General News

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26414, 7 May 1951, Page 6

General News

, < Elderly Postman I. Mr J. C. Dunkley, who will be IS |in September, is believed- to be the oldest postjnan in New Zealand. .Hp walks seven miles every morning, carrying mail to more than 200 houses and shops in Papakura and still finds time for gardeniru- and bowls in th? afternoon. Mr Dunkley came out of his seven-year-old retirement to take over the ork a month ago when Papakura was without a postman. With service dating back to 1889, an official certificate snows that he served as a messenger-postman and telegraphist untill9o3.—(P.A.) Crew of Charlotte Jane Discharged Yet another crew was discharged at Lyttelton on Saturday, but not because members were involved in the waterfront dispute. At a social given to those who took part in the Lyttelton centennial celebrations there was much amusement when Captain A. R. Champion, the harbourmaster, who was master of the bulk Darra, ‘which represented fljg, Charlotte Jane in the re-enactwient pageant, called members, of the ship’s ctew Vp to the platform and presented each with a formal cer-. tiflcate of discharge. In every case the recipient’s conduct was shown as “very good." A humorous demand, by the boatswain, Mr R. ®. Cairns, for his wages met with the reply that’ he was already overdrawn.

Price of Bottled Beer ’Die price of bottled beer was raised by Id a bottle in one brewery-owned hotel in Christchurch on Friday. Licensees of other hotels said they had. not raised their prices yet as a result of the increase of Id a gallon in the wholesale price of draught beer. Some said they expected the retail price of bottled beer would be raised to cover the extra cost, but it was a matter for the Price Tribunal. They also reported a halfpenny a bottle increase in the wholesale price of bottled beer, as well as the increase on draught beer.

New Beak fer Secretary Bird A Bristol dental hospital got the strangest order in its history to-day—a false beak for the secretary bird at the Bristol Zoo. The bitd last week caught its hooked beak in wire netting and tore it off while struggling to get free. For several days keepers fed the bird with a spoon while dentists made an exact metal replica of the bird’s beak. Hospital experts on Monday will take a cylinder of anaesthetic and a set of drills and rivets to the zoo to give the bird Its new beak. —London, May 5.

Naval Trainees on Cruise With officers and men from the Christchurch division of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve aboard, the frigate Kaniere left Lyttelton on Saturday on a short training cruise. After her return to Lyttelton the Kaniere will sail for Auckland. The Kaniere arrived at Lyttelton on Wednesday somewhat unexpectedly from Dunedin. She brought 14 Dunedin Sea Cadets, who returned south by train. The vessel recently visited the Campbell and Auckland Islands, but was unable to land a party at the Auckland Islands because of stormy weather and high seas. Hmara Still Short of Water After 17 days on restricted supply, Timaru is still having to conserve water. The Citv Engineer (Mr R. J. Cornrie) said last evening that the reservoirs were filling vary slowly from the pump at the Holme Station crossing of the Pareora river. Until they reached their normal depth strict conservation of water would be necessary in the city.—(F.O.O.R.)