General News Items

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21278, 3 September 1932, Page 5 (Supplement)

General News Items

NEW GREAT CLOCK FOR LONDON Larger lilian London's famous " Big Ben," whose booming notes have been carried by radio to all parts of the world, a new clock has been built in London. The minute hand is lift. 6in. long and the hour hand Bft. Bin. face of this great clock is 25ft. square. A small electric clock operates the riant timepiece on the 150 ft. tower of the building erected on tho site of the old Hotel Cecil. garage on wheels Speeding up repairs at the race track, n garage on wheels has been built for Mr Earl Howe, an English driver. A van body fitted on a six-cylinder chassis carries a /completely-fitted workbench, spare parts and electric lights for night work. In addition, it has room for Mr. Howe's racing car. Removable floorboards, beneath tho "nest" where Mr. Howe's speedster is carried, permit a mechanic to stand on the ground under tho van and make repairs /without bending his back. an unexpected honour Caernarvon and Cardiff have disputed for ages which is the rightful capital of Wales. Now residents of towns have been surprised to learn that in a new ceorgraphy text-book issued to scbo«lchildren in Australia neither Cardiff nor Caernarvon is given as the capitol of Wales, but Merthyr Tydfil. Caernarvon is shocked, Cardiff horrified but Merthyr Tydfil people aro delighted at the unexpected honour. POSTMASTER'S DAILY ROUND Although Mr. Herbert Yates Graham has been the village postmaster at St. Bees, England, for 30 years, lie has no intention of retiring just yet, Besides being the postmaster I do a postal round to keep myself fit," he said recently. Mr. Graham is well known to thousands of'old and new boys at the famous school of St. Bees. His father before him was postmaster for nearly a quarter of a century, and was also parish clerk for twice as long. • / DUOHESS TO HAVE HERB GARDEN One of the first things the Duchess of York intends to do when she settles in at Roval Lodge, Windsor, is to create a herb garden after the fashion of that maintained by her mother, the Countess of Strathmore, at Glamis Castle. Wherever opportunity offers, tlie daughters of Lady Strathmore make such a garden. That which Lady Elplnnstone established at Carberry Tower, near Edinburgh, proved of great medicinal value during the war. ; AMUSING REMINISCENCE Sir Austen Cliamberlian told a meeting at King's College, in London, recently, how he followed a former Solicitor-Gen-eral of tho United States, Mr. James INI. Beck, up a lamppost. He was presiding at a lecture by Mr. Beck on the United States Constitution. " During tho first Zeppelin raid on London," said Sir Austen, " I went up a lamppost to see what I could. Half-way up I found Mr. Beck, and I followed him up to see the monster passing over the roof-tops."

CAT IN LION'S CAGE Ono of the most curious sights in the London Zoo recently was that- of a small domestic cat sitting by himself in ono of the lion's cages. Touifny is a valuable Siamese, one of the original three belonging to the headkeeper, Dina and Mimi were equally valuable, but they disappeared. So Tommy lives in a cage—for safety—and very proud he is of himself. He is not to grace this jhome for long, however, for he has been promised a home at the Royal Veterinary College. TASK FOE A SCHOOLGIRL A scholarship examination paper for a girl aged 11 years attending a Surrey secopclaiy school included the following:—" What do you know of Sennacherib, Horatins, Buddha, Clovis, Marco Polo? Draw a Bunsen burner, carefully naming all the parts. How would you stiow that the inside of the flame is hollow ? How many differences are there between the tundra and the regions round the equator, and why are there differences?" The girl also had to describe " in an interesting way " Dim Cithaeron, Apollo's shrine at Delphi, the childhood of Atalanta, the capture and death of the Caledonian boar! GOVERNOR AS CLOTH SPINNER "From, the sheep's back to mine" shoultl lie the motto of Governor William T. Gardiner, of M. ine, United States, whose wejl-equipped farm receives his attention as soon as he disposes of matters of state. Recently, the Governor announced his intention of utilising some of his home-grown wool in manfacturing his next suit of clothes, using a 200-yenr-old spinning wheel and loom. The wool, after shearing, will be carded, spnn and woven by methods used last century. 'There will be no question whether the finished garments are " all wool," for Governor Gardiner personally will superintend their manufacture from start finish. GLADSTONES IN POLITICS For a century up to 1930 there had been Gladstones in the British Parliament., ami, now, after an interval of two years, a Gladstone has entered the House of Lords as: a new peer... Sir John Gladstone sat in the Commons from 1818 to 1827, and his successors were: IS3O-1837.—Sir Thomas Gladstone (second baronet). 1833-1895.—Mr. W. E. Gladstone (brother of seqond baronet). 1852-1850—Mr. John Neilson Gladstone (brother of W ft.) 18G5-1883..—Mr W. H. Gladstone (eldest son of W. E.). 1880-1910.—Mr. H. -T. Gladstone (afterwards Lord Gladstone), youngest son of V. K. 1910-1930.—Lord Gladstone. The new peer is the only surviving son of Mr. W. E. Gladstone. He was for some time his father's private secretary. WILLS THAT MAKE TROUBLE Mention was made in a recent lawsuit arising out of a will of the fact that the testator had made nine last wills and testaments. This is by no means a record, (hie woman made a dozen wills within a few years, and on the death of a former Duke of Sutherland it was found that he had left no fewer than 92 wills behind him. But if the man who makes a number of different wills may complicate matters for the beneficilries. the man who makes only one can sometimes do so just as effectively. In one case a wealthy man was in the habit of lending copies of an elaborately kept diary for the year annually to four -of his friends. They soon got_bored and stopped reading tlieni. But one of them discovered by accident, somejyeal-s after the diarist's death, that he had written his will on page 647 of one of/ the annual volumes. In it he bequeathed his entire fortune to his four friends. '• Meantime, the estate had passed to a < slant relative, and it was only after £ ling lawsuit that the four legatees were able. 'o recover what was left of it.

