GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1943, 22 February 1919, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS ITEMS.

Increasing alloniion is being directed to the question oi‘ arterial drainage in Britain as a result of the recent surveys for the extension of the arable area. It is estimated thaNin England and Wales, by the improvement of arterial drainage, about a million acres could bo brought into arable cultivation or greatly increased in value as grassland. The Land Drainage Act, 1018, removes difficulties in the way of setting up drainage boards, and simplifies the whole procedure. It offers opportunities to effect great] improvements, not only to existing drainage authorities and to owners raid occupiers of land, hut to county councils and other local authorities.

TRANSATLANTIC AIR CRUISER. According to an announcement made by the Aero Club of America, it is planned, now that the armistice is signed, to resume activity on the proposed lrans_-Atlantic aircraft competition. Signor Caproni will submit plans for an 1,800-h.p. air cruiser to cross the ocean with several passengers. Ho has already entered a 5,000-li-p. aeroplane, and the Handley-Pagc interests will also enter a machine of the same power. Mr Henry N. Atwood, representing a group of capitalists, has offered to have aeroplanes built to make the (light in the name of the Aero Club. POPULARITY OF DUTCH QUEEN. The fear of revolution seems to have passed away in Holland. The Government’s lirm attitude, together, perhaps, with the very natural disinclination of the population to he without food supplies from the Entente, which would have been one of the immediate penalties of revolution, has had a sobering effect. Troelstra and his intimates beat a hasty retreat when they saw no chance of carrying their purpose into effect. So far (he only result of the whole movement Ims been to enhance the Queen’s popularity. She has been (he recipient of remarkuble manifestations of affection from all classes. Wherever she has been she has been greeted with spontaneous cheering, the singing of the National Anthem and other patriotic songs.