Page 23 Advertisements Column 2

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 23

It is proposed in the Rangitikei district to form a company to construct a railway ta Cheltenham and Birmingham. Three possible routes are mentioned. The "crack" lady shots of the day are (according to the Weekly Sun) Lady Breadalbane, Lady Tweedmouth, the Duchess of Bedford — -who is described as a "dead shot" ab partridges and grouse, — and Lady Sandhurst. S*n Francisco papers contain lengthy references to the 'Frisco whaling fleet being Wocked in by the ice in the Arctic Ocean. Great apprehensions are entertained for tha safety of the ships and crews. The United States steamer Bear has been despatched with provisions, "&e., to endeavour to succour the crews. — Plants growing near the sea have thicker leaves than those growing inland. Apparently the sea salt is the cause of this phenomenon, as plants cultivated in artificially salted soil yield thi cker ' leaves . & — Prince Henri d'Orleans took with him on his Abyssinian expedition a phonograph, cine« matographe, and a large musical box. He de« pends on the last-named instrument to sootha the savage breasts of the natives, after which he means to amuse and astonish them with tha phonograph, and incidentally get a choice stock of African jargon registered for future reos** duotion.