GENERAL NEWS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 11 January 1913, Page 7

GENERAL NEWS

WOUNDS IN BATTLE. One of the Red Cross surgeons at the war had an opportunity of observ. ing 670 cases of severe wounds on Servian soldiers, and expresses his surprise at tho Tapiditv of healing and the aseptic conditions of even the most dangerout injuries. Men shot through the body by bullets winch penetrated the liver, the lung, the spleen, and the intestines, recovered after a fortnight or so without much evidence of ultimate aseptic by the enormous heat of the burning powder. CLOTHING AS INSULATOR. I)r Reginald Morton describes in the "Lancet" how to deal with persons suffering from electrical shock. If thevictim remains in contact with tho circuit his body must noi by the rescuer, but the latter may pull him out of contact by hauling on the clothing, or he may take off his own coat, insert his hands in the sleeves, and then handle tho victim with little or no risk. Almost any article of clothing or material may be used, provided it is dry and moderate thickness. Dr Morton points out that death from electrical shock i-s only an apparent death at first, and that there is practically always a time during which it is possible to resuscitate the victim by artificial respiration.

SCHOOL OF ORATORY FOR SUFFRAGISTS. A school of oratory to teach women speakers how to hold their own in Suffrage campaigns has just beeli established in Chicago, the Londoit "Chronicle" says. With Woman-Suf-frage established in ten States tho Suffragists are preparing to carry on a vigorous campaign in the remaining "unenlightened" thirty-eight, and Edna Phelps, founder of the I school, «avs, plenty of Suffragist ).speakers will be needed. "We have lots of girls with good ideas, who can't get on a platform and make a good speech in public because their 'knees get shaky," Miss Phelps remarked, "so we are going to get | plenty of practice, privately, and then rhave men come in and interrupt the orators with foolish questions. We wish to be ready with quick responses that will turn the laugh against the disturber, and this branch of elocution will receive the utmost attention." ! FLANNELLED FOOLS. | In a poem some yeans ago Rudyard Kipling, the poet, referred to cricketers as "flannelcd fools ' and footballers as "muddied oafs." His lines have often been quoted by those who do not fully value athletics, ana the poet has been credited with op- - position to physical development and culture. Mr P. A. McAlister, in a speech at the Victorian Junior Cricket Association last week (says the "Argus"), referred to the lines, and gave it as his opinion that Rudyard Kipling had changed his opinion "When I was at Canterbury with the Australian eleven, "a. well-known cricket writer came to me with a bat, ' and asked me if 1 would obtain the signatures of the team on the face of the bat. Printed on the other side of tho bnt were the words, 'John Kipling, his bat.' The' pressman said, 'Mr Rudyard Kipling would be very much obliged if you could <lo this for his son.' T was glad to be able to <lo jit. for it showed me that one poet, J who had written against cricket, had been converted." Mr McAlister's remarks were greeted with laughter and applause.

A STRANGE STRIKE

The "galibots" of the coal mines of Xoeux sire on strike. Nothing ■< ery novel in that nowadays; but the strange thing is that the "galibo's"' —i.e.. the youths from (5 to 18. who load the coal trucks in the mine—are striking for more work not for less (says the Paris correspondent of the London "Daily Telegraph"). These young men were lately made the obicctr— or the victims —of a very wellmeant piece of paternal legislation, hv which their hours of work were restricted to a certain number. As a rule., the "galibots" do not complain, but just now the great day of the miners' year —the feast of Sainte-' Barhe. patroness of those who go down into the earth in cages— rapidly approaching. For a fortnight before this date it is a habit of the French adult miner to work overtime in order to have money enough to fittinglv celebrate the occasion. So the "gallibots" requested that for tho space of fifteen days the action of the henevole-it law Oinnl.i be «u ponded They, 100. want- dto li'. v-» l ho!- p'Vt--etx well {jam:shod f:r the fe«l;:vrd Naturally, tlvur request- ws,. i ».y a firm, if kind, "non possums" on the part of the proprietors. And now the [ninety-two "gallibots" have left the pit to a boy. Of this strike you will find no mention in the Socialist papei's.

MOTOR CARS FOR THE PEOPLE. There seems every chance that the next year or two will see a great extension of motoring in England, to people who, until recently, scarcely dreamed of possessing a oar (says the "Sydney Morning Herald's" London correspondent). This is owing to the coming of the small type of car, which stands to the motor car much in the same position as a ponv-cart does to a carriage, and of which no fewer than 35 different models are being shown at the Clyde Show at Olvmpia. They are called cycle-cars, (although they look like a tiny motor car, they really come, nearer to the. motor cvcle, and are being made chiefly by the cycle manufacturers. The prices of the cars shown at Olvmpia run from about £7O to £lB5. or, in one case. £240. They are mostly built with bicycle wheels, and are ne-arly all two-seaters. There are several excellent models at about £l2O to £l4O. At first- sight this does not seem any cheaper than the cheapest motor cars, but the advantage, of course, is that the cycle-car uses only about half the petrol, and is far lighter upon its tyres. A cycle-car eh £7O to £IOO is .within the reach of thousands of comparatively poor people, but these luxuries of tW English mechanic or clerk will neve- be available to the same class in Australia, until the Australian roads are fit to carry the only sort of motor-car which the mass of the people can afford.