News, Notes and Notions.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 9, 26 August 1908, Page 44

News, Notes and Notions.

Our Dominion has from time to thue been satirised by the envious for its ‘•grandmotherly legislation,” and of a certainty we have a sufficiency of laws to make us good, even if we don’t become so. Theoretically, for instance, our small boys may be arrested for smoking the deadly cigarette, and divers pains and penalties inflicted on their parents. As a faet, one has not observed many youngsters iu the hands of outraged law, and juvenile smoking seems pretty well as prevalent as ever. We have, therefore, much pleasure in drawing attention to a cure for cigarette smoking given by a medical man in a recent number of the “Lancet.” His remedy is peppermint drops. So long as a youth has a “bull’s eye” in his mouth there is no room for a cigarette for anything else for that matter), and even after the delectable confection has ■dissolved, it leaves a taste on the palate that does not blend kindly with tobacco. This is undeniable. The flavour that will blend well with a consumed peppermint drop has yet to be discovered. The only trouble about the remedy is that it has no consideration for the feelings of the youth’s family or neighbours. If he had to go about sucking bull's eyes all day he would be a weariness to everyone who had the misfortune to come near him. Still, that could be borne in view of the good the young man was extracting from the peppermint, and it might be possible to imagine one was taking creme de menthe. The patient also might object to the cure. Smoking, like drinking, destroys one’s appetite for sweets, and so crude and powerful a flavour as peppermint is not likely to appeal to the average heavy smoker. However, the remedy is said to have worked well in several cases, so if the office boy appears an future with a distended cheek and a strong perfume of peppermint, ome must treat him with kindly tolerance in view of his effort to cure a worse evil. 4> <s> <?> Hero ia a hint for New Zealand meat packers. A discovery has been made in Chicago which will, it ia confidently believe, reduce by several seconds the brief time now occupied by the able-bodied bullock in transforming himself into corned beef. A beef packer of alert mind observed that his men hustled to much more purpose when an organ grinder was playing outside. Medical men might have told him that irritation is a recognised method of stimulus. The first result was an experiment in a small town in the State of New York. A factory owner there set up some species of music machine in one room, and compared the results of that room with others. The workers to music won hands down. The next step was taken in Chicago, where a full-sized band was established in one of the great meat canning places. The influence of the new system on the deathgate of the industry is not stated. <•><•><•> New Zealand secondary schools, or some of them, at all events, seem to teach geography on a rather strange plan, giving elaborate attention to Europe, Asia Africa and America, and leaving our own land entirely neglected. The fact is rather clearly illustrated' by a correspondent who conducted a large party of children, mainly girls, through QueenBtreet, Auckland, during the visit of the 'American Fleet. Across the thoroughfare were hung the banners of welcome from the various towns and boroughs of the colony, and a rapid series of questions from the children not only showed them entirely ignorant of places of minor importance, which was natural enough, but hazy to the last extent as to the location of some of the chief cities of the Domiuon. Port Chalmers, Timaru, Oamaru, Invercargill, Ashburton, and even SVanganui, were mere names, nothing more, white Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin were all lumped together as “ down South, somewhere.” A query as to which end of their respective islands each of these cities occupy was an absolute “floorer.” Yet, one of the tasks Bet these very same children in a recent examination, was to draw a map of England and Wales, shewing counties principal cities, and rivers, etc. The age a

