NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1939, 13 February 1919, Page 1

NEWS IN BRIEF.

A secret document published in Vienna has it that the Emperor Karl was paid 1,500,000 crowns (about £00,000) a year as commander-in-chief of the army. The women of France are to erect a monument in Paris to the women, of America. An appeal for subscriptions limited to lOd is signed, among others, by the wife of Mar-

ital Joffre and the Duchess d'l’zes

While work was being carried out at the ancient church of St; Augustine at Bimini the discovery was made of some extremely important, frescoes of (he fourteenth century, of the school of Giotto. One of these contains a new and very beautiful portrait of Dante. Slefansson, (he Arctic explorer, who has arrived at Dawson City after live years spent in the north, announces that he will recommend to the Canadian Government plans for the reclamation of Arctic islands and the Canadian wilderness in the north on a vast scale.

A Swedish concern, seeking to overcome the shortage of raw ma(e :

rials for soapmaking, has undertaken the manufacture of soap from sewer fat, by a new method, and

proposes to also use native vegetable fats from beech-mast, horsechestnuts, and (lie like. Sapper Frederick Mitchell, R.E., regained his voice on armistice day after being dumb for two years and a-half to the day. He became excited when the news was announced, and while endeavouring to sing with his comrades in the cant eon, lie suddenly found that Ids voice was completely restored. II is dumbness was caused by Ids being gassed at Bullecourt. The power utilisation of the United Stales is estimated at 150,000,000 horse-power, and one horsepower is assumed to he equivalent to 20 man-power. On this basis, the work annually done in the United States, or at least the equivalent in such kind as men could perform, would require the labour of 3,000,000,000 hardworking slaves, and the use of power gives to each man, woman and child in that country service equivalent to that of 30 servants.

Wages in 11 1 0 steel industry in the United Stales advanced 133 per rent, between January, 1910, and October, 1318. Institution of an eight-hour day is equivalent to a wage advance of 10 per cent., and constitutes (lie eighth wage increase steel workers have received since (bo beginning of 1910,