TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8160, 15 June 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

The cares' or preventives of seasickness which bare been suggested are almost without number. A novel device baa recently been proposed. The apparatus which is the invention of a Russian doctor, is being experimented with by a prominent German flleotrical firm. The invention oonsists essentially in making the movements of the ship when pitching, rolling and heaving, less felt by the passengers by providing special chairs, couches, or a whole platform forming part of the deok, and giving to thoße, either by ma ohinery or by hand, shoVt up and down movement. Consequently, ast he long movements of the vessel are thus changed into a great, number of short motions, which are constantly interrupted by brief movements in an opposite dteotion, the causes producing sea-aiokness are counteracted.

It not seldom happens that oommeroial men fail to realise the value of soientiflo invention. Mr. Edison has related, in an interview, his diaappoiGting experiences with regard to electric trainwaya. He foresaw very early that eleotrioity would take the place of horses in the traction of street cars. So he laid down a tramway about tbiee miles long near his works at Menlo Park, and worked it electrically, Ibis done, Edison invited u number of the financial magnates from New Yoru to see the line in operation. They came, ttey saw and were not conquered. They laid their wise heads together, and told Mr. Edison there was no future for eletrioal traction. He bad offered to let them have ttie line for 42,000d01, which it had cost him, but they wouldn't hear of it. "No future for electric traotion"says Edison, looking back to that time, "rthy, there isn't a civilised country in the world that has not got elefcria railways or electric tramways." So rxiiicb for tho foresight of the bigwigs of finance in scientific matters.

A pronouncement was made at b meeting of tl)o Dunodia Licensing Committee as to tho desires of elected members of the Bcnoh. They said "We intend, m far ns poseible,to remedy everything that tends to develop illegitimate trading, and to disable a licensee from properly catering for the, public. We also realise the serious inadequacy of hotel aooommodption during show week. In many hotels even sitting rooms and drawing rooms did duty for bedrooms. The hotelkeepers are not to blame. Had fcbey refused shake downs hundreds of uountry visitors would have had to sleep upon the towu belt. We emphasise this to show the acuteness of the position. The remedy lies in encouraging the, hotelkeepers to increase tho size of their premises, or to leave the building of lar«e accommodation houses to private enterprise, but both under present conditions are impracticable. Meantime tne public and this city suffer. Moreover we deprecate supplying women with drink and also the substitution of inferior liquor to what is asked for. The committee must insist upon every publican closing his bar and his doors on the stoke of 10 p.m., and absolutely refusing to serve youths under eighteen years of age, or those under the influence of drink, and also stringently observing the law regarding SuDday trading. Generally, the hotels have been well conducted during the past twelve months. Drunkenness has diminished. We

believe that even better results oan be obtained (1) by raising the social and moral status of hotelkeepers, (2) by seeing tbat liquor is not adulterated, (3) by religious leaders exhorting the people to voluntarily praotise jtotal abstinence and selfcontrol, and (4) generally adopting the praotioal measures indicated in our remarks."

Not only in the United Kingdom, but over the greater part of Europe, there is growing dependence on other countries for meat, and so much is this the case that it is believed, says an English newspaper, tbat the time is near when the demand will be much greater than the supply. This gives important to an interesting report by the United States Consul at Annaberg, in Germany. In this it is pointed out tbat the United States, the Argentine, Australasia ana Canada praotioally furnish the supplus meats. The relatively greater proportion of live stock to popular tionis found in the countries which are furthest from the big markets. The United State 3 i 3 nearest to Europe. This country has 60,000,000 head of cattle, 62,000,000 pigs, and about us irany sheep, to, approximately, 35,000,000 people. Australia and New Zealand are the farthest from Europe, and have 11,000,000 bead of oattle, a few pigs, and 112,000,000 sheep, to less than 4,500,00 people. The Argentine has 27,000,000 oattle and about 11,000,000 sheep, to a population of about 5,500,000 people.