HERE AND THERE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3278, 10 January 1917, Page 55

HERE AND THERE.

Germany in Brazil.— A correspondent recently furnished the Spectator with the following interesting paragraphs from the Victoria Times, of British Columbia:—"Two Brazilians, and a man of Scottish descent, though born in Brazil, were registered at the Dominion Hotel, leaving after a few hours' stay. The Brazilians are Elias Xetto and Carlos M. Reis, of Bio Janeiro, while their guide is P. B. Findlay, of Highland extraction. He is the representative of the Standard Oil Company in Bio. Mr Findlay knew the late Roger Casement in Brazil, when he was consul-general at Rio, and said he was regarded as a crank there. In Brazil the Germans were not overlooking any advantages. 'They populated,' said Mr Findlay, 'the State of Santa Catharina. And what wa? the surprise of the Brazilian Government to find that, after the war broke out, though these Germans had lived in Brazil for generations, thev had 10.000 men fully armed and equipped in that Statej which faces the sea. Thev sent a gunboat down io Santa Catharina from Rio, and examinations were made, and at one place it was found they were building a hospital. It was a hospital with immense concrete foundations underground workings, and steel and concrete walls. It was in reality a fortress of great strength. They were preparing to create a separate German independent State in Santa Catharina. There they allowed only German to be spoken. They had their own factories and schools and churches, and the Brazilian Government had been very tolerant, only to find that its hospitality had been abused by the German colony.' The travellers are on a pleasure tour. They are, seeing America first. Mr Reis. who is a- young man. is the son of a coffee planter who owns 100.000 acres of plantation near Rio de Janeiro/'

Self-healing Trees.— When n bullet or any foreign body penetrate 1 ? a troo not sufficiently to kil l it, the wound cicatrixes almost in exactly the same way as a wound on the human body heals. If it did not, destructive microbes would enter and cause decay of the tissues. Trees

are very well equipped for healing their wounds, and, more fortunate than we. an antiseptic dressing is almost automatically applied. As soon as the lesion lias taken place the vegetable reacts to the wounded spot; its breathing at this point is quickened and at the, .same time protein matters are rushed to the. scene. Many plants are provided with secreting canals filled with more or less gummy substances which are instantly poured over the wounded surface and protect it. This is true especially of the conifers —pines, firs. etc. —of which the resin makes a swift and impermeable antiseptic dressing. In trees that have- little or no resin the wounded part turns brown.

This is due to tho appearance of a juice that seems to he a mixture of gums and tannin. And the cells of the tree start into activity, proliferating and filling up the cavity with new cells". If the wound be large these take the form of vegetable cicatricial tissue, which makes a plug and remains as a scar. In the event that the wound be confined to one of the limbs of the tree it not infrequently happens that the limb becomes dead and drops off, the wound healing, and leaving the tree nowise the worse for the loss of the absent limb.

Food Prices in Sweden.— Though we may not know the conditions prevailing in Germany to-day we can form some idea of the distress 'that must be prevailing there from the prices of foodstuff.s and other necessities in neighbouring neutral countries. A letter recently received in Melbourne from a member of a well-to-do Swedish family gives the following account of the conditions ruling in Sweden at the middle of October: —"Here everything is at an unnaturally high price, and the latest is that we are'not allowed to buy sugar with coupons. Wo are allowed 2111 of sugar per person per month. That is not much when it has to do for cooking, baking, and for tho table; but they think that in December things will be better. We pay 2s a lb for meat—mutton, veal, or beef; pork is dearer. How the poor live is a mystery, for I'm sure I don't know. I foresaw that there would be a scarcity of sugar, so about six weeks ago I bought a bag of 2501 b, and now I don't know where I can hide it or how to alter it so that it can be called by another name, as I daresay they will confiscate it. Soap is that dear that it is nearly unobtainable. A bar of soap weighing about 21b. or 2Hb, costs 2s 9d, and washing powder is about 5d a packet. Yet this is only the beginning of the winter."

The mystery of the pills with which German and Austrian troops are provided has been elucidated. At first it wis thought that they were intended tc assuage hunger, the nourishing properties of a hearty meal being attributed to each pill. Examinations of German prisoners m Russia reveal the fact that th.e.->e pills are for a different purpose. One pill contains sufficient narcotic or alcoholic properties to make a man slightly drunk. It stimulates him and fills him with a desire for battle. He feels for a I'ela'.iv'ly short time more vigorous.

Two of these pills are served out daily to the German soldiers, especially before an attack, or on those days when a particularly trying ordeal in the trenches is anticipated. When the pills are given alcoholic rations are cut off. The mental invigoration which accompanies the stage of incipient drunkenness undoubtedly has its attractions; but prolonged use of this new discovery of German chemists causes a, feeling of discomfort and a weakness of the whole physical organism, so that soon the soldier has no keen relish for the dose.

Comrades in Arms. — Soldiers of the same age, fighting side by side (a Frenchwoman says in her " Notes on the War "), may be of very different social classes, but often become the closest friends. She tells this sto.v m illustration of the fact : —" A very merry young soldier entertained his companions in the ' dugout' most delightfully by hu irrepressible joviality. One day his spirits failed. Asked the reason by one of his mates, he said : ' In ordinary life I am a clown in a music hall. It's my business bo make other people laugh, lint to-day I got a letter from my wife telling of the illness of our two children. She can't go out to work, and things look black. That's why I don't joko to-day.' A few days later the same inquirer said, ' Comrade, you're merry again. What's happened?' 'Why, a letter from my Louise says a man called and handed her three 100 franc notes from his client, M. Jean Breton: so things are bright again for us. But who can M. Breton be?' The othei man was silent, but finally spoke: 'Don't worry, captain. I am Jean Breton. I'm rich enough to afford it. Now sing us one of your comic songs, please!'" Shopping Extraordinary.—

"The Somme battle has been the best tonic that the Imsiness of this country has had since the war began." This remark, made by the head of one of the largest business establishments in London, reflects the general opinion of the directors of most of the big stores catering for the general public, says the Weekly Despatch. The shops were never more crowded, nor did money ever change hands more freely. The shopping scones in such business thoroughfares as Oxford street and Regent street recall the palmiest days in peace times. Managers of stores, wearing a rorpetual smile, freely admit that the enormous access of business amazes them. The explanation everywhere given is the same. The middle classes are making the money out of the war and are spending it. A great part of the money which the nation is spending on the war in this country is finding its way into the simps. Money is circulating so freely that even with shorter shopping hours the receipts are much heavier than normal. Bishop Makers.—

During his terms as Prime Minister, extending over some 13 years, Lord Salisbury appointed so many prelates of the English Church that 'he established a record as a "bishop maker." Mr Asquith ran him very however, for against his predecessor's 31 nominations he can point in his eight years to 19. including that of one archbishop. As the number of diocesans now considerably exceeds the number of seats on the bishops' bench in the House of Lords, and the '"juniors"

have to await vacancies in rotation, only a few of Mr Asquith's bishops are yet in Parliament—the Bishop of Winchester (who becomes a Spiritual ne-er without waiting), and those of Oxford, Norwich, and Lincoln, in addition to the Archbishop of York. The Bishop of Sodor and Man also has a seat directly he is appointed ; but he can neither vote nor speak.