NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1739, 11 October 1917, Page 1

NEWS IN BRIEF.

A cat worth £BOO died recently at Ash point, Maine, 11.5. A. It was the famous American-bred, shaded silver Persian cat, which had won championships at many shows. Miss Maey, its late owner, said that at the show in Boston recently she refused an. offer of £BOO for the animal. A tax on cats, which was imposed by the town of Pirmusens (Bavaria) has failed. The tax, not unnaturally, led to a very marked decrease in the number of cats kept by the inhabitants, and the result has been that the place is now over-run with rats and mice, whose activities have proved disastrous. 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 lop of cross, 4(11 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 at the front is the travelling kitchen motor-van donated by Mr Percy Mellardy, 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 “Buekshee Mac.” The van has done excellent service as a rapid means of transport, and also in enabling the Association to carry out many “buekshee stunts” when the men have been oh 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 “Buekshee Mac” is now an indispensable part of its organisation. Considerable excitement was caused amongst the various narcissi growers, and was a tilting conclusion 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 10 guineas. The Dunedin Staruinderstands it is the intention of Mrs Story to have this Dower placed in filtered 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 seed} • ing narcissi grown in New Zealand, and Mrs Story is to be congratulated on her enterprise and enthusiasm.