NGATORO DELAYED

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 42, 13 November 1920, Page 10

NGATORO DELAYED

CHEW DEMANDS LOOKING-GLASSES

On Thursday evening, when the Blackbill collier Ngatoro was ready to .ail from Lytlelton for the Chatham Islands tho seamen and firemen decided hat they could not possibly Ko to sea .1 provided with looking-glasses or m»rois. The captain was informed that unles. these articles wore provided the icssd would have to romnm alongMdo the wharf. The Seamen's Imion was advised of the trouble, and the crew were informed by the union that they had better go to sea. The Ngatoro was to lmve left on Tuesday, but she was unable to sail until Thursday evening.

The short,l2o of suitable posts for telegraph and telephone linra, and the confiecjuenb suspension ot public work in this direction, recently, led to a ™ggestiou, emanating from Whilford. for the use of nuriri or other mutable timber aa butts for telegraph po'.es. with another kind of timber for dhe tops of the poles. Tins suggestion was forwarded to the Minister of Telegraphs, the Hon. J. Ci. Coates. who. in a reply sent to tie Manaknu County Council, expressed the opinion (says a northern exchange) tliat it was hardly practicable for telephone exchange lines, as such poles would not carry many wires. In any ease, tho present shortago of wire, insulators, and arms would prevent a telephone exchange. such' as that proposed for u hitford, Iwiug opened. The Minister declared that if there was any danger OF the work being delayed solely on account of shortage of polos, the DcpfU'lnient. would not hesitate to use tho form of construction suggested. There wero iinprovod prospects as regards? tho supplv of poles, and it was expected that shimuents would-be received from Australia 6hortlv. 1 Sound t~ive!s better across water than Across land. By actual experiment it has been found that across water a person could be distinctly heard, reading aloud, at a distance of 110 ft., Whereas on land the saino voice only.. travelled 70ft.