TRAINING FOR OLYMPIC GAMES American sprinters, while in training for the Olympic Games, were started down tho cinder track by means of a barrier resembling the starting gato used on race tracks. The runners line up in position behind the gate, which consists of strips of canvas, the vertical sections outlining the position for each contestant. The barrier-control apparatus .is connected by a cord to the starting pistol, so that when this is fired, the gate flies up automatically. This prevents any runner from beating the gun. RAILWAY DISASTER TO FROCKS On July 17, 1832, just over 100 years ago, tlie Leicester and Swannington railway, which now forms part of the London Midland and Scottish system, was opened. The train passed through one of the first tunnels built—at Stenfield —and passengers rode in open trucks. The first journey wf® made the occasion for rejoicing, and many women took passage in dainty summer frocks. Alas, when they had passed through tho tunnel their clothes were all covered with smuts and their faces resembled those of sweeps. FIELD-MARSHAL KEEPS FIT Field-Marshal Sir William Birdwood, who, after a particularly active life, is now Master of Peterhouse at Cambridge, lias adopted swimming before breakfast as a means of keeping fit. The Field-Marshal, who is 67, declares that he has always believed in keeping fit. In India he always rode before breakfast. Now ho walks down to the university sheds, has a batlio and walks back again before breakfast, just to keep fit. lie will not keep it up all the winter because, as he says, one should bathe for pleasure, not as a penance. SINGING SCHOOL FOR CANARIES A singing school for canaries is a novelty introduced by an English breeder. Punishment in the form of a dark cage is a feature of his method. A trainer bird with a good song is surrounded by 12 young canaries, all in special cages. While the trainer sings, tho other birds are kept quiet by doors that darken the cage. The singer's cage is closed and two of tlie young canaries are allowed to sing. If one of the " pupils " makes a mistake, the owner closes that cage, and the bird is nob allowed to sing again that day. Tho owner has developed a keen car for tone quality, and can detect faulty notes readily. NEW IDEA IN MAPS Designed as an aid to education, rubber moulds from which school children can produce their own relief maps are able in some American schools. Tho moulds have the maps cut in reverse. When tho box is packed with plaster of paris or some other plastic material, the lid is closed tightly, and tho material allowed to hardon for 10 or 15 minutes. Then the finished map is lifted from tho box. Crayons, pencils or paints can bo used to show the distribution of farm products, to indicate historical movements or to designate mountain ranges, railroads, cities and the like. TOLL OF THE JUNGLE There are no law-breakers in India more to be feared than the wild things of tho jungle, which obey no law but their own. Last year tigers, leopards, wild pigs and snakes caused easily 1600 deaths in the central provinces alone. For some reason not made clear, the deaths have increased by nearly 200 over the year before. Tlie greatest mortality is caused by snake bite, from which 1200 people died, but deaths from snake bite aro being reduced to a very small extent by scientific methods of prevention or cure. But the large number of deaths from man-eating tigers or leopards—some 2P>o—is an astonishing revelation.

