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New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10560, 10 April 1920, Page 8

It was provided in the Navigation Act that vessels registered in Australia, or engaged in the coasting trade, should have separate messrooms for seamen auu apprentices on an open deck. As some doubt prevailed as to what was meant by "open deck," the matter was referred by the Minister for Customs at Melbourne to the Marine Council, and instructions have now been issued by tiie Minister to officers of the department to enforce the provision of messrooms on the first deck above the deep load line, or some higher deck. Sufficient table and seating accommodation must be provided for the taking of meals at one sittin” bv the whole of the crew, with the exception of the stewards and cooks, it being understood that satisfactory arrangements were made for them in the dining saloon before or after the passengers (if any), or in some messroom provided for the use of the crew. The Trafalgar medal was struck in pewter for- the lower deck. The seamen were annoyed at its shoddy appearance, and most of tho recipients threw their decorations into tho sda. In Japan spiders spin their webs on l-he telegraph wires so thickly that the current is some times seriously affected. Sweeping the wires is frequently a wn-do ot time, as the spiders immediately begin spinning as fast as before. Twisting plays a great part in the manufacture of silk. The more it is twisted, the Jess brilliant, but tho stronger it becomes. In tho making ol some silks that are semi-transparent and dull (such as crcpc), there are about 9000 twits to every yard. , In eatm more are 900 twists to every yard, buttlia average "twint-ge” to the yard is OnO. America had a record birth-rate last year, despite the war. Statistics just compiled show that there were 270,000 births in tho United States in 1918, or 27,000 in excess of the previous year This extraordinary war-time record i» duo to tho fact that the Government did not call tho married men to the colours, tlie American Army heme composed almost exclusively p£ bachelors.