LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21220, 17 September 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Close Neighbours Nearly 90 per cent, of Canada’s people live within 200 miles north of the United States border. Equinoctial Weather Typically unpleasant weather such as in usual at the Spring equinox was experienced in Hamilton yesterday. Conditions were showery and boisterous with sudden squalls of rain. This morning was bright and fine though temperatures were still cool. Tar-scaling of Footpath Work has been commenced on the tar-sealing of some of the newlyformed footpaths in Garden Place. Yesterday a strong wind blew the tar fumes into the nearby shopping areas, giving the air a distinctive aroma. Births at Zoo Two tiger and two leopard cubs have recently been born at Newtown Park Zoo, Wellington. Unfortunately, the tigress concerned declined to rear her cubs, which had to be destroyed. The little leopard kittens, however, are doing well. Secretary’s Position No decision was reached at a meeting of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce held last night to consider the position of the secretary, Mr R Challiner, who is in a military camp. On the motion of Mr A. J. Yendell the question was referred back to the executive.

Pacific Air Travel Pan American Airways’ American Clipper arrived at Auckland shortly after three o’clock yesterday afternoon after a fine passage of 7hrs 9min from Noumea. Captain K. V. Beer was in command. The Clipper leaves Auckland tomorrow morning for Noumea, on the first stage of her return to San Francisco.

900 Miles of Hose Nine hundred miles of hose for fire-fighting purposes were made in England last year, stated the Superintendent of the Hamilton Fire Brigade, Mr A. Craig, at the Rotary Club luncheon yesterday. Because all this hose was needed in Britain to combat possible fires caused by air raids, local brigades had been unable to get their order fulfilled. Interesting Experiment An interesting experiment showing how spontaneous combustion arises and how fires may be caused by the contact of two substances, harmless in themselves, was made by Superintendent Craig, of the Hamilton Fire Brigade, at the weekly luncheon of the Rotary Club yesterday. The superintendent mixed a little glycerine with some grains of Ccndy’s crystals (potassium permanganate). In a few seconds there was a fierce flash of flame accompanied by bluish fumes. The top of the cigarette tin on which the experiment was carried out was burnt by the heat of the combustion. Two Tiger Moth Planes a Day Reports from Australia indicate that the De Havilland Aircraft Company, Mascot (N.S.W.), has reached a production output of two Tiger Moth trainers a day several months ahead of schedule. The company has received orders for 650 of the type for the initial flight instruction of Empire Air Scheme pilots. More than 50 Tiger Moths have already been delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force. Australian alpine ash and mountain ash are being used in a small degree in the new trainers, and it is believed that an Australian timber will later replace imported spruce.

Symbol of Goodwill On her arrival at Auckland by the American Clipper yesterday, Mrs Clara Adams, of Long Island, New York, handed to the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, for temporary keeping a beautiful silk American flag. This was presented to her, with another for transmission to Australia, by the Congress of American Poets, which has been holding its fifth annual congress at the New York World’s Fair. The stripes on the flag are separate pieces of silk sewn together, while the stars have been embroidered on the blue ground. The whole is bordered with a rich gold fringe and attached to a staff capped with an American eagle in gilt metal. Wreath Consigned to Sea

As the American clipper, which arrived at Auckland yesterday from San Francisco, was passing southeast of Howland Island, Mrs Clara Adams, as an honorary vice-presi-dent of the Women’s International Association of Aeronautics, cast into the sea a large wreath of bronzed magnolia leaves in tribute to Amelia Earhart Putnam, the American aviatrix, who was lost in that part of the Pacific in 1933 with her co-pilot, Fred Noonan. The wreath was tied with a red, white and blue ribbon, and attached to it was a small bottle containing a paper with the signatures of the president and principal officers of the association. Germans In U.S.A. “ The German-American Bund is in thorough disrepute,” said Mr Julius M. Rapaport, of Pennsylvania, United States, who arrived at Auckland by the American Clipper yesterday. “It is under Congressional investigation. I would say it would have no substantial effect on public opinion. The Dies Committee has done a lot toward exposing it. As for Colonel Charles Lindbergh, he has fallen from caste. Everyone admires his flying ability, but everyone feels that when he gets into the sphere of international ! diplomacy he is floundering in something he does not understand. He does not command a very great following.