RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 207, 29 May 1936, Page 10

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current Events (By Kickshaws.! The old-time Maori, it is declared, was a most ingenious fisherman. The modern fisherman, we would say, it. more ingenuous. Mt* France’s new Premier, it is announced, intends to appoint a woman Cabinet Minister. The idea, we understand, is to give Cabinet a nice French polish. It seems that people do not like paying that extra penny for inland airmails. We understand that the mail fee for air mails affects the males' mails and the females’ mail fees because both prefer the land mails’ fees for all mails. » ♦ ♦ New Zealand train speeds, it is declared, are as fast as safety permits. If we wished to emulate the fast trains of Britain we would have to spend many millions. Although there are good tracks and fast services in Britain it is only fair to point out that there are also lines which fall short of our own standards where speed is concerned. The large railway companies of Britain naturally show a better performance than we do in New Zealand, bu; there are other lines in Britain of which we hear little or nothing at all. The Lyn ton-Barnstaple line, for example, claim ed to give passengers the most exquisite views in Britain. The little narrow gauge train trundled along its track of 19 miles at a safe twenty or so. Even the Taupo-Totara line from Putaruru to Mokai is a speedster in comparison. Unfortunately this little British railway was absorbed by the Southern in 1923 after a life of 25 years. The Brill train from Quainton to Brill through the Vale of Aylesbury is perhaps England’s slowest. It was opened 66 years ago and was rented from the Duke of Buckingham by the Metropolitan Railway in 1899. There are no signals, as there is only one train, the driver opens the gates at: level crossings, and once there wasn't even an engine, a horse provided the power.

News that investigation of a poten tially rich field of oil in the Gisborne area is to be officially instituted is a step forward in the search for oil in New Zealand. Not all of us realise the fact oil is actually being produced in New Zealand at this moment. Moreover, there is uo doubt that there is oil under us because it has been found at intervals for the last 50 years. There are, in fact, places in the Waikato and on both coasts of the North Island where oil still seeps out from underground sources. Whereas nobody would deny that there is oil in New Zealand, many will argue as t<> how much oil is there. From the day, many years ago, when an individual found little pools of oil under the stone., on the beach at New Plymouth there have been intermittent flows of oil One well subsequently flowed for ten or twelve years. The discharge then fell off to a trickle. At present New Zealand’s output is so small that it does not have much effect on the world’s output of _ a thousand million barrels. Even if we be came self-supporting in oil it would, however, be something of which to be proud.

Since the early days of oil-prospect-ing in New Zealand, the technique of the operations has developed even mote rapidly than the industry itself. Nevertheless, it is a fact that, even to-day. there is only one country that seems to he in a position to supply experts for the job. That country is the United States of America. Possibly Britain, in time, will develop a drilling technique of her own, and will be able tc search for oil both in the Home country and the Empire, without having to invite competitors to find oil for her. In the meantime, one must give honour where honour is due. Texas, U.S.A., can boast the deepest oil bore in the world. In May. 1935, a drilling was made to a depth of 12,786 feet. This is the deepest hole in the world that man has made, and represents a probe 24 miles deep. It will be seen, therefore, that, given the incentive and the money, likely spots in this Dominion can be covered pretty thoroughly. Iris not usual, of course, to sink bores to this great depth. Even a bore of half that depth is good going, especially in New Zealand, where the broken condition of the strata complicates matters.

News that the King has accepted his field-marshal’s baton indicates that, within the next few years King Edward will find It necessary steadily to collect the honours and titles in keeping with his position. The King naturally becomes the head of the Army and the Navy. The titles of King George V included that of Admiral of the Fleet. Normally, of course, the sovereign delegates his military and naval authority to others. Few people realise, however, that a king of England holds many more titles and honours than are ever mentioned. King George, for example, was entitled to include such honours as D.C.L., LL.D., D.Litt,. F.R.C.S., F.R.S., and others. Moreover, the late King was an “Elder Brother of Trinity House,” "Ranger of Windsor Great Park,” and "Protector of the University of Wales.” It will be seen, therefore, that a king of England is expected to include in his range of titles, suffixes, prefixes and the like, a complete list, far mors complete than any citizen ever holds. In addition to that, of course, the King assumes his Empire titles, such as Emperor of India..

We have to thank remarkable lack of foresight in the past for the fact that the King of England is not Emperor of America. There is little doubt that, but for lack of statesmanship on the part of a past monarch and his ministers, that title would automatically have fallen to the King of England. There was a period, of course, when tiie King of England also styled himself King of France. This title had been borne since the days of Edward 11. but it was tact fully dropped by George 111. YVilliam IY\ moreover, styled himself King of Hanover. Salic law made it impossible for a queen to hold the title, and it fell into abeyance at the accession of Queen Y’lctoria. This title died out completely in 1866 at the “fiat” of Prussia. Incidentally, the present title of "Defender of the Faith” should have lapsed when Henry Y’HI turned Protestant. The title was, in reality, granted at the will of the Pope. Henry, however, had it renewed by Parliament.

“P.B.” —Thanks for the facts. The point you raised was explained yesterday in the correspondence column, and the misunderstanding cleared up.