CURRENT TOPICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6703, 29 December 1908, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

■'A KNOCK-OUT BLOW." Tho evidence given by Dr W. Kynglon Fyffe at the inquest held on the body of an ■ unknown man who was ga-rotcd and killed m Courtenay place early on Sunday morning serves m a measure to explain the real moaning of what pugilists call a "knock-out blow." The doctor said that a violent blow delivered with the edge of the hand over the larynx might cause instantaneous death to the person "so assaulted, for it might affect nerves that are in close connection with the heart, and put that important portion of the human system out of action. Dr hylic quoted from a text-book a case in which a French professor had jokingly placed his baud on a lady’s throat saying, he. would not hurt her. .She said she felt no pain, but an instant later she gasped and died. That is about the same thing which pugilists call a blow "on the point.” A grip on the neck has the same effect—"sends ’em to sleep." THE TOWN HALL OEGAN. The series of recitals which Mr Maughan Barnett was engaged by tho City Council to give on the Town Hall organ have now been concluded. It is interesting to know that, after all expenses have been met, tho Council will have a substantial credit balance to show. Even if there had been, no profit on the recitals the action of tho in thus enabling tho valuable instrument to bo heard by tho people at a minimum of cost was fully justified, for great numbers of .residents and visitors have derived pleasure from tho programmes which have been submitted. It is hopied that when arranging next year’s programme, the Council will reserve the Town Hall on such nights os Good Friday, Easter Sunday or Monday, and Christmas Night for city organ recitals instead of variety entertainments, as these are occasions when, with the city crowded with visitors, opportunity should bo given of allowing tho organ to be heard at its best. , A SCAMP WITH NINE WIVES. A scoundrel with an extraordinary history was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment at Leeds (England) last month on charges of bigamy, forgery, and theft. The man, Samuel Woodward. was tho son of a working gardener. Articled to a solicitor he fled to Canada - to avoid arrest for theft. Returning to England he contracted his first bigamous marriage with Eliza Dawson at Newcastle in 189 S. He then absconded with £523,. and a reward of .£IOO was offered for his apprehension. In 1898 ho married three women in two months, and then wont to Hampshire, whore ho absconded with £l3O, and contracted a further bigamous marriage, deserting one woman three months after the wedding. He also wont through the form of marriage with a Miss Phillip®, at Warwick, deserting her after Or,, days, and marrying Miss Frances Day, of Gloucester, and Miss Blandford, of Fishponds, Bristol. Some nine bigamous marriages which prisoner had contracted were mentioned by counsel. Most of the charges of theft arose out of frauds practised on the women Woodward had married. MOUNT HOLDSWORTH. Professor Kirk, . who with Mr W. C. Davies, agricultural instructor. Inspector Tennant ad a party of school teachers, ascended Mount Holdsworth on Tuesday last, told Mr C. Bannister, the guide, that ho considered Mount Holdsworth to bo one of the finest mountains of its height in the Southern Hemisphere as a hunting ground for lichens, mosses and other botanical specimens (says tho "Wairarapa Daily Times’*). Many kinds of parasites and curious plants are frequently seen on a single tree. Inspector Tennant thought that the flora was equal to any in New Zealand. Edelweiss, goltheria and pymelia —mountain box —are now at the stage of. perfection, Eaoulis rubra, "vegetable sheep,” is just coming into bloom, and the tree daisy is in flower, while the ranunculi are dying off. On Manuka Plat, on the Masterton tide of the Mountain House, are a lot of very fine orchids, a strange plant called sundew, which catches flies, and a pretty little flower known by the name of "eyebright.” Mr H. 11. Travers, tho AVellingtou botanist, who went up last week, is of opinion that the Tourist Department should grant at least £IOO for the improvement of the mountain track, on account of the locality and its deserving nature, as ’ a holiday resort. Mr Bannister recommends that ladies should not make the trip until after a week of fine weather, as the mud is pretty deep in places. A FAMOUS JUDGE’S CAREER. The death of Lord Justice Mathew, which occurred in London last month, at the age of seventy-eight, removes one of ’ the most picturesque figures from the legal world. Lord Justice Mathew was the eldest son of Mr Charles Mathew, of Lehenagh House, Cork, and Castlelake, Tipperary, and a nephew of Father Mathew, the great .Irish temperance reformer. His career as a student was a brilliant one. Deciding to go to the Bar, he graduated at Trinity, Dublin, and in 1850 became Senior Moderator and gold medallist. Twenty years later he was junior counsel for. the Crown, under Hawkens and Bowen, in the Tichborue case. Commercial law, of which he was a complete master, was his forte, and he enjoyed a largo practice in actions of this kind, being standing junior counsel for Lloyd’s for some years. Promotion came in 1881, when he was appointed a Judge—with one exception (Mr Justice AVilies), the Only instance of a stuff gownsman going direct from the Bench without devilling for the Attorney-General. He was ono of Mr Gladstone’s happy selections, and on the Bench ho soon gained the confidence of commercial men. To him was due the establishment ,of the Commercial Court, over which he was appointed to preside in 1895. Twenty years after reaching the Bench he* was elevated to the Appeal Court, where he remained till his retirement, early in 190 G, through ill-health. One of the most famous of the late Judge’s many sarcastically witty remarks was: "Truth will out—even in an affidavit!’’ It was once said of him that ho was admired rather than beloved by the Bar—admired for his great learning and robust common-sense. On the other hand, he was not too popular, because he was believed to be the instigator of many attempts to render law cheap, quick and business-like. He Was brisk, even swift, in getting through his work; in fact, when he sat as a Clan-

