NEAR AND FAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 70, 13 November 1931, Page 4

NEAR AND FAR

As She is Wrote. Extract from local papet at Accra, on the Gojd Coast: "Another constable than himself if not the same eonstable shouted at a gentleman's car that passed sometime last week if it is the same eonstable wu' would ask the authorities to find him a less important job. There^js too much trouhle and worrieness at the present to allow collisions to be frequent." Did Atlantis Exist? The British Government is sendirig out a ship to find if possible, by soundings, if Atlantis ever existed. Aecording to Plato, Atlantis not only existed, but carried on commercial intercourse with Egypt and other Mediterranean countries; and the people were more civilised than even the Egyptians, but they and their country went 'down in a convulsion of nature. It would be very strange if such a circumstantial story had no foundation in fact. "Contra Mundum." The present piteous and parlous plight of Lloyd George, the demigod and demiurgos of war, put me in mind of the old song with the chorus, "Hans Breitman had a barty, Vere vos dat barty now?" writes a correspondent. He also puts me in mind of stout old Bishop Athanasius who, having f ormed a f aith, stuck to it '"contra mundum," against the world. I feel sorry for him. It is time he had a rest on the comfortably upholstered seats in the House of Lords. Curious CoincidSences. . A Wellington writer brings to light a series of curious coincidences. He points out that "there are 52 cards in the pack and 52 weeks in a year. There are 12 picture cards and 12 months in a year. There are f our suits in a deck and four seasonl. There are 13 trieks and 13 weeks in a quarter. The numbers of the cards in a pack total 365 — there are 365 days in a year. And the odd trick is the seventh, and there are seven days in a week." Prisoner's Sweepstake. The prisoners at the gaol at Paparua are allowed only one ounce of tohacco a week, but one man, who was a prisoner there for some time told a Christchurch Sun reporter of a little game that he had arraiiged that added substantially to his supply. It was at the time of the North Island V. South Island football match, so he decided to run a sweepstake on the seores made-. The prize was two ounces of tobacco, and the entrance fee a pinch of each man's quota. The "entrance fee' amounted to three ounces, but, as no one forecasted the correct score, the organiser was well rewarded for his trouble. Whales for Consumption. Describing the flesh of whale as excellent for human consumption, Mr F. W. Vosseler, of Wellington, informed the Palmerston North Rotary Club that he had once, without' his knowledge, consumed a repast of this meat, and had enjoyed it in the belief that it was prime corned beef. Huge quantities of whale flesh "were wasted in the Dominion, said Mr. Vosseler, and he considered it might easily be converted into food suitable for addition to the menu. On one occasion he had seen settlers in the vieinity of the Tory Channel whaling station taking away quantities of whale steaks, allegedly for their dogs, but the care with which they handled the flesh belied the assertion.