General News

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26039, 16 February 1950, Page 4

General News

Remiision of Death Duties The Minister of Stamp Duties (Mr C. M. Bowden) said at Wellington last evening that the Cabinet had decided to remit the death duty on the estates of victims of Ballantyne’s fire. —(P.A.) Old Problem Solved “Do you say that there were flies still in ycur £ouse in winter?” counsel for the defence asked a Crown witness, a woman, in the Supreme Court yesterday, in a case concerning the use of an alleged radio-active spray. “Yes, they were. Blowflies and other flies,” replied the witness. “Well, that solves the old conundrum,” commented Mr Justice Northcroft. Street Appeal A good response to the street appeal held by the South Island Tuberculosis Association, northern group, in Christchurch yesterday was reported by the organiser of the appeal (Mr C. V. ; Howley). An initial count showed that more than £B5O had been collected, he said. There was still some money to come in. and it was. expected that the final figure would be close to that of last year, when £945 was collected. There had been more than 300 collectors out, said Mr Rowley. The appeal was for the general funds of the associatiori. Horses May be Flown to America Five yearling racehorses bought by an American breeder at Trentham in January will probably be flown to California. Their buyer, Mr George Covert, who left Auckland by air for the United States yesterday plans to return about October with a chartered cargo plane to fly the horses back. This would cost about £5OO a horse, but he thinks it would be worth it. He predicts that New Zealand will see many more American buyers at the next yearling sales. Prices are cheap compared with American prices, but the yearlings are better. He thinks New Zealand’s best horses would do well in America, where the trend is toward distance races, but where horses with staying power are lacking. —(P.A.)

Marching- Girl’s Long Journey A member of the Greymouth women’s marching team (Miss Flora Hay) proposed to travel 1050 miles in 60 hours to take part in the South Island marching championships at Invercargill this week-end. Miss Hay, who comes from Greymouth, cannot leave Greymouth until Friday evening, and so cannot travel with the other members of the team. After taking part in the contests she will return immediately to Christchurch, from where she will travel back to Greymouth by rail-car early on Monday morning. Train, bus, aeroplane, and rail-car services will be utilised on both the outgoing and return trips. Radio Watch of Car Race Five teams of cadets from Christchurch squadrons of the Air Training Corps will be on duty during the running of the 100-miles car road championship at Wigram on February 25. The teams, placed around the course, will operate radio equipment which will keep them in those controlling the race. They will be able to report immediately if an accident should occur. ‘ ‘ Band-Minded” “There are 111 brass bands in New Zealand affiliated to the .New Zealand Brass Bands’ Association,” said the secretary, Mr J. G. Osborne, yesterday. ‘Tn addition there are the Salvation Army bands, a few combinations which have not joined the association, and many junior and school bands. It is little wonder New Zealand is band conscious.” Operations on Blue Babies One hundred and forty-nine cases of congenital heart disease have been examined at the cardio-surgical clinic at Green Lane Hospital, Auckland, since the clinic was opened 18 months ago. Thirty-eight of the cases were blue babies. Of 29 who were operated on, only one died, and the others are now apparently leading normal lives. A report on the work of the clinic was presented to the British Medical Association conference at Wellington by Mr Douglas Robb, the Auckland surgeon who went to America two years ago to study the blue baby technique developed there by Drs. Blalock and Taussig. He said that of the 149 cases examined, more than W 0 had come from Auckland and its environs, 10 from Wellington, and only 13 from the whole of the South Island. It was suggested in discussion on the report that perhans the clinic’s work was not sufficiently known. —(P.A.) New School Patrol A school traffic patrol is to be introduced at Leinster road this morning to help young children going to Elmwood School cross Papanui road. The crossing will be manned by boys of the Heaton Street Intermediate School. The chief traffic inspector of the City Council (Mr G. P. Kellar) said yesterday that he would again make it clear that the regulations required motorists to stop while the signs were extended, even if children were not on the crossing.

Went to Sleep in Bath Discovered unconscious in his bath, in which he had gone to sleep and left the water running, a young Napier man was rushed to the Napier Hospital on Saturday night. He was given emergency treatment in an iron lung, and after three hours he responded and recovered consciousness. The hospital reported that the patient was making favourable progress, though he had been considerably weakened by his experience. Polar Bears for Auckland Zoo Two young Polar bears to fill the vacant pit at the Auckland zoo are expected to arrive in a few months from Antwerp. It is intended to pay for them with wallaroos, keas, emus, and Paradise duck.—(P.A.)