of the youngsters were from ten to twelve and they were bright and intelligent. There seems a screw loose here, surely! That our children should! be well grounded in the geography of the old Country and the rest of the world, is, of course, only right, but surely not to the entire neglect of their own. The same thing applies to history. One has found children disconcertingly well up in dates and important matters in regard to English history, who know not a single word of the story of the country of their birth. <s><s> <s> Advices from Hometown, Illinois, show that flourishing centre to be worthy of an earnest sympathy that, in the eircumstan’ces, will be spontaneously forthcoming. Things have not been going well in Hometown lately. According to the Hometown (III.) “Banner,” a cow “got into the fire engine house on Sunday night and chewed up most of the hose and ate off the bellrope; while three hogs were found in the Baptist church Monday afternoon.” This is a succession of deplorable incidents that might well wreck the peace of any orderly community. Happily they are unlikely to continue. “If Hometown,” says the editor of the “Banner,” in his firm, quiet way, “is ever to become a great city these things must be rendered impossible.” One feels immediately that Hometown (Ill.) will certainly become a great city. An English village disturbed by a cow eating a fire hose Sunday, and three hogs in the Baptist chapel Monday, would have taken no action beyond claims for damages by the parties interested. Not so Hometown (Ill.). Your American settlement feels itself a San Francisco in embryo, and bears itself accordingly. After this seathing reminder by the “Banner” one feels that Hometown will hustle round and proceed to make these things impossible. Someone will immediately be appointed to guard its public buildings, and the editor of the “Banner” will be able to report with quiet pride that “a hog which attempted to visit the Town Hall Thursday was fetched such a swot with a club by the patrol that it lit out for its stye quicker’n you could think.” Meanwhile Hometown might busy itself over devising a coat of arms against the day when it is a recognised city of the States. There are possibilities in three hogs and a cow; and Hometown will be a city all right. As the “Banner” might say (and probably has said): It’s a cinch. <?>■s><s> The dead Habsburgs have outgrown the limits of their final resting-place in the vaults of the Capuchin Church. Vienna, and a Court Commission has been appointed to consider plans for enlarging the Imperial burying-place. Since the death of the Emperor Matthias 11., in 1619, one hundred and thirty-two members of the Habsburg family have been laid to rest there. The array of massive metal coffins, some of which are of immense proportions, have so crowded the vaults that it has been impossible to find proper room for the coffin of the Grand Duke Ferdinand of Tuscany, who was the last Archduke to be brought there. Two projects are under consideration —one to extend the vaults under the garden of the monastery, the other to take in a part of the monastery cellars. The first would deprive the monks of the solace of their small but cool and shady garden, whilst the second would only rob them of some superfluous lumber room. <3> <®> A few weeks ago Queen Margherita, accompanied by ladies and gentlemen of her suite, paid a visit to the Umberto I. Hospital for the Aged, where she had quite a long chat with several of the inmates. An old woman, aged 103, offered her Majesty a bouquet of orchids. Another woman, named Grimaldi, whose age is 104, besides giving the Queen-Mother some flowers, made herself known as having been in her younger days a great dancer. She used to execute the popular Roman dance, known as the “Salterello,” and to show that she had not forgotten her former activity she began to move her limbs and pose her body in the charac-

teristic attitudes of the classic dance. Fearing a catastrophe, her Majesty smilingly advised the enthusiastic centenarian not to fatigue herself too much. The ancient ballerina was at first somewhat mortified, but finally she understood that at her time of life it was scarcely prudent to dance the "Salterello.” <s>❖<s> Hammer swinging is the latest form of physical endurance test in England. For twelve mortal hours on a recent Saturday, Arthur Lancaster swung “an eightpound blacksmith’s hammer” (which presumably means a blacksmith’s eightpound hammer) round his head at the Crystal Palace without a second’s interval ; and mathematicians calculate that he had lifted 150 tone of hammer and made them go 150 miles before he had finished. The net result probably was that he was quite ready for a whisky-and-soda and a sleep after it all. A French rival who was to have opposed him very wisely stayed away. The expenditure of profitless energy on the old prison crank is quite outdone. It was not profitless to this particular performer, no doubt; but those who are not likely to have opportunities to swing hammers anywhere but in private will rest content with Sandow exercises. ❖ <4> <s> Has it ever occurred co anyone to think of what would nappen to our banks in the event of a world-wide war? Sir R. Giffen has been giving his views on this pregnant subject, and among other things he says: —A startling difficulty may and must arise among the leading nations should they become engaged in ■war with each other in a measure that jeopardises the mechanism of credit in the States affected, and throughout the commercial world generally. It appears to me that this is a formidable possibility of the international credit system that has never been adequately considered. And it has not been considered for the simple reason that, as a matter of fact, since this system became developed in its modern proportions there has been no war in which the leading nations most important to the system have been mutually involved. Such a war would bring upon us. as well as upon the whole community of civilised States to which the system of international credit extends, quite unprecedented calamities and dangers. This would result from the breakdown of the credit system itself and the interruption of international commerce. To make the impression more definite we may classify the mischiefs to be anticipated. I would mention first of all the stoppage or great contraction of the volume of imports and exports between enemy States and the States dependent on them. But the stoppage and contraction would extend yet further, tne customers of all the countries primarily affected being unable to escape the effect of the losses of those countries. Next, there would be a run for cash and withdrawal of deposits from banks which would also tend to bring about general failure and bankruptcy. The conclusion is that the banking position in a country is one of real danger in the event of a great war—a war with unlimited liability. <s><£<s> The latest statistical returns for the German Empire show clearly how the number of suicides in Germany has increased of late. At one time Germany stood comparatively low down in the list of “suicidal countries,” and a long way behind France; at present it poseibly heads the list. Thus in 1906 no fewer than 12,495 suicides were registered, of whom 2922 were females. This works out at the high figure of 41.2 per 100,000 of population. The northern provinces show the smallest number, the large commercial centres, such as Bremen, Berlin, and Hamburg, head the list. No statistics are given from which it is possible to draw conclusions as to the probable factors which are responsible for this high figure, but from time to time attention is drawn to the faet that a large number of those cases of suicide are drawn from the unemployed and from the poorer classes, and that the percentage of juvenile suicides is relatively much higher in Germany than in France.

