HERE AND THERE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2996, 16 August 1911, Page 85

HERE AND THERE.

—The Jew as a Farmer in Palestine. — Mr Solomon Pechter, of Sydney, who has lately visited Palestine, writes to a friend in Sydney from the colony Rechoboth as follows: —‘ T am now In one of the model colonies of Judea, and it is impossible for me to tell you the pleasure I derive from being here. It is simply a Paradise; it is a modern town planted on our soil, wide streets planted with trees, beautiful clean houses, surrounded by gardens. The occupiers are all sturdy, hard working Jews from all parts of the world. They live happily with their families, tilling the soil of their holdings, consisting of plantations of oranges, olives, almonds, and vineyards irrigated by oil engines from their own constructed wells, with never failing beautiful water. “The town is beautifully situated on a rising hill, their synagogue being pronfinently situated on the highest point, like the churches of other people in Christian towns. No church bell is ever heard, for there are no churches, nor is there any gaol, nor policemen, nor public houses, nor drunkards, but a splendidly conducted modern hotel. Imagine every man, woman, and child you see are brothers and sisters except for some Arab workmen and Bedouin watchmen. They have their public bath, doctor, dispensary, and schools. There is hut one language spoken by the children, which is pure Hebrew. Their business is transacted in Hebrew, all is Hebrew, and yet most of them speak five or six languages, English included. You can enter any home and you are welcome; there is no good-morn-ing or good-evening, blit one word, ‘Sholom,’ peace, and peace it is. All are honest. They have to be so, for if one is found to do a dishonest action he is shunned, and ultimately hunted out. You will get honest advice without the slight; est payment. It is verily marvellous. They ask for no assistance except for Jews to buy land, and at least come and see them instead of going to Paris and London. One can purchase land and need not reside here until the land becomes fruitful.” —Chines Burial Services. — The many curious customs of the Chinese have been a constant source of wonder and amusement to the tourist in China. By far the oddest but most impressive of their ceremonies is the burial rites for their dead. > The Chinese hold their dead in high esteem, and shower honours upon their memories by burning incense land candles daily. They also honour their relatives who have died many years before. As soon as a Chinaman dies his relatives embalm him. Dressed in his richest garments, he is placed in a teakwood coffin, solid and airtight, and the coffin is closed and sealed. It is then placed in front of the family altar. This altar is hung with richly embroidered draperies and decorated with flowers, vases, and josses. The period of mourning begins at once, especially among the women of the deceased’s household. They start a daily lamentation over their los§, and are joined in their occupation of wailing by relatives and friends. The male members of the family are busy digging the grave, while the women-folk, assisted by the professional mourners, do the wailing. The grave is half under and half above the ground, and is enclosed by a crescentshaped wall about two feet high. , Another thing' to be prepared for the dead is a miniature house, which is provided with miniature furniture. This idea is to provide the deceased with all the comforts of a home in the regions where he is going. An image of the deceased, together with drinkables and eatables, and money, is placed on the coffin the day of the funeral. The image is not buried, but is burned in the presence of the mourners, who, during the process, shriek and make the most frightful noises. This is to drive out the evil spirit with which the dead man is supposed to be possessed. When the funeral services are over the mourning banners are taken home and used as ornaments on 'the bare, whitewashed walls of the rooms. The more the banners the greater the honour paid to the dead. The miniature house precedes the mourners to the grave. Then follows the elaborate hearse, draped with rich dark blue velvet, with silver fringes, borne by the natives. The mourners, too, are supposed to assist in carrying it, which they do by holding on to the white cords attached to the hearse. Refreshments are served at the burial-ground, and at the end of the services the friends and relatives partake of the food to show their appreciation. —Woodland Music.—

Only the email birds sing. Some of tiny cnee are Capable of the sweetest music?. Our- largest songster is the thrush, and so remembering this fact, it is evident that the birds which sing ore far less numerous than those to whom the gift of song has been denied. The Bongs have meaning and purpose, and they are not always associated -with love-making, aa may be supposed. What use for the

