Answers to Correspondents

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26354, 8 January 1947, Page 4

Answers to Correspondents

“ Commoner.”—We do not desire to Initiate a correspondence on this subject. “Greg.” Fairfield.—£loo sterling is equivalent to £l2l 12s New Zealand currency, and calculated on that basis £1 sterling equals £1 4s 4d New Zealand currency. „ . . “ Motorist.”—Too many factors enter into the question for any reliable comparison to be given. " Cricketer,” Tapanui—(l) If the bails are not removed from the stumps when the ball hits a wicket the batsman is not out. (2) The striker shall not be given out lbw if the ball has touched his bat or hand before hitting his person. *• Sansculotte,” Dunedin—A correspondent informs us that the squeak can be eliminated from a pair of shoes by separating the upper sole from the lower by removing the stitching, and then placing a quantity of French chalk between the soles before reuniting them. "Scarlet.” Dunedin.—(l) Although many people are said to believe that shellfire and the discharge of big guns precipitate rain, that theory has never been proved. (2) The ship to which you refer was the Bear of Oakland. (3) The wages of nurses are fixed by an agreement with the Hospital Boards' Association of New Zealand and approved by the Stabilisation Commission. We are unable to say whether nurses will be covered by an award this year and whether there will be an increase in wages The Minister of Health, Mr A. H. Nordmeyer, said recently that it was hoped that an improvement in the conditions of nurses would shortly be made. “ Chemical,” Waiwera—(l) Fowls acquire the habit of picking feathers out of other members of the flock through having nothing to do. Bury wheat under the litter and make them work. You might also put a handful of quassia in a quart of water and spray the birds with the emulsion. A correspondent informs us that he has successfully stopped feather-picking among h's fowls bv applying Friar’s balsam to the bleeding part. Thev 'dislike the taste and abandon the habit (2) We do not know of any chemical that can be poured into the water in a tank to repair a leak in the wall The better plan is to have the tank emptied and the leak in the concrete repaired. In order to make a tank waterproof instead of slaking in the usual manner use a solution of copperas dissolved in warm water and use only fine quartz sand. Bitumenistic paint, which can be procured from leading oil and colour merchants, is freauently used for coating the inside of a tank.