NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 50

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Quest,oas for reply in comjng issue U be re ceived not later than UOSDXY night.

Isla Block.— The example of material you f ent for examination was submitted "to Professor Park, director of the Oteso School of Mines, who has reported tha, it cvnsts of nodules of residua' ciay, apparently resulting from the weatnerniE of iome igneous rock. The decomposition "■jid a'lcration of the constttu-aris have advanced po fa- that xt. is impcs-iWe .rcm cxamma-tion of these clay ball? to determine the character of the original rock. The clay is not of much value fcr briekmaking as the low percentage of ft?.nd co2^air.ed in it would permit ihe bricks <o wcrp and chnker in the process of burning. Co>tr>XY— Co is an abbreviation of company, and is alsa largely used in the United States as an abbreviation of -county." There is no distinction mad" by the use of co. or company to li'dicato the number of i»?nib?rs in a fiim or the number of shareholders, in a coniv-3.ny. Hopeful Prospector.— Th? sample of quartz forwarded was submitted to Professor Marshall, of the Ota«o Sehoc 1 of Mines, who report; —The specimen of ore ""Cit dr-P3 not «coin a \ery promising samnle Its actual value, however, can only b'-> cleternii.iccl by an assay. Tins requires tin<e. an.-l a fee is charged. If your cci:<? pcii- atlent wants an as=ay to be macV he should address a n.te to the School cf Mines where assays aie made for a fee of 5s Inquirer, Greenfield. — The eggs of gee-e. turkeys, and ducks hatch out in from 23 to 30 days, and of hens in 21 days If the eggs tre reaMy fre e h the period niav b" reduesd by a full day or more. 3. R.. H&wke's Bay. asks whether the Xp.v • Zealard mail-3 by the Suez route aie token en b-Mrd a s-t-oamer for New Zealand a* Sydney, or forwarded .by tail to Adp'aide"' The mails are transferred at Sydi :-v. Table Hill wr.nla to 'know if the r.-ew- giant kangaroo rape seed can be procured in T3unedin.— — Ye?. Messrs Nimmo and Blair received some <"-f the seed this week JtHCiORtNGi asks: — In cribbage hew many •can h" scored (1) for 4 seven? and an ace I (2) 4 threes and a nine? (1) Twenty-four, (2) twenty-four Youxg Prospector. — The sample of .^and for--A-arded by you was eubrnitled 1o Pro[?ss-r Marshall, of the Ot3go School of Mines, ■who kindly reports: — Tho £>am.).ile of sand contains too much mica to bs of snv use for glass -making. There iB litt'e dema.rxl ■for glass-making sand, unle=s it is of the ver}' highest quality. In America, where 830,000 tons are u~ed every year, quar!/ sand is valued Rt about Idol per ion. A., writing from Woodbank Station, Xorth Canterbury, in forwarding a specimen of a paras-ite which is growing on the gor=e siiid broom in th? district, states thai it kills the por-c or broom, and (lien dies off itself. Those on th» station co rot knov tile na'iiie of the paiasite. The specimen was su! nutted to Mi- G. M. Thom'ci:. Y.ij S.. v. b ; hrs L?en good enough tt r > supply the foMowinsr repoi ' thereon . — The specimen is the cover dodder fCu=cuta 3£pithyimi!ji) a leafless ppr.i-ilo v.hich attack 0 many leguimnt us p'.;<nt=. such a, e'over? iuc" re. t;cr- b: tvoni. etc i'la'.it•ftect;i by it aliou'd l>c cml ?J o'lt rf -the ground and b'.r: eJ. i)cdilcr= hiloiig to the nrturai order Convolvui.iccs? Tlio -D'as.ts grov.- fiom <\-'d= which pci.'nv.s ,n th^ soil, t>ut ' s Ton a 5 the =eed'm^3 lia.ve </rown 110 M:fnc:eiitlv to twine roui'j •other jylrntt ih-v develop h'.tle MiekHc, *lis-c=- wine' 1 .-b-'.r.-ci the alierciv a- = mvjuices from tl '-' ho=t rrd thf terrestrial roots v.-»thei- away. Hence thoe para-j-ites need no lea\p=. The flowers are whit"* or pink and aip produced in little rcui.d-^ flusters or headIn*QCls:tive -.san'i* to l.vow if liar.k cVr' = are bailed froiii marrying until they set a ojit'i)!) incsii'.s. and what i^ the nn.ci.nt of income' In f-ome o: the bank^ « rule is in oper?tion. but we caiiLot cay

