SEAPLANE TO SPOT NAVY

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1933, Page 6

SEAPLANE TO SPOT NAVY

NEW PLYMOUTH AS THE BASE

FAIREY SEAPLANE DUE TO-DAY.

COMBINED NAVAL EXERCISES.

PREPARATIONS AT MOTUROA.

For the first time in its history New Plymouth will be a Royal Air Force base when the Fairey 3F seaplane from Hobsonville, Auckland, leaves Moturoa to co-operate with the fleet manoeuvres to be held in Cook Strait to-night and tomorrow. The ships concerned include H.M.A.S. Canberra and Australia, which are returning to Jervis Bay, and H.M.S. Dunedin and Diomede of the New Zealand Navy. Squadron-Leader L. M. Isitt arrived at the New Plymouth airport about 2 p.m. yesterday in a Moth plane. He inspected the port at New Plymouth and supervised the laying of moorings. To-day Captain Wallingford will fly from Auckland in the R.A.F. Fairey 3F seaplane. This plane will land within the area sheltered by the breakwater and will be moored to the east of the Newton King wharf, near the launches, or, if the wind does not moderate, between the Moturoa and Newton King wharves. Arrangements have already been made with the local officials of the Shell Company for the supply of fuel, 120 gallons in two-gallon tins being ready for transport to the moorings.

It is understood the Fairey is to spy out the position of the Australian ships and wireless then’ whereabouts to the New Zealand battleships. The New Zealanders will then attempt to pick up the Australian ships, and a mock battle will take place. The Fairey will remain in the vicinity to assist in the “spotting” of the Australians.

Squadron-Leadei* Isitt will probably return to Auckland on Friday.

TO LEAVE WELLINGTON TO-DAY.

AUSTRALIAN SHIPS’ ITINERARY.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night.

A ball given by Rear-Admiral R. C. Dalglish and officers on the Canberra tonight brought to a close the long programme of entertainment in connection with the visit of the Australian naval squadron to Wellington. The cruisers Canberra and Australia are timed to sail at 3.30 p.m. to-morrow for Cook Strait, where they will carry out strategic exercises in conjunction with the two vessels of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, the Dunedin and the Diomede. At the conclusion of the manoeuvres in Cook Strait the two Australian cruisers will sail for Jervis Bay at noon and will proceed from there to Sydney, being due there on October 6. On the cruise across the Tasman gunnery and torpedo exercises will be carried out and both vessels will also undergo a full-power trial to see what speed can be attained.

The canning of jellied eels has been commenced in Greytown, and the results are reported to be very satisfactory. The establishment of such an industry should be a great benefit to the district. Reference to many reported cases was made by counsel engaged in legal argument in the Court of Appeal at Wellington on the question whether a bequest in a will constituted a good charitable trust. One of,the cases to which the Court was referred was an Irish case, Moore v. the Pope. “Moore against the Pope?” queried Mr. Justice Reed. “I am surprised to hear that the Pope can be sued in Ireland.” While the British motor ship Inverbank, which is now at New Plymouth, was discharging a lumber cargo at Japanese ports recently, the officers and crew took advantage of the extremely low prices ruling in Japan to buy all manner of things for themselves and for relatives and friends in England. One officer displayed a pair of gum boots which reached almost to his thighs. The price of the boots, he said, was Is 9d. “The broad, flat noses and everted lips characteristic of certain races have been developed by the need of peoples living in hot climates for greater ‘ventilation’ than those living in cool temperatures,” said Mr. Gilbert Archey, director, of the Auckland War Memorial Museum in a lecture on Sunday afternoon. Peoples whose ancestors had lived in cool regions had narrow sharp noses, with consequently smaller nostrils, and thin tight lips. A remarkable instance of the effect on freezing of the ground beneath a building is afforded at the freezing works at Kaiapoi. The ground beneath-the freezing chamber is frozen to a depth of 18in. Naturally, as moisture has worked its way under the floor and has been converted into ice, a steady pressure has been exerted upward, and the walls, which weigh 600 to 700 tons, have been lifted up over a foot. ’ The strain has cracked them, and so workmen are now engaged in restoring the chamber to its original condition.

During the course of an extended discussion at a meeting of the Wairarapa Automobile Association at Greytown on the question of penalties in cases of the unlawful conversion of motor-cars, Mr. H. Lawson suggested that the only effective way to deal with the offenders was to mete out a birching. It was of little use fining a man who stole a car, observed Mr. Lawson, as he was generally worthless financially, while on the other hand if he were imprisoned the State would have to keep him. Therefore, in his opinion, the only effective method to stop the theft of cars was to birch the offenders.

Mr. Hans Nilsen, of the Neck, Stewart Island, received word last mail from the Marine Department that the sunken steamer Tarawera is now his property, reports the Stewart Island correspondent of the Southland Daily News. The Tarawera is in quite shallow water, so that the greater portion is clear from the sea'. There is considerable value in the gear left on board, such as hand winches, doors and ironwork of all description. The deck also is of solid teak, and there is about 60 tons of 'fine coal, but mostly covered with sea water. During a recent heavy wind the effect of the sunken ship as a breakwater was very apparent, Mr. Nilsen’s launch now lying in smooth water protected by the big ship. As it has been proved that the coral polyp cannot exist below a depth of 44 fathoms, how is it that one can bore down to a depth of 600 feet on a cay of the Great Barrier Reef through coral, and without striking rocks ? This question was set, and answered, by a zoologist, Mr. F. A. McNeill, in a recent lecture in Sydney. He showed that between the Barrier Reef and the Queensland Coast the depth was never more than 44 fathoms, but that from the outer edge of the reef (the edge of the continental shelf) the bottom dipped rapidly to 1000 fathoms and more. This “proved that the tiny animals had commenced work before the subsidence of the continental shelf, and that their building had kept pace with that subsidence.” For over 20 years we have been Steam Dyeing and Dry Cleaning Suits, Costumes, Dresses, Coats, etc. We also clean and re-block Felt Hate. How about sending yours to J. K. Hawkins and Co., Devon Street, New Plymouth. ’Phone 685.*