The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3865, 14 July 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1875.

With an instance of the applicability of Mr Bell's plan to workshop ventilation, we shall close our narrative, feeling assured that enough will have been adduced to secure to New Zealand the free use of the system. About the time that the alterations took place in the Princess Theatre, it was found necessary to add largely to the number of hands in the composing-room of the Evening Stab office. The apartment was long, and about twelve feet from the floor to the ceiling. There were a large number of windows iu it, and an open fireplace, but the men having to work in it night and day, although every expedient was adopted of opening the windows during meal times and when they were absent, the air became so vitiated that the health of several became affected. If the reason be asked why preventive measures were not taken when they were known, it was simply because there is so general a horror of the ingress of air into a room, that it was not thought advisable to do anything counter to popular prejudices until the absolute necessity became apparent. This necessity having forced itself on the attention of the compositors, the very simple expedient was adopted of placing horizontal tubes, about six inches square, between each pair of frames. An open end of these tubes was inserted in and through the wall of the building to collect fresh air, and the upper side, within the j room, instead of being wholly wood, was covered for more than three-fourths of its length with perforated zinc; a small section near the wall being wood, in order to be able to insert a valve turning on a pivot so as to regulate the quantity of air admitted. Those who are interested in such matters can see the tubes, or some of them, on application at the office of this journal. The main difficulty was getting thoroughly rid of the foul air, through no adequate means being available for passing it through the roof. The ceiling was pierced for the purpose, but there being no properly arranged up shaft, there is reason to believe the full beneficial effects derivable were not realised • yet sufficient was done to remedy the evil. The air of the room, instead of being almost ftetid," was, at, tb* disore-

tion of the men, cool and pure; all tendency to disease disappeared, and no matter to what length of time the work was protracted, they were enabled to do it witk comfort to themselves. In this case the air was admitted about eighteen inches above the floor, and where this can be done we think there are many advantages. In concluding this sketch we may add that the system has been adopted by the Education Board in the new schoolroom now in course of constiuction as an addition to the Albany street school. A plan of warming, suited to the ventilating process, was submitted at the same time, but it appears not to have been adopted—partly on accountof some few pounds' additional expense, and partly, we believe, through its being supposed to involve an amount of attention that certainly would not have been greater than keeping up an open fire. It is to be regretted that for these reasons the old plan of an open fire-place has been resorted to: firstly, because all heat from open fire-places is local, instead of being diffused ; and secondly, because the up shaft of the ventilating system will have to contend with the chimney draught—the one seeking to draw the foul air upwards, the other downwards through the chimney flue. In summer time this will be of little moment, and most probably at all times J the full supply of fresh air that will be received will be sufficient to counteract the evil effects of antagonistic influences. On this point experience only can decide; but where so important a principle was at stake as solving the problem of inexpensive means of warming and ventilation of schools, it seems false economy to adopt any process calculated to interfere with the unity of system requisite. Our object in bringing this subject forward has been to establish the right of New | Zealand to any adaptation of this process without being subjected to payment of royalty ; and this must be our apology. If the plan is worth anything, the public are free to use it. We see that already a host of objectors are attacking Mr Tobin. A correspondent of the ' English Mechanic,' for instance, finds fault with a patent being granted, with the style of notict in the 'Times,' with some of the details of his plan, and says the system is not new. There is much in the manner in which it is said the discovery was made by Mr Tobin, that reminds one of a member of the family of Martin, the painter, fancying he had demonstrated the cause of the rise of the sap in trees, by telling a cock-and-bull story of a lion. No matter how Mr Tobin arrived at his conclusion, however, whether by scientific induction or watching the vagaries of a vagrant current, he has done good work if he has succeeded in drawing attention to simple means of giving pure air to millions of human beings, hitherto doomed to work in an atmosphere poisoned by their own breath. " Philo," in his strictures in the 'Mechanics' Magazine,' says the plan is not new: we quite agree with him. All coal miners know the use of an upshaft in which the air is ratified by a fire at the bottom, and a down-shaft supplying air drawn by the upshift draught through every part of the mine. It is not a new discovery :it is only the application of a known principle to different uses. The air in railway tunnelß and other works is rendered fit for respiration by a variety of adaptations of the same principle. We grant in fact it has no title to be called a discovery; but like most common things passing under our noses it is, and very possibly may continue to be, undervalued because of its simplicity or through failure on account of ignorant application of it Such as it is the plan is before the public, and in all probability will be much improved upon ; but however modified or adapted to varying circumstances, it is something to have a principle to fall back upon, and the principle of that plan is: that cool air takes the lowest place in an apartment, and, when admitted in sufficient quantity from bolow to prevent draught, a gentle upward movement of the respired and heated air takes place, which must be got rid of by openings above. Mr Bell, in the absence of data, made his upshaft about one-tenth the area of the openings for admission of air. Very possibly a ranch less area will be found to answer.