whether it is the case in all the banks. As the matter concerns the relations between employers and employed full particulars are not available for publication. Procedure. — Unless expressly stipulated to the contrary a chairman has a deliberative vote as ■well as a casting vote. He is 1 present in his private capacity along with ' the others, and also in an official capacity | as chairman. It is always desirable if j the chairman intends to exercise his deliberative vote to indicate his intention and tiie direction in which he will cast his vote bef'.re the probable result of the voting of the others is known You can obtain from Stuart's (late ilitchell), Arcade, a handy little pamphlet. " How to Conduct a Public Meeting," or a more elaborate work entitled "' The Chairman's Guide." Inquirer wants to know the cost of the Miller's Flat bridge over the Clutha River. If application is made to the clerk of the county he will doubtless furnish the information There are no particulars m tho possession of the Public Works Department or elsewhere in Dunedin. A Farmer asks r — (1) The postal address just now of Sir J. G. Ward? (2) How many men is one man equal to if pulling a rope with a doubta and single block attached? (1) " Wellington " will find 'the Prime Minister. (2) Mr H. M. Davey, consulting engmer, Ola Princes street. replies: — Curiously you can get two distinct and different advantages with a single and n. double block according as you reeve the line through them and according as to whether the- single or the double block is the fixed one. I think that usually the double block is the fixed one, in which case a man is equal to three, or the ratij is three to one, but where this is reversed, the single block being the fixed one, the ratio is foar to one, or a man is equal to four. However, in this tetter way. the becks would have t( be horizontal, as the pull i= in the same direction as the lift, and if the lift were pprpendiculer the pull would be upward. Tbe reason for this fact appears to be that in the one cKa all the «heave are in use. while in the other the nearest sheave to the pull is merely a directior sheave, and does not multiply the power at nil. To find out exactly what blocks, or sheaves, as they are soruj'iir.ies called, will do in the way of advantage, you can make a model, 111 the case yo\i speal* about, if ycu drive a pin into a beard or table to represent \ the fix^d single block nnd tie an end of a thread to it. then holding another pin in your hand ppcsa c s the thread r^und the one in the hand, then round the fixed one and a^am round the one in the hand, you will find, on measuring, that if you draw in the direction of the pull, you diaw the Ico&e end four times as much as the pin repiescnting the double block inovpe. If. however, you make the double block the fixed one. tym? the one end to the sinslt then round both and round the | fixed one the second tnr-a. you will find j that you pull with only three times the ' movement of the moveable single block, j Lut ths pull is in the opposite direction j to th^^ift. In these cises, as with levers , it nil depends on ihe distance nulled in - comparison to the weight moved, thus :f you pulled a lever or cord a foot and the weight wa« only moved lin, the adva,.- -i"? would be 1 to 19. But you must ' always make an allowance for friction, i whioh may bs r little or considerable, as j the be^r.ngs are good or bad, etc. ? n'threstep. Fortrcse. nsks (1) for a recipe for making aarhalt, and (2) the correct size of a teums co;.