NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 30, 4 August 1939, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Royal Birthday. The flags flying today from Government and other buildings and the firing of a Royal Salute at noon were in honour of the Queen's Birthday, the anniversary of which falls today. August 4 is also, of course, the anniversary of the entrance of Great Britain1 into the Great, War. H.M.S. Leith's Exercises. The Marine Department has been advised by the Naval Board that from noon tomorrow until noon on Sunday H.M.S. Leith will be carrying out exercises at the entrance to Port Nicholson. These exercises may, during the night, include steaming without lights and the use of smoke and searchlights. Care will be taken during the period of the exercises not to interfere with the normal shipping activities of the port. Exhibition Train Bookings. Many people are already booking accommodation in Wellington for short periods during the Centennial Exhibition, and some of these'in the North Island have asked whe:her they can rely on seats in trains to coincide with their room bookings. The Railway Department states definitely that whenever people decide to visit the Exhibition train seating accommodation will be available, in either island. It is realised .that. with, accommodation definitely booked for certain dates, transport must synchronise if awkward delays are to be avoided. Bookings of seats may be made now, and the Department advises early booking. Activities at Rongotai. Despite the fact that on sixteen days during July conditions made it impossible for club flying to be undertaken, 282 hours 35 minutes flying was accomplished by Wellington Aero Club machines in instructional and other flights during the month. In one week a record number of hours for the time of the year was established —148 hours. Three instructors spent 121 hours 45 minutes in the air engaged in ordinary and advanced dual instruction. On account of the large amount of flying that is being conducted at Rongotai Airport it has been necessary recently for the secretary of the club to be in attendance for four days during the week and all day Saturday and Sunday. Damaged Lockheed. Although at first it was thought that the Lockheed plane belonging to Union Airways, which was damaged at New Plymouth on July 23, would be sent to the company's works in California for inspection this will not now be done, states the "Post's" Palmerston North representative. It is understood that in view of the delay incurred in the shipping of the machine it would be more expedient to bring engineers of the Lockheed Company to the Dominion to supervise the carrying out of repairs at the Union Airways workshops at Milson Aerodrome. The machine could not be sent by one of the regular passenger liners, and its transport to the factory in California and the return across the Pacific would take too long. Canada's Display. From official information, the Canadian Court will be a worthy addition to the Centennial Exhibition. Its display will be diversified and comprehensive, featuring the rapid expansion of the country in a comparatively short period. The space of over 8000 ft will be filled with exhibits showing the great natural resources of the sister Dominion. The court will be built of Canadian timbers, with panelling in cedar and yellow birch. Agriculture, mining, timber, and transport will be depicted by large dioramas with special lighting. Water power, wild life, national parks, and tourist resorts will be featured, and over 100 large transparencies will deal with industrial progress and various resources. Possible Meteor Shower. If there is going to be a shower of meteors, tonight is the most likely night for it, and an eye should be kept on the eastern sky. But such a shower is only a possibility, not even a probability. It is not recommended, therefore, that citizens should encamp in large numbers on the top of Mount Victoria and other high points round the city in order to get a.good view. Night temperatures are too low for that. Some years ago, in the expectation of seeing a meteor shower, many people spent a lengthy and cold vigil on Mount Victoria, and when no celestial fireworks eventuated they had some very unkind things to say about astronomers. Similar disappointment is quite likely to be experienced tonight. .No one can be sure of meteor showers coming: all that can be said with certainty is that there is the possibility of one tonight, or perhaps tomorrow, or even the day after, and that more than likely there won't be one at all. New Tug's Trial. "Though the weather was very stormy the new ship gave us all the impression that she is to be the ideal tug for the port," said the chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board (Mr. F. E. Sutton), discussing the new tag Lyttelton 11, in his