Page 4 Advertisements Column 4

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2008, 18 February 1907, Page 4

SHOULD WHITE WED YELLOW? An nddross dolivorotl at tho Nippon Club in Now York by Mr Aoki, tho Japanese Ambassador, urging his countrymen to marry Amorienn women, is typical of many recent Japanoso uttorancos to tho same effect. Mr Aoki congratulated those mombors of tho club who had American wives. A Japanese reporter's translation of the spooell included this remark: “Make yourselves worthy of tho love of millionaires’ daughters, and when your fathers-in-law become aware of your merits they will assist you in every way possible.” The advantages of such marriages from tho Japanoso point of view and their drawbacks for Americans are noticed in a letter from a Tokio resident. (Ilyogoku) in tho Japan Times: “It is generally admitted by tho Japanese themselves that, physically, they are inferior to their Western neighbors. On an averago a Japanese adult is about the size ol a 10-yoar-old boy in America. Tho oilspring resulting from such unions are a cross, being neither so small as the ono nor so large as the other. That tho Japanoso people desire to bo larger is as apparent as their diminutive size. That they also admire the features of the foreigner is also plain. Shortly after the decease ol General Kodama, one of his friends remarked that lie looked like a foreigner. I myself have noted that his walk was much like an Englishman’s. So when the Japanese, father sees his little soil, by a Western mother, a little above tho average, ho has cause lor rejoicing; but when the mother looks on her little boy, by a Japanese father, and notices his short stature, sallow skin, and bowed logs, nothing but parental lovo can cover up such serious defects.”

MAILS FOR THE ARCTIC CIRCLE The enterprise of the Canadian Government is well manifesod in the onergy with which they have pushed forward postal facilities in the northwest'. A few years ago the idea of addressing a letter to “Fort McPherson, Arctic Circle,” in the certainty of it being delivered within a reasonable time would have been considered absurd, but it is possible now. Four years ago Edmonton, now the capital of Alberta, was the limit of ordinary postal communication, and, until recently, Edmonton was roacliod by ox-cart. The Government gradually established a line of posts from Edmonton to Fort McPherson, on the McKenzie river, 2000 miles from Edmonton and 5000 from Ottawa. The service is carried on throughout the winter. The country is without roads and covered lor six months in the year with ice and snow. The only practicable means of transport is by dog-sleigli. Five, six, or nine dogs are harnessed to tlieso postal sleighs, tho drivers of which may travel hundreds of miles without seeing a soul. Owing to tho groat distances which separate the settlers in this vast territory, the carriers deliver letters as they go along. That a penny stamp will cover the cost of an ordinary letter all this distanco is not the least of man’s triumphs over Nature. Fort McPhorson certainly needed a postal service. Prior to last winter it was served once a year by a steamer bolonging to the Hudson Bay Company which brought supplies and letters and took back furs. Fancy reading a year’s papers one after the other! Tho enterprise of tho Canadian Government is such that if \Vell in an and Peary got to the Pole, it may bo possiblo to congratulate--them on tho spot by letter.

EDISON’S CIGARS. Ellison is an inveterate smoker, and is rarely seen without a cigar between his lips. But his taste in tobacco is (says P.T.0.) not that of a connoisseur. He is fond of telling a good story against himself in this connection. At ono time ho was in the habit of smoking expensive cigars which, as they were left lying about in his room, wore abstracted by all who had access to it. One day the inventor was amazed to find that the whole of a consignment of cigars, which had only arrived the previous week, had mysteriously disappeared. He thereupon asked a friend to send him from a distant city six cigar boxes, the contents of which were to be composed of brown paper, rags, and horsehair. Some time elapsed, and his friend paid a visit to the laboratory. Ono of the first questions ho put to the inventor was, “Well, how did the cigar business work?” Edison had evidently forgotten the incident. “What cigar business?” ho queried. “Why, the cigars I had made for you out of the rags and brown paper and horsehair.” “What sort of boxes were they put up in?” demanded Edison, as a light began to dawn upon him. “These look like the boxes,” responded the friend, indicating a row on an adjacent shelf. “Great Caesar!” exclaimed the inventor, “I have been smoking the cigars in those boxes myself.”

