Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), Wednesday 16 April 1913, page 6


CONCERNING PEOPLE. n

The Acting Premier. (Hon. R. Butler) lias arranged to deliver an address on political subjects at Waterloo to-night. Mr. Miller, one of the members 'for the district of Burra Burra, wiU also speak. On Monday night' the Minister intends to talk on Federal and State matters at Lyndoch.

The Chief Secretary (Hon. J. G. Bice) will go to Jamestown on Thursday to inspect additions which have been made to the hospital, and to determine one or two matters regarding the, extensions, which have not been finally settled.. /The next day lie will' formally open additions to the Booleroo Centre Hospital. Mr. P. H. Row, R.N. (Private Secretary to His Excellency the Governor), returned from Queensland by the Melbourne express on Tuesday. Dr. Norris, who recently resigned his position as Director of Federal Quarantine, to take up an appointment as head of the Commonwealth Bureau in London for medical inspection of immigrants, will leave Melbourne for England on April 23. The Hon. E. L. Kkuer, M.L.C., is laid' aside by illness. He. had suffered from influenza for several days, and on Monday. developed a heart attack, -which for a while caused grave fears for his recovery. His health had considerably improved on Tuesday. . Our New York correspondent' telegraphs the announcement of 't'he death of Brig.-' Gen. Simon Snyder, at the age of 74 years. After 40 years' service, he retired at his own request. in 1902.' He thad spent some time as a commanding officer in the Philippines. ?'Mrs. Mrs. Constance Gwen Drew, wife of Mr\ Harold C. Dtew, died suddenly at Olovelly^ Edwin terrace, Gilberton, early on Tuesday evening at the age of 30 years. She n'as a stepdaughter of Sir Charles Goode. Dr. McKay, who was surgeon with- Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition to the antarctic, has joined the Stefansoni.expedi: tion, which is about to proceed to the arctic regions. Mr. Langdon Parsons, of New Zealand, left for Melbourne by the express ou Tuesday. ?Mr. Mr. George Quinn, the' Government Fruit Expert, was a passenger to Melbourne by the express on Tuesday. He will attend the interstate conference, which has been called to deal with the nomenclature of exportable varieties of fruits. President Wilson's accessibility to the reporter investigating his domestic life contrasts to the privacy clung to by President Arthur, who went to the White -House after the assassination, of Garfield. . Mr. Arthur had been described as 'the ' only inan of the world, in the best sense of that term, who has ever occupied the White House.' But, ideal host -as he was, he kept his home like himself. Upon one matter the cariosity of the press concentrated itself. It leaked out. The London Daily Chronicle says that the President had cut flowers placed -.every morning before the portrait of; a/woman in one of his private arjartmerit'g&WJio was. she? By strenuous etfqrt8.t;j3t|fc|e'cre_t : was at last discovered; she^wajsWKPreiident's dead wife. . v'AmongTthVVaried interests of Sir Edwin Smithy /busy life the Adelaide Orpheus S6dtety;i.:,o'f which he is President, has claimed ia.'- quarter of a century of happy association. . In- the 'old .days'' there were annual reunions at The Acacias, when the well-known body of Adelaide choristers, a host of singers, and their friends, were entertained. The engagements-became so popular that the. 'President's evening' had,-to be transferred to the-, city Town Hall; and, ever since, Sir Edwin's night has been distinctive in the 0rpheu9 year.' On Tuesday evening the society sang again in the ballroom of the knight's residence. It was the original intention to honour him upon his departure for England by serenading him on ? the . lawns at Marryatville. However,, Sir Edwin ordered 'open house,' and besides -the Orpheus members there was present many personal Mends and relatives. Mr. E. A. Daltry conducted the choir with spirit and success in a series of popular numbers, and solo renderings were .given by. Messrs. F.M. Rogers, W. Adorn, and A. J. Gooding. After supper the Chairman of the society (Mr.' Amoa Rowley) called for a toast to Sir Edwin. \ He.expressed the ,wish that their President would enjoy rest, and happy holiday,' and would, return rejuvenated. Iii reply Sir Edwin Smith feelingly referred to 'his long association with the society. He had been officially connected with; it practically ever since it hao^ emerged, into separate being, from the jubilee year. \The visits of the members to his home were cherished recollectiona, and it was with pleasure, mixed with other feelings, .that ne heard their voices raised' again in that hall, after a long period of silence. ,

