General News

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25303, 1 October 1947, Page 6

General News

Aircraft’s Forced Landing An Auster aircraft which left Jackson’s Bay district, South Westland, at 7.30 a.m. yesterday made a forced, landing in the Lammerlaw range, about 45 miles from Dunedin, about 10 o’clock. The . pilot (Mr C. W. Hewitt) was noir injured. The aircraft, which was carrying whitebait to Dunedin, is owned by the Southern Scenic Airtrips Company. The forced landing was caused by* a downdraught which the pilot said was the worst he had experienced. . He landed in a valley with little clearance, but only minor structural damage was done to the undercarriage. Mr Hewitt, who knew the country well, walked about 15 miles to Rocklands station and later came to Dunedin. The machine is expected to b£ in the air again in a few days.—(P.A.) Frozen Meat Prejudice Since South Island butchers were instructed to use 10 per cent, of frozen meat in their quotas at the beginning of last month, some local traders have had curious reactions from customers. One customer telephoned a butcher to say that the meat she had received during the two previous week-ends was not relished, as it was frozen meat. The butcher inquired. from her what class of meat she had had, and was informed that it was sirloin beef. It turned out that since the instruction

was introduced the butcher had not handled frozen sirloin beef, as he had been unable to procure it. Tug Resumes Voyage

The tug Barbara W., which was forced to shelter at Napier during the week-Snd from a .storm while on her way from Auckland to Wellington, left at 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon for Wellington.—(P.A.) Calf Resembles Deer The calf of a Jersey cow on the farm of Mr Charles Lynch, Six Mile, Murchison, has many of the characteristics of a deer. The cow had been grazing in back country where deer run. The young animal, which is a female, is a fortnight old. Though it is quite healthy, it is still only half the size of an ordinary calf. It has a very fine head. Its hindquarters resemble those of a deer more than the forequarters do. The feet in particular are definitely not like those of cattle. New Zealand Cruise by Arbutus After refitting at the Devonport naval dockyard, the Flower class corvette Arbutus has begun an extensive working-up programme." in the Hauraki Gulf. On the completion of exercises, the Arbutus is to make a cruise round New Zealand ports. She will be at sea at the same time as the cruiser Bellona, but her itinerary will include smaller ports, including Bluff, Oamaru, Timaru, and New Plymouth.—(P.A.) Sunshine in September Last month was the sunniest September in Christchurch for many years. A total of 193 hours of sunshine was recorded. Since 1928 there have been only three other occasions when more than 190 hours of sunshine were recorded during September. The record was reached with 211.6 hours in-1933 which is well above the average for September of 160.8 hours. The record low total of 104 hours for the month was reached in 1943. The rainfall for September this year by 3.30 p.m. yesterday amounted to 2.18 in. The average fall during September is 2.1 lin. Last year, when there was a very late spring, 6.14 in of rain fell in September setting a record for that month since statistics were first kept in 1902. Absenteeism in Tramways Replying to complaints about the shortage of trams on Saturdays, the Wellington City Council Tramways’ Department said that labour was the problem. The Incidence of absenteeism on Saturdays was remarkably high, as the staff liked to have the week-ends free. Even at overtime rates, Saturday work was not popular. Last Saturday 53 members of the staff were absent, arid it seemed impossible to improve ’on that figure.—(P.A.) First-day Health Stamp Covers

The demand throughout New Zealand for first-day covers for the health stamp campaign which begins to-day has been unprecedented. Although a substantially increased quantity of covers was printed, supplies in many centres were almost exhausted yesterday, and the Christchurch Chief Post Office had only a few hundred. The Post Office said that the first-day cover imprint could be obtained on any envelope used to-day, and that the non-use of the special cover did not detract from the philatelic value of the cancellation. \ - Wheelbarrow Race The first wheelbarrow rade in Christchurch for some time will be held on *October 18 over a course of about two miles. Contestants will start in Manchester street, near the intersection with High street, and will proceed north along Manchester street to Edgeware road, thence into Cranford street and English Park, where one circuit of the track will be made. A condition of the race will be that the passenger in the barrow is a woman 16 years of age or more, and all competitors will start from the same mark. The race is being sponsored by the North Canterbury Labour Representation Committee. Visit of Hermes Airliner

One of Great Britain’s new airliners, the Handley Page Hermes, will probably visit New Zealand in 1949, according to advice received in Christchurch from the manufacturers. While it was wished that an early flight to the Dominion was possible, rumours that a Hermes would make the trip next year were not correct,

as an aircraft would not be available until 1949, it was stated. The Hermes is the civil version of the Handley Page Hastings military transport A Hermes II which recently passed tests successfully in England, will be devoted to air research in pressurisation, air conditioning and sound prooffing. V National Savings The greatest number of National Savings quota successes in any one week since the start of the campaign was recorded last week, when 330, or 97 per cent, of the 352 towns, exceeded their objectives. In some cases the weekly quotas were doubled, and even trebled, and £159,933 was invested, as against the weekly target of £93,023. The South Island made an outstanding contribution, with 121 quota, areas investing their prescribed amounts. New accounts, both group and individual, continue to be opened at an encouraging rate, and have averaged 550 a week since April I. (P.S.S.)

Work of Ellesmere Drainage Board The people of the district were greatly indebted to. members of the Ellesmere Land Drainage Board during its 40* years existence for the faithful service they had given, often at considerable personal, expense and inconvenience, said the chairman of the board (Mr F. Coop) speaking at a social function which was held last evening to mark the formal dissolution of the board and the transfer of its affairs to the North Canterbury Catchment Board. Mr Coop mentioned that the first drainage board meeting had been held at Lincoln in March 1906, when Sir R. Heaton Rhodes was elected chairman. Much of the credit for forming this body was due to the late Mr Tom Quealey, one of the early residents of the district. Prefabricated Houses at Balmoral

Eight of the prefabricated houses which the Government is providing for timber workers to improve their living conditions are to be erected at Balmoral in North Canterbury, where there is a sawmill in the State forest. The Housing Construction Department has called tenders for the construction and erection of the houses for Balmoral and alternatively for their erection only.