OMNIUM GATHERUM

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 4

OMNIUM GATHERUM

The first birth of a chamois at the Zoological Gardens, London, has just been recorded. The publicans and accommodation . licenser issued in Vincent County .this year yie'd the council a revenue of £357 In the Milburn district the sowing of spring wheat has commenced, the ground being in very fair order for the work. The population of the world averages 109 women to every 100 men. Eight-ninths of the sudden deaths ere those of males. The dinner menu at one of the boardinghouses at Mataura on Monday (says the Ensitrn) ws headed with " Airship broth." A farm labourer's wife at Sandown made fcpplication to the Isle of Wight guardians for a maternity nuree for her twenty-fourth child. The New England Asro Club, U.S.A., is Arranging- balloon picnic parties, the cost

being £13 for a small balloon with pilot, . and £25 for a large one i A man in Moecow named Nestoroff celebrated his hundredth birthday by smoking a cigarette for the first time in his life. He died half an hour later. In the English language there are, approximately, 100,000 words, 60,000 being j of Teutonic origin, 30,000 from Greek and Latin, and 10,000 from other sources. A private room for the accommodation of chauffeurs who drive members of Parliament regularly to St. Stephen's has been opened at the foot of the clock tower j The reference rooms at the Wellington Public Library now contain over 13,000 volumes of general literature, besides reviews, _ technical journals, magazines, etc. Official statistics show that the number of German marriages is dccroasinjr annually. In Prussia there were only 302.000 .marriages in 1908, againet 313.000 ' in 1907.

Several liondon schools are asking the London County Council to spend £14,070 on silent paving to lessen the street noises, as these interfere with the scholars' work. The first of a new type of steam-driven taxi-cabs will shortly be running in London. Kerosene is used as fuel, and one gallon will run the oab from 14 to 20 milas. A strong-box containng £10,000 worth of jewels belonging to the Queen of Siam was sent out to her from London, but a cable message from Bangkok said the box had arrived empty. Complaint is being made that rabbits are spreading in northern Hawke's Bay, and the squatters of Poverty Bay are beginning to be alarmed by the progress of the rabbit in their direction. Humboldt estimated that the earth contains 56,000 species of plants, 51,000 species of animals. 44,000 species of insects, 4000 species of birds, and 7000 species of reptiles. A sharp lesson has been administered in a Nebraska Court to certain citizens who failed to control the " unruly members." For swearing over the telephone they were fined £20 each. As special means of clearing: the church debts, the young men connected with the Stratford Methodist Church organised a banquet, which, with promises since given, has realised £440. The Greemvich Guardians have rescinded their resolution cutting down the allowance of tobacco to aged inmates owing to the Budget. A member said the reduction was mean and contemptible. - j A Wintoa enthusiast cabled to Sir J. G. Ward in London that Winton had won the Southland football prnmierehip, and promptly received the following reply: — [ "Bravo Winton. Congratulations. — Ward." Mr Allen Upward, the English author, | recently refused deconrations from both the j BZixxs of Greece- *nd tiie Swlt&Ti of Turkey, as he considered that politicians and men of letters should not accept such distinctions. A coloured girl, who was arrested at Middleburg recently (says the Natal Mercury) for stealing two diamond rings from her mistress, calmly admitted having swallowed them. She was sent to gaol for three months. For the first time for many years the official statistics in France show an increase in the birth-rate. In 1908 there were 46,444 more births than deaths. The number of marriages was the highest recorded since 1873. German imports for the- first quarter of 1909 were worth £96,630,000, as compared with £96,636,000 for the same period of last year — a decrease of £55.000; the exports for the same period show an increase of £2.790,000. Measles are very prevalent in the Elles- ' mere district, on accaunt of which the , School Committee has decided to close the school and to allow no meetings of any kind to be held in the building until further notice. In the sawmilling industry round about Ohakune things are now looking up, and orders are coming in freely. A reporter of the local Times was told that in one mill there werp more orders in hand than could bo supplied. There has recently been discovered in Buenos Aires a spider which practises fish- > ing at times. In shallow places it' spins between stones a two-winged conical' not, on which it runs in the water and captures small fish and tadpoles. Herr Welebach, the inventor of the incandescent gas mantle, has invented a new type of match, an alloy of the two metal* iron and thorium. When a piece of it is i struck against a piece of iron it makes a spark capable of igniting tinder. M. Baudon, who carried throutrh the law increasing the salaries of himself and his colleagues in the French Chamber, has made himself so unpopular that no electorate will have him, and he lias been obliged to withdraw from politics. Among their permanent staff of over 8500, said Mr Joseph Lyons at the annual meet- ; ing of Lyons and Co., the great London caterers, were yo-tng men trained to take the highest position, so that no man. from ' himself downwards, was indispensable Lord Denman's antipathy to the House of Lords' reporters by reason of their not reporting his speeches has spread to a dislike to pressmen generally. He is reported to have asserted it as his belief that no journalist would enter the realms of the blest. Marriag-es are celebrated in Gisborne at the average rate of 10 to 12 per month. The Poverty Bay Herald thinks that tho , general depression must have affected \ matrimonial affairs, as by the 22nd ult. pre- j jjarationa for only one marriage had been ; made j Billy, a sheep which died near Leicester k at the &zc of eight years, was used by its j owner. Mr G. Siretton, as a "stalkinehorse" whip .«hooting rabbits. Billy would £ stand perfect !> still while Mr Stretton shot ; , over its back anc' would follow him like ra dog. r That conscience which is alleged to mak.* ' t cowards of us all has led to the return of *■ two eurn« of money — 9d and £2 Os 9d re- \ snectively — to the Railway Department. The receipt of the amount is acknowledged . t

