TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Southland Times, Issue 22297, 12 April 1934, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE TIMES

A Frank Aviator. “I have flown aeroplanes both in the service and out of it. I have earned my living and still do to some extent ' by building aeroplanes, the majority , of them civil aeroplanes, though some i go to the Air Force,” said Captain ' Balfour, in the House of Commons. "When I first took my pilot’s certifi- 1 cate we were called pioneers. Later we j became captains of industry, and novz, ■ apparently, we have graduated to the [ rank of arms racketeers. If you could’i abolish not merely military and naval I aircraft, but all aircraft, it would be | another matter. Though I am con- i nected with flying, I am not sure that I aircraft have brought any happiness to I the earth, and if you could make it a ' world-wide criminal offence for any i man to leave the ground in a mechani- | cal contrivance I would go into the Lobby in support of such a policy.” Water Supply Problems. The prolonged period of drought experienced in Great Britain during the past year has directed attention to problems of water supply. Discussing the manner in which demand can grow in excess of supply, the Manchester Guardian says great importance attaches to the growth in the consumption of water due to the building of new houses, the installation of modern sanitary arrangements, and the use of hose-pipes for watering gardens and for washing cars. It is probable that in many cases this growth has not been accompanied by a simultaneous increase i in the amount of water storage pro- j vided. As an illustration of the posi- i tion the experience of Manchester may be taken. Between 1921 and 1931 the ! number of structurally separate dwell- ; ings occupied rose by 22,000, but there I was no increase in the capacity of the i impounding reservoirs. A good illustration of the effect of new housing on the consumption of water comes from Burnley. Some time ago, 1163 houses of an old-fashioned type were transferred from a difficult high-pressure zone to a low-pressure supply zone to ease the work of the water department. Since then 300 new houses have been built I in the high-pressure zone. The con-1 sumption of water now stands at the | same figure as before. The use of i hose.; also adds enormously to the con- ! sumption of water. Special meter tests I in Bury show that it can increase a I household’s consumption by over 6000 ■ gallons a week, in isolated cases by much more than this amount. Sea, Land and Air. When we come to the problem of protecting sea communications and of policing and protecting our overseas possessions, the idea of giving the Air Force precedence over the older ser- ; vices cannot be maintained, says Major- | General Sir C. W. Gwynn in an article i in the Morning Post. In each case the I air can add to the effectiveness of the ( older services, but cannot replace them. I The point I wish to make, however, is I that, in the interests of securing the j maximum concentration of air power| for home defence, it is strategically un- I sound to multiply the commitments of ! the Air Force overseas in non-essential | permanent detachments. That the Ah’ i Force strengthens our hold over the disturbed regions on the north-west | frontier of India and reduces abnormal i expenditure on punitive operations, no ’ one, I think, denies. But the air arm ■ does not do away with the necessity of I maintaining ground troops to protect | the frontier and to maintain internal i security in India. Even in Irak the I Air Force requires the co-operation of | the Irak army. Valuable as the Air : Force is in our outlying possessions! home delence is now its first duty. I There may be, I believe there is, a good ' case for increasing the strength of the ! Air Force to a standard at which it ' would form a definite deterrent to aggressive air action. To strengthen it, however, at the expense of other services—already too weak—would merely upset the general system on which our national authority and security stands, without providing protection against (he particular—and possibly exaggerated —menace of air attack.

Last evening the Dominion Meteorologist issued the following information: The recent depression is now located east of New Zealand, and an intense anti cyclone covers the Tasman, with its centre east of Tasmania. Forecast: Winds south-westerly to southerly, strong on parts of the coast, otherwise moderate, and decreasing gradually. Seas in New Zealand waters rather rough south of East Cape and north of Farewell Spit, elsewhere moderate. In the eastern Tasman moderate to fresh south-west to south winds, rather rough seas, but wind and sea both gradually moderating. Weather for the most part fair to fine, with some isolated showers at first, mainly on the East Coast and in the far north and south. Cold night temperatures, with inland frosts. Hitherto postage stamps imported into Nev/ Zealand for collectors have borne the primage duty of 3 per cent. An Order-in-Counci) has now been gazetted exempting them from duty. No separate record has been made of receipts from this source, but Customs officials state that they must have been very small (says the New Zealand Herald). Very few packets of stamps pass through the Customs and it has always been a matter of difficulty to place a commercial value upon them, as their worth is so largely a matter of speculation. A further complication arises from the habit of collectors of receiving on approval large’sheets of stamps, the majority of winch are returned to the sender.

In replying to an official welcome upon the arrival of H.M.S. Dunedin, at New Plymouth, Rear-Admiral F. Burgess Watson said the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy was becoming more and more manned by New Zealanders, to the exclusion of Imperial men. “Slowly but surely the division is becoming New Zealand in personnel as well as in name,” he said. “In a few years I hope there will be no more Imperial men in the New Zealand Division. At present 50 percent. of the complement of the Dunedin and 75 per cent, of the Diomede are New Zealanders. It is not that we want to do av/ay v/ith the Imperial representatives,” he continued. “In fact, we have found the combination of New Zealanders and Imperial men has been a singularly happy one. The two are on the best of terms, and the New Zealanders are afforded an opportunity of learning some of the broader aspects of the Navy.”

Norman Beaton, aged 21, residing at Greenhills, was admitted to the Southland Hospital at 7.20 last evening suffering from a fractured thumb as a result of a fall from his motor-cycle.

“I never read the Jules Verne book, ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’ until I was actually crossing the Atlantic in the submarine Nautilus,” stated Sir Hubert Wilkins at a civic reception at Auckland recently. “It was Bishop John Wilkins —who I believe is an ancestor of mine—who wrote in 1643 and envisaged the idea of using a submarine for making observations. It was curious that I was working for seven years before 1 saw this book. In Berlin there is also a tapestry dated 1420 in which a submarine is depicted beneath the ice and an aeroplane above—so people cannot blame me for the idea.”

