Diffident in Dunedin

There were small white hats to the extent of about 1100 bobbing about Dunedin’s streets yesterday as their owners — sailors belonging to the visiting squadron of the United States Navy, made the most of their liberty in seeing the sights that Dunedin could show them, visiting various points of interest, sampling now and then the city’s brew, and gradually becoming acquainted.

The weather fortunately was fine, though a little cold, but the men are getting acclimatised and appear to be enjoying themselves. Dunedin is proving, however, a town in which friends are not made immediately, and the sailors are spending quite an amount of time in their own company. "Your people are less friendly than those in Melbourne," said one of the visitors, and he explained this by referring to the comparative sizes of the two cities. 

The sailors felt afraid to talk with strangers as they had done in Melbourne, and Dunedin rather reminded them of the base at San Diego where spare time ashore was spent in the streets. There also appears to the visitors a dearth of girls. 

Electric sandwiches

The builders are making good progress with the Exhibition Restaurant behind the New Zealand Secondary Industries Pavilion. The area of the restaurant will be 160 x 60 feet, and it will seat from 700 to 800 diners at one time.

Visitors to the Exhibition will be able to obtain anything they want from light refreshments to a full dinner. The kitchen will be the last word in modem catering. Electric ovens and cookers will do all the cooking, and a big electric machine will cleanse the dishes.

A new machine will cut bread and spread butter on it without the food being handled by attendants, and it is possible that another electric appliance will be obtained which automatically prepares meat and other kinds of sandwiches.

We got the right Gordon

The New Zealander who has gone with Mr Grettir Algarsson to the Arctic is Mr Gordon Burt (Dunedin), as chief engineer. Mr Burt came to England in March 1923, for the purpose of gaining further engineering experience. He has been in various branches of Metropolitan Vickers and has been studying for his Bachelor of Science degree at Liverpool University. He passed his first professional last year and, just before he left for this expedition, he had the pleasant news that he had passed his second professional examination.

— ODT London correspondent

Mount Cargill Rd progress

An entirely satisfactory state of affairs in regard to the Main North road to Waitati was reported by the Otago Motor Club chairman, who stated that last week he had seen Mr Beck, the engineer in charge, who assured him that despite the fact that wet weather had hindered the work, he would push on the construction of this section and, if necessary, work shifts to expedite its completion by the date of the opening of the Exhibition.

Palmerston town clerk retires

At the monthly meeting of the Palmerston Borough Council Mr W.B. Galloway, who has filled the office of town clerk for over 23 years, tendered his resignation on account of ill health and other duties, stating that he was sorry he could not complete 25 years of service. 

— ODT, 12.8.1925 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)