NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1924, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

S.Mi )K KRS' TKKTII BEST. LONDON, Julv 17

Dr Alarv Stewart Deacon, of Birkenhead, speaking at the closing session of the Royal Sanitary Institute congress at Liverpool yesterday, suggested that smoking acts as a prcveittliousands of men and women who tative against decayed teeth. Afterwards Dr Deacon said that during the war slie examined the teeth of were to lie engaged in munition factories. “Invariably I found,” she remarked, “that the teeth of men who smoked were badly discoloured by the nicotine, but they were sound right through. The class of women engaged iu munition work were certainly not heavy smokers, and I found their teeth decayed to a far greater extent than tliose of men.”

IHCi CONTRACT LOST. LONDON. July 17

Britain has just lost to Germany a valuable order from Spain for machinery and electric equipment. The lowest British tender was £123,000, and the lowest German tender £?0,000. Duties under the existing commercial treaty and other charges, together with the effect on the exchanges, would have brought these two tenders practically into line, hut a royal order has been issued removing the duty on machinery required for industrial improvements in Spain, thereby nullifying the protection to Britain. Other similar orders have been passed, and one is contemplated restrict-

ing the importation of foreign coal, which is practically all British. THK HOY WHO HAD NO MONEY. LONDON, July 17. 'J’lie humour of psychological tests in ascertaining the educahle capacity of people is illustrated in a report issued yesterday of the consultative committee appointed hy the Hoard of Education in July 192(1.-

The (ommittee was asked to report what use could lie made of psychology in the pulilic system of education. They found that the tests and their uses are still tentative, hut the negative conclusions of early sceptics have not licen confirmed.

In the tests of higher mental processes, the report states, examinees were asked to combine logical relations to form inferences. The following is given in the report as a simple illustration of the tests applied and the answer given:

John said: "If the train is late. I shall miss my appointment ; il the train is not late, I shall miss the train.” Wo do not know whether the train was late or not. Can we tell whether he kept his appointment ‘r In an appendix to the report are extracts from tests which give some idea of the general nature of the methods used. For instance:

A la y aho wanted t o go to a kinoma, hut had *-*» money, thought it would he a good plan to walk in hackwards, for i lie man at. the door would think he was going out and would not ask for his ticket. Candidates were given lour opportunities of showing why this was louli>'i. Some replies weie: (a) You cannot go in without a ticket. ih) The hoy was trying to cheat. to) The doorkeeper would see he was moving inwards. d) Kineinas are had for I lie eyes. Another example was: A countryman came up to London during the war and saw on a hoarding the words: "Eat less broad ; do it now.” lie immediately went into a tea-shop to do it now. Foolish because— (e) Il said: "Eat less bread,” not "Eat less hulls.” (f) lie could not eat less bread Ingoing into a tea-shop than hy not going in. ig) Nobody ate more war bread than he could help. (Il) If you eat too little bread you will become ill.

LONDON .MORALS. LONDON, duly 27. Sir William Norwood, Commissioner of I’ulice of the Metropolis, states in hi-, annual report, issued yesterday, that the conditions—so far as conduct is concerned —which exist in London’s parks "are much less satisfactory than they were a year or two ago, before the outcry against the acceptance of iincorrohorated police evidence" in cases ol alleged soliciting. lie adds that "tin? (piestion of immoral behaviour in the parks and streets i> still, and doubtless will continue to he, a diliieiilt one for the police." and refers to "Lho extreme reluctance of police officers to take action which they feci may bring them into collision with the magistrates, the l’ress, and the public.” Sir William points out that as against I s;l arrests lor soliciting in oa I v -V!S were made last year. "These figures speak lor themselves.” lie writes. Of the women indict—” inspectors, u sergeants, and If! constables. who arc very earnest ill their work -t Ini' says* iliat they have mad*.' practically no use ol the power of arrest, largely because their duties are in the nature of rescue work among young women and girls. Writing of street collections, the ( ommissjoiier states that an undue amount of (he \ >o!h- ted i - off. n expended on hands.