*t. (1) Gas tar is boiled in >a cauldron fcr a tunis ranging from i four to six hours, or until the more volatile oilp are po far evaporated that it hardens <>n ccolint* to a tough, viscid consistence The coarsa metal (2Jin 1 gauge) is steeped (while the tar 'is hot) in this and stacked. Tfc.e iin gauge screenings lare treated in the sam* manner. ] Pieparmg Ground —The earth on the spo>ce to be coated is taken cut to the depth of .he thicknes 0 of the coat desigiiisd to be laid, and the surfac? rolled. A layer of coar=e tarred meial is tVen laid 2iin in thickness, and then rolled When this is consolidated, a layer of ljin gauge stuff is laid so as to fill all interstices and to r-ompk-tely cover the coarreT , i- tones to the depth of lin. and well rolled and dressed neatly at (he building hn-o and kerb wi'.h a h«rhl flat-bottomed iron rammer. The smooth dressing of fine screenings is then carefully spread, rolled ' sohdlv (having fir a t been dusted with dry screenings), and reatly dressed with the same rummer. To prevent the metal from, sticking, tc the roller a net sack is traile'l over 'it by the man pushing tbe roller. (2) A termi- court .should be 78ft loner and ! 27ft wide for the single game, or 38ft for th-e double »ame 1 Ccrious writes — (1) Which is the hardest \.H(er — rain water or reservoir water? (2) What is the diffei ence in time between Perth Western Australia and Dunedin ? \l) A,- you probably refer to Duuedin reservoir water, the repl. is that reservoir watrr is harder than ram water. (2) Koughiy speaking, the diffeience between 1"c mean time at Perth and Xew Zealand mean tuv>e :s 'J\ hour?. TLo mean tim-? •»s m neither case the true local time. Xkiaje asks for a recipe for rhubarb wine — Take slb of rhubarb, cut if iutc small piecc=. add a gallon of cold vater. and put it into r. dib for eieht or nine days, stiirmtr it .vel! two or thiee time" ta<li day Strt-.n. u\i to every pallon add 4lb of loaf fci'fcir the ]iuc3 Riict half the rinc 7 01 <a lemon, put it into a ca c k with Joz of ]sin.gla« c dissolved in a little of the hquor ; a g.ll of brandy raa\ be added E'.iiig the cask rk>=e'y for • month and br>U'." 111 10 <>i 12 menths more. A M MAoi-fcti-llr II M. D-.vr-v engineer reiilics ;i- k-llow.-, to vaiir ■>•= Jiid question — Xc. there v.ou'd n.it as lop? as thf wi'te' v.ie --til' I beli<-vp that the full |..-e'-nre for still water on the !aco of a (". im, is ne\ er more them v hen the distance htuk >s oquh! to the deuth which in >o t n ca-r :« tfft r- loir^ as the u?'.cr 1- still Hoveier " l.^n «trong winds Ijlow 111 d \mi\ ftf art '.-t • ;j, the lonpcr back the s'.u ."ate ff ' f the v,tt-r I^, tl^e greater the w«ves iiiay be at tinieb. and m case^ of ! ice in ji e i.oub'e might be htd »\ith this so l u rj,e c u: f vcs of water hpve to have pf ro.^er cum- 101 thc--e co.^ulc auons, but the (-tiiudi'.a prcsure is the •■miie Io prove tliis 11: a way anyone mi>.!it ea-ilv imderstund itipno'c yovi had .1 tank with part of th" SiJs rat out and fil'pd th" gap with, say a piece ol cardboard which was aLlc* to liokl in the water till. say. is was 211. d^op above the bottr.m of Mi" <;ap. Xov 1 -. if you uisde t. siuiilar-sizeil cap in t!ie "-u~u> of a lake your cardboard would hold .'.ll tVo lake s water in as veil ,1= 111 the tank <Vr .1 'iirilar depth ; ' ove the bettor: 1 cf the gap As 10 your fir^t question, ' Now many liohda\s are there 111 tiip ye.ir for weekly workers, ar.d what are they '" the reply is that there ire r.o such holidays unless v.^ere provided '.v f.p ,-«si'l of "th" Arbiii at:o-i Court tho Fncloi'PS Act, or the Shops and Offices A"t. r o c ori;re furh hf'ids\- an f^rcemo'it iru = t be made with ihe emplojer whe" rtccepting an ejuwwtenient.