DOG GUARDING A CAR The English courts were concerned, recently, in hearing an action for damages in which a child was injured by a dog in a stationary motor-car. A similar case lias just been decided in Switzerland. Hie owner of a car left his dog tied up inside it on guard. An inquisitive small boy poked his head inside the car and was bitten on tho ear by tlie dog. Heavy damages were claimed by the father for injuries to his son caused " by & savage dog left unmuzzled in a public place." It was proved in evidence that the biting apparatus of the do£ could not protudo outside the car, and in order to get bitten it was necessary to trespass on the car." The Swjss High Court held that the interior of the car is not a public place, and the claim was dismissed. ONE PLEASURE NOT FOR SUNDAY

After establishing itself as the pioneer town of the brighter Sunday movement in Wales, Porthcawl has suddenly amazed everybody by objecting to Sunday flying. Since the first Sunday picture shov was opened 20 years ago, more money has been taken there on Sunday than on any day of the week, and one can now play golf, go to Coney Beach fair ground, where all the shows are in full swing, take a Channel cruise on steamers that carry 1000 passengers, race in speedboats, attend three cinemas, and listen to bands on the promenade, but flying —No! that is going too far. It is stated that the Porthcawl llibari Council has no jurisdiction in tho matter, and that an appeal will be made lo the Air Ministry. Meanwhile, Sunday joyflights continue, and machines joar over the town throughout tho day. BOYS' MODEL WORKING CLUB A group of unemployed boys in Berlin have formed a working club, where all share alike. Thirty boys have clubbed together and looked about to find someone worse off than themselves, and offered their help. Crippled children and men without arms, they decided, could use their services, so they applied to the big institutions for permission to do their gardening. Well-kept gardens would mean more fresh vegetables, salads and strawberries for the home, better meals at less expense. So the offer was accepted and a parkkeeper's lodge was turned over to the boys for their lodging. The group makes its own rules and regulations. The working dav is six hours long. tho beys get up at six and have gymnastics and a shower bath before breakfast. Thev finish work by three o clock in the afternoon, so that there is time for reading or games, and in the evening they have meetings and talks. HAY FALLS FROM THE SKIES Exclamations of amazement lately burst from the .lips of crowds of people in Hitchin. Hertfordshire, when little bundles which floated gentlv down to earth from a height of 500 ft. m the sky turned out to be newly-gathered hay! The phenomenon was first noticed about 6 p.m., when tiny objects seemed to detach themselves from a solitary cloud. At first they looked like toy balloons or parachutes dropped from an invisible aeroplane. Then they seemed to " explode," and the mystified crowd assumed they were dummy shells used in target practice in the neighbourhood, but the mysterious " puffs " proved harmless^ " Some of the bundles were quite big," said Mr. Thomas Foster. " They fell over a wido area. There was practically no wind at the time and they floated to the ground almost vertically. It struck me that a whirlwind had lifted off half a hayrick and carried the hay just under the only cloud in the sky."

STARVED ON GOLDEN PILLOW An old woman at Mansura, Egypt, who had lived as a hermit for thirty years, recently died of starvation. When the police searched the woman's room, they found that the pillow on which she slept was full of gold coins. BREAD 2,000 YEARS OLD An international bakery exhibition was recently opened by Signor Mussolini in the excavated shops of Hadrian's Forum in Rome. An ancient Roman loaf, said to be 2,000 years old, was among tlie exhibits. It was as hard as a fossil, with eight lines deviating from the centro like an old-fashioned scone. HIRING COLONIES OF BEES Colonies of bees arc rented by New York fruitgrowers to help polleniso trees. Instead of maintaining their own hives the growers find it practical to hire bees that arc sent from tho south in two, three or 51b. packages. After tho bees have performed their ten-day job, they aro mailed back to their owners. It is not said whether the carriers regard tho packages as supiciously as if they held bombs. LLOYD GEORGE'S LUCKY ESCAPE Mr. Lloyd George, who was then Minister of War, had actually arranged to go with the late Lord Kitchener to Russia in tho ill-fated cruiser Hampshire in 1916.This is a statement in the second volume of Lord Beaverbrook's " Politicians and the War." Mr. Lloyd George, it is stated, was prevented from going, and from sharing tho fate of Kitchener, only by the projected Irish settlement and an appeal by tho Primo Minister Mr. Asquith to him to haudlo the negotiations. NEW FRIEND OF NATURE In England the work of protecting the natural beauty of tho countryside is undertaken by tho' Green Cross Society, and it issues interesting literature, picture postcards with descriptive leaflets on wild (lowers, trees, birds, butterflies, dogs, etc. One of tlio slogans runs: "The beauty of England is our heritage; please guard it with jealous care." A pocket booklet contains some fine maxims and information, stickers for correspondence, and a plea for help by joining the society and wearing the Green Cross Badge. NEW MOTOR-CYCLE THRILL Something brand new in thrills was seen at a recent motor-cycle tournament at Tid worth, England—a demonstration of the hazardous feat of changing a tyre at 50 miles an hour. The stunt was performed by a driver and passenger in a cvc!f> equipped with a side car. "The driver, throwing bis weight to the right, tilted the car clear of the ground, and held it in that position while he travelled nearly a milo a minute. Tho mechanic, leaning over the edgo of the car, removed the wheel, tossed it away, and fixed on a new one. BOY SAVED BY DOG

