AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS ETC.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18443, 29 March 1922, Page 3

AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS ETC.

PARAMOUNT MUNICIPAL PICTURES. TWO DELIGHTFUL STORIES AT OPERA HOUSE. Week-night patrons of Paramounts are becoming more numerous, for it is now fully recognised that the programmes screened during the middle of the week are of the very best. Last night's atidience grew quite enthusiastic over two splendid pictures, “Girls” and “The Amateur Devil.’’ Marguerite Clark makes a welcome reappearance in “Girls.” Girls will be man-haters when they think they’ve reason enough, but Pamela (Marguerite Clark) was caught in the folds sure enough, and then the man-haters’ club adjourned sine die. This delightful story is taken from the pkiy of the same name. Then in addition there is that grand light comedian. Bryant Washburn, in “An Amateur Devil.” Always good-humoured and with a delightful personality, he wins his audi_ ences from the very start of this picture. During the taking of this latest film story he exceeded even his best previous efforts for high-spirited comedy. Mr Washburn thoroughly enjoyed the role of a young blue-blood who became a farm hand, then a cafe waiter to disgrace the family, but how it worked the reverse way! This excellent programme will be shown again to-night for the last time, BAND CONCERT AT WANGANUI EAST. The Queen Alexandra Regimental Band, under the direction of Lieutenant Buckley, will give a municipal concert on the Wanganui East reserve, commencing at 3 o’clock on Sunday afternoon. “THE SIGN ON THE DOOR.” Why the sign on the door “do not disturb me” was put on, by whom and what happened behind that door will be told at the Opera House to-morrow (Thursday) evening for the first and only time in this city by the members of J. C. Williamson’s Company, who achieved such a success in their presentation of “Scandal.” Tn “The Sign on the Door” Miss Maude Hanaford is said to have a wonderful opportunity to display her histrionic abilities, and it was for her brilliant performance in this particular piece that the Sydney critics acclaimed her as the best actress seen on the Australian stage since Ethel Irving. W. J. Kelly will appear in the role of “Lafe” Regan, which he interpreted in New York prior to being engaged for Australia. From the Herald. Melbourne: “Tense situations, a remarkably good plot, and acting on a high level of excellence, which makes ‘The Sign on the Door’ which replaced ‘Scandal’ at His Majesty’s Theatre last night, a play of close interest from the rise of the curtain on the prologue to its fall at the end of the third act. The action halts at no point, and the situations are strung together with unusual ingenuity.” The caste is an exceptionally strong one, and includes Sydney Stirling, Herbert Leigh, Kenneth Brampton, Charles Wheeler, Ray A. Long. Harold Moran., Misses Doris Duane, and Phyllis Coghlan. The box plans are at H. 1. Jones’.

formers. It is claimed that this apparatus solves the problem of continuous film production in Great Britain. AN ELECTRICAL JUBILEE. Early this year the British Institution of Electrical Engineers commemorated the 50th anniversary of its foundation, originally under the name of the Society of Telegraph Engineers. The occasion was celebrated by a number Gf discourses from prominent British engineers and by a lecture on “Michael Faraday and the Foundation of Electrical Engineering.” Faraday was the father of the electrical industry, his experiments at the Royal Institution in London having laid the foundation upon which the dynamo and all other electrical machines have been designed and constructed. AN INGENIOUS FLEXIBLE COUPLING. One of the most common problems before the mechanical engineer is to provide an efficient and reliable flexible coupling between two shafts. There is no limit to the number of devices which for several generations have been designed to meet this demand; but a recent invention put on the market by a British firm proves that the field was not quite exhausted. The new’ coupling is extremely simple. The usual flange at the end of each shaft is cut in the form of a sprocket wheel, and a double chain is wrapped round the two sprockets. For this coupling it is claimed, that it can transmit a much greater horse-power at a lower cost than any other coupling of similar dimensions. It does not require lubrication; the balance is perfect; and as the stresses are equally distributed a high degree of safety is attained. For cases where heavy duty and long life are particularly desirable this coupling offers distinct advantages. A HANDY WHEEL PRESS. The placing of large spur wheels and pulleys on tightly-fitting shafts is a process which generally has to be done by hand and almost invariably involves very arduous labour. An ingenious press has been constructed in Great Britain for the purpose of performing the operation quickly and easily. The wheel is carried on a stand, the upper part of which can be moved under the action of a long vertical level. When the lever is depressed it operates a pawl and ratchet wheel and thence through spur reduction gear to a rack which carries the wheel forward. The vertical lever is returned to its normal position by means of a balance weight, so that simply by a series of movements of the lever the wheel is forced steadily on to the shaft. This machine is very stoutly built and can be very easily operated.