Page 1 Advertisements Column 3

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10417, 1 April 1910, Page 1

By the time Halley's comet arrives it will have, lost the last shred of its reputation. Astronomers have already declared that it will not consume the earth. Sir David Gill, late Astronomer Royal at the. Cape, went so far in a lecture at the Horticultural Hall as to deny that it can esercise any political influence or even affect the weather. "People always thought that something was sjare to happen every time a comet became visible," he said — "as if something did not happen every day. How can a comet one hundred millions of miles away cause a flood in Paris, say, and dry weather in Eygpt on -the same day? "Halley's comet appeared in 1835, and it is to appear again in May. According to the superstitions it must be a political comet, because the representation of the two main parties in the House of Commons is practically the same now as it was in 1835. In 1835 there was a dissolution, and. this year also there is to be a dissolution," he declared amid laughter. "There were 385 Liberals in 1835 and there are 393 in 1910, while the number of the Ppposition is exactly the sanie now* as then—273. When the cometj in 1066," he continued, "the Pope of that day, it is. alleged, denounced the cometj the Turks, and tlie devil in one Bull. But it has been shown that the excommunication applied to'the Turks and the devil only and not to' the cpmet. Comets' tails always turn away from the sun. The worst of it is that nobody knows exactly what. they are. Some •people think they consist of very miinite matter thrown off by-the action of the sun, and others think -the tails are electrical affairs, because the}' cannot believe the tails could travel so far.-' He.added"that the comet would give its most gorgeous disx>lay on May 21..- ■■."•:■

111. Formosa evsry household - has to pay a monthly tax of two fats. A. fine is imposed on those who fail to pay them : in. .Every, rat is : examined, and if found to be infected -with the plague the house is thoroughly gleaned and disinfected.- : Twice a year every house or shop has to he emptied of all its contents and. carefully . cleaned out, while rows of .tables, pahs; boxes, bottles', etc., line the streets. -' JThe- Japanese rulers mean to have their sanitation.■effective. •___ :-■'■-■ For Chronic Chest Complaints, Woods'' Great Peppermint Cure, ; : :..;;;.-1/6, 2/6.; :,:■'.