RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 204, 26 May 1938, Page 10

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights On Current

Events

(By

Kickshaws.)

Now that Britain, France, Poland, and Russia are against Hitler, this dictator at least has a fair idea where to find his Czech-mates.

The after-effect; of that fire at Christchurch appears to be quite a lot of people are telling one another to go to blazes.

The role of the Farmers’ Union, we note, is to function as expert adviser to the Government. After the guaranteed price comes the guaranteed advice.

“Would you kindly advise, through your column, what was the gross tonnage of the Waratah?” asks “R.T.P.”

[The Waratah was a twin screw steamer of 9339 tons gross, belonging to the Blue Anchor Line. She was built in 1908 and was lost at sea on her second voyage from Adelaide to London in 1909. She had a company of 211, including 92 passengers. She left Adelaide on July 7,1909, coaled at Durban, leaving for the Cape on July 26. Next morning she was spoken by the steamer Clan Maclntyre, and was never seen again.]

A visitor back from Germany expresses surprise that there are people in that country who find a use for a coin worth one-teutli of a penny. Now. that we folk in New Zealand have come to think in millions, small change seems more insignificant than ever. Nevertheless, there are countries where even one-tenth of a penny is only middling small change. China evidently was not beneath spurning small change. Before the present upset, the 11 was found useful despite the fact that it was worth only the twentieth part of a farthing. In order to save trouble in counting, these coins have a small square hole in the centre, and are threaded in strings of one hundred. The Nanking Government is partly responsible for the introduction not only of this twentieth part of a farthing, but “Choh” bank notes are worth about three farthings each. One cannot imagine a New Zealander paying his debts in bank notes of this denomination, but presumably if one has enough of them, it is /better to pay in “chohs” than not at all. * « ft While on the subject of small change, it is a fact that even the modest farthing was not low enough for some folk in Britain in the days of the old gold standard, when sovereigns were sovereigns. Half-farthings were issued in the ’,4o’s. A relapse to small change is generally considered to be a sign of poverty. This was the ease at that time in Britain just after Queen Victoria had.come to the throne. These half-farthings had been minted originally for use in Ceylon. Their issue continued in Britain for several years. Incidentally, in the early period of Queen Victoria’s reign model sixteenth farthings and model eighth farthings were minted, but never put into circulation. Some 20 years ago or more Malta had a third of a farthing coin, but increased costy of living drove it out of circulation. There was nothing it could buy. At one time, however, one-third of a farthing would purchase enough vegetables for a family of four, or a meal of fish for one person. It was, moreover, the most popular coin of all for putting in the plate at church. ♦ * » The three convicts at Alcatraz who stupidly tried to escape evidently had a considerable lack of appreciation regarding the task that confronted them. It is unlikely that any convict in the know would have taken the risk. This tiny island prison situated in . San Francisco Bay is only half a mile long. Its highest point is 180 feet. A fence 20 feet high, with barbed wire at sixinch intervals, surrounds the outer walls. Between the fence and the (Water are hurdles strewn over the rocks with a barbed wire network between them. Steel gates of special design are the only access to this prison. Automatic locking devices are fitted to these gates. All the windows are fitted with bars made of a material that cannot be cut by normal tools. Tear gas outlets are installed at vantage points. The entrance to each block of cells is guarded . by a sub-machine gun. The man who controls the machine gun is stationed in a bullet-proof cubicle containing a narrow window glazed with bulletproof glass. Moreover, each cell-block contains two more guards each with a sub-machine gun.

Whatever the chances of a prisoner escaping from Alcatraz, the chances of smuggling the means of escape to him are even less. At all important doorways, automatic metal detectors have been installed. This device gives warning of any secreted metal on, any person who passes the opening. In the remote event of a band of prisoners contriving to break out, the outer defence system is calculated to check them getting far. Guard towers with machine-guns cover all possible lines of escape to the water. Floodlights have been installed to make escapes in the dark virtually impossible. Barriers have been erected to assist the cliffs, 75 feet high, that surround the island on nearly every side. .The whole island is controlled by this system of towers connected by overhead walks. The mess-room is dominated by a high gallery where guards are stationed with machine-guns, and tear gas. All doors through which prisoners pass are double with bullet proof glass windows. A system of loud speakers and double keys operated by two people make it impossible for a concerted rush to be made. Perhaps it is for this reason that uo prisoner has ever escaped.

An examination of wreckage belonging to the aeroplane flown for the last time by Kingsford Smith is said to reveal the likely depth and position of the missing machine. It may come as a surprise that so much information can be obtained from so little evidence. The truth is that life under the sea is conducted on a strictly well-defined system. Roughly speaking, any sunken object that has signs on it of marine plant life cnunot have lain at a depth much greater than GOO feet. This marks the limit of plant life iu the sea. Animal life, however, is known to exist at much greater depths. The limit has been placed at about four miles. Nobody knows what may be found at greater depths. Indeed, until recently, -very little was known about what lay below the surface mud at the bottom of comparatively shallow oceans. Grabs merely brought up specimens of the surface layer. A new gun recently used fires a bullet 10 feet into the ocean bottom. Unfortunately the gun was lost in water three miles deep, but it is understood others are being made. We understand that Davy Jones is complaining to Father Neptune.