RANDOM READINGS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1611, 16 September 1916, Page 4

RANDOM READINGS.

FIGHTING LOCUSTS

Modern methods to detent an ancient enemy were recently employed with extraordinary success in Costa Kica. Tlie country was invaded by an army of locusts. Ordinary methods were employed to combat the pest without avail. Then a state of actual wur was declared against the insects. Cannon, loaded with sad, wore wheeled into jidvantageous positions and the invading army literally bombarded.

“Rockets, asphyxiating gases, and gunpowder wore also used, but (he greatest success was obtained with the sand. At the time of the first invasion of the country by the locusts they were apparently in comparatively small numbers, so that they were speedily driven across the boundaries into Nicaragua. Active defence preparations were then made, and when the original invading army, heavily reinforced, made its second appearance two months later, tin* Costa Rieas were ready, and literally blew the insects from 1 he face of tin' earth. TAX ON BEARDS.

In England, as in France, beards have been the subject of taxation. In the Bnrglimote Book of Canterbury I "he re is the following entry; •‘2nd Ed. VI. The Sheriff of Canterbury and another paid their dues for wearing beards, 3s -Id to Is Bd.” Later beards appear to have been more de rigneur, for in the year 1555, when Queen Mary sent for agents to the Court at Moscow, all were bearded. One of (liese, George Killingworlh by name, had a remarkable beard, said lo have been no less than sft 2in in length. A 1 the siglil of it, so we are assured, a smile stole across the grim lealnres of Ivan the Terrible himself. What was more, after dinner Ivan played with the, English visitor’s heard as if it had been a favourite toy. Queen Elizabeth and her advisers showed their wil, if nol their wisdom, in introducing a novel impost on the wearing of beards, the law providing that every person discovered with more than a fortnight’s growth upon his eiiin should forthwith pay a tax of 3s -Id to the Exchequer. CAVE DWELLERS.

Grottoes and eavcrns are used, more or less, as shelters hy primitive people, and thus inhabited eaves are most frequent in Africa. A considerable number of natives make their homes in caves along' (he southern shore of the strait of Gibraltar, and in some of these caves are found the polished stones and arrow-heads of the Stone Age. Troglodyte villages are frequent in the Tebessa territory of Algeria, one of which, at Djeurf, 250 ft. above the gorge of the Wadi Hallail, is reached by steps cut in the rock. The inhabitants of the Tunisian Island of Galile are cave-dwellers, their habitations being grottoes which they have dug out of limestone for ancient burial caverns that they have enlarged. The subterranean villages of Matmata, and of Medenine, hewn out of the rock, are in Southern Tunisia. A Christian moiiastry built underground in the twelfth century still exists at Goba, Ahyssihia. The enormous cavern, discovered several years ago within two hours' walk' of the port of Tanga, in German Mast Africa, contains rooms the roofs of which are 120 fl. above livefloor.

To be left to face the world, on the sunt of 38s weekly is the lot of ‘Mrs Shout, the widow of Captain Alfred Shout, V.C., and her eleven-year-old daughter (statics Iho Sydney Morning Herald). This sum is allowed to Mrs Shout by the military. Prior to leaving for the front as a lieutenant the deeeased soldier was a journeyman carpenter. Mrs Shout lives at Darlington with her widowed mother and her sister, whose husband is now a private on actin' service. Her mother is in feeble health; her sister has one child, maintained on a private's pay allowance, and Mrs Shout is not strong. The deed hy which the lute. Captain Shout won his V.C. was one of the pluckiest performed on (he Gallipoli Peninsula. His name was a svnonym for bravery then*, and many considered (hat he did more than his share of good work — work which ended in his life being sacrificed for his King and country. The Returned Soldiers’-Association many of whose members fought under and with tin* captain, and knew bis worth as a soldier and a man, has started a fund, the object being the purchase of a cottage for Mrs Shout- The late Captain Shout was known in New Zealand, his father having resided at Trentham for a number of years.