NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20602, 1 November 1941, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Bpnfires Banned November 5 will pass this year without any of the usual celebrations. In accordance with the general instructions issued by the Dominion Lighting Controller, no bonfires will be permitted in Gisborqe next Wednesday night. Stocks of fireworks in Gisborne have been exhausted for some time.

Long-Delayed Air Mails An indication of the extent to which "mail dispatches between the United Kingdom and the Dominions are dislocated by war conditions was given to a Gisborne resident to-day, when an air-mail letter came to hand bearing a date-stamp of August. 26. The letter had been posted in a city in Britain almost 10 weeks ago, with stamps to the value of Is 3d affixed, together with the air-mail sticker. Gifts For Children For some years, through the active interest of Mrs. E. Trowell, the Gisborne branch of the Victoria League has furnished Christmas gifts of toys for inmates of the Heni IVfateroa Children’s Home and also in the children’s ward at the Cook Hospital. It is felt that this activity should not be interrupted during the war years, and members of the league are being invited to bring their contributions to the monthly meeting on Monday. Horticultural Activity Members of the Poverty Bay Horticultural Society have welcomed the announcement that the society is to renew its show activities in December. As a preliminary to this renewal of activity, a display of blooms is being arranged for next week at which members will be invited to show blooms of special merit or interest.. From promises already received, it is assured that a number of choice specimens will be displayed. An address on the culture and exhibiting of the gladiolus sholild assist members intending to stage blooms at the December show.

Must Join Home Guard

Because his brother and partner, C. Ah Chee, had been accepted for service with the air force, a Chinese, Robert Melville Ah Chee, recently appeared before the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal board, Auckland, seeking exemption from military service on the -grounds of public interest and undue hardship. It was stated that the reservists brother was one .of two Chinese accepted by the air force. By decision of the board appellant’s case was adjourned sine die on condition that he joined the Home Guard. Home Guard Unit Parades In consequence of the new season’s wool coming into store, the woolstores in Gisborne will not be available for Home Guard parades as from today, and units which have used these buildings throughout the winter with much satisfaction in future will conduct most of their training at the week-ends The Gisborne Battalion of the Home Guard has been fortunate in securing the buildings for winter training, and much useful work has been done under cover during rainy week-ends and at midweek night parades. Referring to the changed conditions, Major Hugh Miller, battalion commander, to-day stated that an early commencement with battalion parades would be made, and that orders covering the change probably would be issued next week.

The Lungs and Swimming

“I am a doctor and examine many thousands of people a year, and I find that the only ones who know how to use their lungs are swimmers, and more especially breaststroke .swimmers,” Dr. T. H. Pettit, of Auckland, said at the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Amateur Swim-* ming Association at Christchurch. The subject of discussion was whether it would not be better to have more races for junior breaststroke swimmers at the New Zealand championships, “Breaststroke swimming teaches children more than anything else how to use their lungs and helps to develop their physique," Dr. Pettit continued. It was decided to alter the rules to enable more breaststroke events to be included. When the length of the new races was being discussed it was suggested by some that girls could not without harm swim long distances. On the other hand, short distances tended to defeat the purpose of the breaststroke because of “racing” the style and not using enough “glide.” Dr. Pettit said that he thought girls were as strong, if not stronger, than boys of the same age, but that it was wrong to have the distances for junior swimmers too long. New Device For Aircraft A device which may have farreaching results on the performance of aircraft of the future has been, produced in England. It is known as a constant speed contra-rotating airscrew, and consists of two threebladed airscrews on the same engine rotating in opposite directions. It is claimed that the use of such an airscrew will eliminate swing and generally assist take-off; that it will allow of a reduction in the diameter of airscrews; will increase transmission' efficiency; and that it will add considerably to the performance of fast aircraft when operating at high altitudes. The use of twin aii’screws on the same engine, i rotating in opposite directions, counteracts -the effect of the slip-stream and thus increases safety in take-off. This innovation should be particularly useful for fast ship-borne fighters, which must take off from and land on the deck of a carrier. It will also enable' the engine nacelles on amphibian machines to be nearer the water. The fitting of the twin airscrew adds only 471 b. to the weight, the weight of the normal airscrew being about 4501 b., compared with 4971 b. for the contra-rotating equipment. Either metal or wooden blades . of any type may be used.