INTERESTING ITEMS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 130, 4 February 1915, Page 2

INTERESTING ITEMS.

WAT? BOOKS ALL THE VOGUr

LONDON, Fob. 2. Libraries report that the public taste for books is engrossed with the war. Bernhardt is first, followed, by Oramb and Usslier. There are enormous sales for King Albert's and Princess Mary's books, but a general slump in novels. There is a wonderful revival of Kipling sale?. "HOW .SMALL HE'S BECOME." LODON, Fob. ?. The Times'Amsterdam aor respondent says that when p. picture was shown by a cinema of the Kaiser visiting the troops a murmur ran through the house, "How small lie's become." The impression is confii'rned by a new and striking portrait. The feature;? are sharp and the cheekbones and nose more aquiline. "BOTTHRBCHAMPAONLV' GEKMAY'S NEW EXPLOSIVE. -LONDON, Feb. 2. The Germans are employing an extremely powerful explosive, which the French have christened "bottle champagne," because the shell is cyiindri-

.pal and the size of a champagne battle. ... It. is supposed, to , be. filled with liquid r ftir or liquid carbonic, acid. Thrown 800 yards by mortars without great initial velocity, it.makes -it hole forty feet in diameter and thirty feet in depth. IMPORTANT NEW MOVE BY RUSSIANS. .;; v'.. .LONDON,. Feb. 2. 'The Times VtPetrogr ad correspondent Says thero is-Exceptional interest in " the operatiotis ?m north. Tilsit. Eti-

dently the Russian's plan is to outflank the German position on the Ma curiam Lakes and over-run East Prussia for strategical reasons. The new move is for the purpose of diverting the Getmans from the western front, also the Polish-Galician theatres. THE SUBMARINE SCARE. (7.20 sri'l'LlED WITH OIL. LONDON. Feb.' 2. There are no further tiding? of .submarines. Some of the sailings from Ireland to Liverpool have been deferred but those engaged in commerce deprecate undue alarm. It w&ri reported iu Liverpool thai L'.2o received a supply of oil on Saturday from a vessel flying the Danish flag, on the North Wales coast. ALL FOODSTUFFS CONTRABAND. BRITAIN ADVISES AMERICA.

(Reed. 11.55 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 2. Great Britain has notified the United States that all foodstuffs for Britain's enemies will in future be regarded as contraband.

LONDON WOOI. SALES. AN ADVANCE IN WHEAT. (United Press Assn.— Copyright.) i, •'• * t LONDON, Feb. S, At the wool sales all sorts were firm and thero was strong competition. Tlie following prices were realised for fleece portions of dips■•■."• named:—Ngakaroa to[> 15id, average 15d; Burling .15Acl t'< U'7-Sd; Lansdowns 14id to '.1.3 58d; Richmond 12d to ILI-Sd. Wheat is'responding to a. sensationrl advance. American closed strong or £l-2/- higher. : -,