NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 51

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Quislions for reply in coming ittut to b* reetived not lat*r than UONDAT night. jjfc. H. P.— The degree of Bachelor of Science in engineering ia granted by the University of New Zealand after examinations conducted . by the University in mechanical' engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, mining engineering, and- metallurgical engineering. Every candidate for the degree must- be matriculated, and thereafter follow a four years' course of study and pass examinations prescribed. Consult the N.Z. University Calendar. BtrasCßißßß. — Half eaoh quantity raw and 'boiled waterproofing linseed oil, mixed with small quantity jet black paint -and patent driers. ' Pbobpkctob. — Professor ,Jaanee Park reports as follows: — The mineral sent for examination is a calcareous sinter known by the' distinctive nain© travertine. It is formed as a superficial deposit or encrustation, being deposited from, water containing carbonate of lime in solution. deposit may vary from » few yards 'to many acres in extent, .while the thickness may range from • thin veneer to a sheet several yards deep. The shape of the deposit is determined by the contour of the- ground, where the calcareous water' issues from . the ground. For example, in. a flat «rea or depression it will be sheet-like or lenticular. On steep rocky faces travertine often forms miniature cascades or terraces. The mineral is an impure limestone commonly possessing a porous, moss-like structure. It is seldom sufficiently pure to be burnt for lime, but when finely fjround is a valuable fertiliser on. light sous when used as a superficial dressing. Many deposits of this substance occur in the mioa-scJust rooks of Central* arid Wef&srn. Otago. Those in th« Bannockburn district are of considerable- extent. Battsbx writes: — I have a portable galvanic iTZfrttelT^ I* !»«» not lx»«n. *xse«3 foa^some -4ime, end has got out of gear, the sane pistes having got Tusty. I put the zino' plates on a grindstone to get the rust off, dried then*, and tried to xecoat them with mercury, but could not get the mercury to • adhere to the plates, consequently the battery works feebly. What modus operandi is necessary to get the mercury to *dhere? Mr R.- C. Jones, of Messrs bull and Jones, electrical engineers, etc., writes in- reply:— Make a. solution of one part sulphuric acid in 8 to 10 parts water - {pour the acid into the water not the reverse way). Make a small mop of flannel -tied on to a piece of stick; immerse zinc in sulphuric acid solution, and scrub- with flannel mop. Drop «. globule of mercury into the solution, and Test the zinc on this, tubbing it over all, the surfaces of the zinc. In a very ehort timer- the- whole of the nno will be covered with a layer of mercury. If the zinc is very greasy ltjw iequiie boiling in c&ustkv soda, or potash. Thia ii, however, not likely to be necessary. \k «pup plate *nakes a good dish, to use for amalgamating the zinc end only a small quantity of .solution, and mercury are reQuired. Be careful with the mercury, as it is poisonous. Cohstakt Reader.— The three hu-geTst tugs in ttie Dominion are th« Union Company's tug" Terawhiti, Lyttelton Harbour Bo»rd>8 tug Lyttelton, and tbe> Bluff Hartonr Board's tug Theresa Ward. £fcxA.CH£BY. — To make your mixture into tablets you would xequire a. proper tablet machine. There «re but fow^ such machines in the Dominion, but you* could got the (tablets made up by a manufacturing chesnist who was possessed of such a machine. The tablots would have to be kept from Khe air. if left for * considerable time, as the pota«# carbonate will absorb moistuze. ii you decided to get tbe< t&blete m*d« up

