News of World in Brief

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 21, 26 January 1937, Page 7

News of World in Brief

Riddle of Weather Forecasting JSTUDT THE ICE, SAYS SIR HUBERT WILKINS United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. LONDON, Jan. 24. Expounding his theory that the riddle of weather forecasting will be solved in the Polar regions, Sir Hubert Wilkins, in an interview with the newspaper The People, said: “I believe that the whole question of changing weather conditions is bound up with ice movements from the Poles. Huge sections of ice break away and drift north or south, affecting the sea currents, which in their turn affect the ■world’s weather, bringing tremendous rains and floods or long dry spells ending in drought. Then perhaps for years the ice slowly builds up again until again huge sections break away, bringing another seasonal change. *T believe that with a chain of stations on the edge of the ice, not more than 1500 miles apart so that aeroplanes could make easy observations between them, it would be possible to study ice conditions so accurately that the world would know what weather to expect.” SAFETY AT SEA. (British Official Wireless.) Received Monday, 7 p.m. RUGBY, Jan. 25. The text of the new Government Merchant Shipping Bill imposes a penalty not exceeding two years’ imprisonment on conviction on indictment, upon a captain who takes, or other persons responsible for sending a ship to sen with the load-line submerged in contravention of the 1932 Act. The rules for life-saving appliances are applied by the Bill to fishing boats which previously were excepted. NEW CRUISER TO COST TWO MILLIONS. (British Official Wireless.) Received Monday, 7 p.m. RUGBY, Jan. 25. A cruiser of the new Dido class of 5000 tons, is to bo constructed shortly at Chatham dockyard. The cruiser, which will cost nearly £2,000,000, will be the first vessel of the class to lx* built at Chatham since 1935. CARPETS OP BLUE AND GOLD. (British Official Wireless.) Received Monday, 7 p.m. RUGBY, Jan. 25. Preparations for the Coronation are proceeding day and night at West Minster Abbey where special seating accommodation for 7700 guests is being constructed. A temporary annexe is to be erected at the West Abbey in which the Coronation procession will be marshalled. While modern in treatment, this building has been designed so as not to conflict with the Gothic architecture of the Abbey. Inside the Abbey a processional way 17 feet wide and 173 feet long, will run from the west door through the centre of the nave and past the choir stalls up to the Coronation theatre. It will be covered with a plain blue Chenille carpet which will be manufactured in one piece without seams. The floors of the Coronation theatre, sanctuary and Edward the Confessor’s chapel, will be covered wim a specially woven carpet of gold.

INDUSTRIES PAIR. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Jan. 22. About £500,000 has been spent in the past twelve months on modernising and redecorating Olympia, where the British Industries Fair is to open on February 15. TEN WEDDINGS IN DAY BRISBANE, Jan. 22. What appears to be a record for Queensland was achieved recently by Rev. P. W. Pearson, minister of the Ann Street Presbyterian Church, Brisbane, when he celebrated ten weddings between 7.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. on the same day. SEAMEN’S STRIKE ENDS ON ATLANTIC COAST. Received Monday, 10 p.m. NEW YORK, J*n. 25. The seamen’s strike in the Atlantic and Gulf ports has been formally declared ended after Mr Curran announced that nine of the 13 striking ports had voted favourably. He said four others would concur with the majority opinion. FUTURE OF FRANC. PARIS, Jan. 24. Nervousness regarding the franc has developed. A widening of the discount for forward francs is pronounced, due to persistent reports that the French authorities contemplate pegging the franc at 112 to the £, instead of 105. The franc was fixed at 105 to the £ last September, when iTrance went off gold and the franc was devalued.