NEWS AND NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4408, 15 July 1901, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES

Apropos of Sir H. N. Prendergast’s recent autobiography, a correspondent writes:—“An_ amusing incident took place when King Theebaw was brought before Sir Harry Prendergast. The st© been told before, but this version is new. When King Theebaw was brought before Sir Henry, he implored the general not.to rob him of a precious ring ©r of his no less precious wife 1 But as the general smiled in a mysterious manner, ’ King Theebaw exclaimed : “Well, well, take my wife, but oh, great commander, spare me my ringl” Still the annual overflow of Irish men and women to other lands continues, in spite of the evidences of the improved condition of the, country. In the past 50 years over 3,841,000 natives cf the Emerald Isle have sought fortune in other climes. Half a century ago, however, as many as from 100,000 to nearly 200,000 left Irish ports annually; now the number is far smaller. From 1895 there was a gradual decrease until 'the end of 1898, in which year the figures sprang from 32,241 to 41,232. Last year the number who emigrated was 45,288, an increase of 4056. Of the 45,288 natives of Ireland, 39,238, or 86.6 per cent., went to the colonies or to foreign countries; and 6050, or 13.4 per cent., to Great Britain. The United States of America absorbed 37,765 or 83.4 per cent. The Upper House of the Arkansas State Legislature has passed a bill making it illegal for anyone to drink an intoxicating liquor unless th© individual holds a license. The cost of such a license is to be Sdols. a year. The penalty for an offence is a fine of lodols., or a month's imprisonment. The Bill has still to pass the Lower House. The returns of emigration from the United Kingdom to “places out of Europe” have been issued by the Commercial Department of the Board of Trade for the month and four months ending the 30th April. They are interesting as showing, inter alia, a decrease of emigration to Canada, a considerable increase. to the United States, and a moderate increase to Australasia and South Africa. The figures for the four mouths are—British emigrants to the United States 27,079,

against 25,221 in tho same period of 1'jOO; to British North America 2115, against 3816; to Australasia 4437, against 3380; to South Africa 4838, against 4094, and to “all other places ’ 3818, against 3406. The totals thus re. presented are 42,287, against 39,917. From British shores, of course, a large number of foreign emigrants embark. In the four months in question 34,521 sailed from British ports to various destinations, as against 29,266 in the same period of 1900. Au instrument to detect distant thunderstorms has been devised and described by M. T. Tommasina. Tho apparatus consists essentially of a selfdecohering carbon coherer placed in circuit with a dry cell and an ordinary telephone receiver. The grains of carbon are hermetically sealed in a glass tube attached to the telephone magnet, so as to lie horizontally when the receiver is placed to the ear. • The impres. sion produced on an observer is that of being transported into the neighbourhood of the thunderstorm, which might yet be ridden below the horizon. To strengthen the effect the author used three copper “antennae,” each 30 metres (98 feet) long. In this manner it was found possible to observe the development of a violent thunderstorm at a distance twelve hours before it broke loose at the observing station, which was situated on the Lago Maggiore. A distant rain is indicated by a rattling sound before a cloud is visible.

Paris is to be paved with/ glass, and the fact has been referred to as if glass streets were at present unknown. It is, however, not so. Everybody who has been to Lyons knows the Rue do la Republique, with its glass pavements laid in blocks eight inches square, so closely fitted that water cannot pass through them. But streets of glass are by no means the most curious streets in the world. There is a street in Gwandu, Africa, which is a veritable place of skulls. The town, oval in shape, hag round it a ring of poles, every one of which is crowned with a human skull. There are six gates to the town, and every one of them is approached by a pavement of skulls, of which something like 12,000 "were used. The pavement is snowy white. Philadelphia has a street made with compressed grass, and the experiment promised so well after a year that there may be many companion streets of glass by this time. A writer in the “Temple Magazine” says Dr. Murray points out in his note to “In-Infer” that those who are interested in the length of words will observe that incircumscriptibleness has as many letters as honorificabilitudinity, viz., 22. The authority quoted for the former word is one Byfield, a divine, who, in a treatise on Colossians, published in 1615, wrote: —“The immensity of Christ’s divine nature hath. . . incircumscriptibleness in respect of place,” In the recent biography of Dr. Benson is an entry from the archbishop’s diary to the effect that “the Free Kirk of the North of Scotland are antidisestahlishmentarians” —26 letters. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Premier of Canada, is well known for hjs sharp and witty answers* which are themselves very often unanswerable. The following is told in the “Slate” : —At one of Lady Minto’s big receptions Sir Wilfrid was tremendously bored by a young American, who was criticising our colonies in general and Canada in particular. “Can’t think why you don’t choose some animal, some goodsized beast, or bird, for your natioual emblem, instead of a maple leaf,” he remarked. “S’pose you’re waiting till we annex yon!” “We have the beaver,” Sir Wilfrid reminded him, “th© emblem of industry.” “Beaver, indeed! Do you know what we call the beaver? A rat with a swelled tail,’’ chuckled the American. "And many people are apt to look on your American eagle as a jay- with a swelled head,” was the crushing’retort. The American retired. French aggression in the New Hebrides group of islands in the Australian Pacific, continues, notwithstanding the action of the Colonial Office and , the Admiralty on the pressure of the Federal authorities of Australasia. On Ist April, the date of the latest intelligence, the aggressors in the island of Epi, where 'Mr Fraser, the Scottish missionary, looks after native rights, were making a road through the islanders’ fences and plantations to conmct the French settlements. They propose to remove a native school with an iron roof, and refuse to produce titles of any kind. The natives, to the number of 676 adult males, of whom'lo6 are chiefs, have presented a petition in their own tongue,’ to be translated into English and sent to King Edward VII., asking for His protection, and praying for annexation to the British Empire. The advertising columns of the official “Johannesburg Gazette” testify to the relaxation of the strain under which life has had to be lived there for months past. In tho Gazette” for April 2 there is notice that the Government butchers’ shops would be closed on the 14th, and tnat private butchers might then resume business. Th© prices ruling at th e Government shops on April 2 were surprisingly moderate. Chops and steak could be bought for Is 3d per lb., cuts off the best joints for Is, second best joints lid per lb., soup and rough meats, Bd, etc. Tho following sample prices indicate that there was no scarcity at the privsion stores, which also were under Government control; Corned beef, 9d per lb: bacon. Is !Jd-_ ham. Is 4d- coffee, ls8d; flour, 2jd; rice, 3d. Vienna sausages, 9)d; butter, Is 9sd and 2s 2Jd. Belief in fatalism caused the death of an Arthur (Ontario) woman recently. The woman’s family belonged to a religious sect having no faith in doctors, but in her dying moments she asked for a doctor, and her brother-in-law agreed to bring one to her if the horse, through Divine direction, took the right road. The animal turned off the road, and no doctor was procured.

Oliver Wendell Holmes wps once present at a gathering where he chanced to be seated near the refreshment table and noticed a little girl looking longingly at table. In his kindly way, he said, “Are you hungry, my child?” She replied bashfully in the affirmative. "Then why don’t you take .a sandwich P” he asked. The little maid responded—- “ Because I haven’t any fork.” Tho autocrat quoted, smilingly—“ Fingers were mad e before forks,” and to his intense amusement she answered—“ Not my fingers 1”