Page 1 Advertisements Column 4

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1987, 24 January 1907, Page 1

LONDON CHAT. LONDON, Dec. 28. Yet another stage has been ronched by that very curious affair the naval stokers’ disturbance at Portsmouth, which ostensibly had its origin m the order given by Lieutenant Collat'd, in what was alleged to bo an insulting way, to some of tho stokers assembled on parade to go down on their knees. [ mentioned last week how the principal objector to this command, the stoker, Moody, had received .the forocicuis senteiico of five years penal sorvitHicle. This wcok Lieu tenant Collard was tried by court-martial for his part in the affair. Ho made a remarkably able defence, but was nevertheless convicted in one of tho counts and was ordered to be “reprimanded.” It is hardly surprising the wild disparity botween these two sentences, especially seeing that the lighter sentence was awarded to tho aggressor, has revived and enhanced tho public indignation 101 lat lie punishment awarded to Moody. Hie whole matter is now lioioro the Admiralty, and it is shrewdly suspected that hoy are trying to devise some modus vivondi. Put. in any case the occurrence has shown an unsuspected weakness in what is believed to be our strongest point—the discipline of the navy Manifestly, this rests on so slender a basis that it can be upset in a moment by the bullying attitude of some supercilious and overbearing young officer. MORE “CHICAGO” HORRORS. Olio really wonders whether life is worth living in these days of Chicago moat inti other comestible lienors. Tho so-called “pleasures of tho table” are a thing of the past. Put wo did at least hope that, we might continue safely to eat fruit and to go to bed. We were wrong. We can no longer do either of these things with security ,much less with any mental comfort. During the current, week, two moro abominations have boon added to tho long list so proudly headed by the canned delicacies of Chicago. One is strawberries. Revelations are being made touching the foul, filthy, and insanitary conditions mid or which strawberries are gathered in the Kentish fields, the hideous uncleanliness of the pickers, tho loathsomeness of their clothes, lodging, and surroundings, and the disgustful odiotisness of their methods generally are depicted in terms which almost put to shame some of the sultriest passages in Mr. Upton Sinclair’s “Jungle Book.” It is confidently predicted that unless the public can receive some adequate assurance of radical reform in respect of strawberry-picking, not a soul next season will touch a single Kentish strawberry that lias not been thoroughly washed, ironed and mangled. One does not like to look back to last season in view of what we now know, and yet, those strawberries of 1906 were so unprecedentedly superb. Tho second horror is almost worse, for it is associated with our beds. It lias long been known that bed is the most dangerous place possible, because more peoplo die in bed than anywhere olse. Put we have all been willing to chance that. We little knew! Wo learn better to-day. For, dealing with the noisome question of “loathsome bed-stuffing,” the Lancet quotes a letter which it recently received from Mr. J. O. Neumann, who has had abundant ocular demonstration of the filthiness of the flock used for stuffing beds, not the slightest attempt having been made to cleanse, not to say disinfect, it. “These rags (he writes) come from tho dustbin, the ragsliops, the glitters, and the corners of dilapidated buildings all over England. In going through a factory one sees floor after floor packed with bundles of garments so dirty that even the rag-pickers themselves will not touch them except with the end of a long pole. The stench arising from them is so bad that one proprietor admitted that he would be unable to beep a sufficient number of workmen wero it not for tile occasional finds of coin which arc made even in these well-searched refuse heaps. I saw heaps of rags torn from the floors of railway carriages full of indescribable filth. . . . All these odds and ends are torn into a fine fluffy material by machinery that is so coarse as to allow all but tho heaviest atoms of dust and grit to remain in it. Washing would cost £2 per ton extra, and one-third of the doarly-bouglit rubbish would disappeav in the process.” And this is the stuff which people take their repose upon ,its evil smell disguised by the application of an oil, and its dirt and filth held together by the samo agency. The Lancet cannot understand why, with our admirably equipped sanitary administration, this evil and menace to health should escape scotching. MUSIC. Music is in exceptionally full swing this earlier half of the winter season) Which will soon be nominally ended by Christmas. Dr Joachim and his admirable associates continue to givo us the gems of the chamber music composed by their illustrious fellowcountryman, Brahms. The same great classic composer, whose merit—no, not merit, genius—seems to bo daily receiving more due recognition, was also honored by tho selection of his glorious “Gorman Requiem” for the' annual special Advent Service in St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was held last Tuesday evening under the direction of Sir George Martin, the Cathedra! organist. As I daresay my musical readers in New Zealand are aware, Brahms’ great Requiem is not a Requiem Mass in the ordinary sense, like the well-known examples of Cherubini, Dvorak, Stanford, and, in part, Mozart. As performed amid the solemn surroundings of St. Paul’s Cathedral by tho superb choir, supported by a perfect orchestra, the effect is impressive almost in an overwhelming degree. The choral work was done by the Cathedral choir and the solo work by the Cathedral soloists with a finish and expression that left nothing to bo desired. THE CHRONOMEGAPI-lONE.

At the Cecil Hotel yesterday there was shown to a party of journalists and other interested persons an itir strument which is to be known to posterity as the chronomegaphouc. With living pictures and talking machines we are still familiar Blit hero wo have at last a combination of the two. The usual white sheet is hoisted, and on it is thrown the picture ; hard by is the speaker or singing part of the contrivance, and the aim of the inventor, M. I;. Gnmont, has beer, to make every movement of the picture synchronise with the sounds from tho megaphone. Several samples were placed before the audience, and one could almost imagine that the pictures were living performers singing and acting in full face of tho audience. The selections given were enough to show that the chrononiegaphone is capable of even greater developments, which will, no doubt, come about later. The selections included _ “The Swing Song,” from “Veronique,”' “The Lord High Executioner’s Song” from the “Mikado,” and the tower scone from “It Trovatore.” In every case the tone came out wonderfully well, and in Verdi’s scene the enunciation was remarkable. As to whether the synchronisation is as perfect as is claimed, the cpiestion will, no doubt', be a matter of opinion. One thing, however, is certain, and that is that the combination of the two instruments is unique. The ehronomegnphono is to be seen and heard by a London audience at the Hippodrome, on Monday. Tho performance will certainly he a curiosity. XMAS WEATHER. After one of tho mildest Novembers ever known in this country, December set in with equal mildness, also with some stiff westerly and southerly gales. Yesterday there was a sudden change, the wind went into the north and blew hard, the barometer rose like a shot, and t'lie temperature fell just as rapidly. There was a fairly sharp frost, last night, and to-day the air is distinctly keen but with clear sky and bright sunshine. The influenza epidemic as yet shows no abatement. If anything it is more virulent than ever, and is causing serious trouble, not merely in public offices and other institutions, but also in many of the great houses which are in full preparation for Xmas, and which find it almost impossible to meet the requirements of customers owing to the lack of “hands.” There still seems to bo no real cure, except total rest in bed and the free imbibing of that most detestable tipple ammoniated quinine! Direful recollection I—N.Z. Herald.

THE PERIL OF OT7R TIME. In Lung Disease. Dr. Sheldon’s New Discovery for Coughs, Colds, and Consumption cures lung trouble. Small dose. Pleasant to take. Every bottle guaranteed. For sale by A. IV. J. Mann, Agent, Cliemist,