WAR INVENTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 2, 3 January 1941, Page 9

WAR INVENTIONS.

ABOUT 400 WEEKLY.

MANY FANTASTIC AND COSTLY

(Special.) LONDON, Nov. 29

The directorate of scientific research at the Ministry of Supply examines about 400 war inventions per week. The Admiralty and the Air Ministry, too, which have departments to deal with inventions relating to ships or aircraft, examine many each w"eek, some more ingenious than practical, but others which can and will be used in the war effort.

The more fantastic inventions submitted to the Ministry of Supply include a net to catch parachutists, with a bell which, would 4 ring when there was a "catch," a beyon-et which springs out of a rifle, and the dropping of snakes, scorpions and hungry rats over enemy territory.

Every invention is given the closest scrutiny. Working men have put forward many useful ideas, among them inventions for stopping leaks in petrol tanks, a hydraulic torque converter, a wood-joining device, some excellent booby-traps to catch the enemy antitank devices, camouflage and the automatic adjustment of brake shoes.

The most numerous inventions concern death-rays and perpetual motion machines for producing something out of nothing. Moet British inventors offer their ideas free, but some foreigners have asked for £100,000 to £1,000,000 for their notions on winning the war.

Some inventions submitted may prove of industrial value after the war. These include new reinforced concrete processes and new types of portable cooing apparatus. — N.A.N .A.