General News

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26968, 18 February 1953, Page 6

General News

Cricket Dynasty The selection of J. G. Leggat in the New Zealand cricket team to play South Africa at Wellington early next month maintains a sequence which has lasted for more than 25 years. Since 1927, there has not been a New Zealand team which did not include at least one former pupil oi; the Christchurch Boys’ High School. M. L. Page, W. E. Merritt, and I. B. Cromb were among those who began what has become a tradition. It was maintained for many years by W. A. Hadlee, and last year when the West Indies visited New Zealand the sequence was continued with the selection of F. B. Smith for the first test and Leggat .for the second. Church Bell Injures Minister When the Rev. Neil C. Bertram, of Killarney, near Warwick, went to his church last night' to hold a service, he tolled the bell and it fell 2Q feet, hitting him on the side of the head. Because of heavy rain none of his parishioners attended the’service, and it was not until an hour later that he was discovered in a dazed condition and covered with blood from head wounds. He was removed to the Warwick Hospital, where’ he is recovering. —Brisbane, February 17. Bom Archer Beaten An Auckland bowman, who was destined from birth to adopt the sport, was third in the clout shoot at the New Zealand archery championships which are being held in Auckland this week. His name is Robin Hood. University Buys Painting Discovered in an Auckland shop, a 60-year-old painting of Sir George Maurice O’Rorke, who was responsible for the founding of Auckland University College in 1883, has been bought by the college council for £lO 10s. It was examined by Mr A. J. C. Fisher, director of the college’s fine arts department, who described it as a good painting by J. T. Steele. Sir Maurice O’Rorke. who died in. 1916, was 63 .when the portrait was painted. Born in County Galway, Ireland, he came to Auckland in 1854. For 21 years he was Speaker of the House of Representatives. From 1904 until his death he was a member of the Legislative Council. He «was a