NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1925, Page 1

NEWS BY MAIL.

COAL TO DISPLACE (HR. LONDON. .June 1

Presiding at the Institute of Mining Engineers’ annual meeting at Cardiff yesterday, Dr J. S. .Haldane read a paper on “The Future of Coal and Steam as .Motive Engines,” in which ho attacked the view that the use of coal for steam engines will in time be superseded. Ho believed that steam engines in the iioi very remote future, where steam was raised by coal or oil. would take ihe plate of internal combustion engines in a great many eases where these were now employed.

The. development of the steam engine would he along the lines of increased steam pressure with smaller and lighter engines. Boilers would be reduced in size as the pressure went up. so that the complete engine and Imiler would bo much smaller and lighter than an equivalent internalcombiislion engine, and would he superior for use in aeroplanes and motorcars. He did not think that steam engines would ever fight, hut the steam engine would beat the. internal-com-bustion engine.

Mr Sam Mayor, of Glasgow, said that experiments in steam had produced tin engine which in the smaller sizes showed economies hitherto unrealised.

Sir .folia (’adman said the importance of oil to this country had been much discussed ; hut ho looked upon oil as .a phase which was passing. What oil wots doing to-day coal would do again to-morrow, although oil would go into certain channels of li-e which coal would never he able to regain. MAX AY HO H ATED TO BE IDLE. I.OXDOX, dune 15. “A very unusual man” was the description applied by Dr F. d. Waldo, the City coroner, yesterday, to James Patient, aged 47. a painter, employed by Lloyd’s and of Yietoria-road, Barking. E.. who threw himselt in lront of an electric train at, the Monument stat ion on Monday. The evidence at the inquest showed that the man suffered from neurasthenia and had heen unable to work for three months, and that, the tact that his employers had continued flaying him his wages (£•*> (is a week) during his absence had worried him greatly. because lie hated to he idle. At the Loudon Hospital, after an Xrays examination, he was told two months ago t lint an operation was necessary. lint they had no lied vacant. The widow stated that her husband had been depressed as a result of the delay. Being tired of doing nothing. Patient went to work on Monday morning. tint disappeared two hours later, and .it 9.45 a.in. he was seen to jump in front of a train. Dr Thomas N. d. M. Dodd, house surgeon at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, who made n post-mortem examination, said that there were no signs of what the X-rays were supposed to have revealed. No operation was necessary. Sometimes X-ray diagnosis was wrong. A brother of Patient said lie gloried in his brother's spirit. The Coroner: So do R He was a vei v unusual man ; il is the exception to find such men in these days, when so nianv people don’l like work, and take the dole. A verdict of suicide was recorded, the coroner adding that there was no evidence to show ‘the slate of the man’s mind. KHSKRYOJE A FLEET COULD \ NCI mu. IN. LONDON, dune 10. Standing with the Queen on a tower overlooking London's new reservoir at Littleton, near Raleham. Middlesex, on Saturday the King pressed a button and immediately a torrent of water leaped and foamed beneath him. pour--1,,,, ~ |,.| S j n nearlv KO9 acres in

When the basin is tilled—an operation which, ii is estimated, will take about three months- it will contain (i,7511.OIWhOOl) gallons of water to a depth of about 40!t. A cost of £2.115.201 has heen involved in its const met ion. and to make room fot the iV' TVoir part el the village ol Littleton was demolished. while the River Ash at one point, had to tie diverted. At the opening ceremony a place a Holding a sight of the King and Queen was reserved for tin- children who lived in the old cottages. Among those who were presented to the King was Mr Henry Kdward Stilgoe. the .Metropolitan Water Board s ,4ijof engineer, who in 191!) took ovei the t;i'k of constructing the reservoir alter tie’ death of Sir dames Hostler, the board's former eliiel engineer. T| U ‘ work was in 1914. but owing to the war was suspended for two years. In an address to the King, Air C. G. Musgrnve. chairman of the Board, said that? when tilled, the reservoir could provide anchorage for a fleet of battleships. “h is larger than all the other. Thames Yalley reservoirs put together.” he added, “and will hold enough water to supply the capital’s seven million inhabitants for a month. Replying, the King said : “The health and comfort of more than seven millions ol my people depend very largely on the water supplies which you administer, and it is most reassuring tiiai no longer any anxiety exists lest their supplies he cut off by drought RUSH TO .JOIN FRYING CIA B>. LONDON, dune 2. A national committee lias heen iormrd In ( oimei t ion will i the new living vluli movement and it will include rooio'eiila! ivC' ol the London Aeroplane Club ..formed by the Royal Aero Club), the Midland, i.aneasshire, Newenstle-oii-Ty mid Yorkshire Aero clubs. “The lir-t live club' will. w<‘ hope, mull he followed by more.” -lid LieutCommander Harold I’errin, seeieiary ot the Royal Aero Clide yesterday. "A I read v other movements arc on

