GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2050, 4 November 1919, Page 1

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

The fact that every increase m wages contributes something to the growing cost of living was mentioned at the Arbitration Court at Auckland last week. Mr Justice Stringer agreed. “I suppose that every increase adds to the cost of living of every other section of workers,” he said. “It will go on until we ‘topple’ over the precipice, I suppose.” A Palmerston lady who, says the Manawatu Times, is familiar with the conditions on Christmas Island, is highly amused at the story cabled to New Zealand about the finding of starving castaways by H.M.S, New Zealand, and all the picturesque details connected i herewith. Her idea is that some Do Rougement has given rein to his fantastic imagination and perpetrated something really worth “telling to the marines,” She says the mission at Christmas Island is well organised, and that a number of well-fed natives live there in idyllic content.

A wireless message has been received by a private (inn from Apia, stating that a proclamation has been issued by the Military administration prohibiting the importation of liquor into Samoa. The message adds that British, Allied and neutral residents are highly indignant at not being consulted, and arc holding a public meeting to protest against this action. Resolutions arrived at will be forwarded to the Government.

A message from Newhaven, Connecticut, announces the death of Ella Wheeler Wilcox. [Ella Wheeler Wilcox is one of the best known of American poets, and her verses have been read wherever the English language is spoken. She was horn in Johnstown, Wisconsin, in 1855, and was manned to Robert M. Wilcox in 1884. Her husband died in Hllti. She was educated'wl the University of Wisconsin, and became an editorial writer and contributor to the New York Journal and Chicago American. Her publications were numerous, and included “Poems of Passion,” “Maurine,” “An Ambitious Man,” “Poems of Pleasure,” “The Beautiful Land of Nod,” “Men, Women, and Emotions.” “The Diary of a Faithless Husband,” “Yesterday,” “The Art of Being Alive,” “Historical Mother Goose,” etc.]

That fishes do not hear very much, and certainly do not make use of any sense of sound in hunting their prey in the sea, was found recently by Professor Brogg, when studying submarine sounds. He studied (ishes at the zoo, and found Unit their hearing powers were so deficient that they were evidently of no use in the under-water struggle for existence.

In the United States in the early days of the last century a good beaver hat became a kind of heirloom, and was handed down from father to son. For some strange reason it was considered to be rather frivolous and extravagant to lie seen wearing a new beaver hat, and it was the custom when a man bought one to leave it out in stormy ■weather before wearing it, to “take the newness off.”

A paper house was once erected in Hamburg. It was used as a restaurant. Its walls were made of double layers of paper stitched on frames and impregnated with a lire and water-proof solution. The roof and walls were fastened together by means of bolts and hinges, so that it was collapsible! The diningroom was capable of holding 150 people. There were 22 windows, 4 skylights, and the heating was effected by a couple of isolated stoves. It cost £75 to build, and was a popular rendezvous in Hamburg.

After reaching a certain height. Hying men .suffer considerably from air-sickness. It is now suggested that Nature has provided a remedy for this, for in the Cordilleras Mountains of South America grow two herbs which instantly abate mountain sickness, vertigo, and breath-, les.sness. They are known as cha-eha-coma and polea-pixpila, and grow as lealless, juicy shoots on a dwarf tree. The shoots are full of n hot aromatic water with a peppery flavour. Scientifically developed, it is possible that an alkaloid may be extracted from them which will enable men to climb to heights undreamt of. The first of a series of automobile thief-catching stations to be erected at every highway outlet from San Francisco has been built and equipped on the Junipero Boulevard. It will house officers armed with saw-ed-off shotguns-and equipped with high-powered automobiles and motor cycles. Whenever an automobile theft is-,reported the news will he Hashed to all sub-stations guarding ingress and egress to the city. If the theft occurs at night an electric sign bearing the word “Stop!” will be swung over the road, and all motor cars will be inspected before being allowed to proceed.