General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 145, 20 June 1936, Page 8

General News

Women’s Hats aJid Motoring. “Tho off-side rule is being garded by women drivers these days . because the new hats obscure all vision L from the right eye,” remarked Mr. H. .1. Butcher during a discussion on the rule at a meeting of the council of the Automobile Association (Auckland). The pesident, Air. A. Grayson, said it should be quite possible to see to the right with the left eye. Dunedin’s New Post Office. Construction of Dunedin‘s new pust office is proceeding rapidly. A feature at present is that almost every trade connected with the building industry is represented on the work. In addition to carpenters, plumbers, electricians and plasterers, the contractors for the despatch tube system, the lifts, the fire alarm and heating systems are progressing well with their respective sections of the work, while other tradesmen include stone masons, terrozzo workers, tilers and, finally, the stone carver. wh< has been engaged for months adding t< t the artistic value of the structure. Respect for Religion. 1 That respect for religion was a e characteristic of the peoples of India was the opinion of the Rev. C. F. Andrews, expressed in his address upon J present-day India to the staff and students at Canterbury University Col1 lege. When Lord Irwin arrived Viceroy in Bombay one Good Friday 1 his first action was to attend a threehour service in the cathedral. All India soon knew' of his action, recog--1 uising him immediately as a man of r. . ligion. His subsequent success as Vice roy, and the popularity and respect » which he commanded were l»cv«»n<l > doubt due to the impression he had made upon his arrival in India. t The Best Links? Mr. J. F. Devlin, the visiting had ’ minton champion, and his New Zealand companionsc are keen golfers, and were soon inquiring about the Invercargill links. “Do you know’ that ! Gene Sarazen said the Otatara links had the best, fairways in the world?” said a Southlander to the visitor. ‘That remark does not impress me in the least,” replied Mr. Devlin coldly, hut with a twinkle in his eye. “This is exactly the fifth centre in New Zealand which has been told by Mr. Sarazen that it had the best links. He must have been a delightful guest to entertain.” All that the astonished Southiandcr could ejaculate in reply was; “Well, our links were the last Interisland Air Mails. Business men in both islands should realise (tho Auckland Star says) that (he next three months will provide them with a final opportunity to prove that the air mail service between north and south is sufficiently appreciated tn» warrant its continuance. At present the volume of mail sent by air is far from enough to cover the cost of subsidy. and unless there be some approximation between revenue and expenditure the contract will be allowed to lapse. As a public service the I’ost Office is not expected to make all its services pay, but when it provides special facilities, those for whom they are offered should shoulder the greater portion of the burden. If the next few weeks do not prove sufficiently encouraging at the present rate of postage. the department may consider the possible effect, of an increase to twopence a letter additional for the speedier service. Air-conditioning Popular. ’The popularity of air-conditioning in buildings in England and the United States was commented on by Mr. L. S. Stohr, a Wellington business man, on his return from a tour abroad. Buildings, instead of having windows for \cntilation, had only panes of glass for lighting, and mechanical installations kept up a constant supply of treated air, maintained at the right degree of temperature and hurniditv for comfort* whatever the weather. The pure air was most comforting, and the system operated with complete success, and he fomol that even in a cafe the air wa« clear and sweet, though it was warmed for comfort and many in the room were 'inoking. Many new buildings in England wore being equipped with airconditioning plants, this fact oeing prominently advertised with placards on the front of the premises. He rnought il wo&bi not be long before the system became fairly common in Aus Iralia and New Zealand, as on the ship by which he travelled four Australian engineers were going to the United Slates especially to study air-condition-ing practice. A Queen Mary Envelope. Ln conformity with the usual conservative British practice in the issue uf commemorative postage stamps philate iic recognition of the Queen Mary and her maiden voyage was confined to e"velope markings only. The French issued a special stamp to commemorate the maiden voyage of the Normandie ami airship and mass aeroplane flights have similarly been recognised by Germany, Italy, and the United States among others. Mr. G. Falconer, of Christchurch, has received an envelope carried on the Queen Mary’s maiden trip from the Clyde, before the first crossing of the Atlantic. The letter was posted on April 17, and the stamp has the familiar ship’s cancellatiou: “ I’aquebot. Posted at Sea.” A special rubber stamp was used for the occasion, and its impression on the envelope is in violet ink. It is considered reasonably certain that some special arrangements were also made for the maiden trip across the Atlantic. I Another envelope of some philatelic interest is at present in the hands of Mr. R. J. G. Collins, On the occasion of the official opening of the Mount Cook airport the Hermitage authorities arranged a philatelic souvenir with a special envelope. The letters bore a penny airstamp with the Hermitage postmark of May 3 and the envelopes were signed by the pilot, Mr. A. R. ( r.-tig. and were flown to Timaru.