To-day's weekly meeting of the Waste Land Board, usually held at 11 am, was postponed till three o'clock this afternoon. 'Jur report will, consequently, not appear till to-morrow evening. A deputation of ratepayers in High Ward waited on iMr R. Wilson yesterday evening, and asked him to become a candidate for the representation of that ward in the City Council. Mr Wilson consented, and will place himself in nomination at the ensuing election. j A walking epidemic appears to have broken out in Dunedin. as, in addition to the match between Scott and Edwards, alluded to in another place, Fred. Wain has backed himself for a level LSO to walk 100 milea In tweutyfour hours. The match is to come off in about a month's time, and Warn is already getting into active training. At the Princess's )ast night '« True Heart" and the "The Swiss Cottage" weie repeated, the former play being again well received This evening Mrs P. M. Bates will take a farewell benefit, and from the popularity that lady has achieved in Dunediu we anticipate seeing a crowded house. A. new piece, named «• Psychoßcopo," is to be produced for the occasion. A meeting of the i'unedin Canary and Poultry Association was held at the Bull and Mouth Hotel kst evening, Mr PeU in the obair. Letters were read from hi Honor the ttaperintandeot, his Worship the Mayor, •nd Mr H«nry l>wver, accepting the offiea

of patrons of the Association. Mr Sydney James was unanimously elected hon. secre tary. The next meeting will be held early next week, wben a revised prize list will be submitted by the hon. secretary. In our issue of yesterday Edwards, the pedestrian, published a challenge to walk Young Scott, oranyone inNewZealand, from one mile to a hundred, and at the Empire Hotel last night the offer was taken up Austin, Scott's trainer, backed the little fellow for L 25 (optional to make it LSO) to walk Edwards seven miles against time in the Octagon Drill-shed. The match is to come off at some time between seven and ten weeks from date. Messrs G. Dowse, S. Clayton, and Kirkealdy were chosen referees, and an umpire for each pedestrian will be chosen before the day. A silver cup will be presented to Scott at the Princess's Theatre during the week, tbe trophy being to com memorate his recent feat of walking 100 miles in 23 hours 534 minutes A meeting of Caveraham ratepayers was held at the local schoolroom last evening, to consider the question of the proposed Bill giving the Dunedin Corporation compulsory water-rating powers over an area within a radius of three miles from the Octagon. Mr Bridgman occupied tbe chair, and about thirty residents were present. Mr Rutherford addressed the meeting, saying the Corporation was endeavoring to inflict a rate of Is 4d in the £ upon all property for a water supply, or two-thirds of that amount in the event of the water not being used. If they did not take immediate action in the matter they would have to bear the responsibility, and have the Corporation to rule them and levy taxes. The speaker characterised this action as an oppression and the act of a clique, consisting of lawyers and others. If proper precautions were taken, he did not think the General Assembly would extend the compulsory rating powers into the suburbs at all. Mr Wilson strongly objected to the proposed compulsory rating power, but otherwise would be inolined to support the Bill. Tf a company started in the dis trict, it could supply water cheaper than the Corporation. After some discussion, Messrs Fegar, Wilson, Boyes, and Rutherford were appointed to take action against the compulsory rating powers of the Dunedin Corporation being increased eo as to interfere with the suburbs.

A concert and dance will be given in the Roslyn Hall on Friday evening. His Honor the Superintendent •will address the electors of Port Chalmers, in Criokmore's Assembly Rooms, to-morrow evening, at 7.30.

It is the intention of the Port Chalmers Choral Society to give their second musical entertainment of the season on the evening of Friday next, at the Masonic Hall. Jf We understand a very excellent programme will be arranged on that occasion. The half-yearly meeting of the members of Court Robin Hood, No. 3,991, A.0.F., was held last evening in the Masonic Hall, Port Chalmers. The balance-sheet and report were read and adopted, showing an increase during the half-year. The following officers were duly installed by the C. R. Bro. Graat, assisted by P.C.R. Bro. M'Kenzie :-C.R. Bro. Fullerton: S.C.R., Bro. Menelaus; treasurer, Bro. J. B. Taylor; secretary, Bro. Asher; hoa. secretary, Bro. Leek; S.W., Bro. Newbury ; J.W., Bro. Jewiss; 5.8., Bro. Launder ; J. 8.. Bro. Anderson. Bros. Asher and M'Kenzie were appointed delegates for the Otago district, and the Court was closed in due form.