MISCELLANEOUS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1928, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

WANTED, A GESTURE OF PEACE SINCERITY.

“Is there any doubt that it would

powerfully help the whole euu.se of pence if this grout Empire determined to renounce the right to wage private war and to treat every possible dispute with any other State, which had similarly signed the clause, as a matter for the law-court, and not for the battlefield, and that the effect would be enormous? Would not the whole cause of world peace hereby be immeasurably advanced? ‘But,’ you say, ‘no one wants war, no British statesman would » last five minutes if he advocated it. Why bother about signing the clause? Why- not trust us to do the right thing if disputes arise?’ Well, the rest of the world does not know us as we know ourselves, and it is our duty to do something incontrovertible in order to show the world that we do mean business.”—The Rev. R. L. (“Dick”) Sheppard.

THE GAME OF DRAUGHTS

“Despite the scorn of the ungodly, draughts has been going steadily on its way since Penelope’s suitors filled in time and delighted their hearts with it in of Odysseus; but the suitors, although they had plenty of time at their disposal, probably did not enjoy the exacting game known to the moderns. Scientific draughts, ol the English or Scottish variety, was not properly worked out until the middle of the nineteenth century, when the openings and their variations were analysed and tabulated. There arc fortynine possible openings, forty-seven of which are recognised as sound ; and it is the custom that, when two evenly matched opponents persist in drawing, each in turn has to play one of the riskier openings which will either hasten victory or ensure defeat.”—■“ Manchester Guardian.”

TASMANIA?? PAPER

PLANS ON LARGE SCALE,

An announcement has been made by the Premier of Tasmania, Mr J. A. Lyons, that negotiations have been completed for the purchase of land from the Van Diemen’s Land Company for the establishment of the wood-pulp and paper industry at Burnie, Tasmania. The expenditure on the first section of the works is estimated at a. 1,000.000. Long-term contracts for the supply of paper have been made with 19 Australian newspapers, including leading journals in five States. ( These negotiations have been conducted by Mr Cl. Mussen, who is to visit England to complete arrangements fori the purchase of the necessary plant. ______