GENERAL ITEMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19032, 9 June 1924, Page 8

GENERAL ITEMS

Sir John Wilson, a noted Canadian journalist, speaking at the Millions Club (Sydney), predicted tnat in th? not far distant future Australia would rank equal in wealth and power with the United States, ami would have a population less diluted with the alien element. He said that the standard of living wss as high as that of any nation in all the centuries, It must be rememoered that people were living in the United States who had seen the population increase from 10 to 105 millions; so the outiook of Australia must be regarded as being particularly bright and encouraging. He advocated progressive immigration, and urged the country not to bo too rigid in selection, as many townspeople of Britain had proved excellent farmers in Canada.

Those who Qxx’ieve th<(t. the All Blacks are going to Britain nor merely to play football but to benefit the Empire and the world may be right or wrong. But if they are wrong they heve the League of Nations on their side. Convinced that sport has a propagandist power different from that of any other agency, the League has encouraged Mr. C. B. Fry to prepare a key-book to its various activities, and H.H. Prince Ranjitsinhji to add a chapter on disarmament. As one reviewer puts it, a small minority of people find their views on peace and war determined, or expressed, by the apocalyptic utterances of an Isaiah, a Lucretius of - a Shelley. A larger minority respond to the more intellectual arguments advanced by such men as Lowes, Dickinson, Gilbert Murray, or Lord Robert Cecil. But the vast majority of mankind, who could give themselves no higher testimonial than to claim that they are sportsmen, will certainly respond more readily to an appeal for peace made by two world-famous cricketers. Like our All Blacks, the book is said f o be good itself. But what makes it so good for the League is that men will read it and think about it who would never in any circumstances give attention to more solemn advocates.

Eggs are recognised as a stimulating and solid form of foodstuff. A husky, well-developed, hard-working man is capable of swallowing from three to four eggs at one meal, and he may be pardoned for doing so. When a young man openly wagers that he can polish off close on two score of hen eggs at One sitting it sets one thinking as to the dimensions of his food-storing organs. The incident related below occurred in a large property protecting establishment in the city where about eighteen men of all sizes, ages, and creeds are constantly housed together, (says the Dunedin Star). The men had dined well, and were about to leave the mess room, when tho conversation was switched from horses and horse racing to eatables. One young fellow vowed that he would ent. Three dozen boiled eggs at one sitting. The dare was snapped up by a comrade. The eggs wore boiled hard, placed on the mess room table, and the boastful one set to work, whiin the whole outfit stood round with open mouths. He swallowed egg after egg until the total reached sixteen. He then intimated that “hoi was beat,” and quit. A strapping young comrade then stepped into the breach and engaged to swallow tho remaining twenty eggs at one sitting. He "went to it” with a will, and after the nineteenth egg had disappeared, announced that he, too, was beaten. Indeed, he lost no time in quitting the table. The lads did not like the idea of one solitary egg going a-beg-ging, so the lady cook was called in and she quietly polished off tho orphan. The outfit was astounded at the feat performed by the young men, and they are. no doubt, right in their assumption that the originator, if he continues to swallow eggs in such a wholesale fashion, will soon become a full-fledged "crowe.”

For a Hielan’man to lose his breeks would be but the discarding of what he considered an entangling superfluity, but the average product of civilisation deprived of his nether garments is a heartrending though amusing spectacle of shorn pride and dignity to his fellow-men (says tho Auckland Star). The simile of the forked radish is humiliating to reflect upon, yet it is doubtful if the driver of a motor lorry who lost his way out beyond Avondale the other night gave it a thought. It was after the heavy rain, and running along a side road be came to what looked like a bit of a washout, with a storm stream bisecting the highway. He investigated, and decided to try the depth and bottom, to which end he divested himself of his nether gear, including trousers. But the mud was deep, ana the stream turbulent, and in the argument he lost trousers and boots. It was a sad predicament on a cool night, and it was only after a long tramp and' many misgivings that he managed to borrow a friendly pair o’ trews to cover his nakedness. The lost trousers were discovered next day buried in the mud some distance from the mishap. to the great relief of the loser, for in the pockets was a cheque for a considerable amount, and a number of notes.

The current Gazette contains regulations relating to the introduction into New Zealand of bees or appliances. In these regulations "ap pliance” means any hive, frame, comb-foundation, or other thing used in connection with the keeping of bees and the harvesting of their products. The introduction of bees into New Zealand is prohibited, save with the precedent consent of the Minister for Agriculture. Each application for authority to import bees must be made in writing and must state the name and address of the breeder, and

the location of the apiary from which it is proposed to secure such bees. No appliance which has been used 1a connection with bees shall be introduced into New Zealand: Provided that in connection with bees imported with the consent of the Minister for Agriculture there may be introduced such used appliances as are necessary to serve as containers for such bees.