General News

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25712, 26 January 1949, Page 4

General News

Father Christmas Meets Neptune Father Christmas and Neptune met snd were introduced when they attended a party on board the Dominion Monarch on Christmas Day, the day the ship crossed the Equator. For the 65 children travelling in the luxury liner a Christmas party was in progress when the two notable visitors arrived, practically at the same moment. Mr W. H. Parrott played the part of Father Christmas. Neptune, in private life, is Mr Arthur Gilligan, the English cricketer, who was travelling to Cape Town. — (P.S.S.)

The Italian in England An Italian, Mr Paulo Treves, who is a Socialist member of Parliament for Milan, has just published a book about England called, “The Mysterious Island.” The things Mr Treves finds most mysterious about the English are that they can put their milk bottles outside the door without having them stolen, that they talk quietly—“in a special kind of voice, hushed, almost tired’' —that in contrast to their behaviour elsewhere they are quite uninhibited in their love-making in the public parks, that most Englishmen shave every day, and that they appear to respect their politicians in direct proportion to the number of the country’s defeats and in inverse ratio to the number of its victories.—London, January 25.

M.P.’s Experiences with Exchange “I’ve been stung both ways,” said Mr W. Sullivan. M.P. for Bay of Plenty, after changing English money into New Zealand currency on his return in the Dominion Monarch on Monday. “When we went overseas they took a fifth of our money away from us because of the exchange alteration. Later we were supposed to have gone back to parity with sterling, but just now when I changed English notes back into New Zealand money I was given only £lO 14s 9d for £ll. It seems as if the Government has gone into the moneychanging business.”—(P.S.S.) Trespassers in Baths

Naked youths who swim in the Greymouth municipal baths in the early hours of the morning during the warm weather have been warned by the police that action will be taken if they are caught. Bands of youths gain illegal access to the baths by clambering over the high corrugated iron walls and the noise they make 'has disturbed les’idents. It is suspected that many cf the trespassers enter the baths after dances.

Forced Landing in Potato Paddock A passenger was injured when a Tiger Moth, belonging to the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club, crashlanded in a potato paddock in the vicinity of the Brookfields bridge, a few miles from Hastings early on Saturday afternoon. The pilot escaped unhurt. The injured passenger is Mr John Cameron, aged 26, of Hastings. His condition is satisfactory. The plane was piloted by Mr Peter Marshall. Considerable damage was done to the plane, one wing being torn off. The machine ploughed its way across the paddock, finishing on its nose. Mr Fraser Praises Mr Truman “The victory of President Truman was a striking triumph for democracy in the United States.” said the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) yesterday. “Such contacts as I had with the working people—professional men and industrial workers—leave no doubt that Mr Truman was elected because of his policy of economic and social advancement, and the promotion of world democracy and peace.” Mr Fraser had a long interview with Mr Truman and congratulated him on his sweeping victory and on his message to Congress. “Had I been in Washington I would have again congratulated him on the fine tone •of his inaugural address sending a message of hope to struggling peoples,” he said.—(P.A.) Student Labour Federation Speaking to the New Zealand ‘ University Students’ Association Congress at Curious Cove, Mr Ron Smith, secretary. of the Nev/ Zealand Student Labour Federation, said the World Federation of Democratic Youth was formed as an anti-Nazi movement during the war. It included all kinds of youth movements—student, sporting, trade union, and so on. “It is not a red organisation,” he said. “We have not got Socialism, much less Communism, as one of our aims.” The general aims were world peace, a better life for youth, and freedom for colonial youth.—(P.A.)