oery Judge ho sometimes cleared off the arrears in startling fashion, and quite upset the calculations of sonic of the slow-coaches of the lave. He was the, pioneer cf shorter sentences. No one was a greater opponent of the p.aciico. of piling up heavy, savage scnlonccts for repented offences of a trifling character. The Judge's daughter, who died about eighteen months ago, was the v.ifo of air John Dillon, ALP. PRIZES FOB AVIATION. If aviation does not make rapid progress in Franco it will not be for lack of encouragement—in cash. The National Aerial League has just announced that it has been entrusted with the founding of another valuable prize, a challenge cup of the value of ,£2OOO. This will be awarded ever}' six months to the aviator holding the record for the best flight in a straight line. At the end of throe years the cup will bo definitely awarded, to the record-holder. But if, before the expiration qf the Ihreo years, an aviator shall succeed in covering 1000 kilometers (C 25 miles) in less than five hours, ho will win the cup outright. This seems an almost impossible performance, but it must be remembered that the aeroplane is now only in its infancy, and that already, with monoplanes like that of M. Blcriot, a speed of 50 miles an hour is attained. The league also offers a prize of .£BOO for the winner of .a contest over a fixed course of 20 kilometers at the aerodrome of Savigny-sur-Orge. Each competitor will make his attempt separately. PROCESSOR RUTHERFORD'S WORK. A special cable message cent from London to the Toronto “Globe," Canada, last month, states that Professor E. Rutherford, who is director of the physical laboratories at Manchester University, who is one of the world's foremost authorities on radio-activity, and who was recently given the Nohel prize, details in a communication addressed to "The Scientific Weekly" the nature of experiments which, in . addition,,to important results from the point of view of radio-active data, are noteworthy from tho fact that during their progress it was for the first time po-eible to detect a single atom of matter. This can be done in two ways, one electrical and the other optical. The possibility of the detection of a single atom of matter, the message says, is duo to the great energy of motion of alpha particles, which, ne Professor Rutherford showed in 1903, are veritable atoms of matter which are ejected from radio-aotivo matter at a speed of about 10,000 miles per second. Professor Rutherford's more recent experiments show that 136,000,000 alpha particles are expelled every second from one milligram of radium in a radio-ac-tive equilibrium'. There is reason to believe, Professor Rutherford roeerte, that the alpha particle is an atom of helium carrying a double charge, or, in other words', that an alpha particle, when its charge is neutralised, is a helium atom. His experiments, ho considers, have given pjoof of the correctness of the atomic hypothesis with regard to the discrete structure of matter. A FAMOUS ART DEALER. Tho death has taken place, at Hyercs, of Sir Joseph Duvcen, of Park lane, head of tho famous Bond street firm of art dealers. Of Dutch-Jowish descent, ho started his career at a smith's forge, emigrated to Hull early in life, taught himself many subjects