NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1890, 15 October 1918, Page 1

NEWS IN BRIEF.

When n soldier with only one hand was charged al the Thames Police Court with being an absentee, it was stated he had been twenty months in hospital, and that upwards of forty pieces of female flesh had been-grafted on one ot his legs. He was an old Grenadier Guardsman, and had four sisters, each of whom Had lost her husband in the war.

The United States Senate has ratified unanimously the treaties between the United States and Great Britain for (he reciprocal operation of their respective conscription laws. It is estimated that 310,000 British subjects in the United States, including (10,000 Canadians, and (54,000 Americans in Great Britain, including 30,000 in Canada, are affected. There is no intention to sanction an aerial postal service during the war between Stavanger and Aberdeen. The policy of the British Air Board has always been that it aeroplanes are suitable for such services, they can he far belter employed in war operations. Similar

representations from France have also been temporarily declined for (he same reason.

Samples of sea salt collected by the Carnegie during her last voyage in the Pacific Ocean and the subant arctic regions have been examined for their radium contents by Mr C. W. Hewlett. The amount of radium was found to tie negligibly small compared with the values that have been found by Joly and others for salt collected near land, and this result is in accordance with the prevailing view that the radium contents of sea salt diminishes-witb increase of distance from land.

There were 137,408 gross of human hair nets invoiced at Chefoo, China, for the United States during 'lOl7, compared with (14,308 gross for 1010.

Five more weekly papers in England have increased their price,

bringing, the total (o 1,104, of Avhich 131 are daily papers and 1,033 Aveeklies. Normally it takes one-iAventieth of a second for the hand lb respond to a motion seen by (lie eye, says a report of the National Physical Laboratory. In England there are nearly a million people in receipt of old-age pensions, of whom only 330,000 are men. The cost is approximately twelve millions a vear.

Some 000 men have gone from the London Times to join the King’s forces. Of these, forty lum* been killed in battle and 110 have been disabled bv wounds or sickness.

By permission of (he King, the Wallasey ferry boats, Iris and Daffodil, Avhich played such a prominent part at Zeebrugge, have been re-christened with (he j ire fix “Royal.”

German burglary insurance companies in 1017 paid .0000,000 in claims, against £73,000 in 1014. The railways paid in 101.7 03,000,000 compensation for goods stolen, against £200,000 in 1014.

George Lovatt, of Briersey Hills, Staffs, avlio is described as the heaviest man in Great Britain, Avas recently called upon to report for examination. He turns the scale at 345 t., and is 48 years of age.

The number of motor cars in Europe is 322,112. Great Britain heads the list Avilh 171,007 cars in 101.7, and Germany ranked second with 05,000 cars in 1014, the last year for Avhicli statistics are available.

An orchid Avilh long black tentacles and a white and black eye set in (be centre, causing it to resemble an octopus, Avas exhibited at the Horticultural Society's show at the London Scottish Drill Hall.

Wisconsin University, U.S.A., Ims purchased (he library of (he laic •tames Collins, of Dublin,"’"’Who was said to have made one of the largest and most-complete collections of Irish literature in existence. Luminous house numbers and street name-plates traced in little button-like mirrors which reflect and magnify the smallest glimmer of light are to. be used in Paris, where in the darkest streets ordinary signs cannot he seen.