1 J. M., Cave.— (l) The address of the person you inquire about is Palace Hotel. Dunedin. \2) This query can only be replied to in general terms Building societies vary 111 their mode of carrying on business, and if you are a member of one. the rules woud give you the information jci ask for. In the mutual terminating socie■fies no interest was charged when «■ member was fortunate enough to secure a draw. There are no mutual terminating or permanent societies m Dunedin. In the ca=e of Starr-Bowkett societies no interest is charged where a person is successful at the ballot unless the repayments ge+ behind-hand ; but in many of these soccties. in addition to the free loan there is a premium loan on which 2 per cent, interest is charged, and also an appropriation which 13 cold by auction to tho highest bidder, provided the security is approved. (3) A life insurance policy has practicably no surrender value until two yearly premiums have been paid. Apar: from the risk the preliminary expenses, etc.. must necessarily absorb the greattr portion of the premium. (4) Broadly speaking, the Protestants at the last census constituted 80 per cent, of the population - and the Roman Catholics 14.32 per cent. Of the Protestants the Episcopalians numbered 41.51 per cent, of the total population. Presbyterian 22.96 per cent., Metho dists 10.06 per cent., arid Baptists 2 per cent. New Chl'H writes: — (1) When is the right time to cut macrocarpa hedg-es? (2) Is it harmful for » cow to have a cough 00 — — (1) Macro-;arpa hedges can be cut about thia time and early "in summer. The trees are dormant about this time of year, and commence to grow in the autumn and winter. (2) The cough may be the result of a cold or of some obstruction, or may be the forerunner of some disease. Give the following draught twice daily Powdered digitalis. 1 drachm; liquor amonii acetatis. 4 fluid ounces: spirit of nitrous ether, 2 fluid gunces. extract of belladonna. 2 dra«hms ; water, a sufficient quantity. 11 the cough does n<-t improve it might be adv'table to call in an expert. S. B. P., Waikaka.— Mr H. M. Davey. engineer, replies.— (l) I asked the two most liLely firms about your requirements, and ar they both tell me that they have cgents quite "close to you. it xs most likely that you will hear of a satisfactory plant some lime this week. (2) If you had told me the approxima-te quantity of water yon would need per day, I cculd have replied, but you will be supplied with that answer and also ths answer to No. 3, as mentioned above. Prism, Maoetown.— Mr 11. M. Davey, consulting engineer, replies: — (a) You might have stated if you have bsen in any workshops, or otherwise know anything of either of the trades or professions you ask about? If not, as far as I can obtain iivformeition, you would have to considsr yourself a boy ard take boy's wages, somewhere about 10s a week, to begin with. Whether apprenticeship is necessary (that is, compulsory) is a rather difficult question; the knowledge of the trade is, of course. But if you can do all that is required, I am not aware that you have to show your indentures, or if =0 to whom. The above refer.= more to electnoal work. For inecbamucal. you wt>uid, I hear, have to start at 6s per week, rising as you got *i ; term. 6 years. (b) Messrs Thomson, Bridger, and Co. aro '-ettiii" out the sort of compasses you ask for. a°3iu ont. which they tell me will to<-t about 455, and a 4in one. price 52a 6d, nostage to be added. There i= a secondhand one, about Sin. at Mr Chas Hs,abrook's. jeweller, Prince, street, which ho 1 will guarantee in proper order, price 15s Cd (c) Probably a gcod book would be Hall and Kn"<«ht's, price ss. posted, at Brpithwaite's, Princes street ; be sells ireosi. of {Ihesa. Then there is Pendlebury, same price: and a smaller book— Lock,— price 3s 3d, pcstccl. Subscriber. Arrowtown, asks how to tak^ the* ""-lime" out of a serge suit, caused by nding As far as can be ascertained iher? is >io remedy for this if it has been caused by \.oa:-. SrnscßißEß, Kel« \ a^k* (1) Can a girl under o\ i( v-= of *<"' marry withcut anyone's cor"' i .t, both her parents Using de^tl? (2) Must t ; .e witnesses: be of ago' (•>) Would two men di as w ltnesses >— -If the person de-irous of bein? mraried hag no leal guardians, she may do -o >y giving" a month's notice to the Registrar. (•">) She mu=t be attended by two adu.t witnesses. (3; Yes. provu^d they are adults Theimos Skipper*, wntes — (I) I nave 1 F thermometer graded to 212 de/ fcomshow 01 another 1 have -strained" it. and the , column of mercury now breaks v lien Uie 1 instrument is inveited I have tested the therraometo. by 1 iood heat, and aUo i by boiling point, and it seems to itgisfer ! the correct reading* Do v.m think the 1 instrument vull U a> t to le^i'tor incorrectly at any time, taking rare, of conr=c, ihat "the column it u'ercury 1* unbroken? (">) Who are the Or,-, droi' 8 mentioned 111 Lord Phinkefs Speech' (3' Whst is the- mac--, \.hich i<- a^o mentioned in the opening of Parliament the "amc bc-in^ procured by Sir J G. Ward in England 1 ' (1) Except lor delicate scientific work, the thermometer «liould be a=< I reliable f»= ever wh-n tbe co'unm of rueiI oury is unbroken. Yo-i iintcM compare it. I if possible with another Int if it c"-c« the r ( >-ie'jt rndmgs for hh.M I heat boilint noint and frpezins point. % t j en be classed :i= reliable for all ordinary ! piirr-c-'-rs. W Hi* T.xcel'om v'= \dvi,cs are | 1,-> memUc-rs of tbe Ca'nret. headed by Sir ,T (i. W«:cl (3» A mac? is a hen\" I f'ub or staff, .ib;.ut 3ft 10-:? siiririunted ! 