NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 February 1928, Page 3

NEWS BY MAIL.

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS TAKE AN AIRING. LONDON, Dec. 28. Yesterday was show day for Christmas presents. Returning to the world of work most people bad with them plainly recognisable souvenirs of tile festivities. A glance a one’s fellow-passengers in the underground train, in the motor omnibus, in the tramway-car revealed the astonishing fact that many men were wearing obviously new shirts with collars to- match. (Just the very thing be wanted!) Of brand-new gloves—worn a little self-consciously, perhaps, or held very enough to fill a factory. And the glossy silk stockings without spot or iblemisli ! Almost every g?M in the ranks of that great army which once more hurried to City offices, was wearing a new pair. It was impossible, too. not to lie aware of the new umbrellas and walk-ing-sticks. of the myriad new ties (worn dashingly, as a joyful filing to do, or else a little nervously, as a .solemn duty), of the great crop of new fiats, male and female, of the new pipes and cigarette eases, of the new jewellery (bracelets, necklaces, tiepins). of the new handkerchiefs—of the new everything almost! And never before was there such a public mingling of perfumes. Scent must have been a wonderfully popular present. But the smoke of the cigars was more impressive than all the rest ! LIGHTNING FREAK. NEAV YORK, Dec. 29. Lightning struck the British Royal Mail liner Aragii.va (10.916 tons) on Monday night as she was steaming from Bermuda to New York. As though a knife . bad been used, the aerial attached to her foremast was cut clean away and all the ship’s compasses were deranged. Third Officer T. Davies, who was on the bridge, was burned on the right band and was blinded for a few minutes. AA'ireless Operator Hinkley, who was wearing a headpiece, was dazed bv an explosion which was described by the commander, (apt. B. Shillitoe, a a reminder of bis submarine experiences in the English dimmer during the war. The lightning passed down both sides of the ship, its steely blue fiame vividly illuminating the night. Tt changed the ship’s magnetic compass and put all compasses from four to six points out of their true bearing. Describing the incident the captain said the lightning would have gone down the steel rigging without doing any damage if it had not struck the aerial apparatus. He turned the Araguaya round, regained his bearings I by a north wind blowing at a velocity of miles an hour and then corrected the"errors of the standard compass bv observations of the Role-star. Excellent wireless bearings received later off tlie American coast finally gave him his true direction.