEUM. One of (he principal events in conSection with Frankfort's Goethe celebrations in 1932 will be the dedication of the new rooms of the Goethe Museum on March 22, the hundredth anniversary of the poets death. Two houses adjoining the house in which Goethe was born, and flatinp; from his time, have been acquired jor the purpose. The ground floors of the houses will be used for the manuscript Archive and fhe graphic department and for the users of the library, which, with '•7.000 volumes, is the largest and most complete Goetho library in the world. IJie eleven rooms in the second story ttill ho Used as exhibition rooms, conlain'PK pictures of Goethe's parent') and earlier ancestors, souveniers of his youth and articles connected with his life in Leipzig ®pd Strassburg and with the Wert her C| rcle. Other rooms will be devoted to tlio early yeai*. in Weimar, the Italian journey, the Ini years of friendship with ochiller, and Goethe's declining years. CHARLIE .CHAPLIN THE MAN. Remarkably frank comment on Charles appear:; in an introduction writen by Douglas Fairbanks, jun., to the •American editioi of a book on the great Comedian by .Mr. W. Dodgson Bowman. Charlie, is verv vain man and an Extremely jealous one," Mr. Fairbanks Writes. " J-ff. jt; snlfic.li bevond all toler--Bfice, and yet v.itli all his faults there. ®'ands predominantly the frail, majestic "Sure of ;i man who might, have marie history had he not. thought too much fibout doing so. _ hven with' a knowledge of Charlie's 'kilties it. is impossible, on knowing the ln . ari . to dislike him. He will sit up all J"?ht to discuss a subject about which he knows little or nothing, and lie leaves listeners convinced of an amazing and ■Vital intellect. He has educated himself r'ith a Smattering of the best literature. ile )s an iconoclast and he believes in Nothing but himself. analyses every Question from a scientific point, of view, and he refus.es to accept the equality of }[p j. s tho perfect companion, Constantly enteri aining." j

SHORTAGE OF HUSBANDS. A serious shortugo of husbands is suggested by the publication of the voters' lists for the nine Parliamentary divisions in the county of Cheshire. Jn each district the women voters outnumber the men, and the total excess of women over men in the county approaches 30,000. DEPRESSION AND MOTORING. In England the trade depression has made very little impression on motoring. The number of motor vehicles in use has actually increased. The only effect of the slump on this branch of activity is the fact that a rather smaller number of new motor vehicles was registered in Juno as compared with June last year. Even so, however, this Juno no fewer than 23,849 new motor-cars, motor-cycles and lorries were registered. BORSTAL BOYS ON PAROLE. There is an encouraging sign that new methods of controlling wayward boys are succeeding. At the Borstq.l Institution in England, where bovs arc sont instead of prisons, there aro no locks or bolts. Mr. \V. Llewellyn, governor of the institution, told a meeting of Nottingham men that he had never locked up a single bov for a single minute. Instead of locks they have honour. Out of 103 boys only three broko parole and tried to run away last year. SIXTEENTH CENTURY HOUSE. The offer of Lord Egerton of Tat ton to present liough End Hall with threo acres of land, to any responsible body undertaking to preserve and find a proper uso for it was referred to by Mr. John Swarbrick, editor of the National Ancient Monuments Review, in an address at Manchester University in October.

