OMNIUM GATHERUM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10731, 20 February 1897, Page 8

OMNIUM GATHERUM.

NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The average life of a ship is about 26; years. The population of the earth doubles itself in 260 years.

Dulcin, a new sweetening material, is said to be 225 times as sweet as sugar. A bill has been introduced in the Georgia Legislature making it a misdemeanour to play football.

"I know now," remarked the youifg man who iwas sued for breach of promise, " why they call it' courting !' "

C. Dickinson (late BermanV) for tobwcos, cigars, cigarettes", stickg, pipes, &c, Grand Hotel Buildings.—Advt.

The singular punishment for bigamy in Hungary is to compel the man to live together with both wives in one house.

_ An average of three British seamen lose their lives every day by drowning, and 300 British steamers and Bailing vessels are lost yearly afc sea.

A Nelson cyclist rode too fast .down the Nelson railway wharf a day or two ago, and disappeared over the end. "Both machine and rider were rescued.

Of 47 applications for letters patent, of which particulars are given in the Gazette, no fewer than 11 have reference to inventions for improvements in cycles. The Czar of Russia receives no salary. His income arises from 1,000.000 square miles of land, which he inherits with the crown. His average income is a trifle more than £6000 a day.

Parents should see Clor.hing Factory's businesf announcement next local news.—Advt. The Mahinapua took 6755 packages of butter yesterday from the New Plymouth freezing works for transhipment to London. This is the largest consignment yet sent. Bounty has beeu paid or. more than 40,000 sparrows in Gratriofc County, Michigan, during the past year, and yet the birds geem to be as numerous as ever.

A new method of stoppingsliiccough is said to have been accidentally discovered in a French hospital. It consists in thrusting the tongue ont of the mouth and holding it thus for a short time.

The friends of Mr A. A. D. MacLaughlin, who was for many yeara in the local branch of the Telegraph department, will be sorry to hear of the death of his mother, which took place at Napier yesterday.

New Cook : "Well, I daresay your place will do, but—ah! I forgot, have you any children ? " The Master prospective (wearily) i ." Yes, I have five, but of course I could drown two or three if you insist upon it." The Dunlop tyre has undoubtedly proved itself to be the most comfortable and reliable tyre on earth, and is essentially the only tyre which will stand the wear and tear of New ZeaUnd roads. Ifc is guaranteed for 12 months, and can be procured everywhere.—Advfc. A typical South African household, described by Olive Schreiner, had an English father, a half Dutch mother with a French name, a Scotch governess, a Zulu cook, a Hottentot housemaid, and a Kaffir stable boy; while a little girl who waited afc fcsblu was a'Basuto Tbe bottom, of the Pacific between Hawaii md California is said to ba so level that a railroad could be laid for 500 miles without a gride anywhere. This fact was discovered by the United States surveying vessels engaged in making soundings with the view of laying a cable. » .

The astronomers afc the LoweU Observatory flagatafi (Arizona) have discovered that the planets Mercury and Venus: each rotates once on its axis during its revolution around fche sun. These planets have therefore only one day in each of their years. Venus has a dense atmosphere, while Mercury has none. On a very cold and foggy morning at the end of December a man named Redman-fell into one cf the Liverpool docks. Another -man, named Finnigan, sprang into the water with "4" lifebuoy, which he placed found Redman's neck. Owing to the fog the men could not be gofc onfc of the water for 20 minute*, and they have both died from the effects of the- immersion. Finnigan leffc a widow and three children.

