Page 1 Advertisements Column 5

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2001, 9 February 1907, Page 1

LONDON CHAT. ENQUIRIES FROM AMERICA. By the last San Francisco mail the Wellington Tourist Department received over twelve hundred letters from all parts of the world, ninety per cent, of which wore enquiries from people who are seeking detailed information as to the climate and characteristics of this country, and tho conditions of life, with a view to making New Zealand the scene of their life’s endeavor. A great proportion of the letters are from tho United States of America and Canada —mostly from agriculturists, whose eyes have caught the department’s advertisements in American farming journals. In numerous instances writers from tile States frankly give the reasons that are inducing them to “strike camp” and move on. Some say they “are not plum gone on the social condition of U.5.A.,” that “politics is too much of a hot proposition,” and there are complaints of the .scyerity of tho winters, ill-health, aijd "a variety of excellent reasons -why they should not stay where they are and just why they should journey to New Zealand. Many speak of having considerable capital, and from tho tone of the shrewd enquiries made they are in tho main a likely lot of settlers. N LIFEBUOYS. “There has been no remarkable change in the construction of lifebuoys,” says Captain Hooper, of the New Zealand training ship Amakura, “‘for the last 30 yetis.” The subject was introduced while Capt. Hooper was recounting to a New Zealand Times representative some of the work that had been found nocessary in refitting tho gunboat. He says that the life of cork depended on how long it has been immersed in water, as it gradually losos buoyanev as the tiny cells of air in tho cork become filled. It was for this reason that an ordinary vessel’s lifebuoys were always carefully enclosed in canvas and painted over and over again to prevent, as far as possible water gaining access to the cork. Wliilo overhauling the Amakura’s lifebuoys it was found that some of the old ones weighed as much as 281 b, which caused one of the seamen to remark, “I’d just as soon be hit with a brick as one of theso.” These buoys were taken to pieces, and the cork was dried in tile sun for a week, but this had not led to reduction of weight below 241 b. A new lifebuoy' only' weighs about 14 lb. The result of the weight test is that the training vessel is being supplied with new lifeboys. Captain Hooper states that few people who have not happened to need the assistance of a lifebuoy know how to get into one. It was only necessary to place the hands on one side of the floating buoy; then it naturally turned over and encircled the swimmer. This should be a good tiling to remember. DEATH OF THE POPE’S DOCTOII FORETOLD. Mr T. P. O’Connor, writing in “T.P’s Weekly,” on December 21st, says:—“On Monday, December 3rd, I rend tho following telegram from the Roman correspondent of the Daily Chronicle: Professor Lapponi, tho Pope’s physician, who is an ardent boliever in the occult sciences, has had an odd experience. Recently lie was called in to prescribe for an inmate of a monastic infirmary. Having examined the patient, he gave the opinion that ‘There was nothing serious; he will be well in a couple of days.’ When the doctor had departed the patient called for a brother infirmarian, to whom he said, with all the solemnity of the death message: ‘The doctor says lie is going to cure me; but the truth is I shall die after two You brother will be dead within a month; and before three months have flown the doctor will have joined us in another world. The prophetic patient collapsed within forty-eight hours ; while on Friday last the brother infirmarian was buried in the Campo Verano, Rome. Now the nows comes that Dr. Lapponi, who was deeply impressed at the prediction, has fallen seriously ill of a malady which specialists declare to be cancer of the stomach.’ On the following Saturday a telegram from Rome announced the death of the Pope’s doctor from cancer of the liver.” RURAL EXODUS. The report prepared by the Board of Agriculture on the decline in tho agricultural poimlation of Great Britain between tho years 1881 and 1906 is one which the London Standard hopes will arrest the attention of members cif Parliament and others who might Vlq much to. stem tho wave which is depleting rural England of its working population. According to the figures set forth in the census year 1881 there wore 279,126 farmers and graziers, whereas in 1901 there were only 277,690, or a decrease of 1432; farm bailiffs increased by nearly 4500, and shepherds by nearly 2000, but there were nearly 300,000 fowor agricultural laborers. The causes of this decline are placed under two heads : ; —(1) Those which occasion a diminished demand; and (2) those which account for a reduced supply. Tho most important change referred to in the report is the laying down of land to grass. It is estimated that jJio loss of 2,000,000 acres of arable land in Great Britain between the years 1891 and 1901 probably throw out of work at least 60,000 to 80,000 laborers during that period. At the same time there had been the increasing desire of tho laborers to leave tho land, due to a variety of causes. The younger generation, in many cases, have an absolute disinclination for work on the land on any terms, and the Standard fully agrees with those reports wherein it is stated that the methods of education in the rural elementary schools foster this distaste. Higher wages, superior social advantages, and the attractions of town life are other causes, Tho deficiency' of adequate or satisfactory housing accommodation is also mentioned. The belief is expressed that the provision of small holdings, and the advancement of money at a low rate of interest would tend to keep tho people on the land.

THE SCHOOL GARDEN. It is to the rural school and schoolmaster that we are primarily indebted for tho School Garden, with all its helpful associations and valuable training, and many a city teacher might profitably follow the example set in this direction, We claim for qm: educational system that it is based on sound lines, and that we are well abreast of other countries with the facilities our schools afford for the training of the children. In certain respects we may be even profusely liberal in the opportunities we givo our boys and girls to acquire the very best of education ; so much so that it is possible for the children of the poorest members ol' the community to pass from the primary and secondary schools, right through to the University, without paying a single fee. It only requires that he should be reasonably diligent and intelligent in his studies, ami that he could be possessed of the capacity to assimilate and profit by the education he receives. But we still lag behind other countries in certain directions, and that notably on the question of agricultural education. Harking back to the School Garden idea, we have for 'lnstance hardly entered upon this phase of rural education which marks the earliest departure from the beaten track of the old methods. A few schools have worked well in this direction, under the guidance of enthusiastic'teachers who recognise that the '‘cult of the School Garden” is bound to exercise an all-important and beneficial iulluence upon the minds, morals and bodies of the children. And although Nature Study forms part of the school curriculum, it is still carried on in more or less half-hearted fashion in the majority of our schools, Our Boards of Education have made a commendable start, by appointing instructors to visit the schools and give practical object lessons of the methods pursued in imparting the elementary principles of agricultural education to the children, but the progress we are making in this direction is necessarily slow. There should be a more general recognition of the advantages which such an education confers.—Farmers’ Weekly. S.TOP IT I A neglected cough or cold may lead to serious bronchial or lung troubles. Don't take chances, for Dr. Sheldon’s New Discovery for Coughs, Colds and Consumption affords perfect security from serious effects of a cold. Small dose. Pleasant to take. Every bottle guaranteed. For sale by A." W. J. Maun, Agent, Chemist,