FINLAND, LAND OF SILENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 4

FINLAND, LAND OF SILENCE

BAN ON UNNECESSARY NOISES SCENE OF 1940 OLYMPIC GAMES

If a New Zealand team is sent to the Olympic Games in Finland next year, they will find at Helsinki climatic conditions different from those to which they are accustomed. The month in which the Games will be held, July, is the warmest month in Helsinki. July is also the month of slight rainfall and long days. Before the middle of this month darkness does not come at all, and even in the early part of August there arc 16 hours or daylight out of the 24.

Apart from this, darkness does not come abruptly witn the sinking ot the sun; the day gently lades into twilight and complete darkness does not come until well over an hour after sunset. Investigations carried out over the period 1881-1930 show that the average temperatures in Helsinki during tne summer months are as follows:

June.—7 a.m., 55.2; 9 a.m., 58.6; 3 p.m„ 60.4; 8 p.m., 57.5; 9 p.m., 55.7; mean temperature, 57.4. July.—7 a.m., 61.8; 9 a.m., 65.1; 3 p.m., 67.2; 8 p.m., 64.0; 9 p.m., 62.0; mean temperature, 64.0. August.—7 a.m., 57.5; 9 a.m., 61.1; 3 p.m., 63.3; 8 p.m., 59.7; 9 p.m., 58.2; mean temperature, 59.9. Stadium to Seat 63,000. Building operations on the Hensinki Stadium were commenced in 1934, ano completed by the spring of 1938. The first athletic contests were held there on June 12 last year. Situated in the Toolo district of the western part of Helsinki, and in the so-called Eiaintarha Park, the stadium is a mere fifteen minutes’ walk, or live minutes by bus or tram, from the centre of the town. Accommodating approximately 30,000 spectators at the present time, work in connection with the enlargement of the stadium, which commenced this autumn, will result in provision being made lor some 63,000 spetators by August, 1939. The oval running track is of red powdered brick, and has a length of 400 metres to the lap. Its breadtn, which is 8.5 metres, permits of sever runners participating in the shorter distance races at one and the same time. The straight sides of the track are each 96 metres long. The arena faces north and souln, th grandstand being on the western side. The inner side of the track nearest the stand is reserved for the iong jump and hop, step, and jump events. At the southern end of the stadium prevision is made for the high jump and pole vault, while such contests as hammer throwing, weight putting, an.'.’, javelin throwing will be decided at its northern extreme. The large and well-kept grass plot

occupying the centre of the arena is. when required, used as a football

Grounds fi r Training. Good training grounds are available at the Toolo football grounds, just outside the towering stadium walls. The fields, at present being used for football, are to be reserved during the Olympic Genies for prtliminar/ "warming-up," jogging, etc., purposes. The nearest properly equipped training ground to the stadium will be the well-known Eiaintarha sports arena, where all athletic festivals and international contests were formerly held, Ils 400 metres cinder track has gained the reputation ot being the fastest in the world. Eiaintarha has been the scene of many outstanding performances, including Lauri Lehtinen's phenomenal world-record of 500 metres in 14.17.0, made in 1932. and still unbeaten. A training field lias already been provided just outside the Eiaintarha ground and only about 400 metres from the stadium, for athletes engaged in weight-putting and hammer throwing. The Kallio sports ground, less than a mile from Eiaintarha, is also well fitted for training purposes. Where Sun Doesn't Set. In the north of Finland, during several weeks of the summer, the sun does not set. It is possible to bask in its health-giving rays the clock around. Considering that this phenomenon can be observed in seen sally beautiful surroundings, easily accessible by modern roads, it is no wonder that travellers from the exit ernes of the earth make pilgrimages to Finland for this one reason, often, a.one. There the responsive mind might v. ax exuberant under the spell cl o sun that circles the heavens but never touches a horizon. The experience is unforgettable. In the towns and cities of Finland, traffic has been, so to speak, on a silence strike for the past ten years. Autos are allowed to make noises above a whisper only in exceptional emergencies. Under this arrangement the community in general has inestimably benefited.

Statistics show that immediately uj on the adoption of this silence system there was an appreciable lessening in the number of traflic accidents.

Such a result would seem only natural, since people must now rely no longer upon the treacherous ear, but instead upon the wide-open eye. In addition, what r. boon to lovers of quiet for its own sake is this system!