ho had been unable to learn earlier in his life, and made his way to London. Here ho became associated with a Holboru firm of jewellers (Messrs Barnett), and, finding himself then well on the road to prosperity, he, with his brother, laid tho foundations of what is now the worldknown firm of Duveen Brothers. In Bond ©treat tho brothers soon became" talked about, for they had ‘ gathered around them a remarkable collection of objects of art. Not a few of the Duveen purchases created a sensation in their way. There was, for instance, iho ffrmous Rodolphe Kann Collection, a museum of pictures and works of art which was the envy of tho world’s collectors. Messrs Duveen purchased it for one million pounds. Another remarkable purchase was that of the famous collection of German and Italian paintings and. sculpture, which was got together by the late Herr Hainauer. The collection was purchased hy Messrs Duveen in the summer of 1906 for .£250,000. It was Sir Joseph Duveen who, in July of 1905, wrested two noble Van Dyck portraits—those of King Charles I, and Queen Henrietta Maria—from probable purchasers in Amorica. For these ho paid 17,000 guineas. Sir Joseph, who was knighted in June this year, made several generous gifts to Onp of them was Sargent's portrait of Miss Ellen Terry as "Lady Macbeth," from the collection of Sir Henry Irving; it was in danger of going to America. LIFE ON A COAL-HULK. There is nothing very elegant in the of the many old coal-hulka which dot the waters of the harbour in tho neighbourhood of Pipitca Point. No doubt when their "march was o'er tho mountain-wave, their home was on tho deep" these dingy old derelict-looking hulks were smart and trim, and indeed all-ataunte; but % now most of them look as if they were passively regretting tho days 1 that : were, -when they ranked. as “China clippers"—some of them did—although they arc now tethered, up in a sort of marine “rotten row," still serving. a purpose of extreme utility, but, all the same, awaiting placidly the day when they will be taken to the shipbreakers' yard. Dirty, grimy, and forbidding they arc in appearance, for their Holds contain nothing but coal, and the coal dust, one would think, would blacken everything—even the atmosphere. Nothing of the sort. Visits paid by >a “Times" man to two of the Westport hulks on Saturday disclosed the surprising fact that the caretakers' quarters are as clean, spick, and span ae any residence could 'possibly bo. And tho inmates, who, as it happened, were married men, had plenty of room aboard.'' Their quarters are situated in tho compartraen/ta wtoicfli in former days accommodated the officers of tho ships, and were used as the dining saloons. They are furnised in a manner which clearly Indicates the-'presence on board of a neat, natty wife; for that matter,sailormen are proverbial for their tidiness, and when their wives are similarly inclined the “keel is laid" of a happy, comfortable home. And euch these, are. Workmen's cottages are usually regarded as the acme of what a workman's homo should be. There are coal-hulks lying in Wellington harbour which present features of comfort and indeed elegance, which few dry-laud dwellings can oiler to the visitor. The only inconvenience tho residents suffer from is that for the

