The Water of Leith at Woodhaugh Gardens, Dunedin. Otago Witness, 23.2.1926
Anyhow opportunity offered, and he addressed the citizens in these words or in words to this effect: “This is my first visit to Edinburgh; naturally I have looked round and made inquiries.
I find that the name ‘Edinburgh’ means the burgh or town of Edin, perhaps the fortress of Edin, for I see you have a castle. I come from New Zealand, and we have there a city named ‘Dunedin,’ the ‘dun’ or hill of Edin.
There is a great similarity between the two places. You have a Princes Street in Edinburgh; there is a Princes Street in Dunedin.
You have a Water of Leith; there is a Water of Leith in Dunedin. You probably have cannie Scots in Edinburgh; there are certainly cannie Scots in Dunedin — I know them well!
You have a Burns statue in Edinburgh; there is a statue of Burns in Dunedin, his back to the kirk, his face towards — what shall I say — I’ll — I leave it to you, gentlemen.
Edinburgh, I hear, is the ‘Athens of the North ’; Dunedin, strange to say, is known as the ‘Athens of the South.’ We drink whisky in Dunedin — the ‘light wine of the country.’ I shall be glad to learn by experiment whether your local beverage of the same name is of the same kind and quality.”
Cries of “Have a drink, old man!”, laughter and confusion. — by ‘Civis’
Makes you feel so insignificant
The public meeting of the Science Congress last night was addressed by Dr C. Coleridge Farr on “The Story of the Universe.”
The lecturer, to begin with, referred to the suns, stars, and planets to be seen in the heavens, and proceeded to discuss different types of nebulae with the aid of some beautifully clear lantern slides.
Double stars and star clusters were illustrated and described. It had been estimated that of the stars we saw a third or more were double stars and there were many triple and multiple stars.
Probably next came the spiral nebulae, none of which could be seen by the naked eye, but of which the most powerful telescope could distinguish half a million.
La Place’s nebular hypothesis was outlined and criticised. Its central truth lay in the emphasis it placed on the nebulae. It was now concluded that the primitive form of the universe was a gaseous nebula.
The history of the development of a nebula was outlined and some idea given of the vast size and speed of those bodies.
Dealing next with the solar system, the professor described the forces at work in its making.
One of the earliest attempts to estimate the age of the earth was that of Lord Kelvin in 1862, who estimated that the sun had illuminated the earth for some 25,000,000 years.
Geologists basing calculations on the salinity of the ocean estimated that 150,000,000 years was required, but calculations based on the age of sedimentary rocks pointed to a period of 350,000,000 years. Radio activity gave a basis for more accurate calculations, and these gave the result of 800,000,000 years.
Temperature peaks at 30°C
Yesterday was the hottest day experienced in Dunedin this summer.
The heat was torrid between 10am and 1pm. The atmosphere was stifling, the sun brazing.
The thermometer reading was the highest recorded for several summers.
The maximum reading at 7.50am was 74, and 76 at 8.30am.
The mercury then quickly rose until it reached the maximum of 86.
The minimum reading was 54. — ODT, 30.1.1926
