NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13157, 21 April 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEWS IN BRIEF.

I'mo p.i.s sometimes last for 200 years. Denmark lias an average of one cow foi every two inhabitant?. The figure of Britannia on our coins was introduced in tin- reign of Charles If. The national hymn of China is so long that the singing of it. occupies halt a day. 'I he coalfields of Canada hut: been estimated at about 100.000 equate miles iu ex* • tent.

The pneumatic mail time between Paris and Berlin (a. distance of 7GO mile;-; is only 55 minute.*.

The value 01 the motor-cars at. present m the United Kingdom amounts to £15.000.000.

Mis. Grundy, who has been * chorister at Leicester for 60 years, has just retired at the age of 71.

Vesuvius ami Ktna are never both active at the .same time; when one is most violent; the other is most quiescent.

I he rates for the Wiltshire tow» of War* minster amount only to 2s in the pound— among the lowest in England.

A violin made from a. piece of sreamore, cut from a, tree which Mr. Gladstone felled at Hawardcn, was sold in London recently.

The best cheese made, in Switzerland i* usually exported, and is seldom to bo had even in the most famous hotels of that country.

The vine attains a great age, continuing fruitful for at least, 400 years. It is supposed to be equal to the oak as regards longevity.

Of 185 men offered employment iu. break* ing stones at the Stoke Newingtoo Borough Council's depot 61 accepted "and 106 dedined the work.

During threshing operation* at " Pmmtown, Silverton, a workman recovered a. watch which he lost while harvesting. It was in going order.

A large number of "strangling cages" are being made in Shanghai native city, presumably for some of the participants in, the riots, says the Shanghai Mercury. A pigeon belonging to Mr. W. Hayward, of Aobridge, Market Drayton, has successfully hatched a chicken from an egg which a Plymouth rock hen laid in the nest.

Italy is to have, a new issue of postage stamps which will show views of the principal Italian cities, famous monuments, churches, and other objects of general interest.

The recent census in Bengal reveals the fact that there are 4000 baby girls in that province alone who have been married, and of this number 600, all lees than a year old, are widows

The gradual alteration of existing main, roads into twin roads—one for heavy traffic and one for light— suj'geted by Mr. J. E. Blackwall at the Intitutkm of Civil Engineers.

Iceland produces most of. the world's supplies of eiderdown, the annual sa'.o amounting to something over' 70001b. Most of this is shipped to Copenhagen, and commands from 10» to lis a lb.

The -South-Eastern and Chatham Railway Company have ordered six strain motortrains from Leeds, iu order to provide a frequent, speedy, and more ccouomical service on sectious of their railway.

. In the mountains of the Tyrol it is the custom of tho women and children to come out when it is bedtime, and sing. Their husbands, fathers, and brotheni answer them from the hills on their way homo.

During tho hearing of a fowl-stealing case- at Cullompton a cockerel shaped while being held up for identification, and ascended the magisterial bench, where it managed to evade capture for seme time.

Mrs. Noes, one of ,im four women in England who are sworn police constable*;has just retired from her position at Scarborough. She held it for seven, years, and. in that time had 768 prisoners in her charge.

At the annual meeting of the Swindon" United Gas Company, it was reported that; during the year over 3,000,000 coppers,, weighing over 28 tons, had been received from the company's slot-meters in use in the town.

A West End servants' registry office received an application for a housemaid's situation in London from a Hampshire girl, who declined to engage unless the carnage tot 'town of her bicycle, as well as her fare. Mere paid.

Since the process of photographing upon) silk and linen has been, brought to such perfection in France, many persons have their ports sits upon their linen instead of their names or initials. The portraits axe not injured by washing.

A Booking poultry dealer drove a cart to Braintree railway station, and on his ar-' rival found. two of hie fowls perched on! the axle. As they held on firmly he drove the cart back without dislodging them in a five miles' journey.

Air. Harding told a meeting of Derbyshire miners at Cre6Bwell that he knew*three colliers, who had just .reached the age of 40, who dyed their hair and shaved, their beards to prevent grey hairs jeopardising' their chance of employment. ;

John Feather, a member- of the Palling (Norfolk) lifeboat crew, postponed his wedding to go out with the boat and salve a stranded steamer. He worked for tent days, and, the work being done, returned home and led his bride to the altar.

A letter written by Nelson to Captain Sir Thomas Levington, of H.M*.s. Reuommee, and dated " On board the Victory, off Cadiz, April 29, 1805,'' containing directions with reference to the approaching battle of Trafalgar, was sold by auction in London for £70.

Sir John G. Tollemache Sinclair. Bart., of Thurso Castle, Caithness, has ■ presented gramophones and records to 300 asylums and other institutions, at a cost of more than £4000. on condition that they are played to the inmates for half an hour every day.

A newly-excavated house at Pompeii, which is said to rival the " House of the Vetti" in beauty, is now open to visitor?. It is called "The House of the Gilded Cupids," the walls being adorned with glass discs, enamelled in gold, with tine miniature.* of cupids.

John Slater, an. eleven-year-old schoolboy, of Grimsby, wrote to Queen Alexandra offering to collect for her Unemployed Fund. He has received a reply thanking him for his sympathy, but stating that the Queen hardly thinks it- would do to appoint individual collectors.

The house in which Sir Christopher Wren, London's greatest architect, lived, in Love Lane, Billingsgate, is threatened with demolition. The Common Council of the city received a letter from Mr. John Bums, enclosing an appeal from Mrs. 8. A. Strong to save the house from destruction. " ;; : -

H.M. battleship Comwallis, which has been undergoing repairs at Devonport, was rccomnussioued recently, and was about to be floated out of dock when it was discovered that the stokeholds were flooded. A valve lad been left open. Measures were at once taken to pump the vessel clear.

The marriage has just taken place of a centenarian couple at MaysviQe, Ohio, the brdegroom is Captain Kuhns, aged 101, a. veteran of the Mexican and Civil wars, whde the bride, Mrs. Sarah Crawford, has just passed her hundredth birthday. Their courtship commenced seventy years ago.

A Japanese tea-room is a feat mo or the new Holland-American liner Kieuw Amsterdam, which has just boon delivered to the company by Messrs. Harland and Wolff. Delicately coloured Japanese lanterns hang from the ceiling. On the walls are lacquers and inlays specially procured from Japan. ' ' ■'~-■ Miss 'fenny, of Hall Place, Spalding, has just received through the post from New Zealand the leaf of a tree, which was sent without, any envelope or protection.whatever. This "postcard," with a message on the back, arrived in good condition, thus bearing excellent.testimony to the care of fche postal authorities. - * .