major portion of the time their floating palace is anchored in the stream; but they are supplied with excellent boats, and tho caretakers aro excellent watermen, to whom it i* uo trouble to sail or row across to the wharves.

TRADE REVIVAL IN AMERICA. It is not too much to uay that a wav« of revived prosperity is already ©weep* iug over the United State©, says a cnblo message from New York to London newspapers on November oth. At any rate, everybody is talking of good times, and that is much the same, tiling, ‘for it means restored public confidence and general circulation of money, which was been held in reserve since the panic a year ago. The President-elect, Mr Taft, with magnificent tact, declared the other day that while criminal corpora* lions would have to face the relentless arm of tho law, honest business might go ahead, for tho White, House would protect it. Tho seal of Washington, is* therefore, on the present boom, and tiny whole country is looking forward to tro mentions industrial activity between, now and next spring. Scores of factories which have boon on short time lor months are asking for the return of their employees who have- been suspended* many of them for nearly a year, lb may perhaps seem strange to say it, but it is generally felt among the loading commercial houses that the stimulus to renewed business activity will bo all tho greater because Mr Roosevelt within, a few months will bo safely in South Africa. AN ELECTRICAL DISPLAY. H.M.S. Powerful, at present in Waite* mata Harbour, had a-curious experience in the electrical storm which broke over Auckland last Friday forenoon (says tho “Herald"). Tho lightning flash coming out from tho heart of the black cloud maas seemed to make for the warship* as being'Something tangible for striking, and the electric discharge duly arrived on board. But It had reckoned without that curious invention, wireless telegraphy, and tho cobwcb-liko lines between the masts entangled the flash, it seems that iho wires of the installation, either attracted the electricity from tho air, or olse were the lightning conductors; at any rate the current pissed harmlessly through tho “earth line," not, however, before it had giver, a dazzling display. In the 'OporaUng-nom it was as if half a dozen messages \vor<* being sent at once; there was the Mu that accompanies the operation of f,seLding," and a brilliant display of spar'** at the sparking plugs," whilq a peculiar no ice msoundod through tho ship. There seemed to be quite a dance ol sparks along the decks and the effect was both peculiar and uncanny. No damage of any kind was caused, but it is possible that some other wireless install a tion received a message from the Powerful which it would require uo little ingenuity to render intelligible. HEWS NOTES On New Year’s Day (Friday) the Postal Department will bo closed in all its branches. Moils for steamers sailing on. that day will close at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Mails by the morning express, trains only will close.at the usual time. Between b.3U p.m. and 9.30 p.m. on Thursday a delivery will be made over the public counter nt the Chief Post UJlico by the letter-carriers. Staff Captain Arnott, of the Salvation Army, is at present louring Hawke’s Bay in order to enlist sympathy in the scheme to oreot large buildings on Eotoroa (Ituth’s Island) tor the purpose oi an inebriates’ institution. It is intended that the buildings .shall be capable of accommodating one hundred male inebriates. The local inquiry bureau of the Government Department of Tourists and Health resorts has been open during the holidays, and a very largo number of visitors to Wellington have availed themselves of the information' obtain, able there. During tho past fortnight this branch of tho Government. service has been immensely busy, the number of inquiries dealt with exceeding thoso of most similar previous periods. Messrs Cook and Sons also report a remarkable number of inquiries.

It must bo conceded, says the "Gray Star,” that the greatest and most urgent need of the West Coast is a harbour which it will bo possible to work at any state of the tide and in all weathers. "Purther than this our ideal is a harbour which will b,e capable of accommodating tramp vessels of such a size as will enable ua to compete successfully with Newcastle mid our other rivals in the commercial world. Tho question opens up a largo subject, tho solution of which many look for by tho conof an artificial harbour at Point Elizabeth."

Tho "Otago IWily Times” reports that splendid results have been achieved at the Portobcllo marine fish hatchery, near Dunedin. The curator, in his report, statda that the actual success that haa attended tho miults' of the past, year’s experimenting with lobsters and crabs cannot yet be accurately gauged, but he feels justified in saying that thin year’s work has proved conclusively that to complete tho process of breeding, spawning, and subsequent hatching of a good proportion of the eggs is possible under artificial- conditions, provided that the crustaceans are not handled, and are kept clean and providtd with a constant change of water. A reportvSn -the whole problem of the hatching and rearing of lobsters and crabs at the Portobello station will be prepared soon. In order that officers of the SafVation Army may be not weary in well-doing, the organisation insists on. a system of itinerancy whereby tho officer who liaa laboured at, say, Pocroa, may bo suddenly (shifted to, say, Patea,. and so keep hie buckler bright. Yesterday from the head office there went forth orders to tho sixty-sis officers of thirty-two corps in the North Island province that they- are to "farewell” on January_ 10th. These officers will receive their “marching orders" on the 14th. It is rather an easy thing for an officer of tho organisation to move camp, for he does not take much with him, all his household gear and tho house itself frequently belonging to the Army, the needs of individual officers being attended to locally. Phe appointments aro to bo announced next week.

