GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 17, 23 December 1915, Page 7

GENERAL.

A remarkable record for attendance came to light at the break-up of the Mornington Public School (says the Otago Daily Times). Included among three pupils who received medals for eight years of unbroken attendance were two brothers, Leonard and Maurice Stanaway. The head master of the school (Mr Davidson) explained that the only other child in the family, a sister, bad also left the school with a similar record. The children had not been free from childish ailments and epidemics such as measles, but somehow they had "always made al> rangements to have them in the holidays."

A fine speciment of young manhood, who enlisted a few days ago, returned bid medical examinations papers to the Oamaru Defence Office on Monday (says the North Otago Times). He had been rejected for that all too common complaint—"flat feet." The i'would-be recruit took bis disappointi ment ih the best possible spirit, but I was not above giving the Defence 1 staff, in moderately forcible language, his own opinion of the examination regulations. "Look here," he concluded, "I've mustered continually for the past eight years, over pretty rough country, tbo. I've gone with the team for days at a time, and never knocked up. Yet, when I. come here, to put .in for a job "that doesn't mean a twentieth of the marching and hard work I've had to do, you tell me I'm no use;" and with a look expressive of the greatest contempt for departmental red tape and its attendant inconsistencies he stamped noisly out of the office.

One oi the most obvious developments or motoring during jiie past lew years has been iJie great advance m popularity oi the motor cycle side car. it seems natural in motor-cycling, as in motor-earring— to coin a woru—as soon as the technique of the single or small-powered machine is mastered, to desire something more powerful and more companionable. But there is something more than that underneatn the practical universality of the motor-cycle-cum-side-car attachment, and is to be found in the fact that while the motor cycle, unfortunately, is the special prey of side-slips and skids on greasy surfaces, and is in other ways the least stable of all forms of horse--1633 traction, as soon as the side-whee attachment is fitted its stability and safety are. at least equal to that of the motor car. That partly explains why the threatened opposition of the socalled cycle car failed in any way to arrest or injure the popularity of the motor-bicycle-cum-side-car fashion. The cost of a side-car outfit is not tar short of the figure that will purchase some of the very cheap American light cars, hut the economy of running speed and comfort of the side-car equipment has'gained thus type of outfit a popularity, that will not only endure, but grow. Owing to the War it is more than ever necessary that the Child Life of the Nation should be safeguarded, for children are the Nation's greatest asset. No Britain'only, but the Empire has paid her heavy toll in lives. From Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Britain's loyal sons, .have goneito the front; many never to return. The Empire rests to-day on childhood s shoulders, and it is a public duty to fit those shoulders for their task. Ihe safety of the Empire in the years to come" depends on the children. A booklet, giving some idea of the importance of this subject at the present juncture, has been issued by Dr. Barnardo's Homes, which for. 49 years have been rescuing Boys and Girls who would not otherwise have ( had their chance. Eighty-one thousand little souls have been rescued and transformed into useful citizens. the death rat© at these homes last year was only 5.21 per thousand : for the previous twenty years the average did not exceed 7.76. Gifts of all kinds, money, clothing; blankets, etc., will be welcomed by the Honorary Director Mr William Baker, MA., LL 8.,. at Headquarters, 18 to 26, Stepney Causeway, London, E. People sometimes speculate, when the speed of modern progress * .uidenly strikes them, on what our forefathers would,say could they come to life and view the marked difference in general conditions between now and a hundred or even fifty years ago. And the primary instigator of the thought is of course, the motor car. There was not very long ago, a prisoner released after a very lengthy incarcera r tion, and an enterprising journalist got hold of him, and recorded his impressions. America has gone one bettee. A murdered has just been set free from Sing Sing prison after twenty-one years of confinement there, and the Society for electrical development immediately took the opportunity of giving him some "shocks." The old man—he is 84—was taken on a tour by a lady owner of an electric vehicle, and shown all the wonders in electricity which America has developed during those fateful twenty-one years. The electric cars which abound in New York apparently mystified and interested him even more than a specially electrically cooked luncheon to which he was bidden. One would think that the excitement of it all would prove very trying for a man of that advanced age. But what strikes one most about the affair is the Americanism of it all. The released murderer taken charge of, toured round and feted, so that his impressions might be noted. It smacks strongly of the American love of sensationalism.

Ten miles were recently covered on the new Sheepshead Bay motor track, near New York, by D. Resta, on a Peugeot, in smins 32 4-ssecs., which is equal to a speed of 117 miles an hour. Whilst these wonderful figures constitute an American record, Ihey are still slightly behind L. G. Hornsted's smins IDsecs., established at Brooklands (England) in February, 1914.

A number of small children were playing in a vacant section which was being filled in, in Christchurch, tht' other day (says the Star) when a little fellow of some six years picked up.a lemonade bottle containing some white fluid and tightly corked. He took it iuto his hands with the intention of carrying it home, when it exploded with a terrific bang, tearing open the child's cheek and inflicting severe face wounds, the right "eye just escaping destruction.

The remarkable escape of a railway, | porter named Bernard Hoobin is re- > ported by a recent Australian paper. '• j ust after a train had left Collingwood I station, Melbourne, Hoobin jumped down on the track from the east plat- j form in order to meet a down train on the other side. Apparently he miscal- I culated 'the distance, and was knocked down by the engine attached to the down train. Hoobin threw up his arms and slightly lessened the inpact, and, lying between the rails, he remained motionless until the train stopped. He then crawled out with a cut head and bruises on the left hip and shoulder. He remarked, "Wasn't I lucky?" and went back to work. i

At a recruiting meeting in Newcastle, New South Wales, the Mayor said he 'was not in favor of conscription. There was, however, he said, a number of young iellows who, he was prepared to say, ought to be "shanghaied," because they were no use here. Fellows who would not work should.be made go and fight for their country. (Applause). Only the other day he was travelling in a tram, when one of those shirkers got in and sat opposite a "pal." The latter remarked, "Where are you working now ?" The other said nothing for a while, but grinned, and then said, "Workin'P I don't work while the old man's got his job. That's the sort of fellow, said the Mayor, amidst applause, who should be dragged out and made fight.