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Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume I, Issue 20, 1 April 1890, Page 3

A gentleman in Marfon sent the following to the Nelson Evening Mail — (1 Sir,—l send by this mail a small I box; containing specimens of the . flower of the' ‘ kapok,’ with moths attached. The ‘kapok’ is a material used ,by upholsterers in stuffing beds, &c., and grows in India. Knowing the prevalence. of the codlin moth in your, district,' I thought it might interest fruitgrowers to know of one of Nature’s antidotes for the pest. The plant, grows freely here, and has (or appears to possess) a special attraction for, moths of all kinds. As soon as the moth inserts its proboscis to extract the nectar the petals of the flower close on it like a trap, and hold it fast until it dies. ,As it is easily cultivated, and the seed should be easily obtainable, combined action by the fruitgrowers in cultivating the plant in their orchards should soon reduce the pest to reasonable limits.” , The following good story of the Exhibition refreshment rooms, is told by the Dunedin Herald ;—A somewhat surely looking'countryman slouched in and lurched into a seat at the nearest table. One of the “ nice young maidens ” who acted as attendant sprites placed'"the .bill of/ fare before him. He looked in utter astonishment first at it and then at her. Finding she did not take this incomprehensible thing away, be finally blurted out, “ Go on! Oi didn’t come ere to read. I came here to eat beef and ‘ taters.’” He was soon fulfilling his destiny. In an interview with the correspondent of a French paper at Cairo, Stanley confirmed the extraordinary statement that he is. to. receive, £40,000 for ,his; new book. ,-Of course this means for the American as well as English editions, and there are said to be -at least two newspaper syndicates concerned. During the last 10 years 1500 acres of land in the very heart of old Rome have been turned over by the pick and shovel of the excavator, and the treasures exhumed have comprised 45,000 coins of gold, silver, and bronze ; ,200 marble statues, 25. figures ; of anitpals, BU2'busts and heads, 500 works. in bronze, upwards of 400 columns and fragments in rare marbles, 200 marble capitals, ; nearly 800 amphorae, 700 works of. art in terracotta, and 600 examples! of choice workmanship in bronze,' .besides thousands of minor objects !ih glass, ivory, copper, and iron'.

All the gaol warders at Johannesburg have been discharged. The authorities have put. up .\yith; a good deal from these .people, but there is a limit.to all things.; Allowing; prisoners out on parole during the evening to see their friends:or. sweethearts seems to be-a concession that, any warder who was human should have,been satisfied' with, for the [tips that; accrued from the system must have been prodigious indeed. ; But when warders and prisoners took to going down town at: night :to drink,.and play. billiards together, the thing, proved too much for the gaol governor.-: So. the ; warders have been invested with the anpient of the sack.”