Miscellaneous Items

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1576, 8 July 1920, Page 5

Miscellaneous Items

Says a publicity par from New Zealand Picture Supplies: Think of all the corking jokes you have ever heard about the Ford flivver, and then brace your ribs for “A Day’s Pleasure,” which is the next million dollar Charlie Chaplin comedy—a picture for all those who auto —for those who oughtn’t to auto and do auto—and for those who ought to auto and don’t auto.

Motor lorries shipped by American manufacturers to Norway have been refused admission into that country because they were not in conformity with the new wheel and tyre specification. Norway is the first country in the world to propose national legislation enacting that motor lorries up to two tons capacity be equipped with pneumatic tyres so as to prevent damage to the roads, and to cut down the excessive cost of highway repairs, due’ to the use of solid tyres. The Act is to become operative this month.

Interviewed in Gisborne respecting the possibility of the inauguration of an aerial passenger and mail service, Mr. Walsh, representing the New Zealand Flying School, said that his firm was considering the possibility of such a service. Personally, he thought Gisborne afforded great opportunities for the inauguration of an aerial service, especially on account of the district’s present isolation, both between Gisborne and the coastal centres and between Gisborne and Napier. Mr. Walsh said he had been inquiring into the subject while in Gisborne, and he could state that the matter was under consideration. His firm was quite prepared to inaugurate an aerial service if sufficient inducement was forthcoming. As to the amount of the fares, this would depend upon the type of machine employed. The flight to Napier was about 86 miles, and with the de Haviland aeroplane then in Gisborne, could be done in about an hour and a half, or with' a more powerful machine within an hour. In the recent flight to Tolaga Bay and • back the actual flying time from Gisborne was 21 minutes. A longer time was occupied on the return journey, which was made against, the wind. The cruising speed of the de Haviland machine was 65 miles an hour.

A good story is told of Mr. Lloyd George and his first meeting with King Edward VII. It was about the time that the present Prime Minister was making a name for himself by his fierce attacks on Mr. Balfour’s Education Bill. The King, always anxious to meet new Parliamentary characters, expressed the wish that this young Welsh M.P. should be introduced to him. A private dinner party was therefore arranged, and after dinner Mr. Lloyd George and King Edward had a quiet chat together. The clubs at that time were full of rumours as to what exactly occurred. Recently the Prime Minister let the cat out of the bag. He told a friend that what King Edward really said was as follows: —“Mr. Lloyd George, do you play bridge?” “No, sir.” “Ah, that is a great pity; it is a very good thing for all politicians to be able to play a hand at bridge.” That was the topic of that historic conversation.

R. Spears, the Australian racing cyclist, who has been following the sport in America and on the Continent for some years, put up a very fine record in the last season’s racingin Europe. He won 27 races, finished second in four, and third in four. Oscar Egg, the Swiss, who one time

posed as the best unpaced rider, was second on the list, evidently having developed a sprint. His score was: 23 wins, 12 seconds, five thirds, and two fourths. Marcel Dupuy, the Frenchman, ran third, with 20 wins, 13 seconds, four thirds, and one fourth.