General News

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25678, 15 December 1948, Page 4

General News

The King’s Thanks His Majesty the King’s appreciation of a gift of flowers which was sent to him irom Auckland after the announcement about his illness last month, was expressed in a letter received by the Mayor (Mr J. A. C. AllUm) from His Majesty’s private secretary. The flowers were sent by air on benalf of the Mayor, councillors and citizens of Auckland, and arrived at Buckingham Palace on December 3 “I am commanded by the King to convey to you and your councillors, and the citizens of the city of Auckland. His Majesty’s most sincere thanks for the splendid box of flowers which reached nere to-day,” said the letter. “The King deeply appreciates your gift, but even more highly does he value the loyal good wishes which accompanied it.”—(P.A.) New Escape Ladder Advice that, because of an increase in wages in the engineering trade, the 100-feet turn-table escape ladder ordered by the Christchurch Fire Board will now cost £10,271. or £476 more, was received by the board last evening from Merryweather and Sons, London. The board will pay the freight charges to Lyttelton. The chairman (Mr T. M. Charters) said the date of delivery of the ladder, which was similar to the ladder recently imported by the Auckland board, was still indefinite: the date might be one year, or two years. A Life-giving Magazine . “It shall do my heart good if I shall be getting supplies of this lifegiving magazine,” stated a Nigerian student in a letter to the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. He referred to a publication produced by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, entitled, “Christchurch, New Zealand. Facts and Figures.” “Even my desire for the magazine was heightened by the magazine’s foreword which revealed the intent for which the magazine was prepared. The pictures with the contents are highly appetising,” said the student. Power Supply to Wharves A new reticulation of electricity supply to all wharves occupied by coastal shipping, involving a change from direct to alternating current, was decided upon by the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday. The step will be taken to comply with the Government decision to make power available to coastal shipping at all New Zealand ports for lighting and heating. The work is estimated to cost £35,000, and will carry a Government subsidy of £9OOO. Additional improvements and the transfer of other services to alternating current will bring the total expenditure to £53,000. —(P.A.)

Egress Building By-laws When the New Zealand Standard Code of Building By-laws (Means of Egress) adopted by the Christchurch City Council becomes operative next month, the Fire Board’s Fire Escape By-laws, 1930, will be automatically repealed. This information was given to the board last evening by the secretary (Mr S. F. Marshall), commenting "on a recommendation by Superintendent A. Morrison that the board take the necessary steps to repeal its by-laws to avoid conflict of authority, specially in relation to existing buildings-. Last J Force Draft Arrives The South Island draft of more than SO J Force army and air force personnel arrived at Lyttelton by the steamer express yesterday morning. These men were the last of the J Force units to leave Japan, and they arrived at Auckland in the Westralia. Sixteen of the army men and 27 of the air force personnel were Christchurch and Canterbury residents. The remainder travelled south and to the West Coast later in the day. For the last time after nearly eight years’ service to returning servicemen, Red Cross women members were present at the railway station in uniform to offer transport to any returning serviceman who was sick or wounded, or who had nobody to meet him. Export Meat Schedule The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board announced yesterday that the minimum schedule prices offering for the highest grades of meat in each class during the week ending on December 18 are:—lamb, North Island, 12d per lb; South Island. 12d per Id; wethers. North Island. 7gd per lb; South Island, 7&d per lb. Ewes: North Island. 5d per lb; South Island, 4Jd per lb.— (P.A.) “Juke Box” Popular A British-made “juke box” has been installed in a Christchurch milk bar, and yesterday, the first day it was operated, it paid handsome dividends to its owners. Throughout the day young and old were waiting to put in their sixpences to hear a record of their own choice. Sixteen different recordings were available. Another “juke box” has been installed in a Sumner shop. “Juke boxes” became popular in the North Island when American troops were there, but few have been seen in the South Island except at shows and fairs.

Planes Diverted from Paraparaumu Paraparaumu aerodrome was closed for about an hour after 2.45 o’clock yesterday afternoon because of low cloud. Many aircraft were affected, and had to be diverted to Palmerston North. Passengers were taken to and from Paraparaumu by buses. The aerodrome was also closed for a short period at 7 o’clock yesterday morning, but this did not affect any aircraft services.—(P.A.)

Fire Protection at Clifton “It is not legal for any local body to place its equipment in the hands of a private citizen,” Superintendent A. Morrison informed the Christchurch Fire Board last evening, when the City Council asked that hose for fighting grass fires on Clifton hill be provided. and that an alarm box also be installed at Clifton. Superintendent Morrison said that unless an extension was made by the Post and Telegraph Department, a direct line, with only one box. from the station to Clifton would have to be provided. That would not be economical. Mr J. E. Tait said the Clifton residents were anxious tb help themselves, and if One resident joined the Sumner Volunteer Fire Brigade he could be placed in charge of the hose. The board decided to ask the superintendent to make a report. Food Parcels Reach Britain The Saxon Star, which sailed from Napier recently, arrived in the United Kingdom on December 5 with 20,078 parcels weighing 198,7211 b. This represented Dominion postings, excluding the Auckland province. The dates or postings for Canterbury, Marlborough and the West Coast were September 17 to October 1. Auckland War Memorials

Major war memorials for Auckland city and suburban areas so far decided upon will cost more than £600,000. Several suburban areas have yet to decide on the form of thsir schemes, and when the cost of these, together with that of many smaller projects, is included, it is believed that the final figure will be about £1,000,000. Auckland’s main memorial will consist of extensions to the present War Memorial Museum, at a cost of £350,600. The first expenditure will be on placing in the Hall of Memories the names of those who fell in the Second World War. Money for the memorial will be raised by direct appeal and by Government subsidy.—(P.S.S.) Nurses Keen to Come to N.Z. When the Whangarei Hospital Board advertised in Australia recently for nursing staff it got 50 replies from registered nurses and untrained girls who wanted to come to New Zealand. This was reported to the last meeting of the board, which agreed to secure further particulars about the applicants. Already on the board’s staff are two trained nurses and four partly-trained nurses from England. International Passenger List Passengers representing 10 nationalities arrived at Auckland yesterday from Oslo aboard the Swedish motorship Parrakoola. They included Swedes. Norwegians. Danes. Britons, Australians. New Zealanders. Estonians, a Finn, a Hungarian and a Swiss. Some of the passengers are for Auckland. but most will continue their voyage to Melbourne.—(P.A.)