WORLD-WIDE NEWS OF THE WEEK

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21355, 24 December 1934, Page 1 (Supplement)

WORLD-WIDE NEWS OF THE WEEK

ALL-INDIA FEDERATION Proposed New Constitution Last week the British Parliament approved by a very large majority the report of a committee which has been putting the finishing touches to the proposed new constitution for India. The work of devising this constitution began six years ago, when a Royal Commission headed by Sir John Simon went out to India to collect information. The report of this commission was discussed many times by conferences of Indian and British representatives, with the result that the constitution now agreed upon is very different from the one suggested by Sir John Simon. For one thing, it is rather more democratic and allows less power to British officials. Moreover, Sir John Simon did not consider that those parts of India which are governed by native princes should be included in the new system of government. But the Indian princes asked to be able to come in, and so there will now be an "All-India" federation. That is, there will be a central government ruling over the British provinces and the principalities as well. Of course, no one yet knows whether the Indian people will accept the new constitution. Some of them have already said that they will not be content with any system of government which does not leave them completely independent of British rule. Mr Winston Churchill and some members of the British Parliament think that the Indian people will never make a success of democratic government; and they may be right. HELPING AIRMEN Radio Forecasts of Weather So great has been the increase in the use of aeroplanes for ordinary business and passenger transport services in Great Britain in the last few years, that a special radio station is to be built to broadcast weatherreports and forecasts to pilots while they are in flight. The new station will be operated by the British Air Ministry, the special department of the Government that supervises aviation. Every day for more than 10 years a regular passenger aeroplane service has been operating between London and Paris. The pilots on this service nowadays are constantly in touch by radio with Croydon Aerodrome, so that all the time they are in the air the position of the machine is known by the officials on the ground. They are also told by radio what the weather is like in front of them for every section of their route, so that nothing unexpected may happen. A similar service is provided for the air services to Africa and India. In America even greater assistance is given by what is known as directional radio. A narrow band of signals is sent along the route the aeroplane must follow, and the pilot knows immediately he moves slightly off his course, because the signals alter. This is a great help in flying at night, for the pilots are really flying along a radio beam.

THE GRENADIER GUARDS) An Old Military Band to Visit Christchurch By special permission of his Majesty the King, the Grenadier Guards Band are visiting New Zealand, under the auspices of the Commonwealth Government of Australia and the Government of New Zealand. The musical director is Major G. Miller, M.8.E., who will be in Christchurch with the band from December 26 to December 31. The arrival of the Grenadier Guards in Melbourne attracted a crowd of 150,000 people, which was the largest crowd seen at the station throughout the Centenary celebrations. In their uniforms of scarlet and gold with their huge bearskin caps, the members present a resplendent sight as they march along playing their instruments.

The Grenadier Guards Regiment was first raised in London, in 1656, by King Charles 11. Originally they were known as the Royal Guards, and they retained this title until 1815, when, in recognition of having defeated the French Imperial Guards at Waterloo, they were named the Grenadier Guards. In 1803 a general order was issued from the Horse Guards officially recognising the existence of the military band, and since this date the existence of a band has been a vital part of a regiment. This particularly applies to the Grenadier Guards Band, which, during its many years of existence has risen to be the world's finest military band.

TRANS-TASMAN AIR SERVICE The Great Pacific Airways, Ltd., of which company Mr C. T. P. Ulm was managing director, will arrange, it is reported, a regular air service to New Zealand from Sydney and a trans-Australian service embracing Perth, Adelaide, and Sydney. Mr E. T. Fisk, chairman of directors, stated that the company would carry on with Mr Ulm's original plans. The first successful flight across the Tasman Sea was made in 1923 by Kings-ford-Smith, with Mr C. T. P. Ulm as copilot, and a navigator and a wireless operator, in the Southern Cross. Mr Guy Menzies made a sensational solo flight across in 1930 in a small Moth aeroplane. His time was nearly two hours better than Kingsford-Smith's time two years before. Since then the following have made successful Tasman flights:—Mr C. T. P. Ulm in the Faith in Australia, Messrs Hewett and Kay (New Zealand) in their Dragon Rapide aeroplane which they flew in the Centenarv Air Race, and Messrs Nicholl (Australia) and Whitehead (New Zealand) in a Puss Moth. The trans-Tasman flight is one of the most dangerous in the world. WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE Lord Baden-Powell's Camp at Melbourne Scouts from all over the world will be present at a huge Jamboree to be held at Frankston, Melbourne, from December 29. Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Scout Movement, will be present, and on the opening day 10,000 or more scouts will march past their chief bearing their countries' flags. A daily newspaper will be published by a staff of honorary scouts, so that a complete record of the activities of the jamboree will be made for future reference. Of the 10,000 scouts of all nationalities going into camp, 241 will represent New Zealand. SISTO CREW ALL SAVED Ship's Plight in Mid-Atlantic In spite of the huge seas running, four ocean liners and several other smaller ships effected a gallant rescue of all the crew of the Norwegian steamer Sisto, last Wednesday. With a broken rudder and drifting hopelessly in mid-Atlantic, the Sisto sent out distress signals. Many ships answered the signals and stood by the Norwegian ship, giving her shelter and pouring oil on the sea until everyone was saved. The pouring of oil on stormy waters in time of rescue is a practice of old standmg.