TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7943, 18 January 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

Addressing his constituents at Arbroath, Mr Morley depreoated the idea that "efficiency" would bring about the millennium. Efficiency, he said, was- not a principle; it was a catch-word. The most efficient mortal who ever bestrode this planet was Napoleon Bonaparte, but did he bring blessings to his country or to mankind? He would not take efficiency as the kipd of maxim that a free democratic, self-governing community should imitate and cherish. What was wanted was not efficiency in Whitehall, but will and driving power.

The United States Consul at Bremerhaven reports that a wireless telegraph station which is being built by the German Government at Norddeioh is expected to cover a circuit including nearly all Europe. It is intended to convey messages not only to and from Germany, Switzerland, France, Great Britain and Denmark, but also the larger Dart of Italy, Sweden and Norway, and even portions of Spain, the Balkan peninsula and Russia. To the south-west it will operate as far as Saragossa, in the south it will almost reach Naples and Cettinje, in the east get close to St. Petersburg, and in the north it will talk to tho people at Dioutheim

and about half-way up to Narvik. The towers for the station are to be 213 feet higb. The entire plant, including dwellings for the oflioiais and employees, will be ready for workiDg early this year.

An interesting and important series of experiments are soon to commence at the United State 3 Agricultural Department, Washington, when the "poison squad," composed of department employees who volunteer, will, for a protracted period, have their diet confined exclusively to articles which have been preserved by the cold storage process. These young men will eat; nothing except food furnished them by the Department. Their weight and general condition will be closely noted at the beginning of the experiment, and be reported daily during its continuance. Meat, eggs, poultry, game, fruit, vegetables and other articles, which have teen pre served by cold storage, will be furnished the "poison squad" in liberal quantity appetisingly cooked and served The experiment will demonstrate whether refrigeration as commercially applied iu the preservation of food supplies affects the nutritive properties, and whether any injurious results follow the use of cold storage produots.

A historic buglo was offered for sale recently by Messrs Glendinuing, of Argyll Street, London. The instrument was described as the one used by Trumpeter William Brittain, of the 17th Lancers, wdo was orderly to Lord Cardigan when the Light Brigade made their famous charge at Balaclava. It bears signs of rough usage, and there is a large hole in the bell, which is said to have been caused by a Cossack with his lance ad he rode by Brittain, who fell mortally wounded on the field. The Cossack endeavoured to get possession of the buge, but as it was fastened securely to the trumpeter he was unsuccessful. There was a large gathering in the sale room. The bidding started at £SO, but quickly rose to £SOO, and in the end £IOSO wa-3 reached, but the auctioneer said the bugle was not to bo sold. The owner had set upon it a reserve of at least £ISOO.

An Elizabetgrad Daper has published a letter from a local musician, the leader of a private orchestra, describing how, whilst the town was recently in the midst of a bloody turmoil of anarchy and Jewish 1 massacre, he was summoned, with eight of his band, to the Governor's residence, and ther« compelled to play tor the entertainment of a curiously mixed oorapany. His Excellency's guests were chiefly police and military officers, and both married and single women. The cake walk, »mazurkas and other lively dances proceeded with a baoohanalian abandon which appears to have shocked the orchestra. In the interludes of this wild org'e, says the writer, could be heard through the the salvoes of rifles and revolvers, the frenzied shouts of the Black Gang combatante, and the cries and screams of the wounded and dying, Sinop this letter received the imprimatur of the censor the facts stated are not open to doubt. The butchery and plunder of the Jews at Eketernoslaf were perpetrated under the proved connivance of the Governor, M. Neidhardt, a brother of the dismissed and degraded Civil Governor of Odessa.

More than 4000 clerks are included in the ranks of the unemployed of. London. That was- a computation made recently by Mr G. Maopher son, the Secretary of the National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, Warehousemen, and Clerks, "lam not surprised to learn," he said recently, "that, there were 2500 applications for a clerioal position,' carrying with it a moderate salary, recently. We have had a somewhat similar experience at this office. We advertised for a olerk, one insertion of the advertisement being placed in a daily paper. In response we had 300 applications, and some of them were most pathetio to read. One man, who stated that he was 40 years old, and had a wife and family, concluded bis letter with the sentence, 'For God's sake, give me a chanoe!' Theoause of the unemployment of so many clerks is that during tne last, ten years mechanical appliances have been invented for certain work in offices which have rendered the engagement of a man unnecessary. Then, again, the girl typist and shorthand writers have undoubtedly displaced many male clerks."