General News

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25245, 25 July 1947, Page 6

General News

Disappointed Village On the strength of a rumour that Field-Marshal Montgomery was motoring to Kaikohe yesterday morning, the whole population of that town, including school children, who were given a noliday, turned out, to welcome him. Townspeople set out to make it a memorable greeting, and great was their disappointment when the Montgomery car carried only the crew of the field-marshal’s York aircraft. These- men had decided to see as much of North Auckland as possible before they were required again. Although the people of Kaikohe were disappointed, they entertained their visitors handsomely.—(P.A.) Shipments of Oranges Oranges should be fairly plentiful in Christchurch in the next lew weeks, as several shipments are due to be unloaded for the South Island shortly. The Christchurch manager of the Internal Marketing Division (Mr J. A. Manton) said yesterday that a transhipment of Australian oranges and lemons from the Fort Pic would be distributed in Christchurch next week, and a further shipment of Australian oranges on the Lodestone was due to arrive in Lyttelton, also next week. In addition, the Waitaki would unload oranges in about 10 or 14 days. These shipments assured the market of a good supply, Mr Manton said. The South Island would also receive 6000 cases of bananas early next week, a transhipment from

Aircraft Taxied Across Cook Strait Piloted by its owner (Mr J. M. Gould) and carrying two passengers, a Walrus amphibian aircraft was taxied across Cook Strait yesterday in about seven hours. It reached the shore at Paraparaumu at 10.46 p.m. after an uneventful crossing. With Mr Gould on the trip were his wife and a friend (Mr H. C. Fairlie). The sea was a little rough for most of the trip, but after Kapiti Island it became smooth. There was no trouble in the running of the aircraft. Mrs Gould said she dozed for most of the trip. Th? amphibian was taxied from Wairau bar, about 30 miles from Paraparaumu.—(P.A.) Turnround of Ships “Could I make just one suggestion?” asked Captain G. W. Hearn master of the motor-ship Port Lyttelton, at a function in the Lyttelton Borough Council Chambers yesterday. Captain Hearn was expressing his thanks to the people of Lyttelton for gifts of foodstuffs to the officers and crew. “If you could do something about turning our ships about more quickly it would be a great help in the problem of feeding Britain. The coming week-end will be the tenth we have spent on the coast of New Zealand,” he said.

Apples for the Field-Marshal When Field-Marshal Montgomery arrived at the Nelson aerodrome in brilliant sunshine yesterday he talked informally with some of the bystanders about Nelson’s sunshine record, and about Nelson’s apples. He remarked on his fondness for apples, and two children went home to get some, which they gave to him when he returned to the aerodrome to leave for Blenheim. His parting words at Nelson were of thanks for the children’s gift.—(P. A.) Tunnel Road Project

In reply to an inquiry from the Tunnel Road Promotion Committee, the Waimairi County Council expressed its view last eventing that the proposal should be given the highest priority on the regional 10-year plan. Several couhcillors commenteid that for the general benefit, of Christchurch a tunnel road would be of far more benefit than, for instance, the proposed Styx-Sockburn railway diversion. A letter from the Tunnel Road Promotion Committee said that expressions of opinion on the priority of the work were being collected from local bodies and passed on to the Public Works Department for a report by the district investigating officer (Mr A. B. McLauchlan). West Coasfr Schooners

“I always thought a schooner was some sort of ship; apparently they drink beer in ship-loads here,” said Field-Marshal Viscount Montgomery, to the great amusement of the crowd at his Westport reception yesterday. Field-Marshal Montgomery said he had been told by the Mayor (Mr J. M. Robertson) that Westport drank schooners of beer.—(F.O.O.R.) High Standard of Gas In 20 years there had been only two or three cases of gas samples failing to comply with the regulations. This was a remarkable record, said Mr F. J. T. Grigg, who has been appointed assistant-director of the Dominion Laboratory, at a gathering in his honour yesterday. “I suppose there is not an industry which is as badly hit as gas companies are at the present time; but in spite of their difficulties, the standard of gas is remarkably high,” he said. Special Flights for Sick Native A New Zealand Air Force Catalina flying-boat is expected to arrive at Auckland this afternoon from Fiji, carrying a native of Rarotonga, Mr J. Taripo, who is being taken to Auckland for a brain operation. A Hudson aircraft based at Nausori flew to Rarotonga on Wednesday to pick up the patient and returned to Fiji yesterday with Mr Taripo and a doctor who is accompanying him to New Zealand. After an overnight stay at Fiji the patient will be transferred to the Catalina, taking off from Lauthala Bay early to-day. The special flights were authorised by the Minister of Island Territories (Mr P. Fraser).— (P.A.)

Pictures of King and Queen Two large photogravure reproductions of portraits of the King and Queen have been presented to the Christchurch City Council by one of its inspectors, Mr G. Peake, who obtained them when serving overseas with the 2nd N.Z.E.F. The King is shown in Army uniform, and the Queen wears a diamond necklace and tiara. The pictures will be framed and hung in the council chamber. Corner Considered Dangerous

Since the live hedges had been removed from Harper avenue, the corner of Helmore’s road and the avenue had become definitely dangerous, said Mr G. Hamilton at a meeting last evening of the council of the Automobile Association (Canterbury). Two telegraph poles had been left standing at the corner, and they were only painted white. There was nothing to indicate where the turning was, and someone would “collect” them before long. On Helmore’s road itself there were no guiding hedges, and already one edge of the bridge had been cracked. The chief patrol officer had approached the City Council about the matter, and he hoped that there would be some improvement. Easy Win for Police The analysis of illegally manufactured liquor had been part of his work as Government Analyst, and during the war there were quite a number of stills operated in Canterbury, said Mr F. J. T. Grigg, who was bidden farewell yesterday before his departure for Wellington. There was one place in Manchester street, he said, in which the police fount! some casks of what they believed might be liquor. While he and a detective were investigating a man drove up in a car with the still. “It was one of the easiest wins for the police I have ever seen,” said Mr Grigg.

Surplus of Candles Auckland, which drew extensive stocks of candles from the South Island when electricity restrictions were first imposed, now has a surplus. A month ago grocers did not mention their stocks for fear of causing a run on limited supplies. Now they state that they can not persuade housewives to buy candles for an emergency. Marriage and Mental Health “Mental diseases occur much more frequently among single than married persons,” says the New York “Heraldtribune.” “This was indicated by a study of 14,231 admissions to a Norwegian state hospital by Dr. O. Oedegaard, its medical superintendent. He made an investigation to find out whether (1) mental disease acted, as a handicap to marriage, or (2) married life prevented the development of mental diseases. He concluded that the overwhelming evidence fc was in favour of the hypothesis that mental defects are a handicap to becoming married.”