1v a nic-tal head, freauc. t'v ,niked. r>d «» u^ed by kniTl't" art' wflike churchmen 111 1 t'r<= Sl'ddle As?e« The 01 : amential mace? of Parliament tho universities, and c;tv I corpora '1011=;. borne i»s an ensign 'if \ authoiity, may be traced to the twelfth I century when prince? armed thei r guards 1 v.-:Ui «=pikeless mace-, ?;- the handiest I weapon against a^sassiiis "lie nc-rd ]ia«-P(l [ away, but the i-.aces remain .is sjmboU I of rank The House o f Cominonß h?s pos- , P «^=ed three msfp= T'le urif disappear! (1 after the execution of Charles I. Tl.» I =econcl wa* the '• baublt " Cromwell had j lemoved Ev^rv day tlu- mace i* home ! by the ,Sergeant-at-arn;s before thr f* weaker I n\ hp enler= th" chambpi ai.d is lai 1 upoji I the table whero it remain*; nnt'' the House 1 i.cf.= When however, the Hon«e is in j conmatipp an-1 th • Soe-Aer n not 111 tho ''lair tbe ii<'ice 13 1 laced in a rece- 15 beneath the tiMe By glanci.:? at tho I table 11 cml ers on 'nt°ri^cr can 'f-11 rt I onre wh"th^i the Huii,n is in ordma.v j se c;: ion or '•Utina; a* n Committee of the I Whole, or a Coni'uiltc-o of Ways and j M<?ai ? etc. I S J B . Or^wja.— Mr H. M. Davey. con.suliins ei.'.-.^eer. rej Ue3 : — 1 am afraid you J wi'l ha-, c hardly enough water for the power you need as. far as chaff-cutting :s concerned Ihoutrh you might have enough I j.erhaps for milking. This answer founds iverv vague, but if you will consider you will see exactly how you have placed me, so that I cannot reply more definitely.

When you give th« quantity of water you say you can make a good reservoir which would fill at least p. 12 by 12 box for a considerable time. Now, suppose the 12 by 12 means 12ft by 12ft, that gives no idea of the size of the box unless 3-011 give its depth, and if yon dad, wlwit length of time is a considerable time: is it a minute, or an hour, or a day? All, there fore, I can say is rs follows. — "With your fall and length of pipe line, for 4 b.h.p. you wou'd need about 200 cubic feet of water per ruimite. or about 3J Government heads Your pipe 3 should be 13in in diameter, and if your box were 12ft cube, that is, in length, width, and also depth, tils water should fill it in about 17Jmin. Of course, the stream need not lie anything as much as this, for you can. no doubt, store the water with the dam you write about. Subscrieer, I?eep Stream, who has been silent for some time, submits the following: — Please publish the area and population of Sicily, Sardinia, and Timor Islands respectfully (sic.) ; also the proportions of Timor, which are divided between the Dutch and Portuguese respectfully Jsic.) ; Be kind enough and give full details of revenue, expenditure, export, import trade of each island." Subscriber has been repeatedly informed that he can consult the books of reference in the Witness office ■a-n-d work out the information he desires, but though his queries are apparently written in the Gra.nd Hotel. Dunedin. he has never availed himself of the opportunity given him. Dallas. Southland. — Mr H. M. Davey replies : — To the question if there is any difference between a square mile and a mile square, the reply is, there is and there is not. As regards area there is no poi-si^le difference, both are the samp size, containing tho same number of acres, but there may be this difference- if you had an estate a mile square, it would have to bs of rectangular shape a mile long and a mile broad, but if your esta.ta was a mile square it nvght be of any shape as long ?s the area was the same as the other, that is, if it contained 640 acres. Please note that this reply is only when dealing with cne; if more or le3s, it would not be correct, that is two uiilles square is by no means the <=ime as two square miles, neither is half a mile square the same as' half a square mile. (2) The population of the four centres on the occasion of the last census is given as follows : Christchurch City. 49,928: with suburb-; 67,878, Auckland" City, 37,736; with suburbs. 82,101; "Wellington City. 58.563, with suburbs, 63,807; Dunedin City, 36 070; vlth suburbs, 56,020. These figures have bean challenged, but th?y must remain the official figures until the next census is taken.