NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3729, 13 December 1927, Page 1

NEWS AND NOTES.

Frogs can survive without food for sixteen months and snakes have been known to live after two years of fasting. Coins for West Africa, Cyprus, Palestine, East Africa, and many other parts of the Empire are made at the Royal Mint. Eyes can be examined s<s minutely by a new appliance that even the corpuscles circulating in the blood-vessels are visible.

The pith of the sunflower is being used in Germany for making life preservers. The material is said to be four times lighter than cork. A powerful searchlight of approximately 50,000,000 candle-pow-er in use at many meteorological -stations measures the height of clouds. -

Of the 107 deaths recorded in the Christchurch metropolitan area last month, 80 were those of people 40 years and over; of these 20 were in the seventies and 12 in the eighties. The Masterton hatchery of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society is shortly to be doubled in capacity. Drowning is the principal cause of accidental death in New Zealand. Last year 165 persons were drowned.

A sixpence bearing the date of 1817 (110 years ago) and the head of George 111., came to light in the fares collected on the New Plymouth tramway. It was in better preservation than many coins of a century later.

A successful ascent of Mount Egmont was made last Sunday by Mr. 11. Murray, of Eltham, after four failures to reach the summit single-handed this season. Starting from Dawson. Falls Hotel at 6 a.m., he arrived at the summit of the mountain at 11 a.m., after cutting steps for 2000 ft. Commencing the descent at noon, he made the hostel at 3 p.m., after a halt at half-way to “boil the billy.” Mr. Murray says that conditions were perfect, and he was rewarded with a glorious view.

Something of a freak of nature, by moans of which a rata vine growing through a crack, in a rock has, in the course of time, completely split the rock in two and now bears the complete weight of one half, which, from appearance, would turn the scales in the neighbourhood of four tons, may be seen on the Lake road at Waikaremoana (says the Auckland Herald). The vine has been dead for some years, but i'ts gnarled arm, about a foot in diameter, still supports the rock that crushed the life from its roots.

Even in mid-ocean recognised customs and service are observed. Evidence of this was given by the passengers by the Hororata, which arrived in Auckland from England on Tuesday morning, states the Auckland Star. On Armistice Day the usual service was held, and poppies in aid of Earl Haig’s fund were sold. Later these were collected and made into a wreath, and dropped over board as a tribute to the glorious dead. A ceremony of a different character was that staged on Guy Pawke’s Day, when the children aboard were treated to a fireworks display, and enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

Two young Wanganui chemist’s assistants, while engaged some months ago cleaning a number of glass receptacles found a slip of paper in a vial. Examination of the paper brought to light the address of a girl in Southend-on-Sea, England, and one of the young men was sufficiently interested to write to her. He received a prompt reply and the result of subsequent correspondence is that the other assistant is now corresponding with a friend of the girl who placed her address in the vial. Friendships are instituted frequently in interesting ways, but one which has its origin in a slip of paper in a glass tube is of more than passing note.

Passion fruit will be exported from New Zealand to England this season by the Department of Agriculture. This information has been given by Mr. W. H. Rice, chief orchard instructor in Auckland. Mr. Rice said that although the Government had been unable to acquiesce iu the suggestion that passion fruit exporters should receive the same State price guarantee as that given for apples, it had been decided to purchase 200 to 300 cases of passion fruit, if obtainable at a reasonable price, and export them on behalf of the Department. The shipment would be made under proper experimental conditions, and if it. resulted in a loss that would be met by the Department. It was considered that would be the same as a guarantee. If on the other, hand, there was a surplus, the growers would receive the benefit. Three lambs drinking from a cow was an unusual spectacle at Wairou Gorge the other day reported

by a correspondent of the Nelson Evening Mail. Inquiries from a well-known stud breeder now resident in'Nelson showed that such a thing had, in his experience, never been kno'wn to take place naturally, but could be arranged for by a little instruction of the lamb. The owner of the flock was communicated with and. we are informed that one pet lamb was taught to drink from the cow in a very short time, and two companions, realising there was a good thing on, followed the example. The cow used for the purpose is one whose milking season is' nearly over. Three lambs take all the milk the cow produces, and the arr&figement is satisfactory to all concerned . The cow has grown to take a very motherly interest in the lambs.