Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1003, 20 June 1930, Page 10

Citizens Say —

THE ANCHOR THEORY Sir— Why ill 1 this fuss and bother about the safety of Arapuni? The whole scheme could be made safe by buying up a few ships’ cables and anchors, fastening the cables to the penstock tunnel, running them across country for a mile or so and dropping the anchors. The engineers could practise tight rope-walking across the Caulking the ship from the inside has its disadvantages, of course, but then the pumice on which the rock around Arapuni is floating may work up into the cracks, and who says there should be a restriction about the level of the Plimsol mark? PRACTICAL. THE SOLAR ECLIPSE EXPEDITION Sir, — In October this year a solar eclipse takes place, visible at Xiuafou, in the Pacific Ocean. For this eclipse valuable larger instruments have been sent on loan to New Zealand by the British Empire Eclipse Committee, on the understanding that observations were undertaken by New Zealand. This was the intention of the Government but the present need for rigid economy has led to the radical reduction of the Government financial grant promised ; for this purpose. The work can still, however, be undertaken if a sum of £SOO can be raised to pay necessary expenses for food, transport and material. The Xew Zealand Institute has granted £IOO, the Government has: promised a subsidy of £ 100, leaving £3OO to be raised by subscription. "With this money the Xew Zealand Astronomical Society can undertake the expedition. It is intended to take photographs of the eclipse and also records of the flash spectrum, that is, the light from the outermost bright layers of the sun’s atmosphere. It is hardly necessary to point out that the acquisition of the fullest knowledge of the sun is likely to be of the most direct value to us. since th*- whole economy of rnan depends on the sun’s rays—by the sun we live. It is important to have this knowledge, the necessary instruments arc now in Wellington. the main transport has ; been courteously arranged * by the j Xavy, facilities are being granted by | the Tongan Government, the personnel ! is available under the Dominion As- i tronomer, Dr. Adams—the one thing wanting is the small sum of £3OO. The Xew Zealand Astronomical Society has issued an appeal for this amount, and I am therefore, under the exceptional circumstances, taking this opportunity of asking your readers to help in this valuable scientific work. Any amounts will be welcomed, and I shall be pleased to receive money sent for this purpose, and to forward it to Wellington. Subscriptions should be sent to me. marked “For Eclipse Expedition,'’ and addressed “Professor!

(To the Editor.)

1- Bur bldge University College, Auckland. Cheques should be made payable to the Xew Zealand Astrono-m.l,<ra-l Society. I trust that Auckland will help generously. I*. W. BURBIDGE. President, Auckland Astronomical Society. RADIATORS Sir.— Referring to the “Urgent Notice to Consumers” issued by the Waitemata Electric-Power Board: One would expect that the board -would lead the wa> in practising economy during the "critical hours.” Tet at 4.30 p.m. on a recent Thursday I observed at least one electric radiator in use bv the staff at the board's head office in Albert Street. I- OPEN. V. hen This I-iter was referret to the Secretary of the Waitemata Electric! PoYvei Board. Mr. A. Main, it vtus explained that the board's head office va? !n th £. Auckland Power Board's -imI I *’ in "bicn was quite permisbetween TsV k po ' vtr for radiatofs, etc.. h T ° h Ts U n. 630 am - REASONING AGAINST REASON Sir, stran—e' I 1 : rrf KirSC ?. en ba um im pa rt s the strange information that reason consists of “the impressions conveved to eL^' nta h y , by the evidence of thS -ernes He has managed to get his definition reversed. Rather are those leeds. Rr-ctson is the sum of the iud~ve?v P £Ss S ot t a h nd as SU " h is *t U the fir rim v,- n° those scientific concephh no yonr correspondent, with eSlav's r to 1 „ of the terms ho Possible of ’ ° Ul<3 aESert to be possible of conception to reason lie MofeoverV'must "00"°? - must nou confuse th~ and experience 8 wi‘t a h < anv P m evidenCtfaith, .. . of j form. Further than tl apprehensions on id that “reason” v-ouiu 7 rea ®oning” in such things as a giving his <v’ th~n belief in God “reasonable” beware lest liß- 1.0-- f . shoulc. conclusion th-t ',”f.‘ C r force « . ! ‘nn to the is ar, „ ' . “t his conception of God is on a parity with that of a flat earth <Tl»e correspond - A&C I fid 1 . The Sun