! in last week's Gazette by the Receiver general. " The cornet spoken of in the Psalms was not the kind of cornet played on brakes at Sunday school treats," Sir Fredk. Bridge told an audience at Gresham College. "' It was a cornet without mechanism, like the trumpets used at the King's Coronation.'* As the Bellerophon was leaving Spitheat ; for the summer manoeuvres Seoond-clase | Petty Officer Hector Watson was sent t< the fire control top, 100 ft above deck, anc lost his hold, falling first on to the odg€ of the funnel and then to the deck. H« died soon after. J It has been supposed for some time that i there js petroleum in the range of hill* j that lies between M'Kenzie and the sea. With a view to investigating prospects Mr F. Smith, of the Lake Branner Oil Company, is (saye the Christchurch Press) on a A-isifc to Cheviot. The Pall Mall Gazette of June 21 reports thai the first fruits of ex-President Roosevelt's African tour have arrived at Roma, in the shape of three large cases containing two African wolves and a wild bear (all : alive). The> -were to be sent to New York ! by the liner Pannonia. j While dressing, ."for her wedding, at ! Bukari, 'in DaJmatia, a young girl named Fiorina Preaht -accidentally broke a looking glass. She at once shot herself, after sending a farewell message to the bridegroom, who was waiting at the church, and who : has since become insane. I A lady travelling from "Wellington to Paimerston, while getting tea at Otaki, missed the- train, and her three-monthe-old child, who was left in the carriage, was | taken on to Levin, where the station-master ! took charge of "the infant until the mother ' arrived by the next train. I A fine European brown -bear, the solitary j remaining specimen >in ■■ the once famous menagerie formed by the Jate Mr Assheton Smith, at Vaynol Park, Carnarvon, has just been shot. Several attempts to remove the bear ended in his reducing his travelling c&go to matchwood. • The area of the Dominion, taking the North, South, and "^Stewart Islands, is 66,340.910 acres, of thereabouts. Of this area, the Maoris own in the North Island | approximately 7,445,000 acres. The area i of Maori Land in the other islands can- ! not be ascertained at present. A T&raimk' farmer had Jbhe- misfortune to lose his plough chains one night recently. He advertised the loss, sarcastically inviting tho thief to call and get the plough also. He was taken at his word, for a few days afterwards th« plough disappeared, and with it the swingletrees. " Extra " items are being given at the liOndon County Council band promenades in the parks and open spaces in the metropolis by some 40, immense gramophones 6ft long and 3ft at "the "bell." Operatic and other selections from them can be heard at a distanc of several hundred yards. The King having been appealed to has decided a question which had recently been raised as to tho period during which flags should be flown at half-mast in the event of the death of foreign- Sovereigns. Flags are to be flown at half-mast on the day of the Sovereign's death, and" also on the day of the funeral. A patch of Tcauri gum has been discovered on the Hukatere gumfield by Messrs Thompson and Canaeh, of Taugaihi, near Helensville. It is estimated to produce over a ton of gum (writes the correspondent of the New Zealand Herald), and Is believed to be one of the biggest finds for several years. A party of St. Andrew's sportsmen had a good day's wallaby shooting on. Mr Have's property in the Waimate district on the 2nd inst Mr R. Arnst and several Wai mate sportsmen joined ths party. The Bap for the day numbered 18 head of wallabies, besides a miscellaneous assortment of hares and rabbits. It is remarkable that various nations have each a different day of the %veek for thenublic celebration of relisrious services. Sunday is devoted by the Christians, Monday by the Greeks, Tuesday by the Persians. Wednesday by the Syrians. Thursday hv tlio Egyptians Friday by the Turks, Saturday by the Jews. The old Timaru Gaol Geems to be in somo dang<?r •at last of beinir finally aboli-hod. The Minister of Justice is inHmed to think that it would be a good ul<=3 to sell the three nml a-half acres of land it occupies in building allotments,' and with rho pioceeds enlarge the accommodation at the police station. Eneinr-erin? circles at Invercargill are eoiiM'fl hat brisk afc present, and show a disfinct, improvement. Agricultural firms are again working full time, while the "Vulcan Foundry is busy in connection with machinery for dairy factories. They have also received an order from Pelorus Sound for a sawmill tramway engine. ' Ths Paris Gaulois recently stated that m electric cane has been invented which ivill Vv» found very useful by people who •ro obliged to bo 'out lat<> at nierht in the laneerous districts of Paris. By merely -uchinp an assailant it will "be possible o ?ive him a shock *vhich will be of great ;a!»w» as a means of self-defence. "While fivo -"'Ouncr men were walk' ' r aio. c ,lie Oainaru breakwater on the Ist «t .j. o

