?Ask? The Witch Doctor

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 237, 7 October 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

?Ask? The Witch Doctor

Each week in this column questions that puzzle our juvenile readers will be answered. It is not intended that recipes, household hints, controversial matters or subjects of interest to adults only should be covered in this column, the main purpose of which is to supply answers to the many queries that spring pom the natural curiosity of boys and t/trls. Questions rctalint, to hobbycraft will ala* be touched upon here, M.H. asks how many girl guides there are in the world?— Recent statistics give these figures as approximately one million and a quarter. ♦ # * Sandy is. anxious to know the qualifications necessary to enable one to join the Air Force. —Write the liirector of Air Services, 'Wellington, who will supply you with the information you desire. Goddess wishes to know what happens if a person swallows large quantities of chewing gum.—A medical man advises that the possibility of this proving injurious to one's health is remote, lie mentions, however, that in certain cases, if the quantity swallowed is very excessive, harm might result. * * * * X.Y.Z. asks: (a> The name of the first talking picture shown in New Zealand, (b) If George Walker, the wrestling champion, was ever a boxer?—(a) The lirst alltalking picture to he shown In this country was "The Bellamy Trial," a Fox Movietone production released in Auckland in 1920. <b) At no time has George Walker been cither an or professional boxer. Romeo asks: (a) How much duty is payable in the pound on hooks coming from England? (h) How should artist's gold leaf be applied? — (a) The duty on all printed liooks and papers imported from England is three per cent, (b) First paint your object carerully in gold size. When tills Is done cut the gold leaf Trom your hook, and place carerully over the size. Pat down firmly with a pad. Now remove the tissue paper Trom the gold leaf, and leave to dry. Later, with a clean duster, rub off all unwanted gold leaf.

A Correction—A somewhat amusing error was brought to light as the result of t being pointed out to the Witch Doctor that be hart lulled to Mud the author or I no Vagabond King," whereas the original Inquiry was for the author ol' Robert Louis btevenson s well known po'nm "The Vagabonrlv" ,\Ve apologise l'or this slip, and thank the Avondale reador \vlio wrote pointing- out our error.

J.H. wishes to know: (a) Where lie could obtain iho book "Johnny Woissimiller, ,i-»i now He Does It." (») The latest world records in swimming- for SOyds, looyrts' -20yds and .iioyds.—(a) This book is obtainable at any or the leading city book snops. (b) I hose records are as follows: l Ooyds, 5 IS; aaoyds, y.<> ; 4iovds, 4.52 riiere is no record available for rlie 50vd.< Jtuster Cra-bbe broke the 400 metres freestyle at the Olympic sanies held at Los Angeles in 1932. nils is his onjy world record.

Long-bow's queries are: (a) Where to obtain a piece or lancewood about six feet in length suitable from a long bow. (b) l lie cost or birch dowels for arrows, and where they could lie obtained.— (a) The lancewood you require would be the South African variety, which, however, Is not obtainable locally. New Zealand lancewood you would not find particularly suited for the purpose you have in mind. A New Zealand wood frequency used in ' the making of long-bows is tanekaha. (b) i'he Information required will ho forwarded

wishes to Know: (a) The date and l?!» rc « r Mantle Diver's liirth and death, (b) The dates oi the marriages of the Princess Royal and the Duchess or York. - (a) Maude Diver was born in India in which country she spent the earlv part or her lil'e. We can, However, find no record or the date or her birth. As Car as we arc able, to ascertain she is still alive, (b) The Princess Hoyal was married on February- it, in-28, and the Duchess or York oil April HO, 1923.

Thinflumyjig is eafrer to know: (a) Something- or the history or the Basques, (b) The name or the smallest State in Europe, its area and population.— (a) It is believed this race originated when a branch of the ilrst European wave or the Iron Ape men wont into the Iberian Peninsula: Hie liasfiues in the Pyrenees alone ramain to-day. (bl San Marino, a miniature Italian republic in the Apennines, is the •smallest European State. The area is 38 square.wiles, and there is a population of I;!,0^)0.