Items.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7370, 18 November 1898, Page 3

Items.

Interviewed at Wellington on Tuesday by a Eew Zealand Times reporter, Mr Van Weenan, the Sydney pressman and sheep expert, who is picking up information in this colony, said that the Christchurch Show would not compare with the shows held in Sydney. In two classes—draught horses and long-wool Bheep—the Christchurch show beat the Sydney shows, but in other things it w as a great way behind. In reference to the sheep Mr Weenan said . It was the best show of long-wool sheep I have ever seen in Australasia. Of course, the speciality of the Sydney Show is the merinos, and though we get some good longwools from Victoria, they do not compare with yours. All round the Christchurch Show was a magnificent one as regards longwools, and they kept me walking about amongst them and examining them all day." Japan is going to send to the Paris Exhibition a huge house, hexagonal in shape, and composed entirely of porcelain. It measures several yards in circumference, and its weight will not be less than 70 tons.

The sun has three motions—a rotation about its axis ; a motion about the centre of gravity of the whole solar system, which points always within the sun's volume ; and a motion round some bigger fixed star.

The ordinary outdoor hat in Corea is a curious looking thing, having a brim a foot and a-half wide, and being made of a kind of stiff gossamer, of silk or horsehair, dexterously worked in with finely-split bamboos.

Everybody was surprised to hear how little Sir George Grey was possessed of when he died. He was a man of considerable means by inheritance, he had been for a long time in well-paid offices under the British Government, and since his retirement had drawn a pension of LIOOO a year. To some extent I can account for how it happened (says a writer in the New Zealand Herald). I was talking the other day to a Queen-street shopkeeper whom Sir George used often to have a confidential chat with, and he told me this. One day Sir George said, " It is a curious thing that almost everybody who has aided the Liberal cause thinks he and she has a claim upon my purse and he added with a grim smile, "they have got it nearly all."

The mushroom's life is measured by hours, but it flourishes long enough for an insect to hang its egg on the edge of the " umbrella, and for the egg to become an insect ready to colonise the next mushroom that springs up. A broken-winded horse Is rarely seen in Norway. The fact is accounted for by the statement that a bucket of water is always placed within reach of the horse when be is feeding, and the animal alternately takes a mouthful of hay and a sip of water. The walking advertisement known as a sandwich man Is by no means a modern Idea. In 1346 a procession of men dressed to represent straw-covered wine bottles used to parade the streets of Florence, Italy, being hired by the wine merchants there.

Mr Ayre, an American philatelist, is said to have invested L 12,000 in collecting stamps. His album is the most splendid private one In the world. The Duke of York and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha are ardent collectors of stamps.

More than 200 kinds of extinct life, including insects, reptiles, plants, shell, fruity etc., have been found in amber. In one collection, which is valued at LIOO,OOO, is a perfect ligard, eight inches long. In Gothic sculpture and tracery angels are sometimes portrayed practising on the bagpipes. The pipes were occasionally used In churches before the introdnction of the organ, early in the fifteenth century. The late Mr James Payn's library was sold lately by aaction by Messrs Phillips. There were in all 133 lots, which were knocked down at extremely J low prices, only three lots realising more than LI each.

Five feet is the minimum.height of the Russian and French conscript. A Victoria Cross was recently announced for sale by auction in London, but was withdrawn. -;i > ;

It took seven years to make a handkerchief for which the Empress of Russia paid LIOOO. A ton of dirty rags is worth Lttkto a rag dealer. There are nearly 3000 stitches in a pair of hand-sewii boots. Those about to buy Bicycles should read this paragraph carefully. We have just landed a full complement of the famous B.S.A. parts, .and are now prepared to build these customers' orders at the record price of Ll7 10s. This price has never before been equalled-in the trade, the regular quotations for these machines being from L2l to 125. "We are desirous of plac ing the healthy recreation of cycling within the reach of the greatest number, and we look to the increased number of ordere to repay us for the very great reduction in price. We are also landing by the Warrimoo in a fortnight a shipment of high-grade American .bicycles from one of the best makers, in the States . We are taking orders or these machines at Ll4 10s,_and intending buyers should order at once as the first shipment is limited ?in quantity. Every machine'f ally guaranteed. Apply M'Donald and F'Diarmid's Federal r Gyclfr Works, St. George's Hall, Thames street. -• Memorial Cards in the new "Pansy, designs, tysautiful color b,{and laok and gold All new Mi 1 Office} ; ~