Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 137, 11 June 1937, Page 6

Town Talk

Cancer Campaign. Under the will of the late Mr. G. V. Pearce, who represented the Patea electorate in Parliament from 1908 to 1911, a legacy of £5OO has been left to the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society.

Press Advertising Best. “We advertise in the Press,” said the chairman, Mr. E. A. Batt, at a meeting of the Automobile Association, Wellington, “and it meets our needs,” when the executive, after discussing a proposal for radio advertising, turned it down.

A Surplus. “I don’t think it is a good idea for a local body to have a big surplus.” said Cr. A. C. Russell at the annual meeting of the W’aipukurau County Council. “A surplus is like a carcase lying on the ground with dogs tearing it to pieces—everyone wants a bit. of it.” “Quality Not Quantity.”

“I swear that the defendant did not signal his turn; but if two others swear he did, I suppose two to one goes, in a Court of law,” said a witness in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court. “Not at all,” replied Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., who presided, “It’s the quality that counts, not the quantity.”

Trophy for Aero Club. Mr P. Smith, of Pungarehu, whose son was pilot of the Western Federated (N. 1. Flying Club’s Moth ZK-ACZ, which is believed to have crashed into the sea when returning from the South Island air pageant, has advised the New Plymouth Aero Club of his intention of donating a cup for competition at the annual Easter pilots’ camp. The cup is to be known as the Arthur Smith Memorial Cup.

Airport Activity. The only arrival at the Wanganui Airport yesterday was Union Airways Lockheed Electra ’plane, which carried out landing practice during the morning. The departures were the Western Federated (N. 1. Flying Club’s Moth, ZK—ABP, piloted by Mr. A. Salter, for New. Plymouth, and the Auckland Aero Club’s Avro Avian, ZK— ACM, piloted by Mr. C. Lambert, for Blenheim. The latter machine carried Dr. Fenwick, of Auckland, as passenger.

Kindness to Fish. A Rlcarton (Christchurch) housewife recently pointed out to her husband that the water from the tank had a peculiar and unpleasant flavour. She requested an immediate investigation (states an exchange). The eldest son of the family had caught some herrings at New Brighton. He brought them home, but missed them later, thinking they had been taken by the cat. Father found them in the tank, and the application of a little third degree elicited the information from the youngest son of the family that he had put them in the tank in an effort to revive them. He had then forgotten all about them.

Last Week’s Earthquake. From the reports received from various' centres, it has now been possible to. locate with a fair degree of accuracy the centre of the earthquake ' which was felt last week strongly in Waihi and less severely in Auckland and elsewhere. The seismology officials at the Dominion Observatory state that the centre was to the east of the Hauraki Gulf, between Waihi and Tairua, and that the earthquake was one of comparatively shallow origin. In that part of New Zealand, however, there are not many seismological instruments, hence nn exact determination of the location of the centre is not easy.

New Barge Arrives. With the New Zealand Refrigerating Co’s, new barge in tow, the m.v. Kapiti berthed at the Town Wharf on the morning tide yesterday. The barge, which was constructed in Auckland for the Imlay freezing works, was towed to Wellington recently by the Port Waikato. The Kapiti had an uneventful trip from Wellington. The barge is constructed of three skirA of kauri, is 70ft, in. length, and has a beam of 18ft, One hold runs the full length of the vessel, which has been insulated for the carriage of frozen produce. The barge is double ended with a steering wheel and rudder to assist in manoeuvring it when towed by one of the company’s powen plants. Construction is to be commenced immediately by the Auckland firm of a sister vessel.

Value of Singapore Naval Base. The value of the Singapore naval base in the defence of New Zealand was emphasised by Captain J. R. Middleton, D. 5.0., R.N., of Foxton, when speaking to the Palmerston North Rotary Club. He pointed out that should there be an outbreak of war, the two cruisers at present in New Zealand waters, would join up with the fleet at Singapore, where they would be of much more use than simply sailing around New Zealand. The speaker drew a picture of the enemy being any Eastern Power. To raid New Zealand directly meant leaving the British fleet at Singapore intact to cut all lines of communication and the enemy was not likely to do that. The worst that would happen would be sporadic raids, with the laying of mines to “put the wind up” New Zealanders. So the two cruisers at Singapore would protect New Zealand better than would be the case were they to remain in Dominion waters. Fewer Religious Services to be Broadcast. “The methods of the British Broadcasting Corporation, which have aimed at utilising the best brains of Britain in providing religious leading, will have their influence on the policy to be developed,” says the June issue of the Church News, referring to an interview with the Director of Broadcasting about the future of broadcasting in New Zealand. “The English custom does not provide for regular broadcasts of Sunday church services, but for studio services after church hours. This opinion seemed to be that there were far too many church service broadcast, and that their quality varied too greatly to be satisfactory. It was probable that the broadcasting officials would insist that only those churches which could sustain a consistently high standard would be permitted to continue on the present system. The aim of the director would be to give opportunity to the ablest individuals rather than to churches to co-operate in providing series of religious talks after the British Broadcasting Corporation model.”