HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16470, 5 July 1921, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

ROYAL PAWNSHOP

Mrs Goodman, a London lady, can claim to be unique in her dual capa-

city as publican and pawnbroker's. She is the landlady of the Castle Hotel, opposite the Farrington Street rail wav station, and she enjoys this unique privilege under a warrant Hven to one of her predecessors bv K ng George IV. as a reward for giving him a loan on a gold watch, after tho Monarch had secretin attended a cockfight. Under the clock in tho l*ar parlour. writes a “ Pail- Chronicle ” representative. are the three golden balls and the rules and regulations, and in the pawn safe are a number of articles belonging to ladies and gentlemen who wanted to be relieved of a “ temporary pecuniary embarrassment.” “ One woman came with a wedding rin". and redeemed it after a vear.” said Mrs Goodman. •“ and we have got a gold watch in tho safe now. Of course, it is only a sideline, hut nersons in Lhe neighbourhood know of the privilege for which we have to pnv the ordinarv license every vear. Butchers in Smilnfield Market have used it remilarlv for years. M'* late husband toJd me that it was a common thin~. for the butcher who was short of ready cash to 1 nop * his smock for half a crown at night, and get it back again in the morn, ing.” DO MONKEYS THINK? Do monkevH think things out ? In the popular mind, at least, thev are credited with rfemarkable reasoiiing powers, but Professor J. Arthur Thomson, the distinguished scientist, in a fascinating studv of the problem in “Country Life.” concludes that while monkeys are often intelligent, they seldom, if ever. show even hints of reason, i.e.. of working or playing with general ideas. That remains man’s prerogative. Monkeva have keen senses, a great power of manipulation. and are “ pent-up reservoirs of energy.” This applies to mental activity as well as bodilv activity, “ and the quality is one of extraordinary interest, for it shows the experimenting mood at a higher turn of the spiral than in any other creature, save man. It points forward to the scientific spirit.” Monkevs have been taught to find their way out of the Hampton Court Maze, and to open puzzle boxes. Professor Thomson adds: “We watched the other day two chimpanzees busilv engaged in washing the two shelves of their cupboard and “wringing” the wet cloth in the approved fashion. It was like a caricature of a washeiwoman, and someone said. “What mimics they are.’* Now we do not know whether that was or was not the case with the chimpanzees. but the maioritv of the experiments that have been made do not lead us to attach to imitation so much importance as is usually given to it by the popular interpreter. There are instances where a monkey that had orjven up a puzzle in despair returned to it when it had seen its neighbour succeed, but most of the experiments suggest that the creature has to find out for itself. TENANCY BY CAPTURE. Noticing an empty house in Victory Road. Wimbledon, a man took possession of it and moved in with his wife and family. He gave a candid explanation at Kingston Countv Court when an action to recover possession was brought against him. He was walking down the road, he told Judge Harrington, when he noticed that the house was unoccupied and was for sale, and as the front window was open ho took possession of tho house. Afterwards his wife and family and his brother’s wife and family moved into the house and. he added, “ Nobodv called for the rent.” His Honor: Do vou suggest that if you happen to find an unoccupied house you are entitled to seize it? Defendant: 1 wanted somewhere to go, and was willing to pay the rent. I have been living with mv wife and three children in one room. Defendant was ordered to vacate tho house within twenty-one days. FIRE BRIGADE AND A CAT. While the streets in the centre of Bradford were thronged with people on a recent Saturday nieht the fire escape clanged its way through tho crowd to the rescue of a forgotten office cat. It was seen on the ledge of a fourth-storey window at buildings in Sunbridge Road, and knots of people had been attracted by its piteous mewing. Women screamed when tho cat put its forepaws down over the stonework, as if intending to make a. 50ft jump to the pavement, and a man took off his overcoat and. with others, spread it out in approved stvle ready to save the cat from death. Then the motor fire escape from the city’s main station dashed up. Firemen tried to locate the cat. but it had vanished. Evidently there was a loophole throng;! which it could get back into the office.

The following interesting item appeared in the report of the Director ot the Technical College. Mr D. E- Hansen, delivered last week to the board The facilities given bv the Allan Wilkie Shakespeare Companv during the recent season in Christchurch were largely taken advantage of by our students, who attended the performances to the number of several hundreds. The works of Shakespeare have their interest increased to a very large extent when thev are recited in an able manner or well staged, and undoubtedly, through the kindness of Mr Allan Wilkie, the study of Shakespeare has become to many of our students ono of tho most pleasant parts of their work In a short letter which I sent, recently I tried to express to him mv appreciation of what I felt he was doing" towards increasing public appreciation of the dramatist’s works, and in his reply he stated that he expected lo return to Christchurch next year and to stage au even larger number of plays than he has in his present, repertory. In this connection, one • cads with pleasure of what the London Countv Council has done towards encouraging the studv of Shakespeare in local schools by giving the children facilities for visiting theatres free of charge where his plays are being staged. There seems, in fact, to be a great, revival of interest in the dramatist's ■works in England, but it has been left to an actor-manager to take the fust steps towards creating an interest in them in New Zaaland. Mr Wilkie s Aork in this direction is worthy of the highest commendation.

Mr Charles B. Cochran, the London theatrical manager, sends news from Seville (Spain) of a new beauty for tho London stage. “ I’ve run across the most beautiful girl in the world,” he writes. “ There is no question of one of the most beautiful—she is indisputably THE most beautiful. Her face and her lines are perfect. There is not a flaw. She is seventeen in June, and has been singing and dancing, with considerable immature talent, in a small concert hall here.”

The Albert HaJl, London, celebrated its jubilee earlv in May. It was opened by Queen Victoria iu 187 T. and was an indirect result of the Great Exhibition of ’sl. The building cost only £200,U00 nurpria:::-: \ little in view of the great size ci the hall, and tho fact that an unsuspected river was found to be flowing through the foundations. At the opening concert, not one work by a British composer was given. At the jubilee concert, every work was by a British composer except Gounod’s '• Jewel Song,” from “ Faust.” Elgar, Alexander Mackenzie. Stanford and Frederick Bridge were the conductors. All British-Eng-liah music has flourished since 1871.