GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2171, 2 September 1920, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

In liis loci lire on “Mnori IS I y lbs and Legends,” at Auckland, .Mr P. Back said that on his migration to New Zealand in 1150, the chief, Toi, found hero people who arrived by a “drift" migration. It Vas those people a limit; whom there was discussion as to whether (hey were a negroid race. Toi himself came from Eastern Polynesia. The importance of the question was that it would explain much in the arts and creations of the Maoris that (littered from the rest of Polynesia,

Twenty-one years ago, while fishing in a small Canadian lake, a boy, George Stevens, caught a large turtle. It tipped the beam at eighteen pounds. Boyish fancy led him to carve Ids initials on the back of the reptile and turn it loose in the lake again. Recently, while two men were fishing (hey captured the same turtle still bearing plainly Stevens’ initials. The turtle now weighs twenty-five pounds. It is estimated it is fifty years old, judging from its comparatively large size when caught twenty-one years qgo, and the fact that during tins period it only gained seven pounds.

Birmingham police are in the throes of a romance. They have received a letter from an ex-sergeant of the Australian forces, asking for assistance in (racing a girl with whom he fell in love at lirsl sight. After’ being demobilised he was passing through Birmingham with two other Australians, when a girl came on the platform and gave each a lock of her hair. “I was smitten on the spot." he says, “I love her. I don’t know her name, and haven’t a photo of Iter, nor can I give you much description of her." If she can be found he desires a fulllength photograph of her, and, after correspondence has passed, proposes to pay her fare out. The Australian is a D.C.M. and M.M,.

Five English hoy.- urc among t ho j.upils of the Lyeee (.'omlorcel, Paris. this term. They have come from Ihe Merchant Tailors’ School in. exchange for five pupils of Condom*!. An annual exchange of pupils has non' been arranged between these two schools. The hoys remain through one term and one vacation. “Me Hurt the English hoys well up in classics to the standards of their Parisian contemporaries," said the headmaster. "In other subjects, which are, of course, taken in French, they are hampered by their inexperience of the language. Still,

all jive understood French when they came.’’ Tin; scholars are liv-g ing in Furls with the families whose own sons are now in London. A return of hunl settlement, which Inis been L-ued by the British Ministry of Agriculture, shows that the total number of applications received from ex-service men in England and Wales was 3(5,831, for <539,023 acres; 7,518 men were awaiting interviews or standing over, and 15,501 had been approved but nc.j provided with holding's. Ex-service men and civilians provided with holdings since December ISth, 1913, numbered 7,133, the acreage being 105,305, The total acreage acquired for small holdings with the Minister's approval since that date v, as 198,751,

A return presented to the House o£ Representatives shows the chief sourees oL‘ Customs revenue Tor the year .101!,). The ligures are as folJows; —Spirits, £(122,811; apparel, including gloves, hosiery, corsets, J'urs, hats, and millinery, £504,.140; tobacco, £400,483: cigars, snuff, cigareltes, £472,250; piece "mods, including silks, satins, velvels, and woollens, £254,020; motor ears and

materials, £21.3,782; cutlery, hardware, tinware, and metal manufaelures, £152,700; drapery, laces, haberdashery, ribbons, £121,000; tea, £110,432. ''Many smaller items brought the Customs and excise revenue up to £4,540,087. The total number ol applications in New Zealand last year for patents was 3,220, compared with 2,134 in 1018. The amount received was £.0,345 Is 2d. The Kegislrar of Patents, in his annual report to Parliament, says that the cessation of hostilities appears to have inllueneed to a certain extent the direction of inventive activity. There has been a decline in inventions relating to explosives and firearms, medical and surgical appliances, etc. Increases have been shown m most branches of constructive industry, such as milking and dairying machinery and appliances, building con.structiun and material, and vehicles and accessories.