In expresing tlio hope that this generous offer would not he lost, Mr. Swarhrick mentioned th;it Hough End Hall, which was built in 1596 by Sir Nicholas Mosley, Lord Mayor of London, was still structurally almost intact, though now a farmhouse. HORSESHOE FOR MR. MACDONALD. " An Admirer," placed a horseshoe i" front of the effigy of Mr. Ramsay MacDonald at Mine. Tussaud's, in the course of the recent British election campaign, and left a letter in which he said: — " As this is tho only statue to Ramsay Mac., which so far as I know exists anywhere—there will bo plenty others in years to come—l think you ought to let my horseshoe stay here as a token of the good luck which all true patriots wish him." " And are you going to display it ? " a Sunday Graphic representative inquired. " Well r " replied a Tussaud official, " much as we should like to oblige our patron, it would create a bit of a precedent, and if wo acceded to one request wo could hardly refuse another." IDLE MAN'S STRANGE REQUEST. Few people have stranger requests than Captain T. W. liill, M.8.E., secretary of the Guild of Help at Bolton, Lancashire, and unofficial confidant of hundreds of cxservico men and their wives. A man*walked into Captain Hill's office the other day and asked foV money to go to Abyssinia. He said that ho had seen an advertisement asking for volunteers for a big game hunting trip, and as ho was unemployed ho thought he would..'' have a shot at it." " We were not able to finance him in his adventure," Captain Hill said, " but I think I convinced him before he left that the advertiser wanted people well able to afford such a trip." EDUCATION OF COLLIERS. Wales is noted for the famous names it has supplied to the scroll of honour and history. Its mines also have traditions they speak of with pride. In the old days the Welsh collier had a hard time to get an education. Schools were few and far between and the boys went early into the mines to help their fathers. The colliers were eager for the education they had missed, so that when night schools were introduced men used to try to hire substitutes to take their places in the mines in order that they might bo free to study for a time. The oldest men in the mining districts tell of meal times in the mines three-quar-ters of a century ago, when learning first became possible* for the pit boys. They would finish their meal hurriedly and then pull out a bit of chalk to work equations on their shovels. COLLEGE FOR MENDICANTS. A " Beggars' University," the only one of its kind, has been established in China by the bureau of social affairs of the Canton municipal Government. It has a total enrolment of 4500 mendicants, ranging from the ages of 14 to 50 years. Most of them were rounded up by the police department from the streets, while others entered the institution of their own accord. The institution provides sleeping quarters, dining halls, and a curriculum of studies, and the beggars are taught, how to read and write, and also are initiated into the political doctrines of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. They are given carpentry and manual training, and are taught how to make rattan chairs, tables and chalk. During last year hundreds were assigned to work on a new racecourse. Many are building highways and roads in the interior of the province. POPULAR BAVARIAN FESTIVAL. The " Lepnhardiritt," the procession of St.. Leonhard, which takes place in paits of Bavaria every November, is one of the most popular festivals of this kind. One finds it at its best in Bad Tool/., the spa renowned for its iodine .springs, whore thousands of sufferers every year seek relief from arteriosclerosis and goitre. St. Leonhard has been (he patron saint of livestock every since (lie 17th. eenluiy. November 6th. the saint's day, sens thousands of visitors, and extra, (rains are run to Bad Toclz from Munich and .Augsburg. There ore religions exercises in all the churches of the spa and the surrounding country, and then a procession, with variously decorated floats. The lir rses, as many as 400, are driven twice round (lie church, and each time the pi-est, blesses them. Dancing and feasting end the day. SEVENTY MILLION DOGS. Fifty years ago Sweden was the " doggiest" country in Europe. There was one dog to every eleven people, and as the population was just over 6.000.000, there were rather more than 500,000 (logs. Even France was reckoned to possess more than twice as many dogs as Great Britain, for at that date the latter country only had one dog to every thirty-eight people. Times have changed, and to day Britain not only possesses more dogs than any country in Europe, but more than any country in the. world except the United States. And, for its size and population, Britain is far ahead of even tho United States as dog-owners.

Last year there weie just under 3,000,000" dog licences issued in Greeat Britain, and since sheep and cattle dogs pay no licence, and puppies aro exempt, it is reckoned that the total dog population is fully 4,000.000. This is a million more than France owns, and more llian twice as many as Germany possesses. America, with three times as many people as Britain, has about 6,000,000 dogs.

COMPASSES IN ROMAN GALLEY. The work of recovering the Roman galleys sunk in Lake Nemi centuries ago is still going on. In (he bilge hold of the second Roman galley a pair of compasses have been found. The compasses are about a foot long, are made of wood, and are in excellent condition. ]t is said that they are precisely like the model compasses of to-day. TOWN WITH PERFECT BABY. That it possesses the perfect baby is the_ claim made by Halifax, England. Twins on view at the town's baby show were adjudged 99 per cent, perfect. One mother proudly stated that Iter baby weighed 121b. when he was born, and had been singled out for special merit at threo different shows. DEAN AS " OLD GAOL BIRD." The Dean of Westminster, Dr. Fox ley Norris, startled a meeting of the London Police Court Mission a few weeks npo by stating that ho was an old gaol bird. Dr. Norris explained that he had beencharged bofore a polico court magistrate and been put in a cell. " But that was not in this country," he added. "It was in a far off corner of Northern Italy, and I had been arrested as an Austrian naval spy-" TWENTY-SEVEN " MANCHESTERS." The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Alderman G. F. Titt, who recently made a tour nf the United States in his official capacity, has presented a report of his visit to the Manchester City Council. The Lord Mayor said that, he visited Manchester, New Hampshire, and Manchester, Connecticut, tho two " daughter " towns, and said citizens of tho original Manchester would note with prido that there were no fewer than twenty-seven " Manchesters " in the United States. £SOO FOR A HANDSHAKE. Tangible gratitude for a, handshake in a time of " terrible need " is shown in a £2746 will published in London lately. The will is that of Mr. Abraham John Sheldon, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, who had taken a prominent part in the musical life of Birmingham. Mr. Sheldon left £SOO and his effects to Ithada Maud Cawle, now or late with the British Broadcasting Corporation, " whoso handshako in a time of terrible need was a succour, and who, with myself, was a victim of tho same wrongdoing." -BRITAIN'S PAWNED SHIRT. Mr. Stanley Baldwin, in ono of his recent election speeches said : —" The silliest remark ever made, was, ' What is the use of saving ? We found tho money in wartime. Why not now ? ' The answer is tliat during the war we found all there was to be found. We borrowed to such an extent that wo have mortgaged ou"r assets for generations. In other words, wo pawned our shirt and we liavo not another shirt to pawn." Mr. Baldwin added that we poured out money in loans to our Allies. "We have not been repaid very much of that. Wo have had nothing repaid by Russia but wo paid our debts." PATRIOTS AT TEA. Tea-table politics is a sign of the times in tho West End of Glasgow, and numerous "at homes " aro being held for the purpose of demonstrating the necessity of " buying British." Ono of the woman leaders of the scheme lately outlined tho methods adopted. Guests are asked to pass an opinion on the cup of afternoon tea. It is then explained that it is brewed from an Empire brand. " The China is British-made, of course, and guests aro invited to compare it with this other cup and saucer—made hi Germany."