foi you the required weight of each tablet would have to be signified. Miner (Naseby). — Mr H. M Davey, consulting engineer, 91a Princes street, Dunedin, replies : — In your case X am inclined to believe that you would do better with >o lines .xsting independently than nth a -combined one, and for these reasons: Your nozzles are scheduled, at your pressure, to deliver a full head of water each, and the pipes you 'have are' of just the right size to give practically the best pressure, so that I believe you would certainly be the better with two nozzles, seeing that you could work them to better advantage. But if your pipe I line weTe smaller, then it might be better to do as you suggest, seeing that the bigger nozzle you mention as proposing to use with the combined line- would deliver about 13 heads barely.- I may tell you that Messrs O'Brien and Knight have invented and are patenting an attachment that would perhaps help you; it works the • nozzle itself, and will dk> so without con- j , stant attention, so that, for -vnstanoe, you could leave it for a while at any time working your cut. If you write to Mr ; Knight at Waipori you can get all particu- ( lars of it. I fancy it would suit you very well, from what your difficulties seem, to be. Is there no possible way of increasing your pressure with your additional plant? If so, write again giving all particulars, for that might be _ better . than anything else if it were practicable. RHEUXiATisM.-^-The dose is half a wineglaaeful/ - of the pure juice diluted with half a glass^ of hot or cold,* water, and taken before/ meals and at bedtime.- The juice must be extracted from fresh lemons with an ordinary glass lemon squeezer, obtainable from any ironmonger. Don't use metal ( squeezers. T. G. — Communicate with the Commissioner of Police^. Wellington, who will forward to you direct printed forms. You will then ascertain all the particulars required. Yotras TinnJfc. — (l) Good Friday falls thia year on April 17. (2) The rule is given in a simple form in the Prayer 800k — namely, "Easter Day is always the first Sunday after the full moon, which happens upon or' next after the 21st day of March; and t if the full moon happens upon a Sunday, Easter Day is the Sunday after." Wyndhah. — A letter bearing the address writ- ' ten by, you would probably reach the firm in question. Why not add "manufacturers," etc.? Chicago is the name of the city, not Chichago. .» Ram (Bannockburn). — Mr H. M. Davey, consulting engineer, 91a Princes street, replies: I wish you had mentioned the amount of water that your ram delivers, seeing that all the information you have given is comparatively useless without this fact being known. Re the pipes you mention X may say that, I Have never seen pipes of toe size you name. Are you sure- that they are not half-inch ones? The best thing I can tell you is the quantities of ' water tfiat will naturally, ,nd without forc- \ ing, run- through the pipes that you ask about; I mean the run of about 400 ft at your fall. If you have good clean halfinch internal diameter --pipes- you should get about one gallon _>er sxinute, and if they were three-quarters- of »n inch in internal diamieter, you should get three gallons per minute througE them, and in, aither oase if your ram delivers more than these quantities tie pipes will obstruct theram a little or much as- the delivery of the xam happena to be. If > you therefore set the ran* and .get it -working! up to the top of the bank you would see how much was delivered and judger accordingly — that is, of course, supposing you ia not know at present. ' Mr H." M. Davey, consulting engineer, writes: — I liave had the following information about the work oi a pelton wheel from a well-known miner, a Mir John Christian, of Livingstone, who has boulders of varying magnitudes from comparatively small ones up to those weighing many tons. As ifche account given by him as to- the ease with Which he deals with these bouldiera may be of interest to others, I am asking the editor to publish the letter, and hope l*teT on to get a photograph of the wheel in action: — When 'ordering the wheel from MJeaera A. and T. Burt, I was told 'the* a 2ft wheel would give me as match power as one of 3ft, I therefore got the "lesser one. With a view to reduce the speed I ordered a 9in pully for the wheel and » 42in one for the winch, but thia was quite unnecessary, as I find I can control that with the valve. However, the increased power is quite worth the extra cost. The pressure is approximately 120 ft, pipe line 700 ft, pipes from 18in to llin, and jet liin, so that I hay« practically hydroetatio pressure. Winch 25ft from wheel; Jin diameter flexible steel rope with fin chain to grip the boulders. ■ The pull is at right angles to ' the winch, and I use a snatch block to obtain a fair lead. I have not pulled anything over four or five tons, but this is on account of the difficulty of securing' the winch ; but as I have to pull these over tfibse already pulled the moving stone comes but up against one^ often two, of these, and! then, all three have to come until the one pulled drops over and the others fall baok where they ■»^e. A-t Stact tim«s I xeJu<» th« water •until I can just see the winch moving round, and it is a surprise to me that oneeigkth of * head of -water will move such a load. Of course I put the full pressure on when there is no obstruction, but even s then only half a head! is vised. The pull is down hill for the first 10 ya^ls or so, then up a grade of, say, 1 in 4 for an equal distance, then about level for 20 to 40 yards— that is such a level as a bed oi boulders of from one to five tons will make. With en average stone say 8 tons— I can pull it about 60 yards in from. 12 to 15 minutes when there is no obstruction. I would like to test the power of the wheel, tut the winch fixes my limit. I use a 4iri Balata belt, but pullies are 6in. I think I have now given you all particulars. C Af S p? C writes:— During last eession\of ■'Parliament a vote of £400 was carried fora " road in a riding of Wallace County. Residents, who, by the way, have no road, are anxioua that this vote be expended. The member tot the riding says the delay in its expenditure is caused by the fact » that the Government has not wsu*d the * authoritj/for its expenditure. - What is the usual c3ursei bf procedure as between the Government *nd local bodies in the- matter , of votes? Does the Government hand over i the- money to -the council unconditionally •without any plans or specifications by the council for the Government* approval? Or | is it usual "and a geperal condition that ■ the local authority submit plans and specifications for Government approval before the authority to expend the vote is issued? Ia it the duty or custom! of tho local ' authority to make application for the Government authority 'to expend the vote; or are they to remain -silent until the Government voluntarily issue the authority ?~ As Government votes lapse if unexpended i on, March 31 A what would be the position •

of this vert© in the following events: — (1) If the Government issue authority to expend vote and a conrfcra-ct is let by the County Council, but is not completed and passed by the county engineer and the Government so informied, does the vote lapse on Mtorch 81, 1908? (2) If during next session of Parliament a vote of, say, £500 is granted for this sanro road, is it not usual to treat it as a. re-voting of the £400, for which authority had been given to expend under the vote of 1907^3, but unexpended and entered as a liability incurred to March 31, 1908, and an additional vote of £100 available to March 81, 1909? (A) No. What is required is this: The parties interested must move the local . authority to apply to the Minister of Public Works for an authority to expend the money. The local authority must submit plans and specifications for approval to the district road engineer, in this case at In Ivercargill. When these have been approved the local authority may undertake the work. When the work has been inspected by the district road engineer and passed the local authority will get the money from Wellington. (B and? o) Answers to these queries are given above. (D) (1) No. (2) Yes. *