The Star. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1896. NOTES AND NOTIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5668, 12 September 1896, Page 4

The Star. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1896. NOTES AND NOTIONS.

«■ It is abundantly evident that the Fire Brigade's new appliance, the fire escape ladder, will be of immense benefit when any serious fire has to be coped with in the future. The men selected by Superintendent Smith for the purpose have been practising steadily in order to make themselves proficient in handling the machine, and they now thoroughly understand what can be done with it. Primarily, such appliances are brought into use for the purpose of saving life, but the special value of the machine in Christchurch will be to enable the firemen to reach any part of a building, even when the awkward lines of telegraph wire have to be reckoned with. A test was made in front of the Lyttelton Times Company's building last night, and man after man was speedily on the roof.

Next Thursday afternoon Superintendent Smith and the members of the Brigade will give a public demonstration of the utility of the machine, by operating at Morten's buildings. They will show how life can ba saved, how lines of hose can be passed up and brought into play ; and they will contrast this Avith the working of the old-time ladders that were used in Chris bchurch. Now all this will constitute a really interesting exhibition, for seeing which numbers of people would willingly contribute a coin ; and it will not be out of. place, we think, to suggest that a collection should be made in aid of the funds of Herriok's Home.

" Observer " writes to the Wellington p QS t : — The two inner planets, MercuryVenus, are now visible. Venus cannot be mistaken. It is a bright, yellowish star, due west, visible about three-quarters of an hour after sunset. Venus found, Mercury will be seen above it at some little distance, dull yellow in coloui", and as this planet is seldom seen, from its closeness to the sun, this opportunity should not be lost. Mercury and Venus, being low down, both twinkle, but with no change of colour. An hour later Saturn is visible, of a dull copper colour, sliining with a steady light, and easily picked up from this absence of all twinkling. It must be looked for high up in the sky, due west. Later on Mars rises in the East, about one o'clock, but I have not seen it yet. It is getting brighter and brighter, and will be nearest the earth and at its brightest on Dec. 10.

~~ It lias been wittily suggested that the colour craze might be utilised in poetical effusions, after this manner, for instance: — With pale carnation passion the lover said his say, With l>ottle-green derision the father turned away, The maid cried, peacock-bluey, " Dear pa, I love him so," But her parent, redly snorting, thundered Indianinkly, "No." The tips that have been given by Mr Punch to the farmers of England may not prove * tmprofitablo to some New Zealand readers : — Stick to wheat. It was good enough for your forefathers, and ought to be good enough for you. Clamour for Protection. There is not the slightest chance of your getting it, but it can do no harm to ask for it, and it takes your mind off such comparatively unimportant subjects as rent, compensation for improvements, and so on. Leave your soil alone. Don't spend money on nitrates or other new-fangled devices for increasing its fertility. If it grows weeds, as it probably does, it can grow other things if it like. Don't humour it. • . Never plant a fruit tree. Fruit encourages birds (and boys) to steal. If anybody suggests jam, tell him " you are not a grocer," and see what he says. The probability is, that he can say nothing in face of such a smashing retort. Never co-operate with neighbouring fanners, in spite, of what Lord Winchilsea urges. That sort of thing may suit the poor despised Dane, but not the free Briton. As a rule, the worse terms you are on with brother-farmers, the better. Eggs are entirely beneath your dignity. So are poultry. So are most other things. You might do a little stock-raising, but only in a casual way. Cows are a nuisance*. Let nothing tempt you into the absurd "fad" of dairy-farming. It's the sort of thing for milkmaids and milksops, not for you. Keep no accounts. Never read anything about your business. If the world moves, decline to move with it. You will find this course the simplest, and the Official Eeceiver a very pleasant gentleman, after all. The members of the Legislative Council are keeping up their unpleasant reputation. Yesterday, by 18 to 11, they killed the Bill dealing with Private Benefit Societies, and in this way played once more into the hands of large employers who are unscrupulous enough to treat their employes on coercive principles. In the. House of Representatives nearly the ' whole of the tdino ' was occupied. W& ' al debate on, thflJSfos&ran;^^^

tendency of the comments of Members being to indicate that many amendments will be proposed in the committee stage. The motion for committal was agreed to by 33 to 22.