monthly report to the board, states the "Press." On the trial to'the Heads she averaged 13.22 knots, and on return against the wind she averaged 13.82 knots, and her horsepower showed more than, 1400. Seeing that she was ordered to be 1250 horsepower, all must agree that the result of these trials was very satisfactory, and I feel we should express our I thanks to our engineer and harbourmaster, and also to the architects and builders for their successful efforts in designing and building this vessel." ; Rescue of Sick Man. A snow plough was brought into use urgently on Tuesday to clear a track to Mr. R. Robinson's homestead near The Keys, between Mossburn and Te Anau, states the "Otago Daily Times." Advice was received at Mossburn that Mr. Robinson, whose home had been isolated by deep snow for about a week, was seriously ill, and the snow plough was immediately put to work to clear a track to. the house. When the way was cleared Mr. Robinson was taken to Mossburn and immediately rushed to hospital. An unformed road gave access almost to the door of Mr. Robinson's house, and when the snow plough cleared a path the journey was begun at once. Had the house been situated some distance from the road, great difficulty might have been met bjj the rescue party, as there are many deep drifts of snow in that part of the country. Counsel's Mistake. The inadvertent action of counsel for the defence in speaking to a member of a jury hearing his case was not permitted to interrupt proceedings in the Christchurch Supreme Court on Wednesday, states the "Press." Before addressing the jury in defence against a claim for damages, Mr. R. Twyneham apologised to the Court, the jury, and counsel for the plaintiff (Mr. K. G. Archer) for having spoken to a juryman under the impression that he was a witness for the defence. He added that Mr. Archer, believing that the case would not be prejudiced, had refrained from exercising his right to demand the discharge of the jury. "I think counsel for both sides acted with the utmost propriety and in the best tradition of their profession," remarked Mr. Justice Norther oft during his

Nelson Water Supply Loan. Authority for the Nelson City Council to raise a loan of' £65,800, being part of the previous water supply loan, the authority for which has lapsed, is notified in the Gazette. Interest is fixed at 3£ per cent., and another condition is that the debentures must be redeemed by annual amounts ■ commencing at £700 in 1942, rising to £2000 in 1951 and £50,500 in 1952. Refuses Clergyman. The ministers associated with the Waikato Presbytery decided at a meeting of the Presbytery this week to contribute towards a fund to enable a German minister who has been, expelled for racial reasons from his native country to come to New Zealand and spend a period at the Presbyterian Theological Hall to overcome language difficulties, states the "New Zealand Herald." The ministers undertook to find the Waikato quota of the expense involved without recourse to the laity. "Conscience Money" Received. \ Receipt of the following amounts of "conscience money" is acknowledged by the Treasury in a notice appearing in the Gazette: —Two amounts of 10s; each to the Customs Department, 3s 9d and £ 1 10s to the Post and Telegraph Department, £4 Bs, 13s 6d, and 10s to the Railway Department, 5s and 6s to the Land and Income Tax Depart- j rnent, £3 12s to the Treasury, Is to j Army headquarters, £ 1 9s to the Social Security Department. Bureau of Industry. Decisions of the Bureau of Industry notified in the Gazette indicate that an application to install six petrol pumps at a new service station in Ngaio and an application to install one petrol pump at a rental car business in Tory Street, Wellington, have been declined. A similar fate has met an application to take over three petrol pumps at a service station in Wakefield Street. A Christchurch application to operate a new pharmacy in Armagh Street has been declined. Two previous decisions to decline applications to resell motor spirit at Pukekohe and in the Westland district have been varied, and the applications have now been granted. Flags For Protection. A sight which, while it is not so uncommon as it was a few years ago, is still rare enough to excite interest and conjecture may be seen at the Taranaki Street Wharf, where the steamer City of Singapore, discharging New York cargo to the agency of the Federal Company, is lying. On each side of the hull of the vessel is painted a large Union Jack and a similar ornamentation is on top of the boat deck. The City of Singapore has recently been in Chinese waters, when she visited Shanghai, and the paintings were her protection from Japanese ships and aircraft. During the Great War neutral ships had their national flags painted on their sides as a means of gaining i immunity from submarine attack.