CAPE TO CAIRO RAILWAY. Sir Charles Metcalfe, who lias just reached England from the Congo Eiec State border, to which business in connection with the survey of the extension of the Capo to Cairo Railway took-liim, has made a statement to a representative of Reuter’s Agency, in which he said: “The railhead is still at Broken Hill pending the completion of. the survey to the Congo border. This survey was in progress when I left, and should by this time be finished. It will only take some four months to lay the rails from the present terminus to the Congo frontier, and this, no doubt, will be completed next year. The distance from Broken Hill to Buana Mcubwa, the point on the Congo frontier to which the survey has now been finished, is 110 miles. Erom Bwan-i Mcubwa the line will probably go north-west to Constansie, a further distance of about 200 miles. Meanwhile there is a regular train seivice between Capetown and Broken Hill, a stretch of 2100 miles, and £150,00 worth of fresh rolling stock has been ordered During my last tour I have gone over the whole of the Rhodesian, Masbonaland, and Beira railways by daylight, and found the roads to be in very good order. The expenses are bein gout down. The net profits on the Mashonaland and Beira lines will show a very satisfactory increase on the working of the previous year. Traffic seems to be improving, and in fact the one bright spot in South Africa at the present moment is Rhodesia, I'here there seems to be no depression. The farmers are doing well, a good deal of fresli ground has been put .under cultivation for grain and tobacco, and the increase of stock lias been very satisfactory. Horse-breeding has been started witli good results in the Inyauga district, and the importation of merino sheep is still being carried on. Erom Broken Hill some 3000 tons of zinc ore are being sent out per month by the Rhodesia, Mashonaland and Beira lailways. The copper properties of Bwana Mcubwa and Constansie are being stadily developed, and are giving signs of profit.”

“MR. DOOLEY” ON DIVORCE. GIVES POINT TO A DECREE OBTAINED IN RECORD TIME. The second Mrs. James G. Blaine, known as the “Heliotrope Belle of "Washington” six year ago, secured a divorce in South Dakota in record the State one day over the statutoryperiod of six months. Determined to spend Christmas with her parents, Admiral and Mrs. Hitehborne, sue induced the Judge to take the case at seven in the evening. With torrential eloquence she told of her failure to reform the son of the late Presidential candidate. She married him on 'Jth July, 1901, was deserted, and lived with her parents for two years. The Judge sympathetically, cut the story short and pronounced the do cree. The petitioner hurried put, entered a waiting carriage, and just caught the eight o'clock c-ast bound flier, although she had a moment before sworn that she intended to mass South Dakota her permasenr, home. The iirst Mrs. Blaine went, through a precisely similar experience at Sioux Falls in 1592. By an odd coincidence “Mr. Dooly” makes a laughable contribution on American divorce in the New Y Ol lc Times: “’Til death us do part,' 1 says th’ preacher. “Or th’ jury,” whispers th’ lrlushin’ bride. “In Nebraskv,” continues Dooley, “th’ shackles 'are busted because father forgot to wipe his hoots; in New York because mother knows a Judge in South Dakota. “The laws ought to he the same ivrywhere. Anny man ought to be able to get divuorce with alimony simply by makin’ an affidavit that th’ lady’s face has grown too bleak fer his taste. “Be hivins, Hinnissy, I’d go farther; I’d let a liny man escape be jumpin’ th’ contliraofc.” . “What do ye raaiy think ? asked Mr. Hemiessy. “I think,” said Dooly, “if people wanted to be divorced I’d let thirn, but I’d give the children th’ custody iv tli’ parents. They’d larn thim to behave,"