General News

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21035, 11 December 1933, Page 8

General News

Christmas Dinner on Tanker. In a wire-netting enclosure on the deck of the British tanker Teakwood, which was at Lyttelton on Saturday, were several geese, which are being fattened for the Christmas dinner to be served on board the ship. The geese were bought a few weeks ago at Batum, the Russian port on the Black Sea, and they cost 2s each in English money. Each member of the ship's company, from the Japanese cook to the deck boy, is taking an active interest in the fattening of the birds for the table, and Christmas Day is being eagerly looked forward to by all hands. A Pole-Vaulter's Dilemma. One of those rare incidents which occur probably not as frequently as once in a lifetime in athletics happened 'on Saturday afternoon. Interested spectators were watching the pole-vaulting at the inter-club athletic meeting on the Ensor's road ground. It was late in the afternoon, and one by one the competitors were being eliminated. With the bar about eight feet high several of the B grade competitors were failing to get over. One of them, about to make a leap, ran up, leapt, reached the bar, and instead of coming down on the right side or the wrong, remained sitting on the bar. For quite five seconds he was perched eight feet in the air, his weight bearing mainly on the pole which he still held in his hands. There was an expression of bewilderment on his face which added more to the amusement of the spectators. He was uncertain about which side lie would, or could, come [down, until the heavy standards at either end of the bar began to lunge together, then he sprang forward, leaving a decidedly uncomfortable position, which he could probably never get into again if he tried. Relief Workers' Gardens. Entries in the relief workers' ! vegetable growing competition ! closed on Saturday, when 40 names hod been received. The total last year was 102, the dry weather and frosts this year having cut down the number of gardens /it for entry in the competition. The date of i judging has not yet been fixed, but it is likely to take place next week. The competition was arranged by the Garden Allotment Committee. Film Society Weather. Members of the Chrislchureh Film Society who are also gardeners received notices telling them of a screening last evening with more than the usual pleasure, for they thought this certain to mean the end of the drought. Their confidence was justified, for, as on each of the three previous occasions when a Film Society screening tias been held, the weather was good for gardens but unpleasant for pedestrians. School Committee;. In thanking the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan. M.l\) for forwarding a copy uf Ihe School Committee:;' Facilities Bill, al present before Parliament, the secretary of the Linwood Avenue School Committee wrote that the bill had proved of great interest to the members of the committee, who trusted that it would received the earnest support of all the members of the House, lie added: "The passing of the bill will be welcomed by all school committee men, as legalised card parties would prove : valuable source for raising fundi for school purposes." Access lo the Sea. Regarding the progress being made by the committee which is investigating the rival schemes to provide Christchurch with improved access to the sea, Mr W. Machin, chairman of the committee, told a reporter on Saturday that the commit lee was still being held up owing to the non-receipl of certain information about one of the schemes. The committee met on Friday evening and discussed the general outline of its report, but was not able to make further headway because of the absence of the information referred to. The committee intended doing its best 1o have its report completed before the end of the year, but it would depend on whether it obtained the information it still lacked in time. Smoke Nuisance. On Saturday morning residents in the area west of the Normal School suffered pronounced inconvenience from the smoke from certain factory chimneys in the vicinity, an inconvenience, amounting to a nuisance many consider, which recurs every time a strong easterly is blowing. Complaints have been ma.de on several occasions to the municipal authorities and they have been urged to invoke the powers given under the Public Health Act in order to have the nuisance slopped or abated. Cr. E. 11. Andrews, chairman of the town planning committee of the City Council, told a reporter on Saturday morning that i there had been investigations made into the complaints received. In respect of one of the factories complained of the owners were taking | steps to demolish the existing chimney and were erecting steel shafts I of greater height in the hope that I the cause for complaint against them i would be removed. Transport of Infectious Cases. It has come to the notice of the Medical Officer of Health that persons have been using for infectious cases the ambulances intended for the transport of sick and injured. »The North Canterbury Hospital Board has available special ambulances for infectious cases. As the ambulance authorities cannot delay while making enquiries into the circumstances of what might be a serious case, it is considered the duty of householders to see that ordinary ambulances are not called for the transport of patients suffering from infectious diseases. During December P. and D. Duncan. Limited, are paying the railage one way on all ploughs and other implements sent in to their Christchurch Works for repairs. Farmers are advised to take advantage of this offer and have their Machhies repaired by expert.';. P. and D. Duncan. Limited, 196 Tuam street, Christchurch-. —1 Ninety per cent, of those who use taxis are the workers, yet some of the M.P.'s are doing their best to make a law to raise the minimum taxi tares; this may mean double or treble the present, and the Gold Band Taxis are the only one:; against it, ro it. is up to you to ride in Cold Hand Taxis only. Lowest fare Is. Thank you. —2