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Otago Witness, Issue 1383, 1 June 1878, Page 14

Jte. 18d. We have received Beveral solutions of Mr. Whitty's question. J. P., Gore, writes :— " The explanation of Mr. Whitty's puzzle, published May 18th, is that 9por. syds. 2ffc. 6in. is equivalent to lOper. lft., and should be written in this manner, and this, in fact, is the quotient obtained. The first of these forms of stating the measure is quite as incorrect as lyd. 6ft. 14in., or £1 25 a. 15d., and applying the experiment of multiplication and division to these quantities a similar apparent discrepancy will bo found between tho multiplicand and the quotient, the real value, however, remaining unchanged. The incorrectness of the method of stating the measure in question i 8 not so apparent at first sight, in consequence of syds. being less than 1 perch. The statement is, in fact, similar to such an one as 1 half-crown 2 shillings and 11 per.ee, which, of course, is more thau 2 half orowns. It should be observed that 9p. syds. lft. 5*9 i» the greatest possible distance short of 10 perches." OID, Waihola, writes :—": — " In answer to Mr Whitty's arithmetical puzzle, which appeared in your Notes and Queries of the 18th, viz., that 9p. syds. 2ft. 6in. x 7 could not be proved in the usual way, I may say that the putting of the quantities is incorrect. For, f&yds. equalling one perch, and syda. being given, it is plain that half a yard is all that is required to make tho syds. a perch. Now, we have 2ft. 6in., which more than makes up the deficiency ; therefore the sura must read, lOp. oyds. lft. Oin." G.C.8., Invercargill, is of the opinion entertained by " Cid." F.E.N. — No new Fencing Act or Registration of Brands Aot was passed at the last session of Parliament. F.G.H.— There is no doubt whatever of the marvellous fact that all the words spoken into the phonograph are there stored up, ready for repetition whenever excited by the cylinder of tinfoil. It is stated in Chambers's Journal that at a scientific meeting in London one of the company, in singing " God Bave the Queen," had to make three attempts to get out the highest note, and these failures were repeated by the instrument, greatly to ■ the amusement of the company.