General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 66, 20 March 1935, Page 6

General News

Shortage of Workers. The fact that the Public Works Department was having the greatest difficulty in keeping the eamps on the laupin drainage scheme up to fuH strength was. mentioned by the chairman, Mr. LR. W. Reid, at a meting of the Taupin (Drainage and River Board recently. Several drainage works on private farms had been held up on a " count of lack of labour, and ien had ttiade up to £1 a day in this work. Mr Reid was of the opinion that relief con-’ ditions in town were such that work in to them 7 WaS ”° ‘° nger »«™ctiv. Native Pigeons. Visitors to Halfmoon Bay Stewart Island, during the last few weeks have been very interested (says the Stewtrt Island eorrespondet of ' the Southland Times) in watching the antics of » large flock of wild pigeons which have come in from the bush and made the tonnship their temporary pl apc nati d vj Ther ° are a good nu “ ber of nabve currant trees (the makomako of the Maoris) in the vicinity, and as the tmeted a X n ° W rip ®’ they no d o"bt attracted the pigeons. The birds are very tame, and seem quite fearless of few"’feet 0 " l wi° ne t 0 approach withia at kr fL j ?? h ? n not actually feedinAthey spend their time circling over the township, the loud whirring noise of their wings attracting attention from visitors, and residents alike. When the sun is shining, th 0 rich plumage of the birds is seen to advantage the rave being reflected with metallic and iridescent lustres. Travelling Art Scho'arship The possibility of the Carnegie Corporation offering a travelling scholarship in one of the creative arts was mentioned at a council meeting of the Auckland Society of Arts on Friday evening by the president, Mr. C R Ford. During the recent visit of Dr Frederick Keppel, president of the corporation had been made that financial, be given to a New Zealand youth of exceptional promise who would be recommended by the Auck land Society Dr. Keppel had stated that while the corporation would consider helping a youth who was enterina upon the study of architecture or musie, first consideration would be given to a student of painting The corporation preferred to leave the mat ter open for recommendation in » aen era! way rather than state a scheme in fixed terms.

Recording of Early Maori Songs Some strange but fascinating songs of the early Maoris of Hawke’s Bar were sung at a recent meeting of the Hastings Historical Society, several of the older generation of natives attending the meeting specially to sing these songs, states the Napier Dailv Telegraph. The leader was Mr. Tutaaki JL haumaka, of Omahu, who was dc-T scribed, by Bishop Bennett as having stored in his brain a feast of wonderiul information concerning old Maori songs and custom?, “but,” said th< Bishop, “he is the only Maori ir Hawke’*; Bay who can remember al these things and if he passes on ther* will be no record left. You will pleased to learn, therefore, that Mr. Eric Phillips is arranging to have these old songs and chants recorded under Tutaaki’s directiqn, so the Historical bociety will have a permanent record tor historical purposes.”

Flying Boat’s Fine Record. A fine record of service is possessed boat carried on board W-M'A >S. Canberra. It is a Seagull Amphjbjan Mark TIL, and was built bv the Supermarine Aviation Works, at Yno- a ? 1 ? t0n ’ En S ,and . as far back as The machine can take off from or alight on either land or sea, and is handled, on the cruiser by a special crane. With petrol tanks holding JOO gallons and an hourly consumption at a speed of 75 miles an hour of 26 gallons. it has a range of 288 miles. The engine is a water-cooled Napier Lion Mark Va., with maximum revolutions of -.250 per minute. The machine is unable to climb as steeply as many more modern ’planes, and the maximum height it can attain is 12,000 ft. Although the figures above constitute a low performance for present-day aircraft. the Seagulls in Australia Ime L done a tremendous ahiount of work and have proved themselves to be one of the most reliable types of aircraft ever produced. The only work required in naval flying that they ar e unable to accomplish is heavy ’bombing and torpedo bombing. In the construction of a flying boat of this type just under a quarter of a mile of wire is used, while there are 15,00(1 brass screws in the hull. Fire Fascination. An astonishing example of the attraction of lire for some animals was instanced recently, when a farmer al. Stanway was burning off a large quantity of wheat straw, some of which was in a paddock in which were a number of valuable heifer calves, says the Wellington Post’s Palmerston North correspondent. Five of these animals, timid enough at the best of times, allowed their curiosity to get the better of them, and they found themselves between the lire and a fence, enveloped in smoke. An attempt was made tn drive them back, without result. A further effort was made io drive them straight through and out at the other side, whereupon the five calves, far from showing fear of the flames, jumped straight into the burning mass and were destroyed. . acted as the Minister of the Crown. His opportunities to study things industrial, economic, and financial were second to none. One who should understand almost anything wherein the welfare of Wanganui and N.Z. in general is concerned. And pray, sir, what has been the result? The gentleman in question has confessed his complete ignorance, or indifference, upon the most important aspect of the welfare of the average citizen—the money. The money which has been rightly termed as life’s blood of any nation. I want to be unbiassedly fair to Mr. t eitch. If he did not make the reported statements, let him deny it. Conversely, if he has made the statements in question, will he please supply your readers with an answer to the following. If the banks lend their deposits only, i.e., the money deposited with banks by the banks' depositing clients (this is his, Mr. Veitch’s allegation),, by what extraordinary process of sleight of hand can an ordinary depositor obtain the money to put into the bankers’ lending till, seeing that the only houses having a credit (money) issuing charter arc the banks: while the rest of the people are jaiffiiiff for even thinking of following thiv banks’ example. We shall all be interested in Mr. Veitch’s answer.—-I am etc., ' “SOCRATES. ’ ’