NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2180, 23 September 1920, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF.

'A honey-bee weighs rather less than the three-hundredth of an ounce. These bees are actually sold by weight, and they average about 5,000 to the pound. The queens, of course, are heavier, the weight given referring to workers. The island of Java* experiences on an average 07 storms a year, or approximately two a.week, the world’s record. Sumatra comes next, with 80 storms per annum, while Rio de Janeiro, Borneo anil the Gold coast have 50 each.

A pearl rope composed of 331 matched-and graduated pearls with a diamond barrel-shaped snap, was sold at £15,000 at a London auction. A. single-row necklace of 93 pearls realised £8,400, while another of 72 pearls went for £5,100. A large query mark has been chalked on one of the pinnacles of the school memorial hall at Eton College, and it is thought to be the work of an Etonian-to record his secret climb. There is no clue to the identity of the climber. Mr George -Bell, wine merchant, of Northumberland, who died leaving an estate valued at '£100,342, has bequeathed to his son l 'all his port wine of the 1887 vintage, the top casks of whisky and brandy in his house cellar, and half of.his cigars.”

It has been calculated that the earth intercepts and uses only one--2,220 millionth part of the sun’s heat-energy. Venus and Mercury alone of the planets use more than the Earth, while the other Rix planets and the satellites, asteroids, meteors, all put together, intercept but four or fi,ye limes as much as the Earth.

The jewels of the famous actress, Gahy Ueslys, realised 2,303,900 francs, or £02,150 at (he normal rale of exchange. The sale was held by auction in Paris, but many of the moM beautiful articles failed to fetch anything like the prices anticipated. According to Gaby Deslys’ will, the proceeds will go to the poor of Marseilles, her native town.

The dust in various industrial establishments is found to range from about one-twentieth of a grain of solid particles per 100 cubic feet of air in a good metal polishing simp, to 12 grains in a textile factory. But while a carpet or blanket mill yields more dust than such industries as pottery, asbestos, tobacco and sleclgrimling, little ot it is inorganic

matter, and it, is the dust Iroui abrasive materials that seems most harmful and to lend most to produce tuberculosis.

The income of the Wed Indians in the Pidled Stales has risen from £GOO,O(H> in 1890 to £14,000,000 today. This means that in 1800 each Indian had £3 a year: to-day each Indian has over £3O. This is due to the fact that vast area of 00,000,000 acres of land*, more than the entire United Kingdom, has been given to the Indians. Whatever timber, or oil. or coal, or minerals there may be in this land belongs to the various tribes, ami.is sold only for their benefit.