" Bv thcso and other examples," th* West End hostess said, "my friends and I have been making hosts of converts to the policy of buying British and helping trade." FRANCE'S GREAT VIPER YEAR. This has hern a great viper year in France, and the beautiful autumn weather encouraged the snakes to postpone their entry into winter quarters. In many places, such as the forest of Fontainebleau, irorn which they had almost disappeared, they were more numerous than ever, and their presence was reported from many places quite close to Paris. Last year's mild winter is said to have been responsible for tho vipers' recrudescence, and they have evidently not been, as popular tradition would lead one to think that they would be, discouraged by the abnormally wet summer; As France cart show no fewer than three different kinds of vipers, all of which are dangerous, thero is evidently room for a new Saint Patrick in the country. BEETHOVEN AND LISZT LETTERS. Unknown letters from Beethoven and Liszt havo been found by a merchant of Dombovar, Hungary, named Miksa Steiner. Tho letters were found among the correspondence of his wife's greatgrandfather, Jacob Dcgen, a Viennese merchant who was the then president of the Philharmonic Society. The letter from Beethoven is dated 1819, and thanks Degen, as president of the Philharmonic Society, for electing the writer as a member of tho society. The Liszt letter, which is written in French, is addressed to Mrs. Pleysel, a Viennese pianiste, and asks her to play his newest composition as often as possible at her concerts. As tho letter is not dated it is not known to which of his compositions Liszt was referring. THE KNIGHTS OF MALTA. I Prince Don Ludovico Chigi-Albnni has been elected grand master of the Sovereign Order of the Knights of Malta, an organisation founded before tho crusades of the 11th century. The election was carried out in' the priorv of the order on the Avenfine Hill, according to a ritual established centuries ago. Several Italian Princes and Cardinal Bislet, ti wcro among the electors, who met behind locked doors, in a conclave such as chooses a Pope. Prince Chigi is the 761b grand master of tho order, succeeding Prince (ialeazzo, of Thun and llohenstcin, who was elected on March 6. 1905, and held of lice for nearly 26 years before he died a few months ago. Until 1309 this order was known as the Hospitallers of Jerusalem. Then it became the Jvnights of Rhodes, which name gave way to (he Knights of Alalia in 1530. PLAYING WITH A SCORPION. A magnificent nine-inch scorpion, the largest and most perfect specimen within living memory, arrived at the London Zoo from the. <.! old Coast recently. Us coming lias brought joy lo Mr. 11. V. Brown, of the. Insect Tlouse, who has an uncanny knack of making friends with tho most violent snakes, spiders, and other queer pupils who come under his wing. The oilv fellow from tho Gold Coast had hardly set I led down before ho was roaming up and down Mr. Brown's arm Mr. Brown describes how it feels to bo bitten by a scropion or one of tho vitriolic insects he looks after. " 1 have boon bitten and stung more times than I can remember," he said. " If usually happens when ho thinks you aro trying to corner him. He jerks his head back and—' pth/ there's a queer mark on your thumb. " You can feel the poison running up your arm. I gel, tho bile cauterised within a few minutes of being attacked, and I always find I am quite fit afterwards."- |

