NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3003, 25 February 1926, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF.

When a rabbit darted into a parochial meeting at Eggington, Bedfordshire, a man who was speaking caught it put it into his pocket and continued his speech. Bingham, near Nottingham, has a line record for longevity. No fewer than 13(j men and women, in a population of about 1050, are old enough for the old age pension. “My pleasure is my work,” declares Mr. William Rhodes, a 73-year-old Notts miner, who has for 05 years worked down the pit. His first week’s wages were 4s 3d. Canaries should be kept in wooden cages with only a wire front, according to an expert, who says that the usual ornamental cage is too unprotected against cold and draughts. “Lead Kindly Light” is the favourite hymn to-day, with Isaac Watt’s “0 God Our Help In Ages Past,” second. “Fight the Good Fight” is the hymn the Prince of Wiales likes the best.

Of the London Boroughs, twentyfour have a lower death-rate than Brighton. Finsbury has the highest death-rate of the London area — 14.3; but this is well below that of Hastings. Notice was given in the London Gazette of December 22 that a receiving order was made on December 18 against Sir Michael Selby Bruce, Bart., on a creditor’s petition. Sir Michael Bruce, who is the 11th baronet, is a direct descendant of Robert Bruce, King of Scotland

Messages will lie sent at the rate of 2500 letters per minute, travelling simultaneously in both directions, over the new cable connection London and New York, which is to be completed early this year. Costas Psichos, known as “the banana man,” has purchased the five-storey building in Newark, New Jersey, in front of which lie conducted a fruit stand for years, and has leased it for £15,000. In Argentina black ants eat whole plants in a few hours and bore tunnels sixty yards long in the cement brick houses. Poison gas discharged through a hose into the nests of the nats lias been reported to be an effective destroyer of the pests. Such odours as those of verbena, rose, violet, carnation and sweet briar, are recognised in butterflies by an English naturalist. Identification by the perfume seems to be possible. The large white garden butterfly, for example, is known by the odour of lemon or balsam. The cheery smile and warm greeting of Police-constable Smith on point duty in Johannesburg have led to the formation in that city of a flourishing “Good Morning” Club. Members pledge themselves as follows: “As a Member of the Good Morning Club I undertake to say a happy ‘Good morning’ to everybody.” At the first performance of “The Messiah,” in Westminster Abbey, the effect produced upon George 11. was such that he started to his feet and remained standing until its conclusion. His- example was followed by the entire congregation, and it has been customary ever since to stand during the performance of this chorus. At the construction of the Empire Exhibition, the work of the plasterers toward the end, when they were paid exorbitant wages, was so little that it was discovered that the only way to improve matters was to discharge five out of every eight men. Three honest men could do more alone than three honest men with five dishonest men watching to retard them.