POINTS FROM LETTERS

A CORRECTION.

In your issue of May 3rd you published an article by me on the Opium Policy of the Government of India. In it I stated that It was resolved in 1926 that the whole export trade in prepared opium '—that is, opium prepared for smoking purposes—should cease in ten years." Exception is taken to this statement by the Government of India, as the so-called " prepared opium " is not necessarily used for opium-smoking, although in fact all or nearly all of it is so used. The paren- theses would perhaps have been more accurate if it had read, that is opium prepared for export to Far Eastern countries, where it is used for smoking purposes." I shall be grateful if you can insert this correction.—H. G. ALEXANDER, 144 Oaktree Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham.

A WHITE THRUSH.

You will be interested to hear that we have had a pure white thrush hatched out near us. It seemed to be the only one of the breed reared. It was of great interest to our chil- dren to see the mother bird feeding the young one in our garden. The birds were very tame. On account of its colour the young bird was very conspicuous, and for the same reason I fear that its life will be a short one. We have only recently returned from Nigeria—while we were there I noticed a peculiar trait in the character of our cat, a female. Frequently I caught mice in the house, and to amuse our baby girl I gave her the mice to give to the cat. Invariably the cat would refuse to eat, as long as the baby was near. It would make the purring sound that it made when it had kittens—as soon as the baby was wheeled off, the mouse would be eaten.— A. S. JUDD, 1 Woose Hill Lane, Bearwood, Wokingliam.

HUNGARY WATER.

With reference to the article on "Rosemary," by Eleanour Sinclair Rhode, in your issue of June 7th., and her remarks respecting Hungary water, may I say that I find the following in chronicles of the Customs Deportment, by W. D. Chester (1885) ? The quotation is evidently taken from records of Customs House,- Montrose :—

" August 22nd, 1748, the Collector notifies the seizure of a box qt. Syrop of Maiden Hair and Hungry Water. These compounds, 1 believe, are not known in the present day."

Presumably these were dutiable articles in those days.—Jszo- IRELAND, Bristol.

ANGLO-JEWISU CONFERENCE.

An Anglo-Jewish Conference, to consider the recent political developments as affecting the establishment of the Jewish National Honie, and the Administration of Palestine by His Majesty's Government, will be held under the auspices of the British Section of the Jewish Agency on Sunday evening, July 20th, at 8.30 p.m., at the Kingsway Theatre, Kingsway, W.C. 2. Mr. O. E. d'Avigdor Goldsmid, J.P., Chairman of the British Section of the Jewish Agency, will preside. Lord Melchett and other distinguished members of the Anglo- Jewish community will address the Conference.

A CRUSADE AGAINST POVERTY.

Official statistics show that in Stepney there are over 3,500 cases of four or more people living in one room. They also show that Stepney is the poorest Borough in the whole of London, and that the percentage of unemployment is very, and unvaryingly, high. Such overcrowding, poverty and

unemployment combine, directly and indirectly, to cause much illness. The East End Mission, of which I have the honour to be the Superintendent, employs the full-time services of five lady doctors. They give medical treatment to 3,000 patients (not eligible for benefits under the National Health Insurance Act) every week. The majority of these patients are children. My co-workers and I. who all fizli in the district, are sadly conscious of our Mali: I it y to remove t he root causes of so much sickness and unhappiness. We are also conscious that we can, and must, do our utmost to miti- gate the miseries by which we are surrounded. We therefore give a day's holiday in the country or at the seaside to 15.000 slum children each summer, and send 500 to 601) of the most delicate boys and girls to a holiday home for a fortnight. Those of your readers who may wish to co-operate iu this " Health and Happiness Crusade," can do so by sending their much-needed contributions to F. W. CHUDLEIGII, Stepney Central Hall, Commercial Road, London, E. 1.

LONDON'S STATUE OF MARSHAL FOCII.

The organizing committee for the statue of Marshal Foelt in London, of which the Marquess of Crewe is chairman, convinced that our Empire would respond to an appeal for the modest sum of £5,000, did not wait to complete t he fund before commissioning the monument, and it substantial amount is still required. Even the smallest donations towards this will be welcomed and acknowledged. The roll of subscribers will be presented when complete to Madame la Man6chale Foch, and a copy deposited where all can have access to it. The fund is open and subscriptions should I e sent to " The Marshal Foch Memorial Fund," Messrs. Glyn, Mills and Co., 67 Lombard Street, London, E.C. 3.

THE FABIAN SOCIETY.

We have received an appeal from the Fabian Society— the first time that this Society has appealed to the general public for funds. No one nowadays needs to be reminded of the importance of Local Government affairs, and of the equal importance of an active interest among the general Fpublic in the various aspects of local government. The abian Society is responsible for an Enquiry Bureau which provides answers asked by candidates, councillors or officials. It is essentially a non-Party activity, as may be seen from the Local Government News which acts as a clearing house of knowledge and experience. It seems to us of the utmost importance that help should be forthcoming to enable the Society to continue its valuable service of " harnessing knowledge to power." Donations will be received, specifically for the work of the Local Government Department, by Messrs. F. W. Galton (General Secretary) and W. A. Robson (Director of Local Government Department) at the address of The Fabian Society, 11 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London, S.W.1.

RURAL HomEs.

We have received particulars of a special Short Year Course for teachers in Rural Home Management. This course, which is to be held at a centre for residents in Swanley, Kent, has been recognized by the Board of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture. It is to begin each year on the third Wednesday in September, and to continue until the end of the following July, with a period of five weeks holiday during the session. Tuition Fees per annum are £50 (with a reduction for students benefiting by a Board of Education Grant) and board and residence terms are reasonable.