General News

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25307, 6 October 1947, Page 6

General News

British Cabinet Changes “Wait and see” was Lord Addison’s smiling advice when asked on Saturday if he expected to be involved in British Cabinet changes. “We have all got to do the best we can in the job we are given,” he paid. “I also have to lead the House of Lords, which is a very laborious business at times.” Lord Addison will leave by air to-day for Brisbane on the. first stage of his return flight to England. —(P.A.) Dangers of Mount Egmoyit Egmont, one of New Zealand’s jpost deceptive and dangerous mountains, had the highest mortality rate of any peak in the Dominion, said Dr. G. H. Home, in an address to the New Plymouth Rotary Club. To date 22 per* sons had been killed on Egmont. Treacherous tjecause of its apparent simplicity, Egmont was an easy mountain on which to get lost, he said. Motor-ship Built at Auckland The largest steel-welded ship ever built in New Zealand, and th© largest commercial vessel built in Auckland since before the war, the passenger cargo motor-ship Cpromel, for Auckland and Coromandel services, was launched from Mason Brothers Engine eering Company’s yards on Saturday, When completed the vessel will have a capacity of 90 tons of cargo and accommodation for 170 passengers. Its cruising speed ip 10 knots.—(P,A.) “Honeymoon Hotels Hamilton could be advertised throughout New Zealand as the “honeymoon town,” it was stated in a report presented at a meeting of the' board of control of the Auckland Pro-

vincial Public Relations Office. More honeymoon couples stayed at Hamilr ton at some time during their honeymoon than at any other New Zealand town, added the report. “I know that there have been 34 honeymoon couples staying at a single hotel in Hamilton at one time,” said 'Mr H. j. Kelliher. Menace to Fruit Crops Orchardists in Central Otago are facing a new menace to their crops. Trees are being stripped by birds of their newly-formed fruit, yet poison bait has not been touched. The birds appear to have a preference for red apricots and plums, but growers are unable to understand why they should destroy the fruit at this time of the season as there is plenty of their own natural food available. One orchardist said that the recent frost damage could not be compared with that done to the crops by the birds. Maoris and Crime “The Maori population who have been in gaol is steadily increasing, and it is getting very alarming,” said My Justice Blair when sentencing prisoners in Auckland. He pointed out that of the 15 prisoners coming before him at least seven, or practically half, were Maoris. The proportion of Maoris to the total population was one to 15; but in the matter of criminal cases the proportion was very much above that, and it was far too high, he said. Ship from Plague Port The. 10,Q05~ton ship Paparoa, which arrived at New Plymouth last Friday, has been declared in semi-isolation because of bubonic plague her last port of call. Only essential workers will be permitted aboard during her stay. The medical officer of health, Dr. F, W. Kinsey, said the infection was carried by rats. There was no illness on the ship, no rats had been seen during the voyage, and none had been found in a search, but every precaution would be taken. The ship carries a cargo of 2500 tons of potacii for New Plymouth. Kauri Spars at Trafalgar Spars of kauri were decisive factors at Trafalgar, said Mr G. Hall-Skelton, in advancing compensation claims on behalf of the Ngapuhjs concerning the Puketi State forest, before the Surplus Lands Commission at Kaikohe. The British Admiralty was so impressed with spars from the Northland forests that in 1793, and again in IgOi, two naval ship? were sent specially to New Zealand to load spars for. war vessels. It was a highly secret undertaking, the French at no time hearing the story. The spars arrived safely and were stepped. Both'in open sea running and in battle formation British warships were able to crowd on almost twice as much sail because of *the unrivalled strength of their kauri masts. Their speed . and extra manoeuvrability were tremendous factors in the battle that virtually ended Napoleon’s ambitions of smashing Britain on the sea. The spars required were from 70 to 80 feet long, and perfectly straight. They had been cut by Maori tradesmen, who were already expert in felling limber without damage. It was New Zealand’s first contribution towards the salvation of Britain from national disaster, and was made long before this country was even a Crown colony,