General News

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25437, 8 March 1948, Page 6

General News

Basement Fire at Hospital A small fire which broke out ’’n timber stacked in the basement under one of the wards at the Christchurch Public Hospital last evening was extinguished with first aid equipment. The Christchurch Central Fire Brigade received a call at 11.6 p.m., and dispatched two fire engines and the electric ladder to the scene. Little damage was done. Rats Cause Black-out A black-out in the commerical area of Greymouth, and a stoppage of the local radio transmission for about eight minutes were caused recently by two rats. They had touched highpower transformer terminals in a substation, and were killed.

Food Parcels Reach Britain The Port Napier, which departed from Lyttelton, arrived in. the United Kingdom on February 28 with 1632 parcels weighing 19,2791 b. This represented postings made in Canterbury, Marlborough, and the West Coast, for the period January 6 to January 14. Cricketer and Composer Much interest was aroused at a public dance in Christchurch on Saturday evening byja surprise visit from members of the 'Fijian cricket team, which is playing a match against Canterbury at present. Items given by the visitors were warmly applauded, particularly a song entitled “Fijian Hospitality.” Petero Kubu, who sang the song in a pleasing baritone, accompanying himself on a guitar, received a further round of applause when the master of ceremonies told the dancers that Kubu had composed the song. War Pensions Appeals “Experience has shown that the decisions made by the War Pensions Appeal Board are just and fair in the main. Appellants almost invariably express satisfaction at the outcome, whatever it may be,” says the section on war pensions appeals in the report to be presented at the annual meeting of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association. “It therefore behoves all servicemen to make use of their rights and privileges in respect of pensions, and not lay blame on others for failing to take the initial steps which they alone can take,” the report adds. Total appeals for the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association for the year ended October 31. 1947, amounted to 890. of which 482 were allowed, and 408 disallowed, said the report. Rural Homes in N.Z. The houses which people in the country in Australia lived in for the. greater part of their lives were shelters designed merely to protect (hem while they made money, said Mr F. de Bomford. at Timaru on Saturday. Mr de Bomford, who is secretary of the Tasmanian Potato Marketing Board, is a member of the Tasmanian farmers’ touring party A pleasing contrast to the Australian country dwellings, he said, was provided by rural houses in New Zealand. which were obviously built to be lived in. The state of parks and gardens in New Zealand was also commented on favourably by the visitor. “Surely there is no vandalism here,” he said. Riding on Back of Trucks

“Two of the 12 traffic deaths in February occurred through people falling from the trays of moving trucks,” said the Minister of Transport (Mr F. Hackett). “This type of accident is becoming alarmingly prevalent. There seems to be far too many people riding carelessly on the trays of trucks, ana since January, 1947, 15 have been killed in falls of this type.” Very few trucks were provided with hand grips, and standing on the tray of a fast-moving vehicle with no hand supports was a hazardous venture, he said. He urged everyone, either as drivers or passengers, on motor trucks, to take extra care and ensure that there was no likelihood of an accident. Where passengers were permitted to ride on the tray of a truck, adequate safety precautions must be taken, and passengers were advised to make sure of a firm seat from v/hich they could not be easily thrown. Demand for Electric Motors Industrial electric motors realised from £.B 10s for two horsepower units to £4Bl for 72 horsepower units, at an auction sale held by Messrs Morton and Company, Ltd., of Timaru, on Instructions from the liquidator of the Winchester Lime Company, Ltd. (in voluntary liquidation). Buyers were present from Auckland to Invercargill. Railway iron and other metals were keenly sought and lime companies from most parts of the South Island were bidding for machinery that might be useful in their works. Most of the electrical gear was bought by Nortii Island buyers while sundry lots found their way to local farmers. Fijians’ Autograph One of the visiting Fijian cricketers who is not taking part in the match against Canterbury did duty as scorer for his team at Lancaster Park. He is Kamenieli Aria, and when he appeared for a moment outside the scoring box at the south end of the ground, his fine physique and his sulu skirt attracted a number of youthful autograph hunters from nearby. A moment later they were joined by boys from further round the ground. In a few seconds boys who had been seated as far away as the north end of the ground were joining in a dash for the scoring box. Aria became the centre Of a sea of youthful enthusiasts. It says much for his good nature that not many of them went away unrewarded. No Dollars for Doctor

It was correct that the Reserve Bank had declined to provide dollars for Dr. A. S. Moody, chairman of the Otago Hospital Board, to visit the United States to study hospital construction in his capacity as chairman of the board, which was given by him as one of the principal reasons foY his intended visit, said the Minister of Health (Miss M. B. Howard). The grounds for declining were that the board had already sent its own architect to the United States early in 1947. He had investigated hospital design, and on his return plans were approved for new buildings, costing upward of £70,000. The work had reached a stage where it would appear unnecessary for further investigations to be undertaken by the board’s chairman. Further, it was her intention that departmental officers should go overseas to investigate hospital development. The information they obtained would be available to all hospital boards. Regarding Dr. Moody’s personal visit to the United States to investigate the latest advances in surgery and medicine and phases of hospital administration, the Minister said that he was provided with dollars for this purpose on the highest possible basis for this type' of travel. This basis was not ungenerous, and should provide adequately for his needs. —(P.A.) Blood Parasite in Ducks A blood parasite not previously recorded in Australia and New Zealand has been discovered in a small percentage of ducks in the Lake Wairarapa district. Members of the council of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society have agreed to assist the zoologist engaged in the study of blood and blood parasites of New Zealand birds, by obtaining blood smears from black swan and the several species of duck. “This investigation has some merit,” said the chairman (Mr A. B. Timmings) at a recent meeting of the council. “It will be a simple matter for members of the council to take half a dozen plates each and make blood smears during the duck shooting season.” Steers Run Loose

Three steers, which escaped from a truck in the Petone railway station on Saturday, ran loose through the streets of Petone for nearly two hours before they were shot down by a rifleman from the Gear Meat Company. The animals caused some anxious moments to pedestrians, cyclists and a bus driver, but no damage or injury was reported.—(P.A.)