TOPICAL READING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8202, 4 August 1906, Page 4

TOPICAL READING.

Another successful experiment in housing workmen has been made by theßritish Steel-Smelter?, Iron and Tim-Plate Association in the North of England, in four towns in the north east coast. The Association has erected thirty-nine houses at a cost of between £II,OOO and £12,000. The total sum so invested now reaches £50,000. The rents vary from 7s to 8s 9d per iweek, according to accommodation or size of rooms. Each house has six rooms and a bathroom. Everyone must wish (says "Engineering") that experiments of this bind should succeed, for they develop thrift and self-repseot—two great factors in progressive improvement.

There are considerable growth" of sponge along the coast of Fiji, and of this there is good evidenoe after each storm of any magnitude by the beiches were being strewn with it. It only requires to be fished for to SBCure it in quantity, and its manipulation ' iDto a commercial article is neither difficult nor expensive. For the inferior article it would appear that an opportunity now presents itself. The making of pillows and mattresses stuffed with sponges in stead of feathers or horsehair has been commenced in Florida, and, according to a note in the English Mechanic, results appear to be pro' misiuc. Sponge ie said to have all the sponginess and resilience demanded of a material used in bedding, and to have certain advantages over feathers and other materials at present in use. It is said that the usfc of the new material results in the production of pillows and mattresses which cost only twothirds the price of those made in the manner an present in vogue, and the sponge is very considerably lighter than the proverbinl feather with whioh a pillow is stuffed.

lb the conrss of his report on the trade of Japan for 1905, Mr Suttor, the New South Wales agent, remarks: —In connection with hair, horse-hair, pigs' bristles, and other bristles, the supplies are far short of requirements. If Australian station people .and others would only preserve ali hair and bristles when animals were killed, and collect them until handy sized parcels are available, ready sales can always lo de pended upon in Japan. I have frequently seen pigs killed in New South Wales and the valuable bristles destroyed, the same with horse hair and other bristles. Children in Australia could make good pocket money by oarefully putting up in small bundles all the bristles and hair. As in China, so in Germany, nothing is wasted. When a few pounds weight are collected it is sent to the nearest buyer and then accumulated lots are sent on in larger quantities to Japan and elsewhere. It does not matter how irregularly the hair or bristles are tied up so long as they are clean and free from foreign matter.

The eleventh session of the Tongan Parliament was formally declared closed by hia Majesty George Tubou 11., in person, on July 13th inst. Parliament here, says the Tongan correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald, is a triennial affair, and generally last from two to three months, daring which the Nobles and Commoners are the guests of the Government, and live on the "fat of the land." This year, however, was the first time that tte affair had been partially under European management, and owing to the way in whioh tne business of the House was keot moving, the whole transactions only occupied eight working days, constituting a reoord. On the day of the "breaking up" of the House the King marched in his State robes from the Palace to the Parliament House, proceeded by the brass band playing "See, the Conquering Hero Comes," and attended by the Tongan Uuards. The closing ceremony was very short, the speech being brief and to the point, the band struck up the Tongan National Anthem, the Royal salute thundered out from the battery, and the Parliament was over for another three years.

Dr H. A. de Latonr, who has given a great deal of attention, to the subject of bacteriology, has also interested himself for many years in acclimatisaton affairs and in this connection has taken, part in an interesting nxperiment iu conjunction with the Otago Acclimatisation Society, says the 'Daily Time".' Dr. de Latour is of the opinion that the unfortunate results attendant on renent attempts to introduce salmon and tront ova were due in a large measure to the presence of in jurious bacteria in thp mosß and the material used for packing, and that if the material were properly sterilised the chances of s'icoess would be greatly increased. He procured some samples of the moss in whioh recent shipments of ova were introduced, and, as an experiment, inooulated some pure oulfcures of potatoes with sterilised water, in which the raoss was kept for some time. The resultant growth in the glass tubes is well worthy of inspection. That experiment convinoed him that he was on the right track, and tie anticipates that bis view will be confirmed by a practical experiment whioh he recently undertook. The Otago Acclimatisation Society, as will be remembered, decided some time ago to forward to the editor of tne Pishing Gazetjbe, London, a second shipment of New Zealand brown trout ova in exchange for some ova whicto that gentleman will Froouw from some of the fish hatcheries in the Home Country. Dr. de Latour packed some of the New Zealand ova among material whioh ne caueed to be thoroughly sterilised, and is now awaiting newa of the arrival of the ova in England. Should it turn out that the one box of eight has a much lower rate of mortality than the other seven boxes the conclusion must be that when undertaking acclimatisation experiments it would be wise to engage the sympathies of a scientifio man, and conduct the experiments on scientific lines. ■ 1 * ' "'