LIGHT AND GRAVITATION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3334, 12 November 1919, Page 5

LIGHT AND GRAVITATION.

REVELATIONS OF ECLIPSE. ‘ EFFECT ON :SQIENTIFIC THOUGHT. ' LLONDON, Nov. 7. The epochal character of the astronomical discovery that light-like\mat-ter is subject to the laws. oi": g.ravity, is arousing Wide public as Well as scientific interest. There is some sentiment arising out of the disturbance of supposedly immutable old-time principles. . Sir Oliver Lodge, in a letter, supplies :the latest weighty !oronoullcement. He’ declares that -the eclipse resulted in a great triumph for Professor Einstein. The‘"quantitative- agreement is too close to leave much room for doubt. The whole thing is intensely interesting from every point of view. The double value of the result can be assimilated and specified in various ways, one of which is the ponderability of light, coupled with the definite effect of motion "on the Newtonian constant of gravitation, an effect which the behaviour of Mercury and other planets has already rendered probable. ‘ Professor C. Davidson, the Greenwich expert, endorses the View that the Newtonian principle has been upset, but suggests that further mathematical elucidation is required. Professor Einstein is a Swiss Jew, aged 45 years. Atter occupying professorships at Prague and Zurich, -he became a member of the Kaiser Wilhelm Academy, in Berlin. As -the war left him with no duties to perform, he was enablued_to devote himself entirely to research.

' ADDITION TO LAWS. SYDNEY; Nov. 10. A local authority considers that although Professor Einstein ’s discovery is 'OS the greatest scientific importance, it would n-ot by any means upset old laws. Rather. it would be a significant addition to them, TRAVELLING MEDICAL BOARD. - PROTEST ‘BY SOLDIERS. ""—'""" 5 ’ DUNEDIN, Nov. 11. At a public meeting tonight, con--vencd by the Returned Soldiers,’ Association, a motion was carried emphatically protesting against the action of the travelling medical board in discharging men still undergoing medical treatment. The meeting demanded that the Prime Minister take action to I'einstate_under the Defence Department’ all men discharged who are not physically fit to return to their former occupation or enter on training to fit them for a new vocation suitable to their disabilities, and that in future when men are examined for discharge by a, travelling medical board, the evidence of the medical oflicer attending the case be taken before. a decision is arrived at. I

QUESTIONS OF STATE CONTROL‘

MEAT, COAL, AND LIQUOR.

POSITION OF ME-AT SUPPLIES.

Received Noon.

LONDON, Nov. 11.

Newspapers foreshadow a. reduction of 2d per pound in the controlled price of ‘bacon, a reduction in the price of coal- an increase weekly of the butter ration to 1% ounces, 3. release from bond of a greater supply of whisky. The Labour Party is inaugurating a campaign in favour of State control of liquor. .

Mr McCurdy, replying to the meat importers, said lf control‘ was removed there would probably be a tempor~ lary fall in the price of imported meat iowing to the heavy stocks arriving while ample supplies of home—gr-own Dwas available. It is not to the interest of‘ the British consumer to snatch [at a purely temporary reduction, but ‘to assure present and future supplies at the lowest reasonable level. Mr McCurdy admits theworld’s prospec- ’ tive exportable surplus-is .1250 thousand items, not 750 thousand, next year, and ‘the Continent a minimum of half a million. Therefore there would be no normal surplus of meat. The removal of control would involve the risk of higher prices in all the world markets. Mr Auckland Geddes, Speaking at Liverpool, said the Governments’ busl~ ness in trade matters is to stand out of the way, but State control of coal was justified While the production was low. Intensive propaganda by employers among workmen would stimulate production as effectively as’ war propaganda did, recruiting. The fall in the value of money was flitting workmen ‘harder than anybody,’ 51135hmucli as on 'an ‘average’ jincreasedv wages did not quite compensate‘ the increased cost of_ living. _ i V .

THE AJSJERICA CUP.

Receivefi, noon.

NEW YORK, N-o Av. 11

Sir Thomas Lipfou ‘has arrived and will remglin a‘ fol'tnigllt, to .arrange the‘fititing up'of the challenger’ fdr the America Cup. He said he had not reicciveclany acceptance of hits challenge, but‘ expected it shortly. He will bring his 23 metre ;Sham.rock.from England in ,order to pace 'SE:;slTl'lrock IV. ’s trials in thp United States.

SIBERIA’S FUTURE.

Received 10.50 .a.m

TOKIO, Nov. 9«.

Hotosando Zumoto, editor of the Herald of Asia, after a visit to ‘Siberia, writes that he thiflks .a political change in Siberia will be the formation of an aut.b'fi'Omic government

":~:chlding Koltchak, especially if'the Powers, including Japan, support such formation. Japan should lead by giving sincere assistance.

I KOREANS’ ASPIRATIONS. I » Received noon. SEOUL, Nov. 9. Represen"rat.ive Koreans submitted nineteen proposals for .2» conference with Govrnol'—C‘reneral Saito, including c.ompu'_lsol‘y nrirnary 'ld‘uca,Rioll in Korea, freedom of speech, meeting. and press, abolition of "Che colonizflisation policy, Imperial pardon of participants ‘in the recent disturbances, and equality of Koreans with Japanese.

YANKS BREEDING RABBITS. Received Noon. A SAN FRANCISCO, This Day. The Rabbit Breeders Association has announced that one hundred thousand families in California are breeding rabbits for the purpose of ending the skin shortage. ALBANIA MANDATE. Received Noon. NEW YORK, Nov. 11. ' The Times correspondent at Paris, interviewed Turkau Pasha, Premier of Albania, who said Albania‘ preferred a United States nla.ndato, but if this was impossible would wish any other country save Italy. .

THE WAZiTRISvTAN TROUBLE. BRITISH WARN THE TRIBESMEN. ALLAHABAD, Nov. 10. ‘ Gaeneral C?l'=imo presented the B7ritish terms to the Waziris on the 9th at Dardoni. Thirteen aeroplanes circled overhead during the proceedings. The Waziris were given eight days to consider the ‘t-e.r.ms,( reply «to which must be presented at Datta Khed. This post is at present unoccupied by us, and it means that our forces will have to march to Datfa Khed between now and the 17th. This move has considerably disconcereted the Waziris, as the post is of strategic importance. During the last few days aeroplanes have been dropping leaflets over Tochi, advising the Eribesmen. to remove women and children.