BREEZES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 23 February 1935, Page 4

BREEZES

Forethought. ‘‘ Why did you name your boy Archibald Clarence Algernon?” “Well, I want, him to be a good boxer, and any boy with a name like that should get a lot of practice.” * * * *

Unique. “Liming,” he murmured happily, “vou are the only girl I ever kissed.” *“I boJeve you,” sighed the maid. He kissed again. “And you are the only girl who believes what I say,” went on the foolish fellow absent-mindedly. * * * *

Prayers for Anna Bell. A vicar who was of an absent-minded disposition, met one of his least respectable parishioners, who asked him to say prayers on Sunday for Anna Bell. The clergyman did so, and meeting the same man a few days later, asked if he desired the prayers to be repeated. “No, thank ’ee kindly, sir,” answered the village reprobate; “she won last Monday at seven to one.” * * • *

Football at Gallipoli. A Turkish commander who fought against the Royal Naval Division in Gallipoli heard a tribute to the sportsmanship of his troops in London reeent-

17 Major-General B. C. Frcybcrg, Y.C , 1 who was presiding at the Royal Naval Division Association reunion at the Union Jack Club, recalled that some inter-battalion football matches were played at Gallipoli. He said: '‘The only ground suitable was within a few hundred yards of the front line, and within range and observation of the Turkish troops. Although we had an audience of many hundreds of i ,r, n, we were allowed to play the matches.” *■ * * * Tobacco Magnate’s Grants. Grants to hospitals and charities, amounting to £36,970, were made in December bv the charitable trust created in 1928 by the late Mr Bernhard Baron, founder of the tobacco firm of Carreras, Ltd. Under the terms of the trust, the grants were made each year on Mi Bernhard Baron’s birthday, when more than 330 hospitals and other charitable organisations received cheques. The grants include £14,380 to London hospitals, £8865 to hospitals outside London, £3995 to orphanages, cripple institutions and blind associations, and £8740 to Jewish charities. Since the formation of the trust, and including last year’s grants, £258,870 lias been distributed. * * * *

“Belicons.” Eddie Cantor, the pop-eyed screen comedian, has been visiting England, and during his holiday in that country was favourably impressed with the ■ Hore Belisha beacons which have been installed in London to safeguard pedestrians against traffic’s over-growing toll. Incidentally, while referring to these “Belicons” (their now popular name), he gave to posterity a slogan that could with profit be used extensively in warning motorists of the presence of schools. 11 Children should be seen but not hurt,” was the witty effort of this famous funster, and already several local bodies have seized upon this as a novel sign to erect in proximity to schools. Cantor, in an interview, said that in spite of a good deal of ridicule

concerning the new beacons, they were certainly the most efficient safeguards for pedestrians he had seen, and he assured his interviewer that he would agitato for their installation when he returned to the United States. Apparently the authorities in London are also convinced of the efficacy of the beacons, as latest advice from England conveys the information that their installation is to become nation-wide, and already many of the larger centres are laying down the new system. * * * *

'Nose Valued at £2OOO. An Arab of royal descent, who values his nose at £2OOO, lately arrived in Great Britain. He is El-Haj Sheik Jalal Quraishi, direct descendant of Omar the Great, second Caliph of Islam. His object was to produce an exquisite perfume for the Duchess of Kent. * For years this Arab has lived the life of a waridcring perfumer, and his travels in search of rare flowers and scents have brought him many hairraising adventures. Even in childhood he had a pronounced sense of smell, and when given anything to play with, instead of putting it in his mouth, as most children would do, he would place it under his unusually large nose, and, if the scent did not please him, discarded the article with a grimace of disgust. During his travels Sheik Jalal has carried with him a secret scent which he claims protects him from all harm. He was lately bringing all his skill to bear on the production of his perfume masterpiece for the Duchess of Kent. He was using no chemicals at all, working only with flowers and plants. He had insured his nose for £2OOO.

11 Money, ’’ said Sheik Jalal to the “Sunday Chronicle,” “does not interest me, but my sense of smell is my life.”

Mosquito Plague. Never in the history of the Goondiwindi district, in New South Wales, was the mosquito plague so bad as was the case last month. Whether people were sitting in their houses or gardens, or even playing tennis, fires were lit close by. Burning leaves, refuse and manure were used to drive away the insects.

The insects caused great distress to stock, particularly horses, who raced about the padocks, unable to shake off their tormentors. Sheep preferred to stay out in the sun all day—though the temperature had been more than 100 degrees for days past —rather than seek shelter under the trees, where the onslaught of .the mosquitoes was fiercest. At Giddi Giddi, Gooray, the McIlveen brothers smeared a mixture of kerosene and fat over the heads of their horses to protect them. Onq grazier stated that in his 40 years’ experience among stock he had never seen mosquitoes so bad. Some animals had to be shot to put them out of their misery. ’ Dairymen in the district lit fires around the milking sheds while milking in an attempt to relieve the agony of both employees and cows. All men working on ringbarking contracts have been withdrawn, as it was impossible to work under the conditions.

Mrs W. H. Treweeke, of Umbercollie station, Goondiwindi, has a novel way of keeping the station homestead free of mosquitoes. The house is gauzed, and before visitors are permitted to enter, each is inspected and brushed over with a feather duster.