Here and There

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 15, 10 April 1924, Page 37

Here and There

Lord Dunsany’s Latest Dramatic Fantasy.—Lord Dunsnny has at last succumbed to the intriguing idea of writing a play round the monkey .gland treatment for rejuvenation. The result' has been the very remarkable "Lord Adrian,”’ which Mr. Arthur Bou-rohicr produced the ether week at Birmingham. The play deals with the hypothetical problem of The children of the rejuvenated patient developing the characteristics of the ape and eventually, rejecting human standards altogether. Nor is the idea of the play, scientists assure us, so far-fetched as it might at first seem. Senator- Yeats’s News Book. Messrs. Werner, Laurie, "Limited, the publishers, inform us (says the Freeman's Journal) that the next volume in that firm’s privatelyprinted library will bo by Senator W. B. Yeats, who has just been awarded the £7500 Nobel Prize for Literature. Mr. Yeats’s new book explains in many ways the symbolism which is at the back of all his work. It is to be entitled, A. Vision and Explanation of Life Founded Upon the Writings of ffirdldus (uul Certain Arabic Traditions/ It will be issued in a limited edition, numbered and signed by the author.

Memorial to „ Conor Chine. —A committee ■ has - been formed to carry out the arrangements for a memorial to the late Conor Chine, of Quin, Co. Clare, who was killed in Dublin Castle on. November 22, 1920. It will take the form of completing and furnishing the oratory chapel attached to the new Sea riff District Hospital, which is situated at Raheen, the place where Conor Chine spent the greater part of his working life,, Mass will be said in the chapel every Sunday and holiday, and it will be open to the public. The oratory is part of the main building, and is beautifully finished inside. Amongst those on the committee are Senator M. MacLysaght (chairman), - Rev. W. O’Kennedy, C.C., Bodyke; Rev. J. O’Dea, C.C., Killaloe, and Mr. D. MacMahon, Co.C., Baheen.

Relation of Robert Emmet as Inventor.—An Irish-, American,.of famous ancestry, has just made what is hailed as the most important invention since the steam engine. He is William Emmet, is a descendant of an elder brother of the famous Irish patriot, Robert Emmet, and his invention is a wonderful engine that boils mercury which simultaneously works a mercury turbine and a steam turbine, the original mercury (returning) having been condensed to its former place in the boiler. Thus a complete circle is described, the invention solving to a degree hitherto unknown the. question of perpetual motion. . Mr. Emmet has devoted his life to the new engine. He is now GI years of age, having been born at Pelham, N.Y. • Graduating "from the lI.S. Naval Academy, he served in the Navy during the Spanish-American war. He has been for many years attached to the General Electric Co.

The Inventor of the Nocturne. Who was the originator or inventor of that type of musical composition called the nocturne? One of the claimants was a Dublin man, who was born in the Irish capital in 1782. John Field’s father was a theatre violinist, his grandfather an organist, hut his first real teacher was Clement!. Together they toured the Continent, and in Russia they found so many admirers that he settled there, first in St. Petersburg and then in Moscow'. He could have amassed a fortune, but what some call the artistic temperament and others laziness, drunkenness, and dissipation intervened, and he died in poverty. He had married the French pianist, Mdlle. Charpentier—one wonders was she any relation of the, wife of Scott?— and they had one son,-who became a distinguished tenor, Leonoff. A Noted Sportsman Passes. —The death is an-

nounced of Mr.*” “Joe”. . Widger, the well known Waterford sportsman, which occurred recently after a brief illness, at his residence, Beach Hill, West Derby, Liverpool. “Uncle Joe” as he was familiarly called was, a fearless and dashing horseman, and he first came into prominence by riding Wild Man From Borneo to victory in the .Grand National in 1895, an event which may be said to have set his native City of Waterford ablaze. When he retired from the saddle he became a very strong supporter of racing both in Ireland and in England,. favoring the “ limping” code, and as - recently', its last year his > colors were carried into second place-in the Grand National by Drifter. He was Mastered -the- East Waterford Hounds 1 ' for a mim-

ber of years, -'but retired, three years;ago, ?whence weni to reside' at West Derby -

Deep regret is felt in Wicklow at the, death of the Very Rev. J. Canon Staples, P.P., V.F., which occurred a few months ago after a lingering illness. -' late Canon Staples was 84 years of age. He. was a native.™©* Forth, Co.: Wexford, and had completed 58 years in the sacred ministry. He had been 25 years curate in Athy, 11 years P.P. in Rathdrum, and for the past 17 years P.P. in Wicklow. A great educationalist, he had been responsible for the introduction of the De la Salle-Community to the town, and for the erection of National Schools in Clash (Rathdrum) and Wicklow. He was chairman of the Co. Tech nical Committee from its inception, and chairman for many years of the Co. Agricultural Committee. Politically he was a consistent Nationalist, and was all" his life-time connected with the U.I.L. The Gaelic League found in him a warm supporter. His unbounded interest in the welfare of his flock was proverbial. On St. Patrick’s Day,. 1920, he celebrated his golden jubilee amid manifestations of joy and esteem by his parishioners—a demonstration of affection which gave him the deepest joy. The occasion was availed of to make him numerous presentations and to present him with several addresses. For some time prior to that date and ever since he had suffered ill-health, but latterly he had become sufficiently convalescent to receive the Archbishop on his first official visit to the town, find to assist in the Confirmation ceremonies. An Abbey .Playwright’s New Comedy .—Mr. W. J. Casey, author of the two popular Abbey Theatre plays, “The Man Who Missed the Tide” and “The Suburban‘Grove,” has now arranged for the. production in London of a new comedy which he has written., Mr. Casey’s return to activity in the theatrical world will be welcomed by all lovers of the Abbey Theatre. He has been abroad for a great deal of the time since his two Irish comedies were written. Soon after he left Dublin for London he became private secretary to Mr. Geoffrey Robinson, then editor of the Times, and who has now returned to the editorship after Mr. Wickham Steed’s resignation,., having taken the name of Geoffrey Dawson in the meantime. Mr. Casey joined the permanent staff of the Times in London, and went soon after the war to Washington as one of the Times’ correspondents there. After several years in Washington he was transferred to the Times staff in Paris, but returned about eighteen months ago to work on the editorial staff in Printing House Square.