HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18381, 6 February 1928, Page 8

HERE AND THERE.

AN EYE FOR EVERYTHING. Finland’s Claims to Fame. Finland boasts of being the northernmost republic on the globe: the first country to give absolute equal suffrage to women; the first to adopt prohibi- . tion. This country also has the. greatest forest area of any country' in Europe, the greatest number of lakes ; of any country, and the largest papey \ mill in Europe. Hypnotism For Operation. Hypnotism was used recently in place of an anaesthetic for a major surgical operation at St Luke's Hospital, Chicago. The operation, performed on a young woman, was reported a success. She was under hypnotic control for more than an hour. Medical authorities said the use of hypnotism in surgery had been reported for almost 75 y’ears, but that actual instances had been few. *.♦ ♦.* jj The Future of Chicago. Chicago, in 1950, has been pictured by the Chicago Regional Planning Association as a metropolis of 250 cities, spreading over parts of three States, with a population of 7,500,000. The metropolitan area 23 years from now is indicated to include 100,000 acres of parks circling the present city. The forecast also indicates between 12 and 15 broad boulevards rediating for 50 miles in all directions, unified airports throughout the region, and a unified drainage, sanitation and water supply system. Motor Spirit’s Many Names. A universal name for gasoline is wanted. In England it is called “motor spirits” or “.petrol”; in France it is called “essence,” and the word “petrol” is used to designate kerosene. In Italy the bewildered motorist must ask for ‘'benzine” if he wants gasoline, well knowing that the liquid called benzine in some other countries is highly explosive. and might be dangerous to use in a motorcar. Since the United States handles and uses more than 70 per cent, of the world's gasoline, it is suggested that gasoline be called “gasoline,” in conformity with the American custom. u Evolution of Cricket. Rude pictorial delineations prove that a crude form of cricket was played as far back as the twelfth century’. From that time onwards, up to within the last couple of hundred years, its history’ is steeped in legend, and very little value can be placed upon so-called facts. The game reached the acme ot * popularity during the eighteenth century’, and matches were plaved for sums rangiVig from 500 to 1000 guineas a side. The M.C.C. was instituted in I<B/. and forty y r ears later took up its headquarters at Lord's. The first established club, however, was Hambledon, formed in 1750. Originally all bowling was of the under hand variety. In 1825 round-arm bowling was legalised, which permitted the bowler to deliver the ball at any angle, providing his hand was not above the level of his elbow. It was not until forty years later that over-arm bowling was sanctioned.

Children’s Model Village. On the site of an old distillery* in the congested section of South Philadelphia there is now a playground and a playhouse, provided under the wills of Richard and Sarah A. Smith, estah. fished at a cost of alxuit £40.000, where children govern a model village! In this toy municipality there is a bank, where they’ do business with toy mone.v, shop in the village, and furnish their own little houses which they have rented. In the play’house is a kitchen, where little girls are taught the rudiments of cooking and housekeeping, and in the basement boy’s find delight in working in a well-equipped workshop. There is a gymnasium, a sport field, and a wading pool that accommodates 200 at one time. This is the fourth of a series of similar play’houses managed in connection with recreation centres, and is attracting wide interest in the United States.