NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 19, 23 January 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

£100,000 Oil-drilling plant. An announcement that oil-boring equipment valued at nearly £100,000 would arrive in New Zealand in April for use on the west coast of the North Island, possibly in Taranaki, was made by Mr: CM. La Mar; an oil-boring expert, who" arrived at Auckland? from San Francisco by the Monterey on Friday, states the "Taranaki Daily News." Mr. La Mar said the company with which he was connected had the plant at present on order. Its , drilling capacity would extend to 15,000 feet. 50,000-volt Shock. .\ A shock from a 50,000-volt line was suffered by-MiX Frank Snow, aged 30, an employee at the Ngongotaha electrical sub-station, states a local correspondent. Mr. Snow was testing for the Clearances of telephone lines over haystacks on a newly-mown field near his home at Ngongotaha. It appears he endeavoured to throw the measuring tape over some telephone wires, but, through slipping, accidentally threw the tape over a nigh-tension power line. Mr. Snow was thrown violently to, the ground and suffered a severe burn to his right hand. He was taken to the Rotorua Hospital. Apart from the burn he seemed little the' worse for the experience. Rapid Promotion. j ■ With a record of service in the Royal Air Force of a little over four years, Dr. Hedley E. Bellringer, the youngest son of Mr. C. E. Bellringer, of New Plymouth, has risen to the rank of squad-ron-leader, which is equal to the rank of major in the Army, states the "Taranaki Daily News." Dr. Bellrihger re-i ceived his secondary education at the' New Plymouth Boys' High School. From there he went to the Otago University Medical School, where he took his medical degree. In the early part of 4934 he went to England for further "study. Towards the end of 1935 Dr. Bellringer joined the medical section of the Royal Air Force, and was posted to a -station in Yorkshire in the following year. He was then sent to Irak, where he spent two years in important work in that country. Dr. Bellringer recently returned to England where he is .now engaged in work as medical officer at an Air Force station. His rapid rise in the Air Force adds yet another"name to the list of. ex-students of the New Plymouth Boys' High School who have achieved distinction in their professions abroad. He is only 33 years old. His recent promotion from the rank- of flight-lieu-tenant to that of squadron-leader antedates to the commencement of the war. £ 1,000,000 Loss on Tourist Traffic. With travel drastically restricted by war conditions, New Zealand's tourist traffic has shrunk to a fraction of its former level. Activity usually reaches its peak in January, February, and March, but, so far, it has failed to materialise and, with forward bookings as conspicuously absent, it is estimated that the Dominion will suffer a loss in revenue approaching £1,000,000, states the "New Zealand Herald." Each year has seen a steady increase in the number of tourists visiting the. Dominion. In 1938-39 the total reached 21,762, of whom 16,692 came from Australia, 2105 from the United Kingdom, 1705 from other British countries, 783 from the United States, and 477 from other foreign countries. With the Centennial celebrations an added inducement, the early bookings made by tourist agencies for visits to the Dominion this year suggested that new records would be established, but,- when war broke out, the business disappeared practically overnight. Before the outbreak of war there- had bee» all the indications of a most successful season, stated the manager of one tourist agency on Saturday. However, immediately hostilities began all but a few 6f the projected tours were promptly cancelled and there had since been no sign of improvement in the genuine tourist traffic.

Settling Peace Terms. ' Speaking at Whangarei on Saturday, Sir Ernest Davis* Mayor of Auckland, gave his views on who should settle the peace after the war, states the "New Zealand Herald." "Peace should be, settled by generals, not politicians, and then we may 'have a chance of lasting peace." said Sir Ernest. "I hold very strong views on this." Waikato Honey Crop. j The honey crop in the Waika.to is likely to be slightly below the average this season, owing. to the abnormally late spring, according to beekeepers in the district. .Apiary owners have already commenced extracting the honey .from the hives. As.; a result 'of the coidweather' experienced up to the middle of December.,it 'was..necessary to feed the bees urttilaboirt Christmas.' As a general rule, the bees feed themselves after the middle of November. 7 Five Weeks' Lofes by Drowning. At least. 37 , peopje have lost their lives by drowning .in New Zealand during the past; five weeks, > states, the "New Zealand Herald." ;In: the iSarriej period a year ago drownings'numbered only about 12.' The present season's figures include four men . who were lost from the yacht Ngahuia when it was wrecked on Matakana Island nine days ago. There have been five double tragedies, three following the capsize 'of small boats. Eleven of the drownings occurred while the victims were swimming or playing at beaches, while ten, including two double drownings, occurred in similar circumstances in'streams or rivers. Inability to swim was the cause of a fairly large number of the tragedies on beaches and in rivers, although several good swimmers lost their lives after getting into strong currents. At' least two people were drowned when attempting to rescue others.. The 37 victims comI prised 14 men, 14 boys, eight girls, and one woman.' Of the tragedies,. 17, or nearly half, occurred in the Auckland Province. • .