THE BOY KNEW. Tho teacher was giving her class of mixed pupils a lesson in grammar. "Here's a sentence," she commenced: "' My father buys a theatre.' " She paused and, looking round tho class, added: " Stand up, Tommy Green, and give me the past, present, and futuro of it." Tommy, tho son of a theatre owner, got slowly to his feet. " My father did not know what to do with his money —lie buys a theatre—be will go bankrupt," said tho boy. EVERLASTING SOCKS. The vicar's wife called on one of her husband's parishioners. " Good-morning, Mrs. Green!" she beamed happily. "What, knitting again! Why, you seem to be always doing something. Do you find tho stockings wear longer if knitted by hand ?" "Wear longer?" echoed Mrs. Green. " Yes, ma'am, of courso (hey do. Tako this pair of my husband's socks. I knitted them five years ago. I've knitted new legs 10 'em twice, and I've put new feet to them four times, and, bless you, they never seems lo wear out." FISH AND SARCASM. The day's fishing had been spoilt, by the persistent inquiries of the novice, about what lie should do in this or that circumstance. The older and moro experienced man was bored by the round of trivial questions. Towards evening, the novico saw his float go under, and a tug brought a fine earn just above the, surface. " J say," he yelled, " how shall I land this huge, fish." Without looking up, the other called back: "Mesmerize the monster and attract it up tho shore with a magnet." TRUMPETER BARRED. On tho concert programme of one of the smaller orchestras was Beethoven's " Leonora " overturn each of tho two climaxes of which is followed by a trumpet passage off-stage. The. first climax came, but. Rio(, a. sound from tho trumpet. The conductor, considerably annoyed, went on to tho second. Again there was silence. This time, the overture being finished, ho rushed to the wings. There he found the trumpeter still arguing with the house fireman. " 1 tell you, you can't play that, thing here!" tho latter was saying. " There's a concert going on!".

TOO PARTICULAR. The old family retainer was showing soino visitors round his master's ancient castle, which had been thrown open to the public. Coming to tho banqueting-hall, ho said: " In this very hall, two hundred years ago, the young and beautiful countess was foully murdered." All the visitors but one were duly impressed, and this one said: " I thought you told us last week that it happened in tho ante-room ?" Tho guide turned angrily on her. "I know that," ho snapped; "but wo can't .go in there now, it's being decorated."

IN DAYS OF OLD. Tlio boastful baron was showing a friend round his castle. " One of my ancestors won a battlo during tlio Crusades by liis skill in handling artillery," ho said. " But, my dear baron," exclaimed the friend, "at (he time of tho Crusades gunpowder wasn't invented." " I know that," replied 1 Vie baron, blandly enough, " and so did my ancestor." " Well, how did he. win tho battle, then ?" asked the friend. " lfe brought his artillery to bear on the Saracens, and they, thinking that gunpowder had been invented, fled in terror," the baron calmly, explained.

STICKING TO FATHER'S MOTTO. Farmer Giles went out into the yard and saw his son lounging by the cowshed. " Hi, boy," he said, " take tho old broom and sweep down those steps, will you ?" "But why use the old broom for that?" asked the boy. " We've got a better one I can use, haven't we ?" "Course we've got a better one!" replied tho old farmer. " Wear out the old things first is my motto." " \Vell, dad," said the boy, " suppose you do the sweeping?" LOCAL COLOUR. A referee was sent to officiate at. an important cup final between two local village teams in the North of England. Arriving an hour before the game was duo to commence, he encountered the captain of the homo side, who introduced his brother. " Georgo." said the football captain, " this is tho referee, lie's got an hour to spare, so I want, you to take him round tho village to seo the sights. You could let him see the brickworks, and then 'ave a stroll round by Farmer Bales' duck-pond, and return by way of tho cottage hospital and tho cemetery." SEEING THE GIRL'S FATHER. When her young man visitor became very plainly embarrassed, the girl thought she knew the cause. "Er—Miss Jones," lie said, feverishly, "could I—er —seo your father for a moment, ?" "Certainly, Mr. Smith!" and, excusing herself, she left tho room. Presently her father came in, and after a short conversation with the young man ho stepped to the door and summoned his daughter. "It is getting late." said Mr. Smith, whose, faco was radiant, "and I think L will say good night. Shall I find you at homo on Wednesday evening, Miss Jones?" The girl assured him that he would, and the young man took his departure. "Oh, papa!" began the girl, when they were alone, "did he—" "You must not ask questions," said the old man. "Mr. Smith wished to seo me about a matter which for the present must remain a, secret." "I know," pleaded tho girl, "but you might give me a hint of what it was—just a word." "Oh, well, replied her father, indulgently, "since'you must know, ho wanted to borrow a shilling to got home with!"