General News

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26151, 29 June 1950, Page 4

General News

Dress of Trotting Drivers “I must say that a groat number of drivers are most particular about their appearance and they are a Credit to the sport, but now that an ample supply of good material is available surely all drivers will realise that it is a little bit too much to expect to be permitted to wear stove pipe, bell bottom, or skin tight model trousers,” said the president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference, Mr A. L. Matson, in his address to the conference in Invercargill yesterday. “Older drivers must remember that it is not 1900, but it is 1950. The wearing of white trousers over the street pair is most unsightly, particularly when the inside pair protrudes below the white ones. Faded or shabby colours and careless dress will not be excused.”—(P.S.S.) Unusual Taste

If more men could cultivate the taste which one visitor to Christchurch has their wives would be less worried about breakfast problems. The visitor, when in a Christchurch hotel yesterday, said he wanted an egg. He was given a large hen’s egg by the proprietor. After examining it against a light to ensure the quality and cracking the shell lightly, he put the egg whole into his mouth and proceeded to chew and swallow it, shell and all, with evident pleasure. He told the amazed group around him that he could carry on and enjoy many more in the same way.

Olira Gorge Highway It is expected that the Otira Gorge highway will be reopened to traffic within a fortnight. The route has been closed since May 27, when major flooding occurred on both sides of the Alps. Repair work is now reaching a stage where some estimate of the possible date of the reopening of the route can be given. This is the longest period for some years for which this highway has been closed.— (F.0.0.R.) No Free Prams “As of Right” “No grants should be made as of right; every application must be treated on its merits.” said Mr W. S. MacGibbon, chairman of the standing committee of the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Council, at the annual meeting yesterday of the council. Mr MacGibbon was replying to a member who said he had heard that in Nelson returned men were given a free pram with their first babies. Mr MacGibbon said he understood that in Nelson free prams used to be delivered whether or not they were wanted. Children’s Thanks for Food Parcels British schoolchildren who have received many food gifts from overseas are responding enthusiastically to the Lord Mayor’s Thanksgiving Appeal, says the special correspondent of the New Zealand Press Association. The pupils of the first 100 schools on the Lord Mayor’s list —many of them small country schools in remote districts—have just contributed nearly £5OO of their pocket money to the appeal. In many schools pupils organised moneyraising schemes including sales of stamps, comic papers, and toys. Some donations were accompanied by letters in which the children expressed their gratitude for food gifts from overseas. —London. June 28.

Mutton Bird Regulations Under the Food and Drug Regulations. 1946. mutton birds are defined as members of the species Puffinus griseus or sooty shearwater. The definition is given in amendments to the regulations which will come into force in August. The regulations also prescribe that mutton birds may be sold only if they have been prepared as titi puku (not drawn and cleaned but plucked and scalded), salted, titi tahu (cooked), or smoked. First grade birds must have a dressed weight of 14oz and second grade not less than nine. Special provisions are made as to the kinds of containers and materials to be used for packing. Coal Paradox in Australia The paradox of Australia's coal position has been emphasised by the decision announced by the Queensland Government that all surplus coal mined in the State is now available for export. Coal from the Callide Field can be exported to Hong Kong, where commercial interests want 20.000 tons a month. Meanwhile Victoria and South Australia are so desperately short of coal that they are importing it. with Federal Government aid. from India and South Africa.—Brisbane. June 28.

Number Plates for Motor Vehicles Amendments to the Motor Vehicles Registration and Licensing Regulations. 1949, which were made last week, specify the series of numbers that may be used for registration plates to be assigned on and after July 1. For private motor-cars there will bo a series from 2001 to 299.999, for motor-cycles a series from one onwards, for private motor-cabs a series from 400,000 to 499.999. and for rental cars a series from 500 to 2000 and a series from 300,000 to 399,999. Rail-car Delayed

The Greymouth-Christchurch railcar was delayed for an hour and a half between Arthur's Pass and Cora Lynn last evening. A large rock which had rolled off the hillside and settled beside the railway line damaged the oil-feed of the rail-car as it passed. The rail-car arrived in Christchurch at midnight. Powers to Acquire Farm Land The repeal of provisions for the compulsory acquisition of fully developed farm land under the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act, was sought by the annual conference of the meat and wool section of Federated Farmers in Wellington yesterday. Mr J. Scott Davidson (Auckland) said that all had felt relief when the new Government was elected, but he thought the policy of the Minister of Lands (Mr E. B. Corbett) was “detrimental to getting farmers settled down.”— (P.A.) New Police Uniform Police constables detailed for duty in Parliament Buildings for the session now wear the new style of uniforms which are to be introduced in the force over the next nine months. The new uniform, which includes openneck tunics with air force blue shirts and navy blue ties, was seen in public for the first time yesterday, when the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Freyberg) delivered the Speech from the Throne.—(F.O.P.R.) Shortage of Blacksmiths Because of the acute shortage of shoeing-smiths, the meat and wool section of Federated Farmers, at its conference in Wellington yesterday, decided to ask the Minister of Immigration (Mr W. Sullivan) to bring into the country some of these tradesmen, or men willing to be trained for the trade. Mr G. A. Walsh (Waikato) told the conference that there were only 24 apprentices in the trade in New Zealand, and that there were only 30 apprentices in the saddlery trade.— (P.A.)