AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS, ETC.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18818, 6 July 1923, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS, ETC.

HIS MAJESTY’S.

NEW PROGRAMME TO-NIGHT.

Houdini, who will, be remembered as the handcuff king, who visited New Zealand some time ago, and the author and star of "The Man From Beyond” has awakened a great controversy among scientists by his story of a man who slept a hundred years and awoke when rescued from his ice-bound sleep to take up life just where it had been suspended. "The Man From Beyond” is the first of four special features which will be made this year by Houdini’s own company. Romance, love and perilous adventures make this picture a continuous thrill. Prominent In the support of Houdini is Nita NjJdi, an actress of rare beauty and uncommon ability. The second feature is "Thoughtless Women," a drama that proves that Kipling was right when he said that “the Colonel's lady and Judy O’Grady are sisters under the skin.” Alma Ru bens is the featured player. A com edy, "His Wife’s Husband” will also be screened. The programme wit; also be screened afternoon and evening to-morrow, and an added attraction for to-morrow night will be the drawing of the prizes for the Kaierau Club Art Union. Interesting announcements in regard to coming attractions are made in our amusement columns.

EVOLUTION OF MAN. SCIENCE VERSUS RELIGION. LECTURE BY MR. McCABE. The story of the evolution of man was the subject of an interesting address given by Mr Joseph McCabe at the Dtuids’ Hall last evening before a large audience. Modern research, Mr McCabe said, had put us in a position to tell the remarkable story of early man from a date that must be nearly two million years ago. Even if wa had not a single bone or a stone implement of the earliest men, we should be compelled to regard them as evolved. There was, in fact, not one scientific authority in the world who would to-day admit a doubt about the evolution of man, body and mind. Our body as it now was could not be explained with evolution. We had a large number of useless organs or' muscles, and as these were common to men and the ape, we knew that they must have had a common ancestor. As we had bones like apes of two million years ago, wo saw that man’s earlier ancestors must have existed then. The cradle of the race was probably on land which was now below the waves of the Indian Ocean. From Asia man wandered into Europe, reaching England more than half a million years ago, ns had been settled by a weighty international commission within th last six months.

Europe, in these days, continued the lecturer, enjoyed a climate like that of North Queensland. The elephant, rhinoceros and hippopotamus were man’s early companions in Britain, and he seefned to have wandered naked and homeless in simple family groups. We had bones of these early men in Java, England and Germany. Food was so abundant that there was practically no struggle for life, and almost no progress. Then a great Ice Age slowly set in. In a warm

Interval of it about 100,000 years ago, the men of the Old Stone Age were scattered over Europe. \\ ■: had abundant remains of these, and we found that though man was already more than a million years old, he was still far below the level of | the Australian black. The cul-I urination of the Ice Age, whan four million square miles of Europe were covered with ice and snow, drove ‘ men into social life. They had to ' live in caverns and hunt in groups. Language and art were now born and the use of fire and clothing be- ! gan. ‘ When the Ice Age disappeared the ’ men of the New Stone Age, a much 5 more intelligent race, spread over ' Europe. The greater part of the Europeans had retreated south, and e the discovery in recent years of a groat civilisation in the island of 1 Crete had rounded our knowledge

of what happened. The ruins of vast palaces had been found, with beautiful frescoes, gold cups, perfect drains and baths, and every indication of a high civilisation. Various towns had been unearthed, and it was learnt with astonishment the comfort that was shown even in the houses of the workers. This longforgotten civilisation of Crete seemed to be the real basis of the old legend of a Lost Atlantis. During the lecture a number of interesting lantern slides were shown.

PHILATELIC SOCIETY.

A well-attended meeting of the Wanganui Philatelic Society was held in the Y.M.C.A. rooms on Wednesday evening, Mr. F. J. Thomson taking the chair. Several interesting novelties in Philtelic art were shown by the members. The junior collectors’ competition will be judged at the August meeting. Three new members from various parts of the Dominion were proposed and accepted. The Arts and Crafts Society thanked the Philatelic Society for their display of stamps at the recent exhibition in the Sarjeant Art Gallery. Any person interested in philately is welcome at any of these meetings.