General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24987, 23 September 1946, Page 4

General News

Daffodil Day

Many thousands visited the Christchurch Botanic Gardens yesterday for Daffodil Day. It was impossible to estimate the size of the crowd, but it was the largest which has viewed the display of daffodils in the woodland setting. The weather was excellent for the visitors, although the daffodils had suffered from the morning gale, which sapped their colour. The gardens were not congested at any stage and the authorities said the highest praise could be given for the general behaviour of the public, the amount of damage being negligible. A collection was taken in aid of the building fund of the Canterbury Horticultural Society and reached about £9O, against £4l collected last year.

Brandy Pillaged A recent consignment of a cask of brandy containing 32 gallons, from Wellington to Greymouth, was found on arrival to contain only 14 gallons, the result of being broached either on the Wellington waterfront or en route. The contents had been taken out of the cask apparently after being loaded into the vessel. It was found at Greymouth that.the brandy was leaking from the top end, when efforts were made to unload it from the hold of the vessel. The quantity removed totalled 132 bottles. The duty payable on the brandy was £3 a gallon.— (F.0.0.R.)

Large Run of Herring An unusually large run of herring was reported last evening by a fisherman at Shag Rock. The fish were described as moving in thousands up the estuary between 8 and 10 p.m. At the time there were no other fishermen present, and the observer, who was fishing for cod, said that the herring 'were getting tangled in his line. Although this is the first report of what is an annual occurrence in the estuary, it is not common for such large runs to take place. Poor Whitebait Catches Whitebait, apart from moderate catches in some streams further south of Greymouth, remain unprocurable at Greymouth, there having been no catches, even of an isolated nature, of any quantity of more than half a pint during the last three or four days. Rainy and squally weather along the West Coast, combined with rough seas, has been against catches and it will be the next spring tides at the earliest before any quantities can be anticipated.— (F.0.0.R.)

Bananas for the South Carrying more than 3500 cases of bananas, a special goods train will leave Auckland for Wellington at 11 o’clock to-night. The “banana special” will be made up of about 15 bogie waggons to enable an express schedule to be maintained. The bananas are part of a shipment of 24,000 cases which arrived at Auckland on Friday from the Islands by the Matua. , |

. Heavy Seas at Greymouth While seas abated sufficiently on Saturday to permit the passage of the Karu with coal for Wellington and the Poolta with coal for Napier, and the arrival of the Kiwitea to load coal for Auckland and the Holmlea to load coal for New Plymouth, there was a fresh onset of rough seas almost immediately, and yesterday high seas were being experienced along the coast. The Kaimai and Rata were expected in the roadstead last night but will be unable to enter the port before to-day at the earliest.—(F.O.O.R.)

Calf to Travel by Air Plans made by the Government railair freight service to bring a valuable pedigree calf from Christchurch to Auckland by air were abandoned when the calf, which was only a week old, died. The calf belonged to an Invercargill breeder and was valued at £ 100. It is possible that another calf from the same farm may be flown "o Auckland later, at parcel rates, in an aircraft carrying only freight, as regulations forbid the carriage of livestock in passenger planes. Sale of Health Stamps The sale of health stamps in the Christchurch area is to begin on October 24, and already there are substantial grounds for the hope held by the Chief Post Office that this year’s total receipts from their sale will be a record. An innovation this year is that the stamps can be used on receipts. Orders have already been made for bulk issues of the stamps, and those seeking them in big lots are requested by the local committee to make application early, so that if possible deliveries can be made before the first day of sale. Fisheries Conference Inspectors of fishery from all districts in the Dominion have been called to attend a conference of the Fisheries Branch of the Marine Department starting in Wellington on October 8. The conference will last a week during which a wide range of subjects will be discussed. Suggestions for the general improvement of the fishing business and of the branches administration, and new legislation, are expected to be discussed by the conference.—(P.A.) Tourist Facilities Discussion of the Tourist vote gave members of the House of Representatives an opportunity to advance the claims of their own districts. Mr W. H. Gillespie (Opposition, Hurunui) said Hanmer Springs was in need of improvement, particularly of conveniences. The Mmister-in-Charge (the Hon. W. E. Parry) replied that Hanmer Springs was a matter for the Health Department. When Mr G. R. Herron (Opposition, Awarua) suggested a flying-boat service from Bluff to Stewart Island to avoid the rough crossing, Mr Parry said the intention was to have a modern ship which would also call at the Sounds. Miss M. B. Howard (Government, Christchurch East) urged the early improvement of the Tourist Bureau at “poor old Christchurch,” which, she said, had nothing much more than a passage, while Auckland and Wellington had comfortable premises.—(F.0.P.R.)

Jobs in Australia “Any former serviceman who has ambitions to go to Australia in search of a job is urged to think twice about it,” states the “R.SA. Review.” “The N.Z.R.S.A. liaison officer in Sydney •(Mr C. Roy Stanley) has had several requests for assistance from New Zealand servicemen who find themselves stranded in Australia after a vain search for a job.” The “Review” warns members against going to Australia unless they have a job to go to or unless they have enough money to maintain them while they are over there and enough to pay their fare back to New Zealand when, and if. they can get a passage

Naval Control Station Closes One of the last British Naval Control Stations remaining, the Naval Control Service Office at Auckland, will close to-day and the Marine Department will resume its pre-war duty of supplying hydrographic information to merchant ships. Since the outbreak of war the Naval Control Office has been one of the most important service organisations in Auckland. It became a focal point in shipping intelligence and was responsible for the movements of all ships entering and leaving the port.—(P.A.)

12,633 Food Coupons Collected The number of coupons collected by the Ashburton Technical High School in the Food for Britain campaign over a period of 18 weeks totals 12,633, an average of just over 700 a week, said the principal of the school (Mr W. Crawford) in his report to the annual meeting of the Ashburton Technical High School Board. A special appeal made during one week last term had resulted in the return of 1839 coupons, a number well in excess of at least one postal district, said Mr Crawford. Operation of Kure Docks “Since February 13. when the first ship arrived. 87 transport and cargo ships have been handled in Kure docks, and in addition to the 38,000 troops. 34,000 tons of stores and equipment. including 6300 vehicles, nave been discharged,” states a report from the 8.C.0.F. Public Relations Service in Japan. “This steady flow of men and material, which went on without a break, was undertaken in an extensively bomb-damaged naval port, quite unsuitable for normal cargo working. Through the efforts of base units at Kure. all these difficulties were overcome. The Japanese rail system has also been organised to work for the occupation force, and already 176 special troop and freight trains have been run, covering some 10.000.000 ton miles and more than 11,000,000 pas- , senger miles.”