MISCELLANEOUS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7076, 23 February 1893, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

There are four sovereigns in circulation to one half-sovereign.

The spider's web is so light that a pound of it will roach round the world, and then leave enough to reach from Liverpool to New York. A distinguished botanist announces that be has discovered in the Philippine Islands a plant which bears a flower a yard wide and weighs 221 b. In South of Australia a good deal of vigour is manifested in the movement to secure Scripture Education in State Schools. There is a league in existence which has done much work in the way of disseminating information, and stirring up an active interest in connection with Parliamentary election®. The Georgina (Queensland) country blacks have a stringent law against selfishness. The frnits of the chase are given first to the old people, then to the younger women, then to the children and to the hunter himself last. A man who had tried to chew a piece of the stimulating pitari plant in secret was killed because it was the only piece in the camp, and he should have passed it round. Dr W, H. Bussell says Russia lost half a i million men in the Russian war, and the fatal drain of treasure and of blood was felt at the furthest extremity of her vast dominions Her total loss throughout the war is incalculable —it has been estimated at 600,000 men. Her transport was used up, her supplies exhausted, her fields laid waste, man, horse, and carriage all swallowed up in the war! And yet for all that she is to-day Queen of the Buxine, enthroned in greater strength than before her fail, on the sea which is ail her own. Dr Bussell asks himself what results can be shown on the other side of the bill. " Emphatically this," he says, “ that it secured the peace of Eastern Europe for a quarter of a century, and arrested the invasion of the Oossack for a generation." Some time ago a consignment of ordinary cooking peas, some shelled and the greater portion intact as they were grown, was forwarded from Melbourne to London by one of the mail steamers ii ted up with cool chambers, and the machinery necessary for freezing purposes. The consignor decided to try the experiment whether vegetables without any special packing, as in the case of fruit and dairy produce, could withstand the effects of the weather in the tropica, and the result so fur obtained may be considered saliafactory. Advices have been received intimating that the peas sent Homo in pod were in excellent condition on arrival in England, but in the case of those shelled it was found necessary, on being exposed in the ordinary atmospheie, to cook them immediately. The following (from the Age) shows the vicissitudes of property in tho vicinity of Melbourne: —“ A view of the depression as it affects landlords was yesterday placed the i Richmond City Council by Mr Hugh Peck, who is a large owner of working men’s cottages in tho suburbs. The Council has made a demand on properly owners for contributions towards certain worke proposed to be earned out, and Mr Peck appeared before the meeting to urge that tho works should be postponed on the ground thot landlords wore not at present in a position to pay tho money. In support, of this plea, Mr Peck produced books to prove his statements that, within the past twelve mouths, his income from property diminished from £2BOO a year to 18s fid per week. He found it impossible, he said, to collect any rent, and at tho same time he could neither sell or mortgage properties." gome excitement has been caused in Berlin by another ease of shooting in the public streets fay the military. Two soldiers wore conducting a deserter to the barracks, ond the prisoner suddenly shook off his guards and ran down the street. The escort immediately started in pursuit, firing a number of shots after the man os they hurried along, but without succeeding in hitting' him. As the street was rather crowded at tho time it was marvellous that none of the numerous passers-by were struck, but by shear good luck the only object hit by the bullets was a lamp-post, which was shattered. The fugitive meanwhile took refuge in ' a house, but was closely pressed by tho soldiers, and eventually jumped from a second storey window into tho street. When picked up he was found to bo seriously injured, and was transported to the military hospital.