General News

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26672, 5 March 1952, Page 6

General News

Needle Found In Haystack The needle in the haystack has been found—in exactly 20 minutes 25 seconds, says the “Daily Express.” The needle was buried in a nine-foot high haystack erected on a bomb site near St. Paul’s Cathedral in London to inaugurate National Sewing Week. City businessmen were among the searchers. The finder was a hospital nurse who won a £42 sewing machine. —London, March 4. 3600 Mlles of Air Freight A- Christchurch firm of cigarette paper manufacturers obtained part of a long-awaited shipment of paper from France last week-end. The shipment arrived in Auckland at the end of last week, and part, 75001 b, was flown to Christchurch by a National Airways Corporation freighter. The air consignment consisted of 20 cases, each case containing 60 reels of paper; Each reel measures three miles, and the total length of the consignment was 3600 miles. The paper has been scarce for several months, and the manufacturers, who normally use four and a half miles of paper a month, were forced to curtail production. Frigate Due Back from Korea With almost a year’s active service in Korean waters to her credit the frigate Hawea (Lieutenant-Comman-der F. N. F. Johnston, R.N.Z.N.) will arrive in Auckland on Saturday, She is expected to berth at 11 a.m. at the Devonijort Naval Base. The Hawea left Auckland in February last year, and after exercises with units of the Commonwealth Navies off the Australian coast she sailed from Sydney for Korea on March 20 to relieve the frigate Tutira. Participating in the Han river action the Hawea earned many commendations for the accuracy of her bombardment of enemy positions.—(P.A.) Property Sales A modern bungalow of four main rooms on 26.1 perches at 62 St. Martins road was sold yesterday at public auction in Christchurch for £2BOO. Bidding started at £2400 and rose to the sale price bv two bids of £lOO and four bids of £5O. A holiday house of five main rooms at Selwyn Huts failed to reach the reserve price and y,’as passed in.

Floating Monastery Plan A plan for a floating monastery to carry the example of religious life to the fishing fleets off the Atlantic coast of France is under study by the Vatican. The “Osservatore Romano.” the Vatican newspaper, announced that the plan had been put forward by Canon Gyeguen. deacon of the Cathedral of the Breton port of Quimper. Monks would live nine months afloat, working like other fishermen to earn their living, but at the same time following the rules of their religious order. The floating monastery would ride at anchor in port for the remaining three months to enable the monks to go into spiritual retreat.—Vatican City, March 3.

A Quick Air Shift One of the rare occasions when packing was not necessary for air cargo occurred last week when the National Airways Corporation carried 752 rubber-hardened battery cases from Christchurch to Wellington. The case# were transferred from the factory .in Christchurch to a factory in Wellington in five hours without any damage. One freighter aircraft carathe consignment, which weighed ly more than 70001 b. City Council Rates Payments of rates to the Christchurch City Council have made a considerable improvement in the last week, and by the closing of business on Monday 69.71 per cent, had been collected, compared with 69.95 per cent, at the same time last year. Up till last week payments were the worst within memory; but if present progress is maintained until to-morrow (the last day for payment without penalty) the average may be maintained. Progress returns are a day behind because arrears of old rates have to be extracted from current payments.

Milk Treating House So that local bodies ip the Christchurch Metropolitan Miljt Board’s area will be fully informed about the City Council’s proposal to acquire the milk treating house now operated by the Christchurch Milk Company, the chairman of the board (Mr W. P. Warner) will explain what is proposed at a meeting with local body representatives on Friday. Mr Warner said yesterday that both the Milk Board and the company had been asked for their views on the City Council’s proposal. Five members of the council were members of the Milk Board, but the other board members, who represented Riecarton, Waimairi. Heathcote, Paparua, and part of the Halswell and Eyre counties, were not sufficiently informed about the milk treatment position. Therefore each borough or county council had been invited to send representatives to the meeting on Friday.

Level Crossing Changes The Railways Department has advised the Wellington Automobile Association that after an inspection of level crossings, it proposes to remove 122 “compulsory stop” signs throughout New Zealand and provide them at 17 additional crossings. This information was given in the association's roads committee’s report. The report said the department was also taking steps to improve visibility at several crossings by minor improvements such as the removal of hedges. Relic of AJaln Gerbault A chronometer once owned by the late Alain Gerbault, the famous yachtsman, has been presented to the Yacht Club of France by Mr E. H. BJomfield, of Russell, Bay of Islands. The navigator died a few years ago after spending the latter portion of his life in Tahiti and neighbouring islands The gift has been accepted and forwarded to France by the Charge d’Affaires (Baron Andre de Fonscolombe). The donor who fought in France during the First World War, said it) a letter to the Charge d’Affaires: “J consider that Alam Gerbault was one of the bravest men who ever lived." Gerbault, famous as a tennis player as well as a yachtsman, crossed the AL lantic in his yacht Firecrest, and subsequently visited the Pacific.

Swedish Doctors Sought Because of the difficulty of getting medical staff for its hospitals, the Northland Hospital Board has decided to advertise future medical appointments in Sweden as well as in England. The board is having difficulty in finding an assistant medical superintendent for the Te Kopuru Hospital. Pie Cart to Stay A request by the Auckland Provincial Restaurant Proprietors’ Association that the licence issued to the proprietor of a city pie cart be reviewed has been refused by the City Council. The council has decided to advise the association that it considers che pie cart is supplying a public need. Huts Dropped by Aircraft

A Miles Aerovan aircraft, piloted by Mr C. W. Hewlett, of Mossburn, left the Hokitika airport yesterday on a Government freight-dropping contract in the Franz Josef and Alma Glacier regions. Sections of huts tor campers and mountaineers will be dropped from about 6000 feet by parachute in lots of 12. The flights are expected to take about a week. The dropping areas will be indicated by smoke signals from guides from the Franz Josef Hostel. The assembling of the huts will probably start at once.—(F.O.O.R.)

Navy’s Aid tc Fiji Men of HM.N.Z.S. Philomel have raised £ 100 for hurricane relief work in Fiji. The idea came from the men themselves and gave them the opportunity of repaying the kindness and hospitality of the Fijians. When the men of H.M.N..Z.S. Bellona heard about it they decided to do the same, and also collected £lOO. The naval liaison officer in Suva will be asked the best way of disposing of the fund. Agricultural Attache in U.S. New Zealand should establish an agricultural attache in Washington, to help open up markets for our food in the United States, according to Mr R. W. Marshall, formerly New Zealand Trade Commissioner In Washington and now head of the Tourist Department. He told Federated Farmers af Their conference that New Zealand was the only agricultural country without such an attache. Another important duty for such an appointee would be to let New Zealand know of the latest agricultural research in the United States, something New Zealanders were now out .of touch with.