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Otago Witness, Issue 3993, 23 September 1930, Page 52

In 1844 Disraeli and Colburn, his publisher, each made, as the result of the publication of three editions of Coningsbv. £1000,” said Mr R. Wedderspoon, when speaking at the Wanganui Rotary Club luncheon recently on “Disraeli’s Works and Political Career.” “ For ‘ Vivian Grey,’ Disraeli received £2OO for the copyright of the original edition and £5OO for the second edition. Contrast these figures with our living-day authors’ profits. It will doubtless interest and surprise most of my hearers to learn that Hall Caine makes more out of his books than any other living British author, and that he pays income tax on £lOO,OOO. The living author who makes the next best profit ana who pays income tax on £60,000 is Sir J M. Barrie.”

A strange pair of rooks lately joined a colony in a seaside park in Penzance, Cornwall. Perfect peace reigned while the nest was made, the eggs laid, and the youngsters hatched and well grown. Suddenly one morning interested observers saw the whole colony rise and attack the little family, who lived in a tree to themselves. Amid shrieks and screams which rolised the whole neighbourhood, the parents were killed, the fledglings flung out, and the nest was torn to fragments and scattered.