All Sorts

New Zealand Tablet, 8 July 1909, Page 36

All Sorts

Kauri wood lasts perfectly under ground for twentyfive years. Jarrah, an Australian timber, has been tested for thirty-three years beneath the sea, and found sound at the end of that time. The teeth 'on edge ' is a very common and most unpleasant state of affairs. Acid fruits, over-indulgence iifc lemonade, etc., may cause it. Sometimes it is brought about by a chill. Chewing cinnamon bark will give relief. The death plant of Java has flowers which give off a perfume so powerful as to overcome if inhaled for any. length of time a full-grown man, and which kills all forms of insect life that come under its influence. Over 50 kinds of bark are now used in the manufacture of paper. Banana skins, pea vines, cocoam.-t fibre, hay, straw, water weeds, leaves, shavings, corn husks and hop plants are used for the same purpose. ' You say you were in the hotel at the time of the assault referred to in the complaint?' asked the lawyer. ' I was, sir.' ' Did you take cognisance of the barman at the time ?' ' I don't know what he called it, but -I took what the rest of them did.' Old Gentleman (pointing to lanky youth at his side in the tramcar) : ' How much for this boy — half fare, I suppose ?' Conductor: 'Well, no. He looks as if he were kept on half fare at home, and needs a change. Full fare, please.' The office boy, using the telephone for the first time in his life, and not knowing how, to use it, was told that, when the bell rang, he was to answer it. When he heard it ring he picked np the receiver and shouted, 'Hello! Who's there?' The answer came back, ' I'm one hundred and five.' 'Go on,' said the boy. ' It's time you got an old age pension. Two Irishmen were discussing the various books they had read. 'Have you read the ""Eternal City"?' ' I have.' ' Have you read Marie Corelli's works?' ' I have that.' 'Have you read "Looking Backwards"?' ' How on earth could I do. that ?' It would seem that a building 9000 ft above sea-level should be protected by lightning rods, but the astronomical observatory at Mount Etna has not and does not need such protection. The observatory is neat the summit of the volcano, and the stream of vapor constantly rising from the crater acts as a natural conductor, draining the electricity out of the clouds, so that lightning is seldom seen there. A certain Irish police inspector was reviewing an R.I.C. station, the sergeant of which was a very bad speller. Looking through the books lie came upon an entry : ' Found, a pig wondering on the public road.' ' Sergeant,' said he, ' what was the pig wondering at?' ' I don't know, sir,* said the bewildered man. ' Well,' said the inspector grimly, I do. 'He must have been wondering why I promoted you!' China is preparing to take a census of her 400,000,000 people. The understanding is, to be a most thorough one, and after it is done the facts and figures are to be kept pretty well up to date. One provision of the regulations reads : ' After the completion of this census all births. deaths, marriages, and adoptions must be reported by the head of the family to the local census office or police station; the records of families must be revised every two months and records ' of individuals every six- months, and reports must be made annually to the board of the interior by the directors general of the census from the various provinces.' The 'secretary bird' is one of the most precious' birds in South Africa. It is royal game, and any person destroying one is liable to a fine of £50. Majestic-looking birds, they stand about 3ft high, and generally go in pairs. They are of drab color, with black, feathery legs, and are valued for their propensity for killing snakes. Where tha secretary bird is seen there are sure to be many reptiles about. The bird beats down its adversary first with ' one wing and then with the other, at the same time trampling on it with its feet until the snake is sufficiently stunned to catch it by the head with its claws. Then the bird rises far up in the air and drops its victim to the ground, to be killed. By this means thousands of venomous reptiles are destroyed.