Those desirous of providing their boys with strong colonial tweed suits should see tliose marked from 4s lid to 10s lid, at the Clothing Factory, Octagon.—Advt. The latest and mosfc venerable devotee to the' bicycle is Giuseppi Verdi. The famous composer, notwithstanding his 83 years, haa been taking lessons on the wheel, and has proved an apt pupil. The Kleine Zeitung learns from a correspondendeut that the hearty old musician is following the sport with " a zeal and endurance quite astonishing in an octogenarian." He inugt surely be the oldest cyclist in the world. An innovation in book covers is^ white metal cover thafc cannot ba bent at the corners. The volumes thus far produced in this style oi binding are rather heavy, bufc their indestructible quality will be of great advantage to libraries and oth*3r book-using institutions. Aluminium ig also proposed for the purpose, if its cost will nofc prohibit its use. The following table indicates approximately the number of the living species of an imals —. Mammals, 2500; reptiles and batrachians, 4400 ; tnnicata, 900; brachiopods, 150; crustaceans, 20,000; myriapods, 3000 ; echinoderms 3000; ccelenterafca, 2000; protozeans, 6100 - birds, 12,500; fishes, 12,000 ; molluscs, 50,000;' bryozoans, 1800; arachnids, 10,000 ; insects? 230,000; vermes, 6150; Bpongesi 1500 ;— general total, 366,000 distinct species. A curiona form of life insurance is springing up in France under the name of "La Fonrmi " (the ant). The peculiarity is that the longer a, man lives the less his heirs become entitled to. The payment of 4s a month assures the payment of lOOOdol to the heirs oE a man dyiag before the age of 38, the payment diminishing proportionately to about 500dol afc 51, the idea being thafc if a man dies young hia children will require help, but that when he is 50 they will be able to earn their own living. Gentlemen will find a superior stock of underwear, pyjamas, shirts, at greatly reduced prices. See their window. Clothing Factory, Octagon Advt.

A report was made to the Lilydale (Victoria) police thafc a man named William Bunzli had committed suicide. A constable found charred remains in a trench with an old rifle lying near. The deceased had evidently lain down °in the trench, and, after piling .wood on top and around him, had put the muzzle of the rifle in his mouth, and, after setting fire, to the wood had pulled the trigger by means of a piece of string. The body was burned beyond recognition, the limbs and head being gone. Deceased was a decrepit, aged man, and lived on the charity of his neighbours.

The personal estate of the late William Morris, ifc is of interest to note, almost reaches the same figures as that of Lord Tennyson, which amounted to £57,206. No poet of recent days— or probably of any date—died as wealthy as Longfellow, whose personalty totalled over £70,000. The estates of some other poets of recent years declared after their- decease is significant. That of Matthew Arnold amounted to £1040; Professor J. S. Blackie, £4987 • Robert Browning, £16,774; Eliza Cooki £5857 ; F. Locker Lampson, £30,419 ; Dr Charles Mackay, £2629; Dr WeaUand Marston, £2654 ; Christina G. Rossetti, £13,371 ; Dante G. Rossetti, £5000 ; and Sir Henry Taylor, £7000. Miss Mary Miller, residing in North Carlton, Melbourne, was sitting on the balcony of her residence, when she was alarmed to see a little child run on thfe tram line and fall ia front of an approaching car. A grocer in an adjacent shop noticed the child's danger, and rushing out snapped ifc off the line just in time. While the man was rescuing the child, Miss Miller stepped to the front of the balcocv and

stretched over the railing to see if he was successful, and, her weight coming suddenly ou the balustrade, the railing broke and she was precipitated to the ground below. When picked up the unfortunate y»ung lady was found to have sustained a broken back and a broken leg, and there was only a slight hope of her recovery. * ■.

INTERESTING TO CYCLISTS.

At the Dunedin Cycle Club races the Osmond cycle came well to the front, furnishing the following wins and places :—ln the Two-mile Provincial Championship of Otago — Mea-"** A. Maxwell first, W. H. HaU second, S. M'Donald fourth. In tbe Three-mile Test Raca (D.C.C. v. O.C.C.)—Mr A. Maxwell fir»t. in the Half-mile Dash Handicap (firat class) *ud One-mile First Class Handicap—Mr W. Hail second in both. At the Otago Cycle Club tacss on the 9th January Mr A. Maxwell won tbe Three-mile Championship of Otago. In congratulating the manager of the Anglo-Nes-Zealand Cycle Company, who act as agents for the Osmond Cycle Company, he expressed himself as pleased, but uot surprised, afc the result?, for the Osmonds are winners everywhere. A* the Australian Natives' Association meeticg, held in Melbourne recently, the Osmond secured seven firsts, three seconds, and one third without the aid of paid riders. All theae bicycles are fitted with Dunlop tyres. As the output of this company is limited, intending p*,jrehssers are advised to book their cycles earl* at the Anglo, 6 Princes street.

— Camels are fit to work at five years old ; but their strength begins to decline afc 25, although they usually live to 40. The Tartars have herds of these animals, 1000 often belonging to one family. They were numerous ia antiquity, for the patriarch Job had 3000.

— The Forth Bridge is constantly being repainted. This is no" light undertaking. So vast U the structure that it takes 50 tons of paint to give it one "coat," and the area dealt with is something like 120 acres.