General News

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25741, 1 March 1949, Page 4

General News

Old-age Record Disputed The claim that 13 brothers and sisters of Helsinki, whose ages total 866 years, make up the oldest family in the world (reported in a Reuter message yesterday) is disputed by Mr James Holmes, of Upper Riccarton, one of a family of 13 living members whose ages total 897 years. They are as follows:—Jack 59, Florrie 61, Lily 62, Maude 63, Arthur 65, George 67, Amy 68, Edith 71, Mary 72, Annie 73, Henry 75, Alice 80. and James 81. Mr Holmes has verified the ages by reference to the family Bible. They are survivors of a family of 19 boys and girls. Their father was Mr Frederick Holmes, for many years a cartage contractor of Sockburn. He was a native of Wiltshire, England. Their mother, Mrs Martha Holmes, came to New Zealand from Cheshire. Loading of Elephants The elephants of Wirth’s Circus gave a large crowd much entertainment at Lyttelton last evening during the final loading of equipment on the Korowai for Wellington. The elephants were the last of the circus cargo and the first two to be led up the ramp calmly turned round arid walked off again. A third elephant caused the spectators to scatter when it broke loose and returned to where it had been tethered all day at Officer’s Point. It was recaptured and followed the other elephants, led by Alice, the aged member of the troupe, who appeared to inspire confidence. The Korowai left later for Wellington. Naval Exercises A wide variety of naval exercises has been planned for the first postwar squadron work of the Royal New Zealand Navy. The cruiser, Bellona, and the four Loch class frigates, will exercise at sea between March 7 and 10, 15 and 18, and 22 and 23. The squadron will do group exercises, gunnery, anti-subnaarine attacks, and torpedo firing. Aircraft will search for and attack the squadron at sea. Convoy work, radar plotting, wireless communications, and damage control will be exercised. Some of the squadron will practise the drill for towing, and the hulk Occident has been offered to the Navy for sinking. It is intended to tow her to sea and sink her by gunfire in Cook Strait. When the squadron reaches Akaroa a regatta will be held.—(P.A.) Markets for White Pine West Coast sawmillers expressed concern at the state of the market for certain grades of white pine at their annual meeting at Hokitika. It was reported that West Coast mills had no difficulty in disposing of their first-class pirie for tallow casks, but that there was difficulty in marketing No. 2 and No. 3 box grades because of competition from imported fibre butter boxes. Reference was made to the representations being made to the Government by the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union, which is concerned at the effect box importations are having'on the butter box making industry. The association decided to take no action until it had heard of the outcome of these representations. Other sections of the trade, it was stated, were satisfactory, although advice was awaited concerning the possibility of further shipments of rimu to Australia from Greymouth this year. Migrant Workers Leave Hospital Three assisted immigrants from Britain worked as nurse trainees for only five hours at the Middlemore Hospital recently, and then refused to continue. A report before the Auckland Hospital Board last night said that the trainees arrived on January 15, and were given 48 hours’ leave to recover from their journey. After they reported again, they completed five hours of duty. Next day, they refused to carry on, and were sent to the Department of Labour and Employment, where arrangements were made for their transfer to factory work.—(P.A.) B.A.’s as Business Executives An American business executive would probably hold a university degree, said Mr A. H. Thomas. New Zealand personnel manager of Vacuum Oil Proprietary Company, Ltd., in a talk to the Christchurch Businessmen’s Club yesterday. Although New Zealand firms did not regard B.A.’s as suitable for executive positions, the Americans placed considerable emphasis on university education. Steel Reclamation Working two 10-hour shifts in the stifling heat of New Guinea for more than six weeks, about 25 Europeans and 400 natives loaded 7500 tons of steel on to the freighter Wairafa, which is now discharging her cargo in Wellington. The Wairata left New Zealand in the middle of December, carrying New Zealand engineers, lorry and crane drivers, and full equipment, including welding gear, petrol and oil. Mr E. Hirschfeld, of the Union Manufacturing and Export Company, which chartered the vessel, and who was present at the loading operations, said that the American and Australian war-time steel loaded on the ship was not easily salvaged, as the jungle quickly tobk possession of anything lying in it. He added that the war area in the Pacific had been so vast that it might be years until all material was recovered. Other shipments of steel will arrive from the New Hebrides and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands.—(P.A.) University Grants Committee

The University Grants Committee, the new body to recommend the distribution of finance by the University of New Zealand, will be in Christchurch most of next week. Three days will be devoted to Canterbury University College and one to Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln. Comprehensive tours of all departments will be made before applications are placed before the committee tor grants to cover building, equipment, and staffing needs. Commission Control of Hospitals

The Auckland Hospital Board agrees in principle with the proposal for commission control of hospitals, provided the existing powers of boards remain undisturbed. This was decided by the board last night. It considered the matter was one for the closest investigation before the scheme was put into effect, and it will recommend to the Hospital Boards’ Association that a special committee should be set up to go into the details. —(P.A.) Timaru and Status of Harewood No decision on the appeal by the chairman of the Harewood Overseas Air Terminal Committee (Mr J. R. Dench) for Timaru’s support for the declaration of Hare wood as an overseas air terminal wa's made by the Timaru City Council last evening. The Mayor (Mr A. E. S. Hanan) will get in touch to-day with the Minister in charge of Air Department (Mr F. Jones) to ascertain whether the Government is prepared to declare the proposed Levels airport an overseas terminal as asked by the South Canterbury Airport Committee (on which the council is represented) and, if the answer is in the negative, whether the Government has reached a decision on another site in the South Island. Depending on the Minister’s ! reply. Mr Hanan may call a special meeting of Ihe council to define its attitude. If the Levels project was turned down, the council would no doubt support Harewood, said the Mayor. Communists in R.S.A. The quarterly meeting of the Palmerston North Returned Services’ Association was in uproar for some minutes last night, when a remit was brought forward recommending to the Dominion conference of the R.S.A. that no steps should be taken to interfere with Communist members of the organisation. After a heated discussion, in which a self-confessed Communist participated, the remit was rejected by a large majority. The remit read: “That this branch recommends to the annual conference that, in its opinion, interference with Communists as a political party or as individual members of the R.S.A. would not benefit the association. This branch suggests that a recommendation be forwarded from the conference to the Government, deploring the activities of Communists, and saying that the R.S.A. is at one with the Government in suppressing disloyalty and the disruption of the lives of the people by .the Communist Party.”—(P.A.)