NEWS IN BRIEF

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 142, 17 June 1931, Page 2

NEWS IN BRIEF

Means to Combat Electrolysis. The prevention of electrolysis directly traceable to power systems can be successfully dealt with either by controlling the current leakage and confining it to an irreducible minimum or by protecting the adjacent structures, states the report prepared by the sub-committee of the Christchurch .Public Utilities Committee on the corrosion of the public utilities. At the conclusion of the report, the committee states: “In the light of the present" circumscribed knowledge of the subject, sufficient has been adduced to act as a guide to those responsible for the effective maintenance of the various public utility services as to what steps should be taken to mitigate and control this very serious evil which means a very considerable economic loss. Oite thing is definitely certain, that is that each case demands the most thorough scientific investigation if the results are to be properly successful., As in disease, prevention is better than cure.” Clever Camouflage. A clever piece of camouflage was detected yesterday by one of the inspectors attached to the Traffic Department of the City Council. The number plates on a. liigh-powered motorcycle parked in the city attracted his eye and,, though they .were cunningly and tidily done up with paint of the new colour, they lacked the finish to pass as other than last year’s. The inspector whose quick eve had detected the deception, waited to interview the owner, but he failed to put in an appearance, so the cycle was impounded. In the council’s yard it was inspected by Mr H. Macintosh, chief of the Traffic Department, who was struck by the exactitude with which last year’s special mark had been camouflaged. Irrigation in Canterbury. Efforts are being made by the Irrigation Committee of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce to arrange for the carrying out of several experiments in different parts of Canterbury under proper oversight, for the purpose t)f compiling up-to-date data as to the effect of irrigation in different districts. Such information should be invaluable in deciding the extent to whch the production of Canterbury can be improved by irrigation. A decision along these lines was made at a meeting of the committee on Monday night. The committee determined, first of all, to seek information from reliable sources regarding any experiments which may have lx*en carried out in Canterbury in the past, and members who knew where such information was to be ol> rained agreed to secure it for the committee’s consideration. The committee is seeking, in addition .to this, definite J-iilf ormatloh of a reliable- eharaev ter of any experiments, hoWever small, that have been carried out in Canterbury. Information in this connection be addressed to the secretary of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, and will be treated as confidential.