grouse or guillemot to “tune up”? In their isolated retreats there is nobody to listen to them, and so may we not assume that since the singing is at our doors, one object may be to entertain those who should ever be the birds’ best friends? One can hardly believe, at any rate, that all this has been arranged haphazardly, or that the birds have accidentally adapted themselves to our immediate surroundisgs. Rather this admirable fitness of things suggests a controlling force affecting the work of creation generally. The woodland music is of a kind that cannot be adequately expressed In words. Attempts are sometimes made to “prick” bird notes, but they are little better than caricature—-first, because the chromatic scale does not contain the sharp inflexions of tone that pour in confused order from the avian throat, and then, if these notes could be shown in octave, where is the instrument that would correctly reproduce them? It is as difficult to catch and imprint the palpitating note of a bird as to reproduce the lightning flash, the roll of thunder, or the sough of the December wdnd. There are some things in Nature we can imitate very cleverly, and we have to be content with imitation; actual reproduction seems impossible. The difficulty with bird music is that it is inarticulate, and devoid of consonants, the case of the cuckoo being the exception. The notes may be distinct and varied, but they are rolled, twisted, and' chopped in such a way that they elude auricular grasp as surely as the merry tinkle of the running brook.—From “Wayside Walks and Talks,” in the «Millgate Monthly. —A Revolving Glass Parlour.— A revolving glass parlour on wheels, which can follow the path of the 1 sun, and thus always keep the parlour’s occupants bathed in brilliant light, is the latest society novelty at Beverly, Massachusetts, one of America’s most fashionable summer resorts. It has been constructed by Mrs Levi Z. Letter, the mother-in-law of Lord Curzon. It occupies a commanding position as a building by itself on a knoll in the three-acre Letter grounds, close by Mrs Leiter’s summer “cottage,” which cost £IOO,OOO to build and furnish. The sun parlour is near the water, and from it there are magnificent views of nearly every point of interest along the coast of Massachusetts Bay. It is a small round structure, seating six persons comfortably. The roof and the lower part of the circular wall are built of wood. All the rest of the room is constructed of plate glass. The room revolves on a concrete foundation, and it can be moved .at speeds varying from just sufficient motion to keep pace with the sun to a quick swing round. —The State Coach. — One of the most beautiful sights in Royal processions is undoutedly the state coach, drawn by its famous team of cream ponies. This gorgeous vehicle is almost 150 years old, having been built im 1J62 forr' George 111 at a cost of £7661 17s sd. The designer was Sir William Chambers, whilst the carving was done ■by Joseph Wilton, R.A., and the paintings by Cipriani. It is 24ft in length, and weighs about four tons. The body is supported on four Tritons, one at each corner, and the roof by eight beams. Those at the angles are surmounted by trophies emblematic of British victories, whilst at the apex of the roof stand three boys, representing England, Scotland, and Ireland, holding in their hands the emblems of royalty and bearing the Imperial Crown upon their heads. The panels are cornered with beautiful emblematic paintings. j The front represents Britannia enthroned,, bolding the staff of Liberty, and attended by Religion, Justice, Wisdom, Valour, Fortitude, Commerce, Plenty, and Victory, who are presenting her with a garland of laurel. In the background can be seen St. Paul’s and the Thames. --- —New York Catching London. — Largest New York (says the New York World) will overtake Largest London in the matter of population some time between Juno 7, 1914, and January 18, 1916, according to a calculation made public by Walter Laidlaw, executive secretary of the Federation of Churches and Christian Organisations in New York City. By Largest New York Mr Laidlaw means, he says, all the territory included within a radius of 19.4 miles of the City Hall. The circumference of the circle passes through Tottenville, Staten Island, and takes in a part of New Jersey and some of Westchester .and Nassau counties’ suburban territory. This area is compared with the metropolitan police district of London. The two areas thus described are, in acres, as follows: New York ... .. ... .. .. 560,958 London .. ... 443,419

From the Largest New York area is to be taken 40,000 acres of swamp land and land Tinder water. The population of Largest New Yo'rk, according to Mr Laidlaw, has been growinT as follows :

Largest New York—Total .. 6,501,178 4,613,821 3,327,066 The Laidlaw estimate of the population here and in London on January 1, 1911, ia:—■ Largest) New York ~- .■, 6,669,068 Largest London .. ♦. .. 7,252,963 The recent growth of Largest London is at the rate of 67,156 a year, while that of Largest New York is at the rate of 167,890. Estimating the future growth of Largest New York at fa'om 182,818 to 237,032 a year, Mr Laidlaw says New York wall Overtake London in fawn 3.43 years to 5.04 xears from January 1, 1911.

- 1910. 1900. 1890. New Jersey suburb fun iar©a .. 1,543,003 1,067,225 744,384 Westche'Stei - and Nassau suburban arpa 191,292 109,394 75,868 1,714,295 1,176,619 820,252 G-renter New York .. .. 4,766,8S3 3,437,202 2,507,414