NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3610, 22 May 1923, Page 39

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Question* for reply in coming issue to be ttt wived not liter than SATURDAY night. Questions will NOT be replied to through the poet M. J. asks: (1) The year the election contest between Messrs C. E. Statham and J. W. Munro was disputed. (2) Was there a second election? —-(1) 1914. (2) The byelection was held in February, 1915. “Interested” (Maheno) asks: (1) Where is the town cf Cathcart—in Scotland or England? (2) Is Hoggan an Irish name similar to Hogan ? (3) A recipe for making sand soap. -(1) A ward ef Glasgow, Scotland. (2) The name Hogan is Irish, but Hoggan smacks more of an English type. Make soap in the ordinary way and stir in sand to suit. Tom Jones. —The secretary of the 1> vercargill Competitions Society has not favoured us with a copy of the syllabus. On application he would doubtless supply with particulars as to the books you might consult to enable you to procure material if you desired to enter for the original poem contest. It is not clear from your query whether that subject is the death of Hongi Hikia or the deatli of Hone Heke. Hongi was a celebrated Maori chief, a general, bloodthirsty, cruel, and treacherous, the scourge of the southern tribes. He visited England and Sydney and purchased arms. He was usually accompanied in his raids by his blind wife, who was his trusted adviser, and is said to have urged him on with some of his treacherous acts. On his death from the effects of a bullet w-ound a song was composed by a rival Maori chief, who was thus deprived of the opportunity* of seeking revenge. Hone Heke was also a Maori chief, and led the first rebellion against pakeha supremacy by cutting down the flagstaff, the emblem of the Gueen's authority at Kororareka (now Russell), Bay of Islands. Y\Tien Sir George Grey was appointed to succeed Captain Fitzroy as Governor, Hone Heke’s power was soon broken. “Ruapuna” writes: I have been appointed secretary of school committee, and am instructed to write several letters, to which I sign my own name, adding “Secretary School Committee.” So far the answers have come direct to me. Is this rigti*, or should they come to the chairman ? v 2) What is the proper procedure at the meeting? Do I hand this correspondence to the chairman or read it to them myself ? (3) Is there any book of instructions I could get? (1) It is correct that they go to the secretary. (2) The inward and outward correspondence is first read bv the secretary, then handed to the chairman (3) There are various guides to be obtained at V>onV shoos, for instance, "The Chairman’s Guide” would help you. ‘Light” (Palmerston) asks : Is there any possible way of cleaning mica lantern globes which have become cloudy through constant use ? Try petrol.

J. M. (Lake Coleridge) asks: (1) When is the best time to cut and plant willows? They are intended to be planted along a shingly river-bed to protect the bank in sticks 10ft by 3in. Is theie any book or work on willows or willow-planting? I would be grateful for any information you could gi v e me. The locality to be planted is 1700 ft above sea level. Plant cuttings any time after the leaves have fallen, say, next month. Better to plant pieces about the size of a walking stick rather than too big pieces. The latter frequently grow well enough at first, but younger cuttings root more readily and can be planted closely together. You might writs to tile Forestry Officer, care of the Land Department, at, say, Christchurch, for latest bulletin on the subject of tree-planting, etc., issued by the Government. “A Subscriber” asks: (1) Have any members of the King’s family died? (2) What are the names and ages of the living members? Does any shop in Dunedin buy knitted and crochet goods? (4) A recipe for chou paste. (5) A recipe for good toilet soap. (6) Are darning machines any good?——(1) Prince John, born July 12, 1905; died January 18, 1919. (2) JI.R-ii-the Prince of Wales (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David), bom .June 23, 1894; the Duke of York (Albert Frederick Arthur George), born December 14, 1895; H.R.H. Princess Mary (Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary), born April 25, 1897; married February 28, 1922, Viscount Laseelles, K G.. 11 S.O : H.R.H. Prince Henry (Henry William Frederick Albert), born March 31, 1900; H.R.H. Prince George (George Edward Alexander Edmund), bom December 20, 1902. (3) Yon might try ILss Clough, George street, Dunedin, and Knight and Millen, George street, Dunedin. (4) Cbcu paste:—Half a cup of butter, one cup boiling water, one cup flour, 3 large or 4 small eggs. Set a. saucepan containing the butter and water over the fire. When the mixture boils, sift in one cup of flour and beat vigorously. When the mixture cleaves from the side of the pan, turn into a bowl and beat in the eggs, one at a time and very thoroughly. The mixture is now ready for use in such recipes a® it is required. (5) Most scented or toilet soaps consist of mixtures of about equal quantities of a tallow soap and an oil soap like Sunlight, with some other ingred ents added, as well as peiiume. The following is a method for ro3e soap, but other essences will entitle it to other names:—Slice equal parts of tallow and oil soap thin, and, if old, add a little water. Melt in a stone or copper vessel by the aid of steam, and to every 101 b add Joz powdered vermilion (other colour® for other kinds). Remove from heat, and when cooled a little, add, for every 10lb, joz essence of otto of roses, joz each of oils of cloves and*cinnamon, and Joz bergamot. Mix well, run the mess- through a coarse cloth, and put into frames. This make® a good soap, and is well worth the trouble it entails. The well-known Windsor .soap is made by mixing tallow (nine parts) andi beef tallow or suet (one part), scented with oils of carraway, lavender, and rosemary. This is mixed with enough caustic soda to saponify it, and, if wanted brown, a little bi*rnt sugar is added to it. Castile soap is four parts olive oil, three parts ground, suet, and three parts tallow saponified either with socla or potash. The formulae for making toilet soaps are endless in number and variety. Here is one in which caustic soda is used: Dissolve lib caustic soda in three pints of hot water. Put it aside to ccol, stirring occasionally. Use an iron or earthenware jar in which to mix it. Take 6ib of butter and melt it in a saucepan or kerosene tin on the fire. Let the melted fat cool until both soda and fat are just warm. Then pour the soda into the fat very slowly, stirring it all tho time with a flat stick, until the mixture looks like honey. Two minutes is usuahy long enough. Have ready a wooden box lined with a wet cloth, and pour in the mixture. Cover with a clean hessian bag or- cloth, and leave till next day. Shred up this soap into fine shavings, add 2J quarts of water and lib refined pearlash, obtainable from chemists. Melt slowly before the fire until the soap is thoroughly dissolved. When cool enough to pour into the mould, add £oz of essential oil (cloves or cinnamon). When set, cut up and put away for a few weeks. (6) As far a® we know they are quite gopcl and ueeful. ‘lnquirer.”—Your question is so faintly written in pencil asf to be indecipherable. In these days of fountain pens at a fairly reasonable price it is inexcusable to send a communication written with a pencil to a newspaper, all the more so when information is asked for.