NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1838, 11 June 1918, Page 1

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Tlie destruction of birds in Central. Europe owing to famine conditions has led, it is stated by naturalists, to a plague of insects in the countries engaged in war. This particularly applies to Germany and Austria.

Individual plates for table use were unknown to the ancients, who held their meat in their hands or employed the flat wheaten cakes then made on which to hold their victuals. They are first mentioned in A.D. 600 as used by, the luxurious on the Continent. The German submarine has a surface speed up to 18 knots, and a submerged speed of 10 to 11 knots. She carries from 15 to 20 torpedoes; she can travel 100 miles completely submerged, and she can remain under water, sitting on the bottom, up to 48 hours. Pleading poverty, a news-vendor in Chicago claimed exemption from military service the other week on the ground that his parents were dependent upon what he earned. Investigations by Government authorities revealed the fact that the man was worth £20,000, and exemption was refused.

Using a crutch, a dog hobbles about Spokane, Washington. The dog had been run over by an automobile, and suffered a broken front leg near the shoulder. He was taken to the, Spokane Humane Society’s Home, and there the leg was set and the dog taught to use a crutch until he should have regained the use of his limb.

New books to the total of 8,131 were published during 1917, a decrease of 1,018 compared with 1916. The falling off has been distributed unevenly over all classes of literature, with the exceptions of philology, medicine, agriculture, domestic, and business. These show a small increase, and history shows a comparatively large increase of 147 items.

During the first forty-three years of his reign the late Emperor of

Austria shot, among other game, 6,680 capercailzie, 2,9(10 red deer, and 1,670 chamois. During the later years of his life, Francis Joseph, took no part in the gigantic battles and “drives” which usually constitute the leading features of Imperial and royal sport throughout. Germany and Austria.

Peter's pence, which (he Pope has received every year from all parte of the world for many centuries, was refused by His Holiness when it was offered by Monsignor Vilierabel, Bishop of Amiens, recently, in receiving the bishop, the Pontiff said that (he poor of Amiens had more need of the offering than ho, and (hat the money should be spent for the relief of the poor in the devastated city.

In one month battleship-cruisers and destroyers in home waters steamed more than 1,000,090 miles, while auxiliary patrol services steamed more than 6,000,000 miles. 'l'he Royal Naval Air Service numbers 46,000 men, 176 airships and kite balloons, and well over 2,500 seaplanes and aeroplanes. These figures are constantly increasing. On rainy days married women travel free in the Buenos Aires tnunears. A recent ordinance adopted prohibits street car conductors taking fares from married women on rainy days.