Aviators found alive and well

Honolulu: The officers and men of PN9-1 were found alive and well adrift in the Pacific by a United States submarine on Thursday afternoon 15 miles east of Kauai. The plane was found floating at 4pm. It is being towed to Pearl Harbour. Two American naval aeroplanes left San Francisco on the afternoon of Monday, August 31, with the object of making a continuous flight to Honolulu. After covering a distance of 300 miles PN9-2 was forced to alight on the ocean owing to engine trouble. The other machine, which was in charge of Commander Rodgers, the leader of the expedition, was forced to descend about 1.45pm on the Tuesday afternoon, the last radio message from the commander reading: "Guess we will be gone if we have to land in the rough sea without a motor." Despite an exhaustive search by the destroyers lining the route of the flight and other vessels no trace was found of the missing seaplane, and after the lapse of several days all hope of rescuing the crew alive was virtually abandoned. And now comes the welcome news conveyed in the above message.

New book describes tāngata Māori

On all matters connected with the Maori, his habits and customs, Mr Elsdon Best is the acknowledged authority, for he has studied the subject at first hand over a long period of years. To his two substantial volumes already published Mr Best has added another book called "The Maori As He Was: a Brief Account of Maori Life as it was in Pre-European Days” (Wellington: the Dominion Museum), this being issued as one of the manuals of 

the New Zealand Board of Science and Art. The scope of this manual is outlined by the author in a brief preface: ‘‘The want of a brief account of the Maori folk of New Zealand, of their ancient customs, beliefs, institutions, and industries, has been long felt. Inquiries for such a work are frequently made. It is therefore hoped that this condensed account of the Maori as he was will serve to meet the above-mentioned demand."

Moir’s guide to campfires

One of the best tests of a bushman is his ability to light a fire under any circumstances whatever. This is no trouble with dry wood, but in wet weather it is a problem. For this purpose each man should always carry with him a supply of matches in a tightly-corked bottle. A couple of pieces of candle (wax, not tallow) four or five inches long should also find a place in every swag, not so much for use in camp at night as  for  starting a fire. When everything is wet, every one of the party should immediately set to work to gather a large supply of dead birch leaves and twigs, and then some larger sticks. The fire is laid with as large a pile of these dead leaves and twigs as possible, leaving a convenient space at the bottom where a lighted candle may be placed. If anything suitable is available, some kind of screen, consisting of a piece of calico, a bag, or a cape, should be rigged up on stakes several feet above the pile to keep the direct rain off.

When everything is ready, with plenty of wood at hand, the lighted candle is applied, and it will be a surprise to see how quickly the dead birch leaves, wet as they are, burn up. When the blaze is properly started the candle may be removed and larger pieces of wood added. "Feed a wet fire” is a good rule: plenty of the wet sticks must be piled on top to be getting dried by the heat from below. — by George Moir — ODT, 12.9.1925