HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17193, 9 November 1923, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

AN EYE FOR EVERYTHING. TRAINS THAT NEVER STOP. A never-stop railway, the trains of which require neither driver, conductor, nor signals, is being experimented with at the KursaaJ.. Southend, where 600 yards of track have been laid for testing purposes. The speed of t-he train is automatically increased and decreased. When it arrives at a station the train slows down to about one mil© and a half an hour, so that passengers can step on to a *‘ landing-stage ” level with the station platform. The principal is similar to that of the escalator. But onoe past a station the trail* gathers speed up to twenty-four miles an hour. Its speed is controlled by a screw, which is driven by a special motor. No noise is made by the train, and the wheels have rubber tyres.

MEASURING OZONE. Before long it is likely that among other attractions of a seaside resort may be included announcements of the proportion of ozone in the air. Experiments have shown that it is possible to discover the amount of ozone in th# air with fair accuracy. Slips of whit© blotting paper are. soaked in a solution of iodine of potassium and starch. These, protected from sunshine and rain, are exposed to the air for a definite period. According to the amount of ozone present so is the paper coloured in varying shades of yellow. If ozone is abundant the paper will be of a very deep shade.

CHANGING INSECTS’ HEADS. Alarvels of surgery achieved in th« animal and insect world are described by Air E. J. Bouleneer. one of the curators of the London Zoo, who has been watching experiments at Vienna. Experiments were made with two kinds of English water-beetle, the hydrophilus and the dystiscus, both of which are found in stagnant pools aind slow-running streams. The operations consisted of decapitating the insect and cementing another head on to its truncated body by the exuding fluid. After the tion had been performed, dytiscu* bodies were found swimming about the aquaria with hydrophilus heads. and vice persa. Then followed a startling revelation in insect psychology—if such a thing exists. When a male head was put on a female body the beetle became male in instinct ajid made love to normal females. But when a female bead was stuck on a. male body tbs male stopped courting and, became passive. The experimenters also restored sight to a blind frog by grafting into the eye socket the living eye 'of another frog. MENDING MARBLE Small pieces of coloured marble may be joined together with shellac dissolved in methylated spirits, and white marble can often be fixed with a little plaster of Paris rubbed into the back of the crack- A large piece of marble, such as the slab on a washstand. is, however, best riveted. This is not a very difficult job. holes being made for the rivets with an ordinary drill. The rivets themselves may be fashioned out o f long wire nails, but as they can be bought at any ironmonger’s shop tor a few pence, it i<* hardly worth while filing the head of a nail, hearting in the fire, and then bending into shapes When mending a slab of this kind, a channel should be filed between two boles for the top of the rivet. The rivets are first heated, and then gently hammered into position, and the holes filled up with plaster, of Paris- As there is little strain on a washstand top, it may not be considered necessary to go to the trouble of ijvetingIn this case cement may be used. This will not make a strong or permanent joint, but will last for some considerable time, and may be renewed when necessary.

WASHING WINDOWS. Windows are best cleaned with warm water containing ammonia. But- if the glass has become very dirty a paste made of whiting and water, rubbed on and allowed to dry before being removed with a soft cloth, will be found effective. Windows should never be cleaned when the sun shines upon -them, or they will dry streaky. A cloth fixed upon a stick is sometimes useful when cleaning windows But there is a little contrivance sold, shaped like an arm, which is better still, as it enable* the outside to be done as well. There are several preparations made to prevent the steaming of windows, but few ol them are successful. The real remedy is better ventilation. Window glass is either sheet- or plate, the latter being the more expensive. Plate glass is much thicker than sheet glass, and consequently heavier- Heavy windows are somewhat troublesome. but the great advantage of plate glass is. apart from the better appearance, that it deadens sounds from outside. A room fitted with plate glass windows is always much quieter than one in which the windows are of sheet glass. Glass can be frosted with a solution of Epsom salts in beer and polished with rouge powder.

THE MAORIS THROUGH ENGLISH EYES. Lord Jellicoe told me he receives many communications from intending settlers, asking whether it. would be safe to settle or travel in out-of-the-way place in New Zealand, because of the Maori savages.” writes Julian Grande, in a series of articles on the Dominion in the Ixmdon “ Daily Telegraph.” “ The Maoris.” says the wroter. 'are the most charming native coloured people it has been my privilege to meet. Every Alaori is a gentleman by nature, and every Maori woman a lady by nature. They are the most hospitable people: in fact, too hospitable, and any unscrupulous person can easily take advantage of their kindness- The Alaoris are held in the greatest affection by their fellow New Zealanders, from professors in the universities to labourers on the- land. The children of the Maoris attend the same schools as the white children : at the colleges and universities. the Alaori student sits on the same bench with the white student, and receives the same examination papers. and very often comes out on top. Nowhere in the world have I seen a dark and white race so thoroughly exemplifying the excellence of dwelling together in unity.”