V|- (bUmm's (light <«f in a day in a aeroplane (In' added > i- a pr.lude In the bigge-t air development Hrilam has ever 'emi. \Ve -1 :ind at t !:«■ tlii'eshnid oi a >'ew vra—il>‘» opening for popular living oi' ihe-e lir.-l Slate-aided ehih.s. Me shall bluntly be getting our !ir->: hatch of dub ’‘planes -De llavihmd "Moth" machine- of the same type as mat which Mi C'ohham tk-w. Hy next month elub living should be in lull swin'i. Kir-t oi all. members taking their tunl in the chib 'planes will be taught by skilled instructors. Then crosscountry flying will begin. There will he inter-club contests. Little twoseaters and single-seaters will be skimming through the air in all directions.

Week-end parties will l>e organised. Flights will he made not only throughout this country but also across the Channel to Continental resorts. We shall find ourselves actudall.v in that long-promised “air age.” This new flying club movement is, in first instance, costing the country in State assistance about £20.000.

People have been told that these little machines are simple and sate to fly. that they will alight easily in a sina!! field, that they can he stored in an ordinary garage, and that anvhodv of normal capacity can handle them. These tilings are now to he proved. In the past wo have heen a nation of seamen. If we are to hold our place in the new era, we have got to become a nation of airmen. There is no question about the enthusiasm for living among young people, the number of applications for membership of the new clubs shows that. COYERNMEXT SHIPPING.

“it is interesting to compare the Royal Mail Go's figures with those of the Canadian Government .Merchant .Marino Ltd., in that they tend to show the difference hetween State and private owners concerns, says “ Kairplav,” adding:— " The former company owns dOlUi-S-'i tons gross and the hitter .253,451) tons gross, hut, whereas the Royal Mail Co has been able to provide for depreciation and interest on borrowed money, plus l! per cent on its ordinary capital, the Canadian Government. Line managed to lose 1.4 10. SM) dollars on operations alone, and, if interest and depreciation were added, the year’s loss would amount to no less t! an 8.82(>,(>()9 dollars, a result which should afford an ample reply to the charges made against shipowners in the Canadian trade that they have heen profiteering - .

“It will lie seen from the accounts that the losses, plus amounts which should have been provided for interest on capita! and depreciation, now total 25,(i!1R994 dollars, with a paid-lip capital of 570.900 dollars. It is. however, unfair to those in charge of the line to quote this huge debt, balance ns evidence of mismanagement-, for the obvious reason that the boats stand in the hooks at a colossal cost, their present hook value, after writing off 11.501.004 dollars for depreciation, being 170 dollars per ton deadweight, a figure which must lie vastly in excess of (lie hook value of the high-class passenger vessels of the Royal Mail Co. The only point which can lie properly laid against the management is that on operations alone there was a loss last- year of 1,440,880 dollars, which compared with a loss of 1.801,292 dollars in 1922 and 2,384.189 dollars in 1922. It would be in the interest of the Canadian Government and the taxpayers of Canada if it. were decided to sel! the shipping assets, right away, for irrespective of the loss on the working of about £‘300.000. it lias to lie recognised that the market value of the licet, apart from the normal depreciation of the boats is falling every year. Kuitliormnre. if the Governments of the Commnnwealtli of Australia and the United Slates are so anxiously trying to get rid of their steamers, liecause experience has taught them that Slate management of ships is not a practical proposition, why dues the Canadian Government refuse to benefit hv their example?”