NEWS FROM ENGLAND

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 224, 23 August 1939, Page 4

NEWS FROM ENGLAND

line. She lias been given the -Maori name “Waiotiru”: her sister-ships are “Waiwera”, “Wairnngi” and “Wainmrama”, ’ .. The new ship is C 13,000 tons gross and will have refrigerated cargo s[faces exceeding 500,000 cubic loot, of which 110,003 will be specially fitted for the carriage of chilled-, .meat. Her general cargo spaces measure about 250.000 cubic feet, giving a total cargo capacity of 750,000 cubic feet. Special attention has also- been given to the-.crow’s accommodation, which will be in advance of, the recent Board of 'trade regulations ■ the crew will lie berthed amidships mud aft in two-berth cabins with cot berths. Twelve passengers will bo carried I ' -hi' eight singlc-bedtetca-d and two vcloiiblebedstead cabins, and there will heffadining saloon, smoke-room and lounge for them. • '

WORTH’S LONGEST ’RHONE; SIX THOUSAND MILES OF BRITISH EQUIPMENT SHIPPED TO RUSSIA i (By Air Mail) , . .-London, Aug. 4. —A British firm has just shipped to Russia the last consignment of equipment for the world’s longest carrier telephone system, winch will run jior nearly 9,000 (about 0,000 miles), crossing Siberia and covering practically the entire breadth of the U.S.S.R. It will give direct communication between Moscow, and Khabarovsk, which is near the Manchukuo border, north of Vladivostok; this enormous ’ t!!* Y- ' distance will be covered iliV'ofieij, wire line, divided into five links of 2,117 kilometres, 1.443. kilometres,' 1,867 kilometres, 990' kilometres, 2//1.4 kilometres r respectively. - Specially designed transmission'apparatus avhu-h W|Uj'']nake it possible'to operate telephone and tele-, graph circniw'simultaneously, and, in. addition, a channel for broadcasting or picture transmission. are included in thq 'contact, i '*' r StajrdM’d “‘"Telephones and Cables /Limited, of London, were, given the contract for the work, at. a' figure exceeding £300,000. / , ’ ’ <:" ' •*- . i BRITAIN’S MILITARY MOTOR CYCLISTS COMPETITION TEAM EUR GERMANY FUEHRER MAY WATCH THEM The Army is to carry British motor cycling prestige abroad this summer. Teams have been specially selected to compete against personnel of the Italian and) German armies in international events. and at the end of this month (August) British- soldier-motor cyclists will he competing in Germany against motor cyclists of the German Army, with Herr Hitler likely to be among the spectators. The British riders are in strict training under the guidance of civil experts like George Rowley, Bert Perrigo and Lmi Health. Any one of fne team can now hold his own with most civilian “scramble” and .trial .experts'; they can even change a broken fork in a few minutes.

The importance of the mechanisation of the Army to the British motor cycle industry cannot lie exaggerated. The total number of machines in use is understood to be nearly 22,000; yet had it been suggested twelve months ago that the Army would soon have even 10,000 machines, it would not have been believed.

• British manufacturers are seeing to it that the machines are the very best; industry is leaving nothing to chance. Last Year’s Lesson In last year’s International Six Days’ Trial the - Army riders had to pilot machines weighing over 300 lbs through the water splashes and sheep tracks‘of tile Welsh mountains. The Herman team which won sufferod the loss, of far fewer points than the British, as the riders were able to avoid retirements on the road for which 100 marks are lost daily by each rider. Britain’s-selected machines this year are the 495 c.c. “8.N.A.” ‘ and, the 490 c.c “Norjton”, and Ajiny- requirements are already persuading British manufacturers to consider producing a ful-ly-equipped machine that is really light—probably about 250 lbs. In this way the Army motor cycle “boom” will play an important part in respect of future design; and the subsequent benefits will automatically he passed on to the public. Recently the War Office took delivery of a hatch of motor cycle combinations with drive on the sidecar wheel as well as the rear wheel. Formerly confined to use in the desert, this sidecar outfit is being found' to be of great value in carrying- three men and equipment as “cavalry” advance units,’ as they can operate over almost any type of ground and cover the advance or retirement of the main body-, of troops whose route would be confined to roads capable of taking’lorries. - ' * ANOTHER EMPIRE FOODSHIIi BIG REFRIGERATION SPACE Another motor cargo vessel for service in the Australian and New Zealand trades lias been launched at the Belfast -shipyards of Harlaud and Wolff for the Shaw Savill rune, niak-ing'th-e- fifth of a class of almost identical “Empire foodships” with large refrigeration facilities built for ting (Continued at -foot previous column.)