Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 23 October 1913, Page 34

Notes

Panama's Last Barrier The last barrier at the Pacific- end of the Panama Canal was destroyed, by dynamite on Sunday, August 31, and on the Tuesday dredgers began to remove the last barrier at the Atlantic end. Among those who watched the explosion, to such beneficent purpose, of a charge of forty-five thousand pounds of dynamite were the officers of H.M.S. New Zealand. The Moving Pictures Craze Miss Edith Cowell, m a recent number of the Month', gives an amusing account of her experiences in a small country town that had gone ' picture palace mad.' Attending one performance, she was surprised to find in the sixpenny seats a woman from whom she had the same morning received the following letter: 'Dear Madame,Hoping you will be able to send me a skirt which my father is dying' in the infirmary and me with eleven children and me having nothing to wear. And my eldest being out of a situation.' The eldest thus referred to was sitting beside her mother, very smartly dressed. A Sir Joseph Ward Story *•■' Going away from home for news items we learn from our contemporary the Brisbane Catholic Advocate, .that.' the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, Bart., the

eminent New * Zealand statesman who succeeded the late Mr. Seddon as Prime Minister, ■ and is one of the most enthusiastic friends of Ireland and advocates of Heme Rule in his - generation --isi a famous raconteur.' He tells - (says our contemporary) a story which might be regarded • as a New Zealand - version of; the story of Canute's rebuke to the courtiers who told him he could command the tide to recede and that his will would be obeyed; Here is Sir Joseph Ward's anecdote: A certain Maori 'witch doctor was held in great awe and reverence by the superstitious natives. The man claimed that he was by his magic enabled to walk upon the water, and one day his disciples went to him to the seashore, expecting to see him perform the miracle. When they reached the water's edge the man turned to his followers: 'Do you all really believe that I can walk on the sea?' he asked in solemn tones. . 'Yes, yes,' they replied, reverently; 'we do.' 'Then,' said the witch doctor, as he walked coolly away, ' there is no need for me to do it.'