“Thorns,” inborn thorns, such as peevishness, fretfulness and petty worries, with advice how they could be overcome was the theme for devotions which the evangelical superintendent (Mrs Richards) introduced to open the general monthly meeting of the South Invercargill branch of the W.C.T.U. on Tuesday afternoon in Grace street hall. Notice was received from the district union that the first quarterly meeting of the district would be held in Gore early in May. Mrs Robb reported on the recently-held Dominion Convention in Wellington, and gave a comprehensive account of that gathering. Miss Langskaill (North Invercargill delegate) also gave some interesting sidelights on the convention. Miss Langskaill and Mrs Robb were accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

Fully 1000 people assembled at Whirinaki, North Auckland, last Tuesday to do honour to the unfurling of the flag presented by the Governor-General and Lady Bledisloe during their recent visit to the district. Prominent among the visitors were chiefs from Hokianga, Whangaroa, Dargaville, and North Cape, and the surrounding districts. The work of providing for such a large gathering causes no difficulty to the Maori, and on this occasion more than enough food was provided to satisfy the large number of people present. The unfurling of the large Union Jack was an impressive ceremony. The flag was consecrated by the Rev. Hohepa Taurau, after which it was unfurled by Renata Kawere, a Bay of Islands chief. A salute of three guns was fired. After the ceremony some 20 memorials were unveiled by ministers of several religions.

Motorists have recently put strong pressure on the Minister of Finance (the Right Hon. J. G. Coates) to secure from, him some indication of his future intentions regarding the appropriation of £500,000 from petrol tax revenue which would ordinarily go into the Main Highways Board funds, but which has for two years been diverted into the general revenue. This provision for the relief of the general taxpayer has greatly restricted the maintenance expenditure on highways. It exceeded £1,000,000 in 1929-30, but dropped in 1932-33 to £600,324. The Minister of Finance has not been able to satisfy the motorists’ representatives, and when he was asked by the Christchurch Star correspondent at Wellington what reply he had been able to give them, he stated that he had informed the deputation that it was too early to indicate the Government’s intentions. “One can only deal with it,” added Mr Coates, “when we get a clear indication of the results of the past financial year, and begin to frame estimates of expenditure for the ensuing year.”

Girls’ Black Gym length heavy Black Cotton fast dye Hose, from 1/6 a Pair. If it is Hosiery, buy it at Wicks’, Ltd., Hose and Vest Shop.—Advt.

Ring 1446 for first grade Coal and dry Firewood at moderate prices. H. T. Fairbairn, 101 Nith Street. Yard, 142 Earn Street.—Advt.

Ladies’ and Children's Coats, Frocks, Underwear, etc., made to order; renovations and alterations. You may bring your own material to Miss Noble’s, The Baby Shop, Dee Street. — Advt.

For stubborn colds and coughs take 98. All first class stores 2/6.—Advt.

Smart Trench Coats, having the appearance of tweed, yet thoroughly water-proofed, are offered in Thomson & Beattie's “Man’s Shop.” The coats are in belted styles, fitted with slit pockets and raglan sleeves, and are offered in shades of grey and fawn. They are fleece-lined throughout, and offer the finest possible protection from winter showers. See them to-day. Price at only 47/6.—Advt.

For Influenza—Take no risks, take 98, 2/6, from first class stores. —Advt.

No rise! Prices of newest leather overcoats and tweed overcoats at absolutely old prices. Never again will prices and qualities be so good. Also the newest suits for Easter. All reduced at Carter’s Make Room Sale.—Advt.

AFTER INFLUENZA. You will need a pick me up. STEWART’S VIGOR TONIC

Will quickly give you Health, Strength and Energy. 2/6 and 4/6 per bottle. STEWART’S PHARMACY. Dee Street.—Advt.

COULD NOT HOLD A PEN TO WRITE. A Napier Rheumatic sufferer writes stating that before taking TAVENER'S ARTHRITIS PRESCRIPTION her hands were so stiff and swollen that she could not hold a pen to write. Her knees and hips were so painful, stiff and swollen that she always had to be assisted to her feet. After four months Treatment she is quite free from all pain, stiffness and swelling, and feels bright, active and strong. Write for FREE BOOK on complete Treatment to JAMES T. TAVENER, M.P.S. Ph.C, Rheumatic Specialist and Chemist, 183 High St., Christchurch (five weeks treatment 17/6).—Advt. Jack: Where are you going this weekend ? Jill: To bed probably if this cold doesn’t go away soon. I’m one of the unlucky sort who get heavy chest coughs, keep them for months, loose strength and take months to get fit again. Those are the colds that need Baxter’s Lung Preserver most of all. “Baxter’s” clears the cold right out of the system. It has excellent tonic properties that build strength and resistance. “Baxter’s” has no equal. 1/6, 2/6 and 4/6 sizes at all chemists and stores. — Advt. DON’T SUFFER WITH YOUR EYES. Don’t neglect any slight symptoms of eye trouble, it can easily develop into serious complaints. If you have a cold in the eye—a prevalent complaint this time of the year—if your eyes water, if they get waxed-up in the mornings, if they itch, ache or burn, if they are red and bloodshot ... if your eyes feel tired after the cinema or reading, OPTRINE will' bring quick relief and, if used regularly, will effectively put an end to the trouble. And because of its antiseptic properties OPTRINE will safeguard your eyes from further trouble . . . and it will tone up, strengthen and beautify your eyes at the same time. Price 3/- per bottle, GEO. H. BROWN, Chemist, 125 Dee street.—Advt. When all else fails take 98, from first class stores 2/6. —Advt.