BRIEF ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 83, 6 January 1928, Page 10

BRIEF ITEMS

FROM FAR AND NEAR Mails Reach London.—Cable advice has been received that mails which left Auckland on November 22 per R.M.S. Niagara, via Vancouver, arrived in London on December 21. Australia’s Postal Revenue.—The postal revenue for the half-year ended December 31 was £5,948,000, an increase of 42265,000, as compared with the previous corresponding period.—Press Assn. Children on Ice-Floe Rescued.—The children who were carried away from Wilmshaven on an ice-floe were rescued after drifting for four hours.—A. P. A. and “Sun.” Divorce Petitions in New South Wales. —Over 1700 divorce petitions were heard in New South Wales last year. Since the war the'number of petitions has increased each year, and the time of two Judges is almost continuously occupied in hearing petitions. At the busiest time three Judges are required.— Press Assn. Poppy Culture in India.—The Government of India has appointed a Commission to consider the question of stopping opium poppy cultivation in the Indian States.—Press Assn. Spanish Budget Surplus.—The Spanish Cabinet is utilising the Budget surplus of £'950,000 to enable persons throughout Spain to redeem pawned articles of clothing, says a Madrid message to the Sydney “Sun.’ ' Proof of Trade Revival in Britain.— The London Chamber of Commerce received last year 1130 applications for membership. The chamber regards this as “some proof that trade revival is really a fact.”—British OffieialWireless. A Fossil Nautilus.—Said to be five or six million years old, a fossil nautilus was found on a farm at Narrikup, Western Australia. It is a marine shellfish. representatives of which still exist in the sea. The. fossil Ims been placed in the Perth Museum,—Press Assn.

Coins Minted in Australia.—Since 1910, when minting operations began, silver to file vn’ue of .£6.750.000 has been issued by the Australian Mint. The profit made on the minting of coins was a little more than .£3,000.000. Last year, nearly 12.000,000 coins, valued at £450,000, were issued.—Press Assn.