IN DARKNESS.

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 5, 7 January 1928, Page 22

IN DARKNESS.

The break-down of the electric light service in. London, recently, throwing a section of the city into darkness for some hours, is what might be expected in New Zealand, for we, like our London cousins, lose no time in dismantling and getting rid of all other lighting equipment when once electric light is installed, the despised candle coming to the rescue. The requisition in the House of Commons for these useful tapers on the occasion mentioned, sug gesta a little problem. Let it be assumed that the candles placed on Mr. Speaker's bench as well as those on Ministers' tables were one and a half inches in diameter, each guaranteed to burn for 9 hours, while members were supplied with candles of the same length as the others but only of one inch diameter, each of which would burn 6 hours under similar conditions. If the candles were lit simultaneously when the electric light failed, and extinguished upon its restoration, how long was the installed illumination out of action, assuming that the remaining length of each of the larger candles was exactly one and one-fifth times that of each of the smaller ones? ■ A MAORI WAS MEMORY. Although it was an incident of threequarters of a century ago, the problem concerning it is new. It happened in the Waikato, where for long stretches of time, the garrisons were often in perilous situations, chiefly owing to shortage of food. A garrison near Kihikihi was provisioned for as many days as were equal to the number of men who comprised it. After one hundred and thirty days a reinforcement of three hundred and seventy-four extra men arrived, being all that were left of four hundred and fifty who had been sent from Auckland two months previously, and ambushed on the march. As no extra food arrived with the auxiliary men, the whole of the garrison was placed on half-rations. If by thus reducing tho fare, the provisions lasted two hundred aud eighty days longer than the time it was provisioned for, what was the strength of the garrison before the arrival of the reinforcement, assuming there had been no losses since it was originally provisioned. SMUGGLING. An episode of the old smuggling days a century ago when "Simon the cellarer '' took up this illicit traffic offers material for a problem a little more intricate than the usual one of its kind. Simon and his band being forewarned of tho approach of coastguards, buried some gold in an obscure place, but when they returned some nights afterwards, found that it had been stolen. It appears that three poachers who had been concealed nearby witnessed the burying of the treasure and removed it that night, dividing the sovereigns as follows: —Four thousands to Hickey, two thousand five hundred to Kennedy, and fifteen hundred to Whalley, each man securing his share in his own sack. Their boat had been left at a lonely place or. tho river, but it would not carry more than two men, or one man and a sack together. Tho poachers had no confidence in one another, so no one was left alone on shore or in the boat with more than his portion of the loot, neither were two together left with more than their joint shares. How did they get over in the boat (with gold also inside) without assistance of ropes, currents, or other devices, and what would be the fewest number of crossings necessary? AN AWKWARD DIVISION. On one of those extra warm days during the holidays, three cyclists who were late in arriving to meet their mates at a woolshed found that the shearers had "cut out" and gone to town, leaving a note directing the cyclists to a keg containing six quarts of ale. Although thirsty they decided to divide the beverage equally and take it to their respective homes in the neighbourhood for next day, which was a holiday. Tor this purpose they found three suitable petrol tins, but the only available vessel for measuring were a three-pint jug and a five-pint measure. They managed to divide the beverage equally, but from what they afterwards told tho schoolmaster they made nearly twico as many operations as were necessary. What are the fewest number required to divide the ale equally with the two measures stated, if each "pouring" from one vessel to another constitutes an operation? THE EXHILARATION OF PROBLEMS. It lias been said of problems that they always create and sustain a keen interest and healthy debate in any company, provided, of course, they' are not too technical. The reader has no doubt found this so, particularly if introduced when conversation is getting too political or too something else equally in need of brightening. And it is curious how solutions of even simple posers vary. Taking a hint from the hostess the other evening that a "change-over" from the motor regulations discussion was desirable, a question was asked which aroused interest in the whole company, and kept everyone keen on the point involved until it was time to depart. This was the question. Would it be possible for a square house, to be designed so that when built ;ili the windows on the four sides and flush with the walls would have a northerly aspect? There were two architects in the company, and if tho correct answer had occurred to them the secret was well kept, for up to tho time of parting the "nut" had not been cracked. What is the solution? LAST WEEK'S SOLUTIONS. Coins and Squares.—2ss is the largest possible amount that can be shown. The pitfall of which the reader was warned is that a solver would naturally endeavour to place the highest value coins in as many squares as are available under the conditions. If this were done, however, he would be left with two unused squares at the finish; so only three squares should be occupied by each of the lowest coins, the halfcrowns alone occupying four places. Near the Assuoan Dam.—The diameter of the irrigation area was 40 miles. The Arab walked 6 2-3 miles, and the Bedouin 5 miles in an hour and forty minutes, while the chain-man walked 25 miles in 5 hours, the respective rates being 4, 3, and 5 miles an how. A Field of Oats.—The aic;i oi.' the oblong field was 19 acres 32 perches, the sides being 12 and 16 chains. The strip of 2 chains all round the field would therefore embrace 90 square chains, or 9 3-5 acres. The Same Block of Land.—The width of the strip mowed round tho paddock wns just half that of the one in tlio previous problem, viz., 22 yards, tho total area cut being 5 1-5 acres. At an Eating House. —The . country.