HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16330, 20 January 1921, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

IF ACTRESSES WERE MEN. | All tlie best-known actresses on t French stage arc being asked by r humorous weekly, ‘"Le Sourire ” fcher they would prefer to have b* men. Mdme. Roseraie, of the C-omfl t ram ah •. avowed the physical superiority of men. and pressed envy of their freedom of as regards tlieir careers and Most of the other actresses, howeJH assert that they ask nothing better to become even more feminine th; they are. LORD FISHER’S FEAR. A pathetic account, of Lord Fishej death is given in a volume edited 1 private circulation entitled “ Sunshi. and Shadow.” quoted by ilio ‘' Britil Weekly.” The book is written by a intimate friend, who was by the be side of the great Admiral at the en Although Lord Fisher had devoJ triends and children who would ha, given him their last penny, yet he a comparatively poor mail. “ I think t-ays tho writer of the memorial, “ pe haps the most piteous sight was tlu of this great king among men lying « ! the bed of his last sickness and lookii jat his pass-books to see if he ha j enough money to pay his doctors! Tha - w .as how a grateful country rewarded j him.”' The only complaint Lord Fishei I made in liis book was: “Since King J Edward s death I have never had a j thank-you. (Lord Fisher’s will. wriL J ten in his own hand on a sheet of iiota i paper, was sworn at £23,767.) COCOANUT CULTIVATION. J Cocoanut cultivation is nowadays coM sidered by many of those in a positiS to judge as the most lucrative indiisffl in Papua, though one requires a gool deal of capital to ensure success. Ar investment in a new plantation involve* a wait of eight or nine years before any returns can be realised, but wker. the trees corns into bearing experience in the last few years has proved it a highly profitable enterprise. The inJ vestor is then firmly established, for tin trees will continue to bear for at least fifty years- On an average an arrd in full bearing yields from fifteen hurl dredweight to a ton of copra a yea J and this at present is marketable ifl Samarai at £29 a tori. At ruling costs, a good profit can be realised wherl copra is selling at from £l4 to £ls gj ton, and when, quite recently, it rear J ed as high as £46 a ton the grow|fl were naturally the envy oi the Union. It is estimated that a > of at least £IO.OOO is required to a plantation of 1000 acres. FOOD SUBSTITUTES LABOR ATOK™

I Modern Japan has got into the way of tackling her problems scientifically. It is proposed to establish iu that country a National Food Substitute Laboratory. In that part of the world, as well as in Europe, there L a prospect ,of a considerable food shortage, from which rice, the staple article in the national dietary, is not likely to be exempt. Hitherto the Japanese have 4 not taken at all readily to such rice! | substitutes as have been introduced- J j which the Westerner can well believed l for he does not find rice itself a rcr* exhilarating food, and ho can eadlfl imagine that pseudo rice must be cvefl i less attractive. The laboratory G to inve-tiguto the possibility ►atUfactorv ruh-tit ute is to be on the site of a former lunatic and the “ Japan Chronicle ” is enough to suggest that this “ will seem peculiarly appropriate those with an old-fashioned prejudice favour of rice.” DOUBLE* SUICIDE. A marriage ceremony iu unusual cir-l ciimstances is reported by the J&parl “ Advertiser.” A young man and young woman committed shinju. double suicide, for love, by themselves into the sea from the near Atami- Both bodies were latfH recovered and cremated with Buddhiscfl ceremonies. The ashes were then! brought to the home of the girl’si father, and he performed a marriage! ceremony with the ashes of the two! lovers. According to the Buddhist I faith, the marriage tie contracted ii iM this world will carry over to the When circumstances prevent a liage in this world. many young n:*'U and young women suicide in tlie hope of a happy life in the world to come. Tn ffH|j ease reported, the marriage was performed in 1 his belief. ALLEGED SLANT TRADI\G.^^B

\ h I K AL>J Tiie Anti-Siarery rid Abon.mne.s^^^Hj reel ion Society p?>~eiuod to s“iuMy of the League of i i’h.e 1 ntf ni.i * hm:> Genera. copy of a new British Govern n on* upon *be I tion of Portuguese Tirer\*._ mortal reproduces evidence from I* ju|^B ; gueso and other sources asserting j there lias been a reerudev-enre of ! trading practices over wide areas Angola. Attention is also drawn ; tin: official admission that the | of “ servicues” was greater during I lasi y,ar than during any | year. In statements made by guese correspondents it- is assorted one offir-uil ha* made £3OOO and j other £IO.OOO out of this traffic I labourers, and that it is due to incidence oi’ this traffic that “ the . fives are flying ::i terror from the [ tricts where recruiting is carried on I S. Thome and Principe.” _ The 1 appealed to the League of Nations take cognisance of these and. if possible, secure an inquiry into tlie whole system of guese labour in West Africa.