It was eleven years last month sines as it was, aeronautics was in its infancy-! now, with airshipe that can remain aloft The fate of him and of his balloon remains a mystery which probably will never be solved. In his day, go recent the intrepid Andree sailed away into th* mysterious regions of the frozen North, for twelve hours, the feat he attempted is nearer possibility. One message came from him after starting, brought by a carrier pigeon to the whaler Aicken. It ran thus:—“July 13th, 12.30 o’k. nooir, lat. 82 <leg. 2 min. long. 15 deg. 5 min. east. Good speed eastward, 10 deg. to south. All well on board. This is the tlrird-pigeon-post.—Andree.” The envelope was of parchment saturated with paraffin, and was made fast by thread; to a tail-feather of the pigeon. <£><s><s> The whole French Navy has escaped seizure by a Cherbourg lawyer for a debt of £5. The “Matin” tells the amusing story. Letellier, a dockyard workman, lost a hand during his employment in November, 1906, and in an arbitration was awarded a pension of 120. But the Ministry cavilled at the decision, and in March, 1907, Letellier, through his lawyer, M. Leboueher, sued the Admiralty and won his case. Still, he did not get tho money. M. Thomson, Minister for Marine, or his subordinates made protests and'delays till £5 of the pension was in arrears. Then the advocate marched into the Admiralty office at Cherbourg and announced that, in default of payment, he would be compelled to seize the furniture of the building as well as the warships, torpedo-boats, and vessels of smaller importance in the docks at the moment. A frantic telegram was despatched to M. Thomson, who forthwith capitulated and sent £4OO, the capital necessary to supply the workman’s pension.

r The pretest of the London hatters, nt (he White City, against the negtect of the silk hat, must have been a touching scene. Incidentally, it conveys a warning, for the hatter, like the worm, may itnrn- When Lord Milner -held his first reception, at Pretoria, the officials and legislators -were given to understand that frock coats and tall hats were expected of them. There was only one shop in jthe place in which silk hats were sold, and this had but four of them. The Transvaal legislators rushed off in a .body to buy these four, but the hatter, not being mad, saw his opportunity in ft heir extremity. He knew there was no time to get hats from anywhere else, so he resolved not to sell. He offered to let them out on hire at the rate of ten shillings for ten minutes. His shop iwas close at hand. Four gentlemen could present themselves before his Excellency; after ten minutes they must silently steal away, and hand over their hired finery jto another, panting quartet. It was done, and the hatter still repeats dreamily, as he recalls the moment of his life, “It would not have been fair to have sold them. Not fair to my customers, and not fair to myself.” s><s>s> 'A curious story is current in connection with certain dangerous motor trials .which were held recently. There was one firm which stood an excellent chance ■of winning, and they had implicit confidence in a certain skilled and experienced driver. But two men had been killed in the same race the year before, and this man’s wife was determined that .whatever other people might do her husband at least should not run. Accordingly, on the day advertised for the race, when she gave him his morning cup of coffee, she inserted a potent drug, .which promptly put him into a deep Bleep. When the drivers collected at the starting-point, he was not to be found. Inquiries were made in all directions, but his firm had to dispense with his services for the day, with the result that an important prize was lost. Some hours later he turned up, ashen grey and trembling all over, only to receive a

