MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Waikato Times, Volume 84, Issue 13208, 25 June 1915, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

A man ivho deserted from H.M.A.S. Melbourne at Brisbane two years ago, surrendered himself to the Christchurch police on Wednesday. He stated that he had always regretted his act, &nd, seeing that the newspapers had announced a pardon for deserters presenting themselves, he had decided to give himself up with the hope that he might return to his old ship. A solder for aluminium, which can be used without flux, has been evolved by a New York company, which sells it by the pound in convenient sticks weighing soz each. The solder is applied with any convenient piece of iron, while the heat of a gasoline torch is all that is necessary to cause junction. At the soldered point the metal is stronger than the aluminium itself. The aluminium will not oxidise during the soldering. Mr A. J. Balfour, who takes charge of the Admiralty, is now 66 years of age. He was Lord Lansdowne's fag at Eton. But even outside his "fagging," Mr Balfour has indulged in menial occupations. During the cotton famine of 1862 the scarcity of raw material was felt all over England, and Mr Balfour's mother decided that the circumstances were such that every effort should be made by the household to economise. "Our establishment," says the statesman, "was reduced to its narrowest limits. My sisters helped to cock the dinner, and 1 helped to black thti boots " The patriotic spirit is so strong in j France and England, and the Entente Cordiale so binding that in London, French plays are meeting with a great reception. "Camille" by Dumas, is a favourite revival and meeting with the biggest success. The "Within the Law" company, which recently visited Thames, staged "Camille" on the last of their two nights' Thames season, commencing on July 10th. Miss Hilda Dorrington'e performance as the "Lady of the Camillias" has been likenedgto that of Nance O'Neill. She wears over £IOOO worth of French frocks in the production. Kurnah, the alleged site of the Garden of Eden, in the Persian Gulf, where a British Expeditionary Force has been operating against the Turks, has not favourably impressed the British soldier. It is described as a most dreary spot, as unlike a garden as possible, all swamp no<» that rivers have overflowed their banks. One irreverent "Tommy" of the British forces, as soon as he saw it, exclaimed to a friend: "Garden of Heden, d'ye call it? I call it a bally swamp. 'Blime, no wonder Adam took a bite of the apple if that's all he had to do to get out of it." Kurnah—the Garden of Eden—has beep changed by the war into a strongly fortified British position.

Evidence accumulates that the farmer—the dairy farmer at any rate—is in for a hard winter, savs the Dannevirke correspondent of the Hawke's Bay Herald. Severe frosts throughout the district have retarded the growth of the grass, and unless farmers have made provision to supply this shortage by cropping mortality of stock is expected to be high. Cows went out to grass in poor condition, and if ihe winter is severe many will not be able to stand the strain. The lack of foresight by many dairy farmers is appalling. They will, so to speak, "milk the tails" off their cows, but do not take the trouble to plant proper crops to keep the beasts going as long as possible as well as conserving their condition. Another thing that looms on the horizon of spring is that when those who suffered winter losses want to make them good by purchasing they will have to pay high and unprofitable prices, as there is expected to be a decided shortage after the drains made on herds during the last few months. Great is the resource of the gambler. In the English passenger Bhips in the Napoleonic wars, French prisoners broke the monotony by the weirdest forms of gambling. "When the lights were extinguished and the ship'B lantern cast a dim glimmer through the long room, the rats were accustomed to show themselves in search of the rare crumbs to be found below the hammocks. A specially tempting morsel having been placed on an open space, the arrival of the performers was anxiouslv looked for. They were all known by name, and thus each player was able to select his champion for the evening. As soon as a certain number had gained the open space, a sudden whistle, given by a disinterested spectator, sent them back to their holes, and the first to reach his hole was declared the winner. An old grey rat, called Pere Ratapon, was a great favourite with the gamblers, for, though not so active as his younger brethren, he was always on the alert to secure a good start when disturbed."