General News

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23589, 17 March 1942, Page 4

General News

Hitch-hike by N.Z. Airmen Two New Zealand airmen training in Canada recently hitch-hiked from Niagara Falls to New York, a distance of more than 300 miles. The trip is mentioned by Sergeant W. A. G. L. Booker, in a letter received by a friend in Lyttelton from Halifax. “We have just had four days’ leave, and my friend and I went down and hitchhiked from Niagara Falls to New York.” Sergeant Booker said. “It was a trip I shall never forget, The R.N.Z.A.F. uniform had never been seen down there, find we were feted everywhere—it-hardly cost a cent.” He added that so far he had visited Toronto, Niagara, Buffalo. Geneva, Binghampton, New York, Boston-, and Montreal. £6OOO a Week for Prisoners Expenditure on food parcels for New Zealand prisoners of war was £6OOO a week. Dr, J. Leslie Will, chairman of the New Zealand Joint Council of the Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John, told a patriotic meeting in Christchurch last evening. Bulbs for the Woodland Presentations of bulbs numbering more than 1200 were acknowledged by the report of the director of the Botanic Gardens (Mr J. A. McPherson) presented lo the Domains Board at itjs meeting yesterday. Mr McPherson also reported that, to save labour as much as possible, certain flowering borders had been changed, so that plants, such as wallflowers, that needed a great deal of attention had been eliminated. He said that no seeds had been ordered from overseas: the new sowings were all being done from last year’s surplus stocks and from seeds saved in the garden here. The 1200 bulbs for the woodland as well as 1500 new tulip bulbs had been planted. The New Comet A new comet which was discovered from Sweden on February 12 and seen 10 days ago from Wellington, was seen last Thursday night by Mr J. P. Artha, of Devonport. He found it with an ordinary binocular and proved its identity to his satisfaction with a telescope. Mr Artha said the comet had a fairly long tail, indecisive toward the end. and at the time he found ii it was among six small stars. It was about 15 degrees south-west of the star Regulus in the constellation Leo. which at 10 p.m. is in the northern sky, and was moving toward the west. Reduction in Sports Grounds Fees Substantial reductions in the fees charged by the Domains Board for the use of 26 sports grounds during the winter season were announced at yesterday’s meeting of the board. Peps for the football grounds are to be reduced from £6 to £4. and for the hockey grounds from £3 10s to £3, These reductions will remain in force for the duration of the war. Mr S. A. Orchard said that it was fair to reduce the fees as the clubs concerned would be suffering financial loss; they would have to use more grounds because of the increased number of schoolboys playing during the absence of older men at the war. but they would have smaller funds at their disposal because of the reduced entrance fees for younger players. The reduction was approved unanimously by the board. Patriotic Fund Comparison The Canterbury Patriotic Council has the raising of £250,000 before October 31 as its objective for this year, which exceeds the amount raised by the council from its inception to the end of January by £48,000. This comparison was made by Mr W, S. MacGibbon. chairman of the standing committee. last evening to show,an organising meeting in Christchurch the extent of Canterbury’s responsibility this year. Sunspots and an Aurora Another group of spots has broken out on the face of the sun and has already crossed the meridian. This group is not spectacular, although it covers a wide area, and consists of a number of small spots. They are of lb? characteristic type which cause magnetic disturbances and aurora*, and a message from Wellington states that an aurora was visible there during the early hours of Saturday morning. Radio interference has been fairly marked during the last day or two, no doubt ow'ng to the presence of these spots on the sun. Women War Welders Managers of Britain’s war factories arc discovering that the women now coming into their works from shops, offices, the professions, and private life have very definite likes and dislikes about the kind of work they wish to do, Some take to turning wheels, others prefer to use hand-tools; some enjoy work calling for concentration: others would sooner have simple repetition work. Welding is a jab that many women arc turning to now, but oven here there are two distinct camps, those who like the fireworks of elcc-tric-arc welding and those who prefer fusion welding. It is often very difficult to get women to transfer from one method to the other. But in one important British factory fusion welding has been made much simpler and more effective by a new process which eliminates the usual defects. Its main feature is the application of a controlled temperature applied before and during either a manual or a machine weld. Other features prevent the formation of gas crevices or pockets. Formerly, in spite of X-ray examination, weaknesses were liable to occur, and could be finally detected only iii mechanical testsHamilton's E.P.S. The opinion that probably no other town in New Zefllanci was as advfincoQ as Hamilton in emergency precautions measures, and that this was largely due to the Hamilton Welding Club, was expressed by the Mayor, Mr H. D. Caro, at a meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council. The club had provided the borough with 9 great deal of useful equipment, including a firefighting engine and pump. The council voted the elub £250.