A four-year-old boy, Joseph Reilly, was saved from drowning in a lako at Cross County Down, recently, by his pet collie dog. The boy had waded out into tho water with his sister and some other children when he sank and disappeared. Tho dog jumped into the water, swam to tho spot where the boy had disappeared and recovered him. The dog took the chi',l in its jaws, took him to the bank ard carried liirn across two fields to his anxi f> is parents, who wero hurrying to the lake in search of him. After the dog had . gently put tho child down it began to whimper. Tlie child was unconscious, but revived after artificial respiration.

GRABBED BY LION • A linn which recently killed its trainer has injured a visitor to the Liverpool Zoo who was walking past its cage. Mr. Edgar Jackson was carrying a walking stick, and when the Hun seized his arm and drew .it into the cage, lie struck the animal on the noso with the stick. This caused the lion to release tho arm, and tho injured visitor was taken to hospital. Last Easter tho lion, Nero, which was then in a travelling circus, attempted to attack Miss Roso Purchase, a circus dancer. Her father, Captain Tom Purchase, the trainer, tried to ward off the attack with his artificial leg, but tho lion tore this off, knocked down Captain Purchase, and fatally mauled him. FAMOUS PICTURE'S NEW HOME A picture weighing between two and three tons has been moved from an old home to a new. It is Raphael's " Transfiguration," and it now hangs in the new Vatican Picture Gallery. It is not the first time it lias been on a journey, for it was carried in the artist's funeral procession, being the last picture on which he worked. The building is going to attract the attention of all the world, partly because of the magnificent and scientific way it has been arranged, and partly because of tho new beauty its treasures will attain in their new setting. It has been planned largely in the stylo Bramante introduced to Rome in the fifteenth century. Bramante was the father of Italian Renaissance architecture. SCOTS EXILES' RETURN And westward is my hame wind and tlie tartan's on my knee And tho ship rides at anchor on the laughing waves for me. This has been tho song of five hundred exiles who arrived at Glasgow from Canada on July 16. Many of these Scots came from the Far West and they were seeing Glasgow after many long voars. "The Natives of Glasgow Reunion Partv " was the official description of the party. Not all of thern are Glaswegians, of course, but they are all Scots and theii families. They were shown over the art galleries and other civic institutions of which the Second City is proud, but after the " sights " some of them hankered for a look at the city streets where as boys they played "mashie" and rounders. But to-dav most of the old-time battlegrounds are rjuict and businesslike thoroughfares. A TEMPERANCE TREASURE A notable temperance record has been brought to notice by tho death of John Carthy, of Baliinamore, in Ireland. He took the pledge in 1842, and kept it for 90 years. The temperance movement is proud of its pioneers, of whom Carthy may be reckoned one. 1 he Walton-le-Dalo cottage of Joseph Livesey, tho leader of the " Seven Men of Preston," who were t'ho first to sign a total abstinence pledge, is being preserved and turned into a temperance museum. Even Joseph Livesey's teacup is carefully preserved, and was on view at the recent Total Abstinence Centenary _ Congress in London. There is an inscription on the bottom of the cup: " Put no rum in me," and it is tho only remaining relic of tlie first Christmas temperance teaparty, held at Preston in 1833, at which forty " reformed drunkards" acted as waiters. This historic cup was nearly lost during tho London congress. It was discovered one evening that it was missing, and it only turned up again next afternoon, when it was found among the ordinary teathings. which had been washed and locked away after tea was served to the delegates.