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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1993, 31 January 1907, Page 3

When an ammonia pipe bursts in an ice factory or cold storage plant, the fact is known instantly. Not only the startling explosion warns the workmen, but the clouds of deadly poisonous fumes which instantly fill the place drive every living thing which can do so to make its escape. The principle of the submarine diver’s uniform has been used in providing a workman s helmet which enables a man to enter a room and work for an entire hour where he could not otherwise live two minutes. When an ammonia pipe bursts the first thing is to get to the nearest cut-off valve and shut off the flow. This can seldom he done for the reason that at the first whiff of the deadly gases the man falls senseless, and in a few moments dies. The lifesaving device which enables the wearer to walk fearlessly into danger consists of a tight-fitting helmet which rests upon the shoulders and is held securely by straps passing under the arms. A tank on the back of the helmet contains a supply of air to last one hour, the air being fed into the helmet, immediately under the nose, and its flow regulated by a valve. A gauge always shows the exact amount of the supply. Opposite each ear is an ear-piece which has a sounding diaphragm, which transmits sounds like a telephone receiver. The operator can hear but not talk. He can give signals, however, for in front of the mouth is a tube leading to a whistle which hangs in front of the helmet, by ‘means of which he can give pre-arranged signals or call for Help.

A certain noted politician, who lias an enormous thick nock when travelling olio day found himself ill need of a clean collar, lie went into a shop and began a general survey of the collar display. ‘Boing attended to, sir?’ quoriod one of tho shopmen. ‘Not yet,’ responded tho tourist', and then added, ‘I would like a collar.’ ‘What sizo?’ piped tho shopman. ‘Size 20.’ ‘We don’t keop collars so large, but I think you may bo accommodated threo shoos along tho street.’ Ho wont, anil found tlio shop indicated. It was a harness shop.

An Auckland lady who lost her purso, containing gold, reports an exceedingly singular coincidence. Tlio purso was dropped somowhoro botwoon Queon street and Tvarangahapo road, anil tlio oivnor hoped that whoovor picked it up would bo lionost enough to roturn it to tho address written on tlio leather lining. Slio ■was disappointed, hut noxt morning while walking near Symonds street cometory slio saw on tho ground a small piece of loatlior.npon which was inscribed her name and address. . It was a portion of tho purso lining. The Potit Parisien has been calling upon its roadors to decide by plebiscite who is tho greatest of tho Frenchmen who have achiovod fame since tho Revolution. The voters liavo come to tlio poll by hundreds of thousands and tho result of their suffrages is oloquont evidonco of tho chango that is coming ovor French ideals. A little while ago tho soldiers would liavo carried all before thorn in such a competition. As it is, Napoleon figures only fourth in the list, anil tlio other military heroes are nowhere ; while tho prize is carried off by science, represented by Pastour, followed, at a littlo distance, by literature, in tlio person of Victor Hugo, and statesmanship, in the porson of Gnmbott'a. Then, fifth and sixth in order of importance, come Thiers m l President Carnot. Perhaps it is not an arrangement which a competent historian would endorso; but it has its significance as an expression of tho voico of tho people, and sh > vs how appreciation of the victories ' f peaco is growing in a country in which the glories of war so long overshadowed glories of every other kind. ALr IT B. Miller, tho American Consul-General at Yokohama, reports to the AYasliingt’on Bureau of Manufactures on the development of Japanese shipbuilding. Tho war, lie says, has given a great impotus to tlio shipbuilding and dockyard industry, which has made remarkable progress. Tho principal shipbuilding yards at Osaka, Kobe, and Ngasaki ate full up witli orders. These yards, although employing 22,000 men, find heir capacity inadequate to meet growing requirements, and are steadily extending their works. The factory arrangements have bon improved and torpedo boat destroyers are being built. Work in the smaller yards lias also greatly increased siuce the war, and tho small shipyards on doth banks of tho Kidzugwa, which hitherto dovoteil their attention to the building of wooden vessels of 200 to 300 tons, are now building iron ships of 800 tons. At tlio close of 1903 Japan possessed steamers of a total tonnage of 657,000 tons, and sailing vessels of 320,000 tons. In 1905 the steamers had increased cu 939,000 tons, and sailing vessels to 336,000 tons, making a total of 1,275,000 tons. The vessels include 33S under five years, 331 from five to 10 years, 181 from 15 to 20 years, and 131 up to 25 years, leaving only 148 over 25 years old.

There was some surprising casualties in Victoria during tho holidays. A girl ot 17 stood on a heap of road metal to watch a passing electric tram. She slipped on the loose stones and lost her foot. A small boy o) four strolled into an empty house at Ecliuca and lit a paper bonfire on the front room floor. A mail who was badly -scorched getting him out found the infant calmly sitting in a corner surveying the destruction and helping it by striking matches and tossing them around. A Carlton house-father gave his wife a dose of iodine in mistako for cascara, and, when questioned, took a dose himself to find out if he really had blundered. They occupy beds in the same hospital. An obstreperous horse lashed out at- Richmond and caught two men —one with each hoof—breaking tho “other” leg of each. A Carlton man essayed to pull straight the arm of another who had, so ho said, put his shoulder out, but fell and broke his own leg. A man, sinking a bore near Footscray cemetery, drank copiously of the water. He is in the cemetery himself now. A youngster of nine, who saw his little mate, of seven, run down a slope leading to the Yarra and stumble in, calmly strolled away —though men were working close at hand—and disremembered the whole circumstance till it was pumped out of him two days later Truly, there are some amazing people living— and dead.—Bulletin.