Another of the few remaining pioneers of the Nareen district,' near to' Casterton, Mrs. John' Waters, died last week, at the age of 82. Born in Turgan, in the north of Ireland, on March, 17,' 1831, Bhe came to Australia in 1S56, with her -husband, and arrived at Portland by the General Hewitt, in October of that year. . Mr. Frederick James Pash, who for many years hud been widely known and highly esteemed in Adelaide musical circles, died on Monday, at his residence, Childera street, , North Adelaide, from peritonitis, following upon an illness which had' manifested , itself only on the previous day. Deceased, .who was born in London, 65 years ago. was brought to South Australia in infancy. He conducted -a 6addlery business in Currie street, and in his spare time as Eisted the musical department of various church enterprises, and was also a member of' the Orpheus Society. Mr. Pash led ihe Archer Street Methodist Church Choir for 37 years, add resigned from the position two. years ago. In 1887 he led the .choirs for some of tlie concerts in the Adelaide Exhibition, and had frequently. wielded the baton in connection with large mission and Sunday school combined choirs for .special occasions, and his services at the Tatala Labour Prison were highly appreciated. He has left a widow, nine sons, and one daughter (Mrs. Goldsmith). ' Mr. ^VilKam Charlick accompanied .by his wife and Miss Charlick, returned by the steamer Ascanius, on Tuesday, from a trip abroad.

It was interesting?' — 'Wonderfully. There -was so much natural wealth, and there were so many things to examine, but it Avas also dangerous, ;as you say.' 'Were you successful?''— 'I found, especially in Nigeria, parasites— about 10. I am taking five to Honolulu to try to control the fruit fly/ which is now a tremendous pest there, and infests about 40 species of fruits. It is not/possible to say that the ?. experiment will be successful owing to differences 'of climate; but there are so many. Varasites in West Africa that if these) I have cannot be acclimatized others can be experimented with. It is the duty of .the* growers to try new means, however. It is only by attempting eomething that good is accomplished.' 'What if the introduction of these parasites fails- ?to' control the :pest?'— 'I think the Hawaii Board of Agriculture will try to bring in obhere ' from different countries, such ' as South America and elsewhere. If good, results are not obtained then we can only say with regret that the fruit fly cannot be checked by natural enemies.' 'Will these parasites be of use in Australia?'— 'Fortunately you have no fruit /lies in South Australia. There are some in Western Australia, New South Wale3, and Queensland, however, and I intend to leave specimens with the entomologists there, free of cost, to tee -whether they can be acclimatized. I will also take some back -to Italy.'

—The Specimens.— The doctor described the nature of the specimens he possessed with the eagerness uf the true student. Ha told 'how he had stood under a fly-infected tree, and seen the insects from the fruit drop their pupa into the grass. He had found three species which did that, and had discovered that in those instances the parasite attacked its victim while in the pupa stage on the ground. In another the parasite pierced the fruit and deposited its eggs, once among' the pest's deposits; and in another instance with its larvae. By each process the pest was demolished before getting beyond the pupa form. —South Australia's Chance.-' Speaking in regard to the. importation of parasites to deal with Soitfhj Australia's particular annoyance— codlin moth— the visitor was emphatic. 'Their introduction would be very useful,' 'he said, 'and ner.er dangerous.' Continuing, he explained that in Europe there were about 20 'species of insects which lived at the expense of the codlin moth. ?'When it was pointed ont that in California a parasite obtained to destroy the moth had not been successful, the reply was given that others could be tried. Even although some of the European varieties 'were only secondary, there were -at least 10 hymenopterous insects that preyed upon the apple pest. There were parasites of the eggs, of the larva and of the chrysalis. The balance of Nature was marvellously well adjusted in Italy. During one year tlie codlin. moth would be strong; then its enemy would wipe it almost out. The parasite would in its torn become weak, and the pest would then become strong for a while, and so on. No spraying was done. Instances were given by the expert of how the scale taken from Australia to California upon oranges was destroyed by ladybirds from Australian parts. The fame rule may, in time, be applied in other directions. In the West Indies, for example, there is a fish that preys upon the larva of the mosquito, but at present cannot be acclimatized clEewhere. Nature has her solution of every problem, is the doctor's maxim; study win