HERE AND THERE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17036, 9 May 1923, Page 6

HERE AND THERE

AN EYE EVERYTHING. PICTONVILLE IX ENGLAND. You may not have heard of this little retreat, but it is a little township of thirty houses, built on a site between High Wycombe and Saunderton. The houses are intended specially for young married couples who, at present, owing to the house shortage, are forced to occupy only one or two rooms. For such a honeymoon home, Pictonville is assuredly too prosaic a name. Ah the same time the lucky tenants will doubtless be content that their homeland should perpetuate the name of its founder, Air B. H. Picton, a High Wycombe grocer. Explaining his scheme, Air Picton said : J was very sorry for those young people in this district who are contemplating marriage and cannot find a house, and also for those lately married who are living in rooms. Aly scheme is based on a spirit of helpfulness, and it is not an ordinary financial speculation. Rents have not been definitely fixed, but they will be nominal ; that is to say, I am not expecting much return for the money I am spending. The houses will be suitable for working people, and they will have adequate accommodation—three bedrooms, bathroom and reception rooms.”

THE X IN X-RAYS. Roentgen only won the race for im-,j mortal lame by a short head. Hr Cliendinnin, of Melbourne (says to he London “ Daily Graphic ”) had arrived at practically identical results as Roentgen. without so much as having ever heard his name, and had actually posted notes on them to England when the news of the German’s discovery arrived. When Roentgen, while experimenting with a highly exhausted vacuum tube, found that certain substances were made luminous, in spite of opaque objects between them and the tube, he called the rays which caused the luminescence “ X-rays,” X standing, as usual, for the unknown quantity. Since then the X lias been solved—at least, there is general agreement that the rays are no different in nature from those of heat, light, radium and “ wireless.” All are ether waves or vibrations, differing intrinsically only in frequency, and X-rays* according to this theory, are able to penetrate opaque substances because they are so short (or of such high frequency) that they are not detracted or reflected as light-rays are. But we still call them X-rays rather than Roentgen rays. Few discoveries have had greater consequences. First in medicine and then in industry it enabled us to see inside- things without pulling them to pieces. It contributed largely towards the formulation of the new theory of matter and atomic structure, and its combination with the fpectroscope has given science a wonderful weapon, capable of analysing equally well the constituents of a dye and of a star. THE WORLD’S FASHIONS. It is well known that for centuries France has enjoyed an advantage in. this respect. Conquered before England by Rome, she became civilised before we did, and after the glory of Rome had faded the Court of the French kings stood out in Western Europe as the gayest and most brilliant. Then, too, France was able t* draw upon *her natural resources for the silk, and other materials ofi women’s “ flimsies,” so that by the fifteen hundreds Paris was already recognised as the world’s fashicyi centre. After the first shock at the Revolution, 'these were eagerly adopted in England. And even half a century ago, when the keynote of our own Queen Victoria’s Court was a modestj virtue, that of the gay Napoleon 111. was an ambition to be “ first with the fashions.” So by geography, by history, and by the lives of her rulers, the tendency of Paris has ever been to ‘* set the fashion.” SCHOOLBOYS’ VoRLD TRIP. Mr A. G. Candler, a wealthy resident of Atlanta, Georgia, is arranging to send 400 American boys on a voyage round the world next autumn on the former army transport Logan, which is being refitted for this purpose. “It is a purely business matter,” says Mr Candler, “ and is Intended for the benefit of the sons of wealthy men. Only those who have passed certain examinations in high schools or colleges will bo accepted.” The ship, he explains, will carry a large staff of instructors in order that students, during the cruise, may have the advantage of special courses of study. Mr Candler believes that- practical acquaintance with foreign countries and sight-seeing under the guidance of local business men will he of great value to these young men, the majority of whom will eventually engage in some branch of export trade. POETRY IN THE STREETS It is strange, when one comes to think of it, how few fragments ot English poetry are on the lips of the man in the street (writes E. V. Knox in the Daily News”). If you chose a quite, quite ordinary man. I do not care whether he were rich or poor, so long ? s he clearly had this great quality of ordinariness shining in his eyes, and reflected in lus conversation, what lines o:‘ English poetry, or what parts of lines, 'would you be prepared to bet that he knew, in such a way that they came readily and swiftly into his conversation. or repeated themselves in his mind as he walked along? I suppose 1 am not what yon would call a plunger, tilt after thinking hard about it, I am prepared to gamble on only three. One is, “ I shot an arrow in the air.” But I am not going to lav very long odds on that. The second is safe. It j s: ‘To be cr not- to he, that is the question.” Why people should know this line T cannot imagine, but I am Sl ,re that tlicv do. It is even harder to understand why they should know the third which is:—“Como into the garden, Maud.” But- this line, too, I believe to be familiar, becausel remember a music-hall comedian who used to sav We’ve got a pig : we’ve called it'Maud because it will keep coming into the garden.” And the audience always laughed. You can imagine tl.cn* with what delight and with what amazement I overheard a chance remark outside one of the Tube stations a dav or two ago. A newspaper seller a cvnical-looking and rather a ragged man, shivered a little, and said of Iris colleagues with a touch of brtterUOKS rf Winter Comes. And then, | after a slight pause—“ Can spring - far behind ——