PLACES IN THE NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 85, 12 April 1940, Page 4

PLACES IN THE NEWS

NORWEGIAN CENTRES OF INTEREST PICTURESQUE NAMES. Christiansand is a city of Norway, near its southern-most extremity, on a sandy plain at the mouth of the Otteraa River. A garrisoned town, built by Christian IV in 1641, it has several dockyards, and a good harbour much used for refuge. At the mouth of the harbour is the beautiful island i of Odero, laid out with public gardens and promenades. Christiansand has a considerable trade in timber, pitch, stockfish (salted cod), fish oil for curriers, salmon, mackerel, lobsters, and white ptarmigans, the last two chiefly for the London market. Shipbuilding is a considerable industry. Christiansand, which suffered much by fire in July, 1892, has a cathedral. The population is approximately 18,700. Christiansund, sometimes confounded with Christiansand, though 350 miles further north, is a picturesque Norwegian coast town, built on three wooded islands. It has a considerable trade with Spain and Italy in salt-fish, and is a calling place for passenger steamers. The population at the last census w as 14 628. IMPORTANT SEAPORT Bergen, a seaport in the west of Norway, and the second city of the kingdom, is situated on a promontory at the head of a deep bay. The harbour is safe and commodious, and around it the town is built, presenting a picturesque appearance from the sea, with its cathedral and wooden houses of various colours. It has manufactures of gloves, tobacco, porcelain, leather, soap and cordage, besides distilleries and shipbuilding yards. Its principal trade, however, is the export of stockfish, herrings, and fish-oil and roe. Since 1883 Bergen has been connected by railway with the north of the Hardanger Fiord. The chief imports are brandy, wine, corn, cotton, woollens, hemp, sugar, tobacco, coffee, etc. Bergen, formerly called Bjorgvin (‘"the pasture between the mountains”), was founded about 1070 •by Olaf Kyrre. Often devastated by fire between 1189 and 1855, it was long the most important trading town of Norway, but has recently been surpassed by Oslo. The castle of Bergenhus was till 1397 the residence of the Norwegian kings. Bergen was the birthplace of Hol berg. Dahl, Welhaven, Ole Bull and Grieg, famous figures in the country's history. The population numbers about 98.000. A MODERN C APITAL Oslo (formerly called Christiana* i is the modern capital and chief commercial town of Norway; and Ls built | on the northern end of the Christi- I anna Fird. Oslo is the seat of the National Parliament, of the High Court of Judicature, with over 1500 students. Connected with this are the students’ garden, a library of 450,000 volumes, laboratories and observatory. The Meteorological Institute was established in 1886. There are two national and historic places here, one 1n the city quite near the university, and one, Oscarshall, beautifully situated two miles from the city on an . eminence overlooking the fiord. There is a national picture-gallery and a I very interesting museum of northern antiquities. The Dom. or Cathedral. < and Trinity Church are the principal i ecclesiastical buildings. The old fort-I ress. Akershus Faestning. still re-, mains, and is used as a promenade, j but has little military value. The staple industry of Oslo is its shipping ; trade; it? chief export is timber. A considerable industry is the brewing of “Christiania ol.” a sort of lager beer, with a resinous flavour, largely consumed throughout Norway and exported. The harbour is closed by ice’ for three or four months in some; winters. The population is approximately 249.690. Harmar is a town in Norway situated about 78 miles by rail north of Oslo. It stands between two bays of