GENERAL NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 30 June 1913, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

EMIGRATION FROM SCOTLAND

The rush of emigrants from Scotland is greater than ever before (says "The Field"). The number leaving the Clyde has varied from 3000 to 5000 a week for some time past, and there is no indication of immediate reduction. The position is serious, if not alarming, but no remedy is apparent. The creation of small holdings will do little, if anything, to stem the outward flow of the cream of the rural ppoulation. There is a type of emigrant who leaves the Old Country in the belief that it is easier to obtain a living abroad, but the majority of those who are moving awav from the country districts are actuated by a genuine desire to better themselves, and are prepared to face the strenuous task of establishing a position of stability in countries offering greater possibilities than their own. The man or woman who emigrates in. this spirit will not be restrained by limited resources of a small holding, the only certainty in connection with which is known to be a life of unceasing toil. Indeed, it is feasible to contend that an opposite policy would have more effect in chocking the rush from the land, especially in districts where the soil is moderate, the climate uncertain, and the accessibility to markets indifferent. What the best class of emigrant seeks is scope for his energies, and it is not the small holding in quarters remote from good markets that will weigh with him in competition with opportunities that are represented as awaiting him in other lands. Much can. be done to improve the position of workers on the land in the way of better cottages and higher wages,, but a policy of multiplying the holders and restricting to a corresponding degree the possibilities for achievement is not the way to meet the attractions presented abroad. APPENDICITIS.

The prevalence of appendicitis adds a new terror to daily life. Neither youth nor age is immune. Everyone feels that in households where there is no outward sign of sickness one of its members may be suddenly smitten. Two instances have recently . ... is; . , .. .. .■; 'Sir Henry Lucy in his London IcUer to the "Sydney Morning Herlid"). .Oho concerns a colleague on tin- staff of "Punch." the other the s on And heir of the Marquis of Londonderry. One af '.'"no >n Lord Captlci roinrh was talking to me in the lobTr-' of tlx. House of.Commons, apparently, in his usual health. The papers on the following afternoon announced that ho had undergone an operation •for appendicitis. Another peculiaritv about the plague is its newness. Wbon London was shocked by the hows : ih;lt King JMward, almost orL tho ove of the day appointed' for hiS' Coronation, was seriouulv ill, I hap- , pened to 1 be lunching with a Cabinet; Minister. As a Council had been held on the previous afternoon, it seemed that here was opportunity of learning particulars vaguely hinted at in special' editions of the morning papers. It was probable that before, the Sovereign underwent a serious operation of extreme.» difficulty and danger the Cabinet would be communicated with. It turned out that our host received his first and only intimation of the circumstance when lie opened the nowyptpar. Another cuiious thing was that no one in the had ever heard of such a disease as appendicitis. We have heard too much of it sines, and the marvel remains as to what happened before attention was called to the matter by the illness of King Edward. I suppose that, like some books, wo all.had appendices whilst Queen Victoria was on the throne. Certain!}we never heard of them developing tendencies requiring, in order to save life, instant application of the surgeon's knife.

AN ACTOR AT NINETY-THREE. France possesses in Monsieur Jean Baptiste Dray a very interesting personality, Svho certainly has some claim to unique distinction (says the Paris correspondent of the "Evening Stamford''). Monsieur Dray is an actor, and in spite of the fact that he is 93 years of age, he still follows his profession and continues to delight his audiences. . What is even more extraordinary is that he is completely deaf, but is able to follow the piece by paying attention to the lip movements of the other artists, and takes his cue quit.? naturally, without the audience getting any hint of his infirmity. He comes of an old theatrical family, and is director of the in which he acts in Chateaurejjard. He is wonderfully alert, and looks years younger than his age, while he has never known what illness is. Although he has amassed -a little money, he has no intention of abandoning, his profession, and hopes and believes he will live to be a centenarian. THE HOTEL LOUNGER.

The managers of the big hotels intend (says the London correspondent of the "Age") to make an effort to get rid of the hotel lounger—the well-dressed man, who spends most of his time at a fashionable residential hotel, without spending any money there. The lounger lives in cheap lodgings, but he puts in more tiine at the hotel tha,n jit his home. He arrives about noon, and, seating himself in one of the most comfortable chairs in the lounge or the smok-ing-room, he orders a drink. He then goes steadily through all the papers he can find. About lunch time he departs, and returns again in the afternoon, where he awaits the arrival of any man with whom he has scraped acquaintance, who will be ready to shout for him. Towards dinner time he again departs, and about 9 p.m. he returns, arrayed in eveninpr dress. He stays there till midnight, unless lie finds an acquaintance who will take him out to a theatre or music hall, and on the following day he goes through the same performance. He is a man with small private means who will not work, but likes to spend his life within eight of the gaiety and sparkle of fashionable life. Many of the hotel loungers are Civil Servants, who have retired on small pensions, and do not know what to do with their lives. They use the hotel note-paper, and have their lottfels addressed there. But the presence of the hotel lounger is distasteful to the regular patrons of the hotel, because he thrusts his acquaintance on them, and the hotel managers have determined to try and get rid of him. As a preliminary step they will return all his correspondence to the Post Office, with the intimation "Not known."