Following the invocation, the native attendants from the Fijian Court at the Exhibition rendered two musical items, after which the leader of the party, Ratu Kini, a chief and the son of a chief, presented to the president for the acceptance of his wife, a piece of "tapa" and three native baskets with the words: "We ask you to accept these small gifts from us for Mrs Macdonald, who has been very kind to us during our stay in Dunedin. They are a token of our gratitude from us for her goodness. They are only small things, but we are far from our own land. We trust that some day you may visit Fiji when we shall be able to welcome you, and return your kindness."
Victory for firefighting
A wonderful display of fire-fighting was given by Deputy-superintendent J.J. Williams on behalf of the Victory Chemical Fire Extinguisher. The practical demonstration was most convincing, onlookers being astounded at the efficacy of the patent and the wonderfully short time — a space of from one to three seconds only in each instance — in which the blaze was instantly extinguished.
A carbon dioxide gas generated from the powder, after coming in contact with heat, immediately suffocated all blaze upon a handful of the powder being vigorously thrown into the seat of the fire.
The first test of scrim and paper, representing the interior of a room on fire, was extinguished in one second. The second demonstration, tow and kapoc, a very quickly spreading fire, one second saw that extinguished.
No 3 consisted of shavings. That, also, was extinguished in one second.
No 4 was a lamp setup on a sack, conveying the idea of a table cover on fire or a methylated spirit stove capsized (a fire that has ruined thousands of homes). One handful of the powder was sufficient to extinguish it.
No 5 consisted of a tin dish with petrol sprinkled around the inside and a small cocoa tin filled with petrol placed in the centre blazing fiercely, a most interesting demonstration to car owners and motor launch pronrietors. One second was the life of this fire once the powder was applied.
No 6 — beeswax and turpentine with methylated spirits added, rather a difficult fire to overpower because of the thickness of the oils. One handful also saw that extinguished.
No 7 — film. Three seconds saw this blaze extinguished.
No 8 — celluloid, one of the quickest fires known. However, the Victory Powder proved the victor in one handful.
No 9 — rubber. About 2 pounds of this material, cut up finely and saturated with petrol. It succumbed to one handful of Victory.
No 10 — a man’s overcoat set on fire, with petrol added. One handful also extinguished this fire.
Lastly — a case 9 feet high by 3ft wide, saturated with three gallons of highly inflammable tar and petrol. The public gave Deputy Williams quite an ovation on his extinguishing such a tremendous blaze in the matter of two and a-half seconds, proving that the Victory Chemical Powder is a miniature fire brigade in itself. (Published by arrangement) — ODT, 4.3.1926