] dashed over tho structure, and all were ! up. to their knee-, v. water. One was ?pj parently knocked down and sat in the ; -water. The breakwater is not a place for , a stroll (says the North Otago Times) when the tide i 6 full and a heavy sea is run1 ning. Writing 'iis reminiscences of Invcrear- ■ fill's early days, Mr Peter M'Quee»n recalls i that he took the first piano in Southland ', to the home of the late Captain Elles, at ' EliesUnd. The transportation from the lighter in the Puni Creek to the house was efteeted with a sledge drawn by bullocks, and Mr M'Queen's charge for the service was £5 Mrs T. Hemsworth, a resident of Gilgandra (N.8.W.) for 24- years, was burned to death last week. Deceased was subject to epileptic fits, and while going from one room to another, carrying a limp, it is supposed that she took a fit and fell backwards, the lamp falling on her. She was alone m the house at the time, except for . a child three years old. A "'Maori who wae sued on a judgment summons at Eotorua replied when asked , why he had not paid thj debt, that he had two wives and two families, and he simply could not afforrf tc pay his debts. The magistrate warned him that he would not be permitted to keep two wives and a lot of unpaid debts at the same time. Ho made an order againet the debtor. , An Adelaide man has a walking-stick which he made out of many hundreds of the paper tickets used on the electric cars. There are about 6000 layers of these. It is a handy and pliable stick, with a good polish. As it has a steel rod— a door spring — running through it, the walking- - stick is practically N unbreakable. The knob is constructed out of brown paper. A youtg man applied to the B-snevolent Trustees at Wellington the other day. The secretary, according to custom, took careful notes o£ the man's name, occupation, term of- residence, age, place of birth, relatives, place of residence, and co on. Then the chairman asked what his application was. " I want a tooth out," replied the man. He was given an oxder^ to a dentist. It. is a peorliar fact, borne out by carefully compiled official statistics, that between the ages of mine and 15 girls are heavier and taller than boys. American, boys and girls are usually taller than the English at the same a#e Australian children of both sexes are, on an average, taller than the American, while German children, as a rule, are shorter than English. It is probable that the bronze allcgovi'cal figure which is to surmount the memorial to the late Mr Ssddon on Observatory Hill, at Wellington, will not arrive from England till the end of the year. The monument wiH remain in its present condition with -tH^ scaffolding round it till the figure arrives. A. committee has been appointed in Ernckmd to seloct a design for the figure. • » A' return prepared by the Registrar of N.S.W. under the Old-age Pensions Act. covering the operations for 1908-9, was presented to Parliament last woek. It showed that the total amount paid under the act in respect of. old-age pensions was £602,207 19s. and in respect of invalidity pensions, £75,372. The toiral number of old-age pensioners worked out y at 22,110, and .pi invalidity pensibhe-s at 3714. A business man in Invercargill