General News

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25273, 27 August 1947, Page 6

General News

Whisky Filtered A case of whisky accepted and passed by the Customs Department in Wellington as true to label, was found on arrival at Westport yesterday morning to contain stones wrapped in portions of and covered with a seaman’s old jersey. All the bottles had been pillaged and the case had been skilfully repacked so that it would not exceed the exact weight of 411b.—(P.A.)

Right-hand Rule “I think it is a fair observation to say that this is one of the very awkward intersections which has occasioned, and which will occasion, more difficulty in the. observance of the right-hand rule,” said Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M.. referring to the Cambridge terrace-Madras street corner during the hearing of a case in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The Magistrate mentioned the strict watch that motorists had to keep at the intersection because of the possibility of traffic also travelling on Kilmore street. Acquisitions by Museum Few fresh acquisitions will be placed on display in the Canterbury Museum within the next two weeks, as the museum will be closed for its annual cleaning from September 15 to September 28. Additions to collections recently include a Japanese twohanded sword with a finely carved bone sheath and hilt. In the African section a striking array of Zulu weapons presented by Mr N. Alexander from the estate of Professor R. E. Alexander has been added. Included among these are weapons used by famous chiefs of the late 1870’s, CeteWayo and Benguela. A small but important collection of Chatham Island Moriori relics, gathered by the late Mr William Bassett, has been presented to the Museum by Mr Bassett’s relatives. Sea Scouts Reach Wellington Manned by 11 sea scouts, under Commissioner A. J. Black, the motor-launch Alert arrived at Wellington from Lyttelton at 5.15 p.m. yesterday. The launch met head seas all the way, but the trip was accomplished in about 19 hours. The launch will sail for Picton and Nelson on Thursday.—(P.A.) Breaches of Road Code An increase in breaches of the traffic regulations and disregard for road courtesies were claimed by several members at the Council meeting of the Automobile Association (Canterbury) last evening. Carelessness about simple rules was causing growing confusion. chiefly in Christchurch, it was stated. Members mentioned specifically the practice of “cutting corners” and failing to observe the amended regulations about giving Way to other traffic at intersections. It was decided to se&k the opinion of delegates at thd annual conference of the South Island Motor Union next month about remedial action. Tools of Trade Among 60,000 applications received by the Australian Repatriation Department for tools of trade was one asking for a dog. The applicant was a drover, and after a study of pedigrees, the department sent him a pup. A minister of religion asked for a cassock and surplice, which were sent to him. Other applications (all granted) came from a waiter who wanted a tray, an entertainer asking for roller skates, a museum scientist seeking a rifle to shoot crocodiles, and a stipendiary steward and a racing commentator, both needing binoculars. The department makes grants of £lO and loans up to £4O to eligible servicemen. National Savings

All national savings records were broken last Week, when 326 of the 352 quota towns exceeded their investment targets. These quotas are assessed on the basis of 4s a household a week. In less than five months of the current financial year more than 50 er cent, of the quota areas have subscribed their full year's objectives. The South Island has 93 successful towns and the North Island 90. Two hundred and forty-five group depositors were enrolled in the Waikato during a week’s special effort, the highest weekly increase in any one postal district for some time. The New Zealand total of new group depositors was 650. —(P.S.S.) Free Breakdown Service

When service station mechanics, operating the free breakdown service for the Automobile Association (Canterbury), have arrived bn country roads in answer to calls for assistance, they have recently found the caller gone. This was reported last evening to the council of the association which decided to recommend that any member seeking service should be required to give his full name, address, and vehicle registration number, so that expenses could be recovered if the order had not been cancelled. Jam-eating Record Pupils of New Plymouth Girls’ High School have protested against the award of the jam-eating record recently to boys of Nelson College. They claim that 30 girls recently ate 1001 b of assorted jams in a fortnight, which is equivalent to 6 2-31 b a girl a month, or one-sixth of a pound better than the Nelson performance. This quantity was eaten as snacks and did not include the jam disposed of during the main meals of the day. South Island Air Terminal The Automobile Association (Canterbury) agreed last evening to sign the petition seeking approval of Harewood as the South Island overseas air terminal. £75 Lost and Found A Napier motorist arriving in Hastings, after a search of his pockets as he sat in his car, came to the conclusion that he had lost a bundle of notes amounting to £75. He drove to the police station to report the loss. His daughter left the car and noticed the money resting close to the edge of the running-board. The notes had fallen from the driver’s pocket as he entered the car in Napier, and they had remained on the running-board during the 12-mile trip. Rugby Council Minutes “There are not many matters affecting the Canterbury Rugby Union in these minutes of a meeting of the New Zealand Council,” said the president (Mr V. L. Jensen) at a meeting of the management committee last evening. “I see the circular is marked ‘Confidential—not for publication.’ That is rather funny, for we read about 50 per cent, of what happens at meetings of the council in the newspapers,” remarked Mr Jensen. British Atomic Pile The first atomic pile in Britain, now functioning in Berkshire, was built by New Zealanders, the preparations having been made in Canada. New Zealanders associated with Mr C. N. Watson Munro, who has already been mentioned in relation to the work, are Messrs N. B. Manson, J. G. Ferguson, A. Allan, R. D. Page, and I. K. Walker. - “Price Tribunal Due for Overhaul” “The Price Tribunal is due for an overhaul, and I think we are going to get that overhaul,” said Mr R. T. Alston, secretary of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, in an address to commercial interests at Greymouth last evening. “We are fast approaching the position where we will not need price control, as we hope to get back to the former method of competition shortly,” said Mr H. R. Lake, a member of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association. —(F.0.0.R.) Storm at Auckland Damage estimated at £2OO was done to a stand at Eden Park by a whirlwind in a brief storm that swept across Auckland early yesterday afternoon. Most of the iron roofing, and cross beams were ripped from the stand and the roof was lifted into the air and thrown across the tramway Overhead wires on a loop behind the ground. Torrential rain was accompanied by thunder, lightning, and, in some suburbs, hail. In a few minutes some shops were flooded, electric power was cut off in some areas,, and tramcars were brought to a standstill—(PJL) i