SOFAR

Northern Advocate, 12 August 1948, Page 2

SOFAR

WELLINGTON— The UniteVi States ’Government had agreed to make available to member states of the International Civil Aviation Organisation in the South” Pacific region technical data on a position-fixing device known as sofar, which was nmv under development, said th*f' Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) last night. By means of this device it will be possible to establish almost immediately the exact position of an aircraft or ship in distress at sea. Aircraft and ships now depend on the reception of distress messages sent by radio, but this method is not always reliable. phealmGts NEW PLYMOUTH. A poultry-breeder near New Plymouth has hatched pheasant chicks twice under a hen pheasant to supply the Acclimatisation Society with birds for liberation. When society officials were told by the breeder that she planned to set a pheasant hen to hatch eggs, they told her that a pheasant had never been known to sit in captivity. They were confounded when the pheasant hatchecP46 clicks. Using bantam hens as fostermothers, the breeder has this season raised 130 birjls foj the society, losing only 20 of those hatched. DR! LLINGnew PLYMOUTH. Hard volcanic boulders originally thrown out of the volcano of which Paritutu and the Sugar Loaves. New Plymouth, form the crater fringe, have been struck by a drill head at the new oil bore being put down at Moturoa by New Zealand Refineries, Ltd. As a result progress has been slow since drilling began on August 2. The hard rock, which is estimated to be about 200 ft thick, was encountered almost from the start, necessitating the use of a special rock drill. GLIDING WELLINGTON.— The Government will seek the view of Sir Frederick Tymms. head of the mission of British aviation experts which is soon to visit New Zealand, on the development of the sport of gliding in the Dominion. This was stated by the Minister in charge of Ci'ol Aviation (Mr Jones) in the House of Representatives yesterday, in reply to a question asked bv Mr J. T. Watts'(0—St^Albans).. 9 * « KETCH After an 11-day voyage, the 41ft ketch Mandalay arrived in Suva on Tuesday afternoon on the first stage of its journey to the Solomon Islands. The ketch, in the charge of Mr T. Hammond and a crew oi five, left Auckland or July 29 to be deliverec to its new owners, the Methodist Mission j which purchased it foi work in the South Se< Islands. < LAKES There was anothe small fall in the leve of Lake Taupo yester day. *No rain was re corded in the 24 hour ended at 9 a.m.. and th l lake level fell by 0.05 f to 1175.4 ft. Waikaremoana rose b; one-tenth of a foot ii the same period. Ther was a fall of 0.02 in o rain and the lake leve is now at 2003.4 ft. * * • APPLES . Wellington.—Ne\ Zealand apples at pre sent on the Britis: market are opening u; well) according to re ports received from th United Kingdom. Among sources o such reports was Buck ingham Palace, wher the High Commissione (Mr W. J. Jordan) ha< sent a case. * a* e TERMITES WELLINGTON— Re gulations covering th importation and inspec tion of imported tim bers to prevent th< spread of termite infes tation were now bein, prepared, said the Com missioned of State For ests (Mr Skinner) ii the House of Represen tatives yesterday, in re ■ ply to Mr F. Langston (G —Roskill). * • • radio IYA AUCKLAND 7.15: Winter Course talk ‘•The Maori as a Sculp tor.” 7.30: For the Bands man. 8.0: Accent on Youth Audrey Weston (soprano; Keith Field (piano). Man reen Fletcher (soprano and Margaret Thompsoi (piano). 8.30: “Crowns o England. 9.o:*News. 9.30 “Dad and Dave.” 9.43 Len Hawkins’ Philmelodi Quartet. 10.0: Frank Wei and his Sextette. 10.15 Xavier Ctigat and his Wal doriC Astoria . Orchestr: 110:’London news. 2YA WELLINGTON (While Parliament is bein broadcast. 2YC will pre sent this programme). 7.30: The Quiet Halt' hour. 8.0: Moura Lvmpan (English Pianist). 8.30 . Geyrge Hopkinar ,'clarinet ana the Cambridge Quartet. 9.0: News. 9.30: Pro fessional wrestling. 10.15 The Masters in Lighte Mood. li- 0: London new: