MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1924, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABJ.E ASSOCIATION-. Jtlli EMPIRE PAGEANT. REPLIES TO CRITICISMS. LONDON, Jan. 0. Replying to criticisms of what , is termed needless expenses incurred for the AVembly Pageant which is contended should he organised by voluntary effort; also to the suggestion that Parliament may yet pass a vote for expenses amounting to a quarter of a million, and to the complaints that the Overseas Trade Department is organising the spectacle in .i hole and corner fashion. An official statement explained Hat the- Admiralty, the War Office, and the Overseas Trade representatives are responsible for the arrangements. The personnel will consist, of large numbers from different services, including cavalry. Imy scouts and voluntary performer-.. II is intended to give the Dominions an opportunity ol displaying striking incidents and scenes of their every day life. It is anticipated that the gate money will fully cover the cost. Fite Government is retaining control lieeause the assistance of the —■rvii-es and the co-operation of the Dominions is essential to success.

MOTORING ON THE SAHARA. LONDON, Jan. 0. The Sahara desert from the Mediterranean to the Niger is now able to he traversed in a direct line by any wheeled vehicle of average power in five or six days. This, says the "Times” Paris correspondent, is the conclusion reached by the experience of the French Mission organised in Nobember last year, with the object of discovering the shortest route across the desert. The Mission, with lour caterpillar ears, left Colomb Becluir on the Dili. November, and i ravelled directly south of Adi-an Onallen. thence to Thessalit and to Rurem on the Niger. They returned without difficulty through the Valley of Saoura and Bonoabbos to Colomb. which was reached oil the 22m1. Dee. The route followed is declared to he accessible, not only to caterpillars, but to all wheeled vehicles as far Thessalit. From Thessalit to Rurem the roads are more difficult. motor services, therefore, are considered practicable from Algiers lo the Niger, and one is contemplated which. on the outward journey, passes Risskra and hisolah returned by Adran. Colomb, This trop would afford extensive views of the great Sahara.

COOKING AND THE WORLD’S PEACE. LONDON, Jan 0. Charles Hoc.ht, Secretary of the Food Education Society, told the hood Congress that many ol the brainiest men wore tho greatest dietie sinners, and had a remarkable predilection for milk puddings and bread and milk, tho .starchiness of which was a fertile cause of indigestion. Ii is recalled that Herbert Spencer, habitually dined and immediately retired, The doctors failed to convince him that this was the direct cause of persistent insomnia. Women speakers emphasised the importance of cooking as a factor in the world's peace, because bail cooking produced a:, individual and a national ill-temper. it wac. narrated that Ckark-s Kean, the actor, ate pork when li" was about to ]>lay the tvrant or before a murderer's role and mutton when he was tho hero of a love scene.

TO lIRKAK. V RKCORD. I.OXDOX, .Inn. In r.ii endeavour to break sin- record rido fmm York to l.omlon of four and :i-li;>!t" days, performed by TyrtvliiO Drake in .Inly on an Arab horse, '.Hie Sheik, Oeorge Xou ton 8011. .1 X. v, Zealand stork breeder, lms start.'Xl from York, : i din ye a thoroughbred Yorkshire horse, Yorkshire Hoy. The ground■ is covert'll with snow. KM I’ll! K DKYKI.OPMKXT. TIIK PRODICKRK’ YIK\V. I.OXDOX, Jan. The Kin|>in- Producers' Orgaiiis 1: ■■on resolved that it 0 vital to the fullin' unity and development of the Empire that the three ]):uty leaders should agree upon the Imperial and Keoiioinic (.(inferences’ resolutions, which are not inconsistent with the respectire programmes. with a view to .he ear! iest jios.sihle legislation. AVAR GRAVES. I.OXDOX, Jan. 0. The Imperial War (leaves Commission has estimated the expenditure during the coining year at .Cl ,500,000, whereof Australia contributes COo.OUO. The figures show a slight increase on the previous year’s, owing to a

speeding up on eonsfructioiial work. It is announced that the construe!ion of cemeteries in Franco and Belgium will be completed in 102 S. in (Jallipoii in 1021: and in Palestine and Mesopotamia in 1027. The original cstlmaie of CIO sterling for each grave including headstones, has been reduced h\ forty per cent, mainly due te a fall in the franc. BAVARIAN PKKSIDEXT ASSASSINATED. PARIS, January 10. I lei 11 lx,, President of the Separatist Government of the Bavarian Palatinate was assassinated while dining in a restaurant in Speyer. EMPIRE MIGRATION. I.OXDOX, .Tannary 0. The "Daily Chronicle's" political correspondent says: “The overseas Settlement Delegation to Australia, and Now Zealand is preparing its report. The report will not be favourable to Australian settlement. Tile Committee is impressed with the possibilities of •settlement, hut- it did not fail t’o notetin large number of men out of work in the towns, and also the lack of elementary conveniences in the unsettled districts. The Committee came to the conclusion that the Dominions must take a great deal afore trouble in the reception of immigrants before an extended scheme of State-aided migration '■•in bo recommended.