Five or six weeks ago there waft, brought into operation a new legal system of legal inquiry into all cases ot violent and sudden death or senoua accident.- In place of the antiquated ‘Ciot'ner’is Quest” there was substituted the "Magisterial inquiry," under which the services of a jury are dispensed with. The Stipendiary Magistrate hears the evidence and instead of addressing a jury and retailing and cxplaimngi to thorn a few legal maxims, which mayor may not clarify tho matters in question, and which, anyhow, the jurymen in nine cates out of ten probably do not understand, he sits there sphinx-like for' a, minute, and then enters up his "finding"—and. there's no more about it. Hut this new and simplified system is apparently subject to interruptions. Dr MacArthur, S.M., our City Coroner, baa gone on holiday, and reversion wap had to the old system in the case of the mum found dead in Courtenay place. A jury had to be empanelled.

Tilt. banks U. roiißbont New , XoaW.n.l ■.will bo dowel next Friday and natiirduy.

mad,. lasi, ..*l.l d.ow tb .1 ikon' is at present. absolutely i.olh.ai; to connect any individual will, Iha , theft of .Cl7O of tramways immej. »'i'l 11,111 UlO police havr. m, chic. Tho following I. Jidnis warn received by Air \Vost, arehiteel, I'alinerslim No. In. for till! Wftlioii '‘"t l " , mm'Li, 1 i/u \ w, McLean, \» (.‘illusion, iaiOil (accepted): limklaml ami Took. Blt.liam, .bill W: A. IT lijimows. lLi''e'.’. JSHSG; McAlister ami MouUI.-y loln ; - six,.,, ,rai7V; sj.oKstcr, . htrdU . l ';;: Uf«,a. K,van and Bcm, -Mamua, .Lite-, Sollit liras., PnliucTsUm, .I‘AbUO; McMillan. WclUoklou, ..ball?.

•Sonin tirno ago air 0. , II '.. ( ''A ll< |,’ president of the Otago Acclimatisation .Society, wtoln iu cutlery maoulacUiinis in l;ii;miugham and Sheffield, imkinK them it Mughorns ' vt ’ lv of any s,i in* 1 1 their trade. Thu firms him, rep u I stating that slagdiorn is a rood maiKaubio commodity, which vvtll realise j>* per owl. if is very u.-mnil m llto mami-I'n-otum ol‘ Unil'** bundles and the ? like, and they are quiln prepared U> take- a trial shipineiil. in view of the la<jt that malformed deer are on the increas* 1 ia New Zealand, end much culling nece.S'Ury, it is intuiT-stintf to know (nays a Dunedin contemporary.) that revenue •can ho derived from the sale of horns. Mr F. W. Maiilon, of Wellington, recently concluded a walking tour from Napier In Waihi, passing ea route through t:iie heart of the Orewcra country. Air MaiiLon .started out from Napn'r on Grimm her Uth, and walked thatday along the coast and over the bridleiruck from Tongoio as far as Tipimu, a distance of early 4U milas. Next; day he got as fur us \Vairoa, a further distance of 30 or IU miles. Tim third clay ho vvalkud to Fiausertown (a distance of 6U1.1R1 seven niilcsN and rcsled theru tor the day. and on the following day 3(J, mikts \va; covered. Lake Walkare'imnuia. Ijcdiig p-e ichcd Uiat night. The last j miles of this day’s trip -was accomplisliod in heavy rain, culminating in a thunderstorm. The Xaiko House was reached at four oh?lock, after a solid tramp of over 11 hours. The following tl;»v Mr Manton halted, and on tho sneccediiig clay he crossed thd lake by iauncli, and walked over tho Huiaru saddle (which is dklOft high) to XUiataiaimt, when* ho stayed for tho night witli Mr HailUc, storekeeper. Some 20 miles, iiudiidijig dillicult walking, was covered that day. Next day Galatea, a further stretch of ovjr 30 miles, was reached, ttnd'on tho Vay Mr Manton met Dr and Mifct? Scott, of Onohunga, who subsequently appear to have had an eventful experience on the way to Lake Waikarcinoanii. Next day Mr Manton pushed on for 31) miles to To Keno, tills distance being accomplished in 12 hours, tho Inst 15 miles being walked through heavy rain. Next day lie walked to Matata (17 miles), and from there took passage by the ketch ‘Wave to Tauranga, A j further water trip next morning lauded Mr Manton at Katikati, whence ho walked to Waihi, a distance of 18 miles, tho Inst JO miles being covered in two hours.