General News

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26524, 12 September 1951, Page 6

General News

Not the Maker’s Claim "If, as the defendant said in crossexamination in Auckland, he saw the car approaching on his right from about 100 yards away and if, as he said, he himself was not doing more than 20 miles an hour, at the time of the accident and was not driving negligently, then the plaintiff in his 1925 model car was travelling at 163 miles an hour," said Mr B. A. Barrer in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Mr Barrer was appearing before Mr F. F. Reid, S.M., on behalf of a client who claimed damages arising out of a collision at the corner of Manchester and Cashel streets on April 25. Serviceable After 79 Years One of the 79-year-old F class steam engines, FB, well-known as a shunting engine on the Lyttelton wharves, will return to Lyttelton shortly alter an overhaul and refitting at the Hillside workshops. The engine is one of the 18 of its class still being used- in the South Island, and it attracted considerable interest in the Dunedin railway yards. The type is very* light compared with other locomotives and is most suitable for wharf work. F 8 was fitted with steam heating equinment so that it can warm the early morning boat trains at Lyttelton. Because of their good utility value, the engines have been in demand in the past for timber mills and coal mine railways. Most of the engines built for service in the railways*are now being used by private owners. Testing Skill of Drivers A machine which tests tjie skill of drivers and shows those who are prone to accidents will be exhibited in London next month, says the motoring correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” It is to be tried out by road and traffic authorities from oil over Britain. An electronic brain governs the machine, known as the Aetna roadmeter. Which was developed in the United States in 14 vears of researcn. It analyses and judges a driver's behaviour. The driver has a car-type seat with the usual controls. A film on a screen gives him the illusion of going along a road. In a three-minute 1 "drive" there are nine incidents call-1 ing for emergency action. If the I driver makes a serious error the screen portrays the crash which might in reality have resulted—London. Sep tember 11. 10,001 Votes The Labour member of Parliament for Avon, Mr J. Mathison, is the only candidate at the General Election shown bv the official counts to have polled votes totalling five figures. His total votes were 10.001.

Posts for Science Graduates Government departments absorb most of the science graduates from Victoria University College each year, though this is not considered representative of other university colleges. This information is given in a list provided by the college at the request of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The department .has been interested for some time in the distribution of students, and has made inquiries of all four university colleges. Last year the department had difficulty in getting applicants for 25 vacancies, and is still short of its requirements. The list showed that Government departments took 70 per cent, of the students graduating w’ith Master of Science degrees from the’ college last year, and that most went to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Industry too a only 8 per cent., and the teaching profession took 12 par cent.—<P.A.)

Joint Family Homes In the Canterbury Land District 324 persons have so far applied for their homes to be registered under the Joint Family Homes Act. Although the act teas passed last year, it was only in March of this year that applications could be called for, and since then they have averaged about 20 a week. The District Land Registrar (Mr W. McBride) said yesterday that applications were still coming in regularly. They covered all types of homes, from small houses valued at less than £2OOO to the most expensive covered by the act.

Dutch Migrants to N.Z. The ships Groote Beer and Zuider Kruis will bring 1246 Dutch migrants —770 men, 294 Women,, and, 182 children—to New Zealand this month. Both ships will arrive at Wellington, the Groote Beer on September 19 and the Zuider Kruis on September 27. The Groote Beer has aboard 133 single men. 13 women, and two children. The Zuider Kruis has 317 men, 281 Women, 167 children between one and 14 years, and 13 under one year. Most Of the men in the Groote Beer are farm hands, but there are aiso some carpenters and hydro-electric workers. The women are nurses. There are the same classes of tradesmen aboard the Zuider Kruis, and the women include nurses, dressmakers, domestic aids, and typists. They will all be placed in work throughout the Dominion by the Department of Labour and Employment. (P.A.)

Suggestion Adopted “My client thinks this is not widely known and she thinks it should be given publicity,” said counsel for a woman who pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to failing to give way to an authorised school patrol. “That is what we propose doSsaid Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M., her £3. “Once again it has to be emphasised that motorists must not move over these crossings until the children are safely over and the flags are lowered,” he said.

Conjurors’ Championship A Briton, Geoffrey Buckingham, an engineering executive from St. Albans, Hertiordshire. has won the world’s conjuring championship. At a contest held in one of the largest cinemas ih Paris 400 magicians took part. Buckingham mysteriously showered counterfeit sovereigns all over the stage. A Czechoslovak conjuror highly impressed the audience. He distributed hundreds of copies of the last edition of one Paris evening newspaper and then recited its contents back to the audience. Spectators shouted. “Fifth line. Column three. Page lour.” and he would give the line called out with its exact punctuation. even adding spelling mistakes. The most popular act was given oy an American, who poured unlimited numbers of glrsses of beer from a kettle and handed them down to the audience.—London. September 11.

Fire Inspections Reference to the inspection of factories, business premises, and private homes by an officer of the Christchurch Fire Brigade w’as made at a meeting of the Christchurch Fire Board last evening by the acting-chairman (Mr W. C. Campbell). Mr Campbell said the officer made goodwill visits to premises. Firms and private persons could invite him to inspect their premises to give advice, advice which was free and which they were not compelled to take. He did not think it was sufficiently known that the brigade offered that valuable service for eliminating fire hazards. Conflicting Evidence The hearing of a civil claim in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday Was adjourned sine die by Mr F. F, Reid, S.M., when the Witnesses for both the plaintiff and the defendant disagreed not only with the other side, but also among themselves. The Magistrate said that in view of the great conflict of evidence it would be necessary to call a police constable when he returned from leave. According to some Witnesses the constable was present at the time of the accident from which the claim arose, and according to others he arrived some 10 minutes later. Cut Flowers By Air Small supplies of cut flowers from Auckland are now being handled daily by the National Airways Corporation. An average of eight or a dozen light wooden boxes are arriving each day, and merchants, who are receiving good prices at auction for the flowers, have reported that the flowers are arriving in good condition. The flowers include anemones, hyacinths, and daffodils.