Lady Gay's Scrapbook

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22823, 23 September 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

Lady Gay's Scrapbook

THE TRIUMPH OF THE VENGEFUL

-The Anderson Speedboat Club was holding its annual race on the Hawk’s . Head • Harbour. Already the club had held many races, as it had been 'established in 1930; but the 1939 race was the ‘ greatest in itsj history, because anyone could enter .with inventions or. old .models. - .By- March 21;' the date on which the entries closed, the club' had received 15 entries, making a xecprl. as the former record totalled only 10.: It was soon found that an • invention from Surrey, the-, owner .IVilliam Pe'ddrel, and the - craft,: •- the ■ Vengeful, , caused tha/most . excitement: among the speedboat fans. • This boat was very unusual, - as it had two long exhaust . pipes, alongits slender body,/ andalspon the' sides, were many holes with ' sliding covers. These, they - said;- were / to let out the steam- which gathered in the engine when the boat was going at a great speed. - The rules were that if the day dawned stormy bn the usually calm and well-sheltered harbour,: thd'race would be postponed until the next week. Nevertbeless the. day,: July 17," dawned bright and sunny and all the- boats turned up shining ■ in - their < hew

coats of paint.' The plans of the Vengeful, ; which./ the owner had to send in with his entry, and which.'were displayed to the people, made them gasp with astonishment, but when the boat , appeared in reality the spectators were struck dumb -at the sight of it. , The race began, the Vengeful had slight trouble in starting, but soon picked up and‘was off. The Mercedes was leading, while- behind her came the Mqtz, the third place being occupied by the speedy Vengeful, which had passed the others in one hop. The Leyfield and the Hammond ran next. Suddenly the Metz's engine .‘coughed and spluttered and died down, started again, spluttered, and ‘finally stopped. It was out of it inow, so the Vengeful was in second place. The Hammond was catching up, so the Vengeful put a spurt on, ‘and, as they rounded the buoy, which marked the end of the ‘ first .lap drew level with the Mercedes, ;Out oh the straight again - the driver of- the - Mercedes, ■ Jose Jasper, began to steer wildly and,rail of a -sudden ' crashed into the. Vengeful, which filled ! with ■;water •;and 1 sank;A •launch put out immediately from , the wharf and helped the 'pilot on {board and took him back to the land.- In the .endt the Mercedes- won and was awarded first prize; the

Hammond came next, and the Leyfield third. But no one, suspected the driver of the Mercedes 01 having . collided with the Vengeful purposely, until he was questioned about steering so badly in the second lap. To this he replied with a stutter, "I did not have my mind on whaj I was doing,” and he was then immediately forced to tell the Whole story ahd give up the trophy. It all turned out to be that the drivers of the Mercedes was employed by a band of thieves trying to get the clip which was presented every year to the winner of the race. They nearly succeeded in doing so, but were, caught in the act of hiding the cup , in a train on which'they wer to stow away ahd get to the port of London, and then smuggle ,it by steamer to Rabat. 200 miles distant. From there they planned to take. the cup to their house/ and later . exchange it for money In a hidden mahner by breaking it Up and taking it to the bahk at intervals.

, In six months’ time the race was held again,' and by this time the Vengeful had been salvaged and repaired, and .was able to take part in- the race, and won easily, 'without having trouble in starting ♦his, time: Again the Hammond gained second place, but the Ley field , was •beaten by the Adventure, another keen racing speedboat, for third place. The . Mercedes was purchased for club use. The owner of the -Vengeful’:, was then presented with the trophy, which he was to hold for a year: —PAUL McLEOD (aged 9) , ■* , Papanui.

. Staying ‘With Grandma il have had a lovely holiday at Little River. I was staying with my. grandma,, while mother went to

Dunedin; to see heir grandma. I • helped grandma to : do the spring- : cleaning; and Derek- cut the lawns. ■ —RUTH HAINES (aged 8), j ' Okain’s Bay. , RIDDLEMEREE My first is in yellow but not in red. My second is in. soft but not-in bed. My/third is in iris, and also in rose. My> fourth is ini knee and also in ’ nose. . 'My-fifth is in straight but not in ■ - ■ .curl,/- • " ,My‘ whole is . the name of a girl.

Answer: Lorna. ■ —YVbNNE CROMIE, A. 8., : Mount Hutt Rural, Rakaia:

T OST—A cow by a man with a crumpled horn. ■pOUND—A cricket bat by a boy A • with a broken handle. —•MATE. JAARLEN, > . M.G.,A.8., L.8.H., P.B.H * (aged 12), Rotherham.

RIDDLES I What is it you never see jtogether? * Milestones.

What is of no use until it la broken? An egg. What most resembles half a cheese? The other half. What is .it we often return but never borrow? Thanks.

What is as wonderful as a horse that can count? •, A spelling bee. What is it that occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a ivear? ,The-letter M.

Why is a pit a creature?: Because it cannot be cured until it is killed. What part of a fish , is like the end of a book? The fin-is What business never progresses? The stationery business. —PAUL McLEOD(aged 9), Papanul.

A sparrow's normal length of-life is ;40 years. . - ■ ; Paderewski, the, famous pianist, Was the first pretnler of Poland.A rifle ball moves at 1000 miles per hour. There were 59 signatures to Charles I’s death - warrant.

‘ The area of the Sahara, desert is about 3,000,000 square miles. . —»M4TE : JAARLEPT, : - M.G., A. 8., PJB.H.f Rotherham.

T OST—A black' kitten- by a man with a. red bow round his neck, "POUND—A dbg py a lady. with chewed ears. —NORMA STUART, J