MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 February 1923, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

[ill’ lEblil.UAflt—PEll PlUiufl ASSOCIATION] I ■ FRENCH EXCHANGE. PARIS, February 2. The “.Matin” says M Poincare with the Minister of the Interior is considering important measures for crocking the Jail in the franc, including a proposal to establish a Bourse service ■of rapid information, by which the Blender hopes to rectify the present tendency and also hinder dishonest speculation. Jf necessary, restrictions oil operations will be considered. “J-e. Journal” says the Angl-Anie-riean agreement provides that no debtor of United States shall receive more favourable treatment than Britain. The Journal hopes the rumour interprets the clause inaccurately, otherwise it settles the fate of the French debt.

SCI KXT!ST’S At TH EVEMEXT. LONDON. February 2. It i* announced that tlu* isolation has been effected of a new oxide. hnlnitim from black sand from New /calami. The isolation was elFeeted by Dr. Alexander Scott, in a London laboratory. The niinonneentfiit has speedily followed the ncent tateinent by Copenhagen chemist - that t's-v had ascertained the existence of an unknown element of metal belonging to the group of metals in which titanium and zirconium occur, but that they had not yet isolated the element. Dr Scott has been analysing New Zealand black sand since 1913. but had been too busy to examine a deposit which has been collecting. until he ■mard of tin- Coponlingcn discovery. Then test** were made, which proved that the oxide he had obtained was hafnium. This achievement i- regarded as ihe most important one of the kind since the isolation of radium. Tt is pointed cut that the black sand deposits in )'*» Zealand are seven .miles h.ug and their depth is unknown IT lial'niem prove, commercially vainJill*, ii *•;**! ! h- ) .-(*' l i:*'(*T in bulk. It: may he valuable ill making gas manfles. |)r Scot I suggests that ol,omnium is better name limn hafnium. Dr S<*ott lias Fern constantly consulted by Lord Carnarvon regarding the ]>!•• ervat ion of flee Tutankhamen relies !'*''■ *ul it the ancient- Egyptian noemI'o'ls at Thebes. LONDON. February 3. The di- overy ■■! tie- new element by Pr* .Se **xors Cnslei' and G. Hevesv of Cupenluiged. fas already cabled) is arousing w* rld-wi.l" ii*!*■■*-1 !If AI van ’*■,’ P *tt v Ik. !ns Lem; examining th ■ M oh soul Irom >.**e 7. hiiul ? - is- a "iunamon cel on red |imv'i*: ■* h"h h - prove* l r!. - in*-nt atomic :e.:e.l*cr .--venly-i v* o. I *:. ‘' -f - "-ot the 'host. bs*t I gel Hamlet I" in- s'.i-olt boor-- that di- ' tement im.v fie usel'ul f' V tmd ■.*.* ilie**nde- -e*:t uv lie-- and ii ii mi* ?*' be *• ■;. ■il . I - . a - 0 is allied I-- titanium. Til * i*-(!' 1 MU! i f tl< .*'■ 'IMIl! W-a 111 * •esul! of treatimr sand with siren:' -e'uherie ::"id and in*• ]i.*-g -,f for I’: • week a V* . "fi **r v• ■ cf -asiomd -r’ . '*:• S-ntl obtained tv ei. v gi-ein--' of v'at Ik* lhoughf ?-?« a ,'ev- oxide. Tie -! it aside ti-t.il 't* leavd - f th- TV""-' ta- scorn*- *'! - •10-.-rv of I.:* 'ai :m. lie then isolated lie : ew clement. F*,r a line * I rv. la ■ : *ig jiolisli, usi* id T.\ PM) I.” t-ple.uiid for reimvi:ig ami preventing iingcr maths a fernUure.