prompt dismissal. His wife attempted to make an explanation, but his superiors refused to believe that she, and not he, was in any way responsible for his disappearance or the state of his reappearance. He. is still looking for a job, but has forgiven his wife. Neither of them regrots her act in the least, though they may regret the consequences. Even these might have been worse, had he really gone. <s>s><s> A modern parallel has been found to the devoted lovers of Rose Salterne in Kingsley's ‘•’Westward Ho.” Eight boys and one girl were born and brought up in the same street), and vsfhen they reached what is generally considered a marriageable age, the young men found themselves hopelessly in love with their old friend and playmate. They were not in the least jealous of one another, and were quite reconciled to the idea that only one of them could gain the coveted prize. But when a rank outsider, a veritable Don Guzman, came along and romped in an easy winner, marrying the girl before their eyes, after they had stod her all sorts of treats for years, they were furious, foreswore female society, formed an antimarriage club, and determined to remain bachelors all their days. Here are some of the rules which they have taken the oath to abide by:—Never to pay any sentimental attentions to any woman; never to make any presents to any woman except a relative; never to take to the theatre, opera, place of entertainment, or social function, any woman except one belonging to a member’s own family; never to buy confectionery, or flowers for any woman; never to call on any woman, except on strictly business matters; never by word, look, or act to betray any preference or other than ordinary respect for any female; never to kiss any woman, except their own grandmothers, mothers, or sisters; never to marry any woman; breach of the last law involves expulsion from the club, though it may be presumed that the offender would hardly care to remain a member. Other offences may be commuted by paying a fine.

In view of the high marriage rate in Canada, ‘'honeymoon cabins” are to be a novel feature of the new Canadian Pacific Hanway steamship Princess Charlotte, which is intended for the British Columbia coast service. “The army of young women who go to British Columbia as lady helps,” explained an official of the Canadian Pacific Railway, “invariably get married. And as a trip round the coast is the fashionable honeymoon, the Princess Charlotte, with its cabins for two, is destined to become the honeymoon boat.” First-class sleeping berths in the new boat are in the proportion of 300 to 30 second-class berths, for at is considered that honeymoon couples do not consider the question of cost. <•><»><•> Stanley Hall, of Boston, made an experiment upon a large number of children of the age of six, or about the time they were entering school. He discovered among these little American citizens absolute ignorance concerning the commonest matters of life. For example:— Something like 45 per cent of the children had never seen the country; 14 per cent had never seen the stars; 20 per cent did not know that cows gave milk; 50 per cent did not know what objec tswere made from trees; 47 per cent had never seen a pig; 15 per cent could not distinguish by name between the colours yellow, green, blue. One who was taken into the country from a populous city wanted to know at what time the country “closed” in the evening. <*><s>•s> The English Midland Railway, by covering, last month, the 308 miles between London and Carlisle in 5 hours 49 minutes without a stop, may have created a speed record, but it is worthy of note that the two centres were many years ago connected by a non-stop run, and that by the King himself. His Majesty left Ballater at 9.20, Aberdeen at 10.30, and reached Carlisle at 3.40 in the afternoon. After a stop of five minutes the train left for Euston, and ran the whole course of miles without a

stop. The special was about 500 feet long and 230 tons in weight, exclusive of the locomotives, one of which was named “Queen Alexandra.” When the King alighted at Euston, the London North-Western’s terminus, he said he had never enjoyed a smoother run. <s> <S> Sumatra, the scene of the latest native rebellion, is the westernmost of the Dutch Indian possessions, and one of the largest islands in the world. It is separated from Java in the south by the Strait of Sunda, memorable for its volcanic disturbance. The northern portion embraces the Sultanate of Ache; and in the days of Queen Elizabeth and James 1., when we sent ambassadors to its Court, Ache was a great kingdom occupying more than half the island. The Achenese have never acknowledged the supremacy of the Dutch, and over £20.000.000 has been spent in endeavours to subdue this race of warriors. South of Ache is a large district occupied by the Battaks, a tribe that has practised cannibalism for centuries. Tadang, where the rebellion is most active at present, is the chief town in Sumatra, and has a population of 20,000. Fort de Kock, which has recently been the centre of the fighting, is the seat of the Resident, and a strong garrison.