FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 560, 12 January 1929, Page 6

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN.” BEREAVEMENT The barque Olivebank is taking ; away 1,200 tons of earth from the Civic Square as ballast. They lifted Queen Street, left it sweltering there, While busy workmen delved with picks and axes, A)id wondering tourists watched from passing taxis. But Auckland never even turned a hair. They chopped off Campbell Point and scarred the faxr Green headlands that had long entranced our vision; But no one rose with protests and derision. The people watched, but did not seem to care. But now the city’s harrowed soul lies bare. \ Sentiment is roused, and memories that were sleeping. The Mayor and all the councillors arc weeping. They're taking ballast from the Civic . Square! McSHOYEL. : THE STRAIGHT OIL The limit in commercial candour has been reached by a suburban fruiterer. In bis window is a placard: ‘ Don't buy your fruit here. Patronise the Chinaman. He’s better and cheaper.” The paradoxical notice is having its effect in drawing increased patronage ; from passers-by, and reprisals from the Chinese competitor are expected at any moment. STANDING ROOM ONLY Yesterday’s note about the inscription, “Don’t talk tcy the motorman . . - Sing to him,” has induced comment about another notice familiar to tramgoers. It is painted on the platforms: 1 -Room for seven standing if full inI side.” Possibly the Transport Board will have these notices worded a little more neatly, and thus avoid indecorous implications. ♦ * * THE DANGEROUS AGE It is natural that the British public should be uneasy about railway accidents, if only on account of the engaging statistical assurance given by Lieut.-Colonel J. H. Follows, vicepresident of the L.M.R. In an effort to be reassuring, the colonel said (as another wise sheet had it): “Statistics show that there is a 36 million to one chance of a passenger being killed on every single journey that he makes.” With the odds so heavily loaded against the passenger, it will not be surprising if there is a fallingoff in English railway traffic. ! THEBE WALLACES The sweet young thing, business- ! bound, entered a Herne Bay car. Startled elders in the smoking compartment (of course) lifted their whiskers from their newspapers when she began a conversation with “George,” two rows back. “I saw you at Fullers last night, George,” she said. “Enjoy the show?” “Too right,” conceded George. “Yes, wasn’t that saxophone man good ?” “Clever, all right.” “W T hose company is it, George?” she asked. “‘That chap Wallace’s,” said George. “Oh. yes, of course. Edgar Wallace’s.” Such is fame.

DEEP DOWS' The “gusher" opened up hy a -wellborer at the Walkaremoana hydroelectric works, where a subterranean gas-reservoir shot a 25ft. column of water into the air, was evidently a tame affair compared with one or two other gas eruptions that have occurred on the East Coast. In July, 1907, a gas and mud spring on the property of McDonald brothers, 12 miles from Gisborne, burst into violent eruption, throwing up a column of mud 300 feet high. When .the outburst ceased, after an hour’s spectacular activity, 75,000 tons of material had been ejected, and ten acres of pasture land lay buried. All along the Gisborne coast there have been attempts to exploit these reservoirs of gas. Numerous indications of petroleum deposits have not yielded returns, but gas has often been used for lighting homesteads. A farm at Makaraka was lit by natural gas for years until the pipes corroded. At Napier, further south, a supply of natural gas was tapped only a year or two ago. When a light was applied to it, it flared up violently. The well-borer who uncovered the phenomenon had visions of a petroleum “gusher” and went on boring merrily. He bored so hard that scientific witnesses calculated he should just about be through to Galashiels or the Isle of Dogs. But. nothing happened, and the effort was abandoned.