NEWS IN BRIEF.

Thames Star, Volume LXI, Issue 17313, 28 December 1927, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Rare Cacti. According to the New Zealand Smallholder a group of New Zealand enthusiast's has formed a syndicate to make a joint purchase of rare and gra'teunue cactus; spejji-es from NewMexico. The precious plants are to he landed at Auckland some time in January. Jt is stated that cactus culture is becoming popular' in the North Island, the interest being stimulated by the fine collection in the gardens of the Ellerslie racecourse. They are ■ appropriate occupants of rock gardens. , jardinieres and tubs, and are likened to the camels of the desert, storing up water, which enables them to endure long droughts. Going on the Land. Expressing pleasure at the fact that out of 98 boys leaving the Napier Boys' High School this year, no less than 20 were going into farming pursuits. Sir ■ James Allen, former Minister of Edoca-. tion and Defence, and latterly High Commissioner in London, took the opportunity, when addressing the assembled parents, old boys, and pupils to urge that never at any time in our history had it been more necessary to direct our activities to the development of our primary industries and the settlement of the land than it was at the present time (says the Telegraph). The Govemmen was realising this, he said, and was bringing out selected settlers from Home, but though this was being' done, it was important that we should not neglect our own hoys, and he expressed pleasure that at such a. fine school over 20 per cent, of hoys went on to the land upon leaving. Carried Away by Argument. Considerable excitement was caused at Lyttelton on Wednesday evening as the ferry steamer Maori was steaming out from the wharf to the moles, when a man was seen to jump overboard. The ship's telegraph clanged and the vessel was put astern. The man, however, was seen to be swimming strongly for the.,, shore, and the ferry then proceeded on her way. As he neared the ferry wharf the swimmer found that he had' left his hat floating at the spot where he entered the water. Nothing daunted, lie turned hack and recovered his hat before swimming to the wharf, where he landed none the worse for his immersion. To the bystanders he explained that he was a seafaring man. and went on hoard the Maori to have an argument with a member of the crew. When he found he was being carried away in the ship he jumped overboard and took the shortest way back. Nearly a Tragedy. A tragedv was narrowly averted recently in the Rotorua Borough Council yard; happily it ended in something very like comedy. A foraging expedition of three ducks struck the council's bitumen pit and explored it, with the result that like the ladies and the bird lime in one of Harry Lauder's songs, they stuck. Their owner located them at about •> p.m.. but found it impossible to release them without damage. Thoy wpve made as comfortable as possible with ample food supplies. In. the morning they were still there, together with three eggs, apparently little the worse for their experience. They had ; to be cut out with an axe. The'all too friendly mixture was removed with the aid of some methylated spirits and the loss of some feathers. The Mysterious Metal. If it be true that the deep spring which has been found by borings at Runcorn (England) far below the Mersey is impregnated with radium to any exceptional degree the discovery may be of the greatest importance (says the London Referee). Radium is the most active element known to us. Neither of its curative nor its destructive powers have the limits yet been found. We only know that it will sometimes cure and sometimes cause the most terrible of all diseases; that if we could harness the energy of loz of the pure metal it would suffice to drive the Mauritania two or three times round the world; but that for any human being to enter the room in which that ounce was kept would he certain death. We know also that it has the strange property of endowing other things, particularly water, with its own astonishing nature. Easily Shocked. A policeman in Cleveland (United States) was shocked to see a man sitting in a motor car with the light extinguished and a young woman on his lap, whom he was kissing vigorously. The policeman arrested the couple for disorderly conduct, despite their protest that they were newly married, and saw no crime in demonstrating their affection. The magistrate discharged them, and they promptly sued the policeman, and weve I awarded £7OO damages.