OCCASIONAL NOTE

Colonel Kenneth MacLeod, who used to be well known in Calcutta, contributes to the Caledonian Medical Journal an article on “Musical Thought.” He says music is not a limited art, but a universal attribute of material energy and an essential attribute of organised vitality. As examples of the influence of music on the lower creatures, he refers to the dancing bears and to the response of snakes to the charmers. He might also have quoted what Job says about the horse that saith among the trumpets Ha, ha, and smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. There are men who seem to have no music in their souls, but they must be classed as abnormal. It cannot be denied that in every period of the world’s history musical means have been used to rouse the fighting spirit in man, and also to give expression to joyful feelings, and, to a more limited extent, to grief and sorrow as well. About twenty years ago a Guild of St. Cecilia was founded by one of the Minor Canons of Westminster, with the approval of the late Sir Andrew Clark and other eminent doctors, to test the influence of music as an aid to the healing of disease. It does not seem to have accomplished much, but the idea has recently been revived in Columbia University, New York, where courses of “music-therapy” have been established for the treatment of nervous disorders due to shell shock.

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TAXI DRIVER FINED

Yesterday, before Rai Moni Lall Nahar Bahadur, Honorary Magistrate at Bankshall Street, the driver of a taxi was prosecuted for having tampered with his meter while he had in his car as fare, Captain Mackrell of the Royal Air Force and also assaulting Captain Mackrell. It transpired in evidence that the Captain in company with his wife engaged the taxi near Temple Chambers to go to Tollygunge. They had proceeded a certain distance on their journey, when the complainant noticed that the meter was registering in excess and he, thereupon declined to pay the fare and informed the driver that he would refer the matter to the police. On this, accused became insolent and assaulted Captain Mackrell. The Magistrate fined the accused Rs 25 and ordered his license to be suspended for six months.

ROLLING-STOCK ON INDIAN RAILWAYS

Reference was made, in the Bengal Chamber of Commerce monthly abstract, to the proposed of the Railway Board that the quarterly statement which is issued showing the additional supply of rolling-stock placed on the railway during the previous quarter, should be discontinued. Exception was taken to this proposal, and the Board accordingly arranged to continue the issue of the statement; they were, however, unable to accept a suggestion which had been made by the Committee, to the effect that a statement should also be issued periodically showing what rolling-stock the Board proposed to order in the near future.

NOMINATION OF INDIANS TO CIVIL SERVICE

SIMLA, OCT 22

Under Rule (IV) of the rules for the nomination of Indians to the Indian Civil Services published in the Press communiqué, every candidate who seeks nomination must produce satisfactory evidence that he possesses a degree in arts or science of an Indian university. It has now been decided, with the approval of the Secretary of State, to amend this rule so as to make eligible for appointment persons who have passed the examination for the higher diploma of the Mayo College, Ajmer. In Rule (IX) of the same rules it is stated that selected candidates will be paid an allowance of pound 200 sterling during the period of probation. As this expression was ambiguous, it has now been decided, with the approval of the Secretary of State, to amend this rule so as to read “an allowance at the rate of pound 200 sterling per annum.”

EXCESS PROFITS TAX ACT

SIMLA, OCT 22

On the recommendations of the Boards of Special Referees appointed under Section 9 of the Excess Profits Duty Act, 1919, the Governor-General in Council has been pleased to sanction the following concessions:- The basis of assessment for the purpose of Section 4 of the Act will instead of 50 per cent be in case of (a) Indian telephone companies, 40 per cent; (b) manufacturers of magnesium chloride in British India, 20 per cent; and (c) Indian paper mills, 20 per cent. The statutory percentage in Section 6 (1) (A) of the Act will, instead of 10 per cent, be in the case of cement works 12 per cent, coal mines 13 per cent, iron and steel works 14 per cent, and tanned hides and skins 12 per cent.