SOOT-LADEN AIR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 127, 30 April 1937, Page 2

SOOT-LADEN AIR.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Nearly everyone, including scientists, almost invariably deals with the effect and totally ignores the cause. They say: “What else can we do when we don’t know the cause?” They look at a big waterfall and say: “Isn’t it wonderful?” What is there wonderful in water running downhill? They see nothing wonderful in tho water getting up to where it can fall, liecause they do not see it go! In the furtherance of this theory, New Zealanders are sending a representative to America to seek a remedy for the prevention of untimely frosts in this Dominion. Smudge-pots, which send up clouds of dense black smoke, although injurious to animal life, seem to be the most effective remedy for protecting immature fruit in California’s orchards, but it is fervently hoped that a better remedy will he discovered by our representative. The basis of his hopes is seemingly not divulged. Frost is simply the absence of heat just as darkness is the absence of light. It is impossible to cool anything except by extracting the heat from it, but, as cold and heat, seedtime and harvest is a law of necessity, any deviation from normal conditions is a disturbance of, or a departure. froni the law of Nature—a manifestation of disturbed mind. Therefore, to look elsewhere is absurd and absolutely futile. Eliminate the disturbance and all abnormal and subnormal conditions immediately become impossible. Citizens of .Palmerston North, in spite of an up-to-date supply of electricity, coal, gas, and an allegedly progressive City Council, find that their city is not so free from soot-laden air as it should he, and will he deeply interested in tlie discovery of any scheme which, tends to the eliminatioii of soot from the atmosphere. It is said that a city once fully enslaved never afterward assumes its full liberty. The disease referred to is gradually becoming chronic and its cure may leave a scar on our fair city. Sooner or later it will have to Jie dealt with by the survivors. It is a problem which is evidently beyond the capacity of the personnel of the present council, but there is the possibility of the next municipal election providing men or women -who will rescue the city from this menace to health and happiness. If there were hut one woman on the council, her natural curiosity would suffice to discover why this and certain other anomalies continue to exist to the detriment of tlie city’s progress. For this reason a ladv candidate may rely on my support.—l am. etc., C. H. MASON.