NEWS IN BRIEF

Levin Daily Chronicle, 18 October 1917, Page 1

NEWS IN BRIEF

A cat worth £800 died recently at Ash point, Maine, U.S.A. It was the famous American-bred, shaded silver Persian cat, which had won championships at many shows. Miss Macy, its late owner, said that at the show in Boston recently she refused an offer of £800 for the animdl. The length of St. Paul's Cathedral, from the grand portico to the east end, is 510 ft.; breadth, north to south portico, 282 ft.; exterior diameter of the dome, 145 ft.; height from ground to top of cross, 404 ft.; breadth of western entrance, 189 ft.; circumference of dome, 420 ft.; entire circumference of the building, 2,292 ft. A very valuable adjunct to the work of the Y.M.C.A. with the New Zealand troops a't the front is the travelling kitchen motor-van donated by Mr Percy McHardy, of Palmerston North. In gratitude for the generosity of the donor, and for the free refreshments supplied from it, it has been christened by the boys "Buckshee Mac." The van has done excellent service as a rapid means of transport, and also in enabling the Association to carry out many "buckshee stunts" when the men have been on the march. The New Zealand Division is so mobile that it is imperative for the Association to have means of getting about the country quickly, and "Buckshee Mac" is now an indispensable part of its organisation.

Considerable excitement was caused amongst the various narcissi growers, and was a fitting conclu-

sion to the recent Dunedin Horticultural Society's Spring Show, when it. becameknown that thelncomparabilis champion seedling bulb grown by Mr A. Miller, of Mornington, had been sold to Mrs G. R. Story, of Caversham, at the record price of 40 guineas. The Dunedin Star understands it is the intention of Mrs Story to have this flower placed in Altered water and then frozen and

sent Home to compete at the Royal Horticultural Society's Show, which will be held in April next. Mr Miller is to be commended on raising a seedling such as this, which is able to command, it is understood, the highest price ever paid for a seedling narcissi grown in New Zealand, and Mrs Story is to be congratulated on her enterprise and enthusiasm.