Empire Fair

His Majesty weighs, clothed, 150 lbs.

His Majesty cannot tune in on Continental stations on his radio at Buckingham Palace, because British broadcasting stations interfere.

His Majesty is vexed by the fact that several fireplaces in Buckingham Palace draw imperfectly and smoke.

The above three bits of quaint if unrelated information emerged from visits paid, last week, by Their Majesties to the British Industries Fair which was open in two sections, one at London, one in Birmingham.

At the London show an official of the British Broadcasting Company tut-tutted over the troubles of George V, with radio interference and promised His Majesty perfect reception with a new type of set. Meanwhile Queen Mary had strolled off to a booth where "Nosey Parkers" were for sale. When an attendant donned one of those clever rubber masks and blew up the nose to a grotesque, bulbous protuberance, Her Majesty reached for her purse. Perhaps she bought the "Nosey Parker'' to entertain her small and only granddaughter, "Baby Betty," 22 months old, daughter of the Duke & Duchess of York.

At the Birmingham show, last week, the King-Emperor inspected carefully a display of "electric fires." It was then that he complained of smoke, in Buckingham Palace. Turning to the Queen, whom he calls "May" (short for Mary), he said: "I really wish that I had one of these electric thingumbobs in my room."

Later His Majesty attempted to entice Her Majesty onto a bathroom scale. "No thank you," said she firmly, but waited indulgently while he stood upon the plate and exclaimed "Right!" as the pointer touched 150.

This year the number of foreign buyers at the British Industries Fair has increased 200%, with those from the Netherlands most numerously in evidence. For the first time special reduced rate round trip railway tickets to the fair have been issued.