THOSE AIRSHIPS.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 779, 28 July 1909, Page 4

THOSE AIRSHIPS.

We have heard a great deal about the silly Bcares in England as to German airships, evidently born of a complete misunderstanding of what an airship is, but surely the supreme imbeoility has been achieved in Southland whenoe we received this idiotio Press Association message last evening :- Inveroargill, Last Night.

"Muoh looal speculation is rife with regard to the mysterious light that has boon seen in the sky in Southland. The Southland News reports that the light was Been here both on Saturday and Sunday nights and the paper publishes a column story suggesting that the light was that of an airship Bent to reoonnoitre by the German yacht Sees tern, whioh has not been been heard of recently."

The Seestern is a smart little yaoht used by the German Governor to trip about between the German Islands iu the Northern Paoifio, New Guinea, and Australia. What she would be doing down about the prohibition district of Inveroargill it would take au luveroargillite to imagine and she could as easily take an airship ou board or send one off as a Palmerston cab could accommodate a Oaruegie library. What anybody "reoonnoitring" tho heavens by night would want with lights, ami what they would want to reconnoitre at all would certainly need a column of the Southland News to explaiu, but such curious things are told about the "oiospd houseß" of Inveroargill by the wandering Australian observers that we have no personal doubt bnt that it will prove that the aiißliip is nothing more nor less than a high level depot run in connection with the local brewery from whioh beer is let down by a string, The light is merely force of habit which still oorapels the oldtime licensee to keep his lamp burning after taking it aloft with him,