BREVITIES.

Evening Star, Issue 14162, 11 September 1909, Page 12

BREVITIES.

New Zealand University established September 12, 1870. Jhe Right Hen. H. H. Asquith born September 12. 1852.' Professor Percivni Lowell, of Boston (U.S.A.), has observed oxygen in the atmosphere of Mans. The New England Aero Chib. U.S.A., are arranging balloon picnic parties, the cost being £l3 for a small ballot)ft with pilot, and £23 for a large one. Several London schools are asking the London I.’minty Council to spend £14.070 on silent paving, to lessen the street noise, as these interfere with the scholars" work. Official statistics show that the number of German marriages is decreasing annually. In Prussia .there were only 302,000 marriages in 1908, against 313.000 in 1907. Humboldt estimated that the earth* contains 56,000 species of plants. 51,000 species of animals, 44.000 species of insects, 4.000 species of birds, and 7,000 species of repUndcr the will of the late Mr A. W. Money. of Christciiurcn, the Salvation Army, the Female Refuge (Auckland), and Nurse Maude's district nurses’ fund each receive £SOO. It is not considered rt crime in China, to get rid of female babies. On the banks of the Yucn-Fule River, in Foochow, there is a sign which reads thus: “Do not drown female infants here.” A nine-roomed house at Sumner, owned hr Mrs E. White and occupied as a board-ing-house hr Miss Campbell, was destroyed by fire. Insurances ; Building £4OO and furniture £IOO, in the National Offire. Mr Allen Upward, the English author, recently refused decorations from both the King of Greece and the Sultan of Turkev a« he considered that politicians and men of letters should not accept *ueh di*tinetioni. Gtnnen imports-for fh» first quart*/ of 1909 were worth £96.630,000,' as compared with £96,685,000 for the some period of last year—a decrease of £55,000. The exports for the same period show on increase of £2,790,000. On the ground that the damages awarded (£700) were excessive, an application was made for a new (rial in the case Horsuell v. the Auckland Electric Tramways Cmnpanv. The came arose out of the Onehunga fatality. Judge Edwards made the order.