General News

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26677, 11 March 1952, Page 6

General News

Lest His Shirt A taxpayer in. Philadelphia lost his shirt in the Tax Collector’s office during the week-end. Employees found a white, freshly-laundered shirt in a paper bag when they were closing the office. The Tax Collector (Mr Francis Smith) commented: “Year after year I’ve been accused of taking the taxpayer’s shirt. This is the first year I really got one.”—New York, March 9. Sports Ground Charges A new sdhle of sports ground charges will be considered by the City Council at its special meeting next Monday. Cr. T. H. McCombs, chairman of the finance committee, said the increases were only in line with rises in costk, The charge did not meet council costs and grounds were still heavily subsidised by ratepayers Simple charges for ohe ground for a season are:—-football (all codes), increased froth £7 to £lO 10S; mens hockey. £8 to £lO 10s; womens hockey, £8 to £8; unprepared cricket wickets, £5 to £8; maintenance of first-grade wicket, £2O to £25; mens softball, £4 to £5 ss. Other sports are also included An effort Will be made to meet sports associations this week. Food Pdishning Cases Twenty-six persons suffered from food poisoning after a silver wedding anniversary celebration at a private house in Belfast recently. Notification of the outbreak was received by the Department of Health at Christchurch yesterday. Officers of the department consider that the poisoning Was caused by either or both of two of the dishes served—jellied tongues and chicken in aspic. ‘ The only person present who did not eat either of these dishes suffered no ill effects. None of the cases was serious, and none of the patients was admitted to hospital. Centennial Fool Analysis

The Government Analyst has tested samples of water from the centennial swimming pool in Christchurch and found that they comply “both chemically and bacterlologlcally with the standard desirable for drinking Water.” This report was received with satisfaction by the City Council last evening.

Skewers and Tacks on Sports Fields A metal skewer which last winter penetrated a footballer's knee was yesterday produced by Mr T. H. Pearce, of the Auckland Rugby Union, as evidence that the Auckland City Council’s sports grounds need cleaning Up. He was one of numerous delegates from sports bodies attending a meeting of the council’s parks committee to arrange the allocation of the council’s grounds for next winter. He said that the skewer had been left embedded in one of the football fields at the Grounds after a carnival. Subsequently 14 sackloads of such skewers were removed. There were thousands of inch tacks embedded in the soil at the Western Springs stadium, where a carnival was recently held, said Mr J. A. McPherson, director of parks and reserves. He intended to use a magnetic device to remove them.—(P. A.)

Insects imported with Houses Insect infestation of some imported prefabricated houses is worrying the forestry authorities, according to a letter received by the Gisborne Harbour Board yesterday from the Director of Forestry (Mr A. R. Entrican). He asked the board to co-operate in preventing the introduction of injurious insects by withholding clear- 1 ances for the removal of prefabricated houses from the wharf until the owner or his agent produced a certificate showing that the Forestry Service had passed the house as fit for removal. He said that live insects were found in spine of the timber parts of houses landed at Wellington recently. The arrival of large shipments, coupled With a shortage of timber, meant that there was a risk of prefabricated houses being removed from the Wharf Without being examined for Insect attack. The board agreed to co-oper-ate.— (P.A.) Selling Rings tor Showgrounds “It is a matter of regret that the association has not been granted a permit to build selling tings, which have been referred to in the last five annual reports,” states the annual report of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association. “These buildings, when erected, will serve many useful purposes, Besides giving Up-to-date facilities for selfing rams at ram fairs. The design allows for them io lbe used as demonstration theatres at show time as well as housing a good wool exhibit and hOrse and cattle auctions, which are becoming Increasingly important. Several applications to the building controller have been ’deferred.’ As a great deal of the necessary material is already in hand, a new approach is being made for the necessary permit.”

N.z. Delegation to Russia .The national council of the New Zealand Tramways Employees’ Union favours the proposal to send a trade Union delegation to Russia. The annual meeting of the union’s vouiftil, dfter hearing an address by a representative of the, committee Which is organising the delegation, decided to ask branches of the union if they Would be prepared to raise finances voluntarily to send a delegate, if this proposal, i s supported members will be invited io submit nominations.—(P.A.) • Tokens For Milk Inquiries about the practicability of tokens being used on Christchurch milk rounds are to be made by officers of the Christchurch Metropolitan Milk Board. At a meeting of the board yesterday, the chairman (Mr W. P Warner) read a letter from a woman asking whether it would be possible to introduce a coupon system. She Said she had had milk money stolen twice in the last month.

’ Swans From Canterbury The Auckland Zoo’s four black Swans are sharing the park’s ponds with four white swans from North Canterbury. The newcomers, a gift from the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, were brought to Auckland by the National Airways Corporation yesterday morning.—(P.A.)

Leinster Road Legalised a another well-known street of hurch has never been formally recognised by the City Council. This is Leinster road, and last evening the council took action. As in the reports on several other Such streets considered recently, the town-planning committee, said, that it had been used by the public for many years and had ? eatl ,. ma / nta mbd b y public money, but legalisation had not apparently been attended to at the .beginning. Olympic Games In 1956 A recommendation that the management committee of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association apply to have the 1958 Olympic Games held in this country should Australia abandon its claims was unanimously adopted at a meeting of the Otago centre of the association last night. Mr J, W. Holley, a New Zealand selector, in moving the motion, said that the huge succeS of the 1950 Empire Games at Auckland would be sufficient indication of New Zealand’s ability and capacity to conduct and organise such a huge Undertaking. “The earliest date on which we can hope to see the EmpireGames in New Zealand again is 48 ‘ime they were held here," Mr Holly sftid. “We Should not let any possibility pass to hold the Olympic Games, however remote it tnay.be.”—(P.A.) Council Meeting on Milk ' The Christchurch City Council will hold a Special meeting next Monday evening to discuss control of the city milk supply. Rest Houses oh Hills

The Sign of the Kiwi, where restoration proposals were recently examined by the reserves committee at the City Council, is still under consideration, but it was announced at the council meeting last evenihg that a meeting of organisations interested would be called to discuss the future of the Sign of the Bellbird.