promised ' himeelf a holiday when he got certain out- ' standing accounts in--- Ho> set to woirfc about a fortnight ago to collect, and has now come to the conclusion that he'd better take his holiday first, otherwise it might' be delayed too long. Therefore (saye the Times) he leaves shortly for a. holiday with- the assurance that things will brighten , up" in the spring. A correspondent with a taste for mathematics finds by the Wellington Post that the uotal rainfall for last month aimbunted to 6.4 Sin. "The weight of an Inch of water on an acre of aground is 101 tons, and amounts to 22,624- gallons. As there weie 6.45 in of rain, and as there .are 9500 acres in Greater WoJlrneton, the total amount of rain that fell last month was 6 J 8?. 775 tons, or 1.3P6 785.600 millons." Speaking on the question of the necessity of a five farthing rate for Vincent County, the chairman (Mr Horn) stated that with one solitary rate of five farthings he considered the county was the most cheaplyrated district in the Dominion. They Had no special rates of any kind to pay, and enjoyed the n-rivilecre of reading and bridging facilities which could not be improved on in any other county in New Zealand. At a lecture at Chrietchurch on New Zealand birds' Mr Edgar F. Stead exhibited the skin of a curlew «tilt. which made t^e third" he had secured in New Zealand. This bird, he stated, bred in the Yenesei Valley, and came here in the summer. The last specimen he obtained was still in its winter plumage "Here is another," the speaker continued, exhibiting a specimen with a brilliant breast and other conspicuous markings. |: He is in his evening-diress, which he wear' when h<> goes courting, and it is quite an elaboratA cret-up.'' The- usual monthly m&zting of the committee of the Victoria Jubata ConvaJeecenfc Fund was held in the Town Hall on Friday: present— M«sdamea E. C. Tfcevnolds (in the chai.r), Israel, Morris, Bull, Mackerras, O'Neil, Martin, Colquhoun, Johnston, Brown, and Misses Hutchison and Fergus. The foHowinsr subscriptions were received-:— Mr W. Bull, £1 Is; Mrs , J. Stepheneon, £1 Is; Mrs William Brown, £1: Mrs W. Edraond. 10s 6d: Father Coffpv, 10s 6d: Mis C. W. Kerr, 10s; Mr» H. E. Hart, £1 Is; Mrs J. R. Sinclair, ss : Mies Burns, ss ; Mrs Stevenson, 5s j Mrs T. B. Bullock, 10s: Mm G. L. Dennieton, 10s; Mrs J. Ross, £1 Is; Mrs Lindo Ferguson. £1; Mr? Bowier, Es; Mrs M'Gowan, ss; Mrs Oliver (London), £1 Is; Mrs R. Chapman. ss: Mn J. M. Ritchie, £1 Is; Mrs G. P. Farquhar, £1 Is ; Mrs Hayiww, £1 ; Mrs Johnston Brown, 10a 6d; Mrs C. a Graham, 10s. It is stated that Burns was the first heavy-weight champion of the world who is not of English, Irish, or American descent, he being of French-German extraction and* born m Canada. Influenza is always more or less prevalent at this season of the year. This disease is very similar to a severe cold, and it allowed to take its course is liable to cause serious results. The best treatment for influenza is to avoid exposure and take Chamberlain's CouJrh Remedy. This medicine gives immediate relief, and if used as directed will ward off all dangerous consequences. It leaves the system in a natural and healthy condition. It always ii*« dtid cures quickly. For sole every*