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Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 82, 16 March 1931, Page 4

London Accounts of ’Quake London papers received during the week published extensive and fairly accurate accounts of the earthquake in New Zealand. The “Daily Telegraph,” however, was a little out in its facts and geography when it published the following item: “Gisborne (t>ooo inhabitants): Practically every building reported damaged. Rangisiki River has been blocked by landslide near Mangareka.” A Toronto paper in a graphic account stated: “A tidal wave followed the earthquake along the coast and ships in the harbour were hurled' in all directions.” The London “News-Chron-icle” also had the story of the boats in the harbour bobbing about like corks.

The Strangest Ship. As the first two or three hundred of the 470 feet of the oil tanker Brunswick appeared in sight at Lyttelton recently spectators wondered what sort of vessel it was. The long low hull, the only projection .being the slightly-raised poop to meet the seas, resembled an over-grown Maori canoe as more and more of it kept coming into sight. At last the bridge and,, funnel, perched at the extreme stern, came into view, showing that, after all, it did have some motive power of its own other than the Harbour Board’s tug in front. Some of the en-looker-s thought that in the distance it looked like one of the eanal barges of England, and one was so uncomplimentary as to suggest a Baseband,. but all were agreed that the Brunswick has the strangest appearance of any craft seen at Lytteltoa. A Mad Driver An extraordinary story was told in the Swedish courts recently when an engineer employed on a run in North Sweden was prosecuted on a charge of theft. It was proved that for fully six months he had been insane, and he had been driving express trains throughout that period. A fireman told the court that the engineer was subject to epilepsy, and that the train had on one occasion run at over fiO miles an hoar while the driver lay unconscious. Once Hie express ran into a herd of reindeer. When the fireman asked the driver to help in putting the wounded animals out of their misery the engineer flourished a long knife and threatened to kill his mate. The fireman said that he had been too frightened To report the incidents. Career of H.M.S. Veronica During the war H.M.S. Veronica, which looked at one time as if she would end her days locked in Napier Harbour, was on the Mediterranean station. She was struck by a torpedo, which put her engines out of action and carried away almost a third of the boat. A second torpedo •was aimed at the boat, but as it reached her she was lifted by the sea and it passed underneath, A third torpedo went directly at her, and again the ship was lifted by the waves over the torpedo, which passed harmlessly to the other side. The wireless operator, who remained at his post through these adventures, succeeded in getting the wireless into action again, and sent a message to the shore for help, which arrived. The shattered vessel managed to reach the shore, though only twothirds of her remained. It was afterwards joined up with a ship of the same class which had Idst two(birds. The present Veronica is twothird of the old one and one-third of a more badly-damaged ship.

Defence of Belgium Probably a country like Belgium that has been the “cockpit of Europe” for centuries, may be forgiven for asking for extended credits for military defence at a time when reduction of armaments is exercising the minds of statesmen in all countries. The special Belgian Committee appointed to bring down defence proposals, reported a few weeks ago tha’t her fortified places were proved insufficient in 1914, and proposed new fortifications at various including Liege, Namur and Antwerp. Whereas the guns, when Belgium was invaded at the opening of the war, had a range of live miles, they now have a range of 131 miles. It is also suggested Viat the ports on the sght bank of the Meuse should be replaced by bridge-heads. With regard to Antwerp, the proposal is to surround it with a line of fortifications extending to the sea. In all about 110 miles of Belgium’s frontier would under the new proposals be fortified at a cost of £11,000,000,