GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 41, 23 May 1916, Page 3

GENERAL.

A letter has boon received by his relatives in Palmerston North from Private W. R. Snrgcnor, who is a prisoner of war in Turkey. Ho is at) present at "Bilemedik, Pouzanti, and writes as follows:—“Am quite well; am working with pick and shovel at gravel. Our gang, 30 men (2 cooks), get paid for work. Nd news from you yet, had card from , also postcard of Mt. Eglnont. Work at nights fortnightly and days ditto. Get no news from outside, often wonder how and whore you all are. Getting used to life here. Now have more money than previously. Spring coining on, and have freedom of district and village for miles. Live in four-roomed hut, fairly comfortable. Remember, me to friends, love to all. Always hoping to see you soon.”

In the course of a letter to Mr W. H. Tisdall, Cashel Street, Christchurch, Mr James Bennett of Oamaru, gives the following interesting information respecting quinnat salmon, the presence of which in our South Island rivers is proving so gratifying to anglers, and which augurs so well for future seasons:—“The. quinnat are going up the Waitaki in thousands, the head waters being fairly alive with them. 'They look well in the water—just like a yard of dark gijpen ribbon—and I know of three poached up above Lake Ohau which weighed respectively 64, 52, and 48 pounds, so you see they grow to some size. We have hooked some at the mouth of the Waitaki but they generally get away with the lot if ihe hooks do not pull out. From what I can see, they never go very far past the mouth—not more than half a mile—during the season, but start to run during the last two weeks, right in the centre of the stream, only an odd one going up the bank. There must have been thousands of them, for 1 could see them rising for some two miles that 1 wen- down the river.”

At the Balclntha Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, before Mr H. A. Youilg S.M., John Ramsay, as engineer for the Clutha County Council, proceeded against Robert Houliston on a charge of unlawfully engaging a traction engine on heavy traffic on a road under the control of the county council. Mr D. Stewart (Balclntha) appeared for complainant, Mr C. G. White (Dunedin), for defendant; and Mr A. Finch (Dunedin) for the Farmers’ Union. It appeared from the evidence that considerable damage has been done from time to time to the country roads by traction engine traffic. Mr Ramsay sated that, for the last six months, it had cost tht council £1046 for repairs, and, in consequence of this, the council charged a- license fee of £2O and a bond of, £SO, which was only drawn upon in case of damage being done. The facts in the case were practically admitted, and argument ensued as to the validity of the by-law under which the license fee and amount of bond were fixed. Counsel for defendant contended that the by-law was ultra vires, on the ground of uncertainty, and because ifc was inequitable, while counsel for the complainant argued that it complied with the four requisites of a good by-law ; (1) It was within the power of the council to make, it; (2) Jthe by-law must not bo repugnant to the laws of New Zealand.; (3) the by-law must bo certain in its terms and positive; (1) it must be reasonable and fair in its incidence. After hearing argument, the magistrate reserved his decision. J

Bread made from flour mixed uitli blood instead of water is urged ass a food that ‘is not merely highly mi-u itious, but also palatable. Its inventor is R. Droste, Staff. Apothecary ami Food Chemist to Hanover, who writes of it in the “Chemikcr Zeitung, ’ and |his eulogies are quoted with appioval jby the “Scientific American.” Ta (overcome the prejudice that many persons feel against blood, bemuse, of its smell, taste, and color, Mr iuosjtc bleaches it with peroxide of Imogen. They provide liberties so much oxygen when it comes into contact j with organic matter tha: yeast; or baking powder is for the ccugb “rises” without any other aera- ' t.ion. The flour is first mixed with the blood, then the peroxide is added. lAt first Mr Droste used a 30 per, 'cent, solution of ordinary p« roxidc. hut he now uses a 'pecia; p'Miydri'.e .The fresh bleed is ydloved t > •’■i.d in the ice box for from 2f to 31 hours-; it is then sthained of filtered to i;etiievc tiie clots,, and the serum that remains is mixed with the flour. 'J he, “Scientific American” doubts whether the hausfrau will welcome this substitute for milk and eggs with much eve thusiasm, but adds that blood is to receive wide application in armies and public institutions.

1 A problem that has baffled scientists has apparently been solved by two Auckland inventors, Messrs'W. Overeiul (metallurgist) and H. Griulinton (stys the Auckland “Star.”) This relates to the soldering of aim niinimi, either to itself or any other metal or alloy. The inventors placed itheir discovery.in the hands of a com-, ipany, and they were commissioned to proceed to London , in- order to seek ■ more expert assistance. Mr Grjnlin-. (ton has just returned with tin." reassuring intelligence that not only have they secured an almost indisputable patent, but they were accorded ,a most cordial reception by London’s leading scientific and commercial men. 'ihe War Office requested an interview with the patentees, with the result that a demonstration was demanded find successfully carried out sit the -Royal Woolwich Arsenal, tin* demonstration proving of such satisfaction that the Government immediately commandeered the letters patent, and assurred the patentees that, provided the report on tests was satisfactory, flic Imperial Government would take ovethe whole ol the .discovery. Mi Overend, who is remaining in. Fugland, has been commandeered by tb War Office to fully instruct a u ex pert of the National Physical Research Laboratory in the art of soldering aluminium. under the new process,.

The variety of ills which human, ifesb is heir to was illustrated in the - case o. an elderly woman, a former inmate o Mount Park Moir.al Hospital, whos deatli was the sVibjcf-if of corouial en quiry (says the 'Melbourne Age). Modi jeal evidence showed that she had sui ferod among other things from senile dementia, kidney disease, hcai I failure, mitral stenosis, thickening of the coronary veins, recent pericarditis and hydrothorax, compressed lungs cancer, spleen trouble, brain softening, aneurism and general wasting. The Coroner listened to the, reading of the lengthy list, with interest ami concern, and subsequently commented, “Is there any disease she did not have Apparently the only internal organ that was not diseased was the liver.” .The medical witness testified that that was so. “Well,” Dr. Cole added, “you did remarkably well in sustaining life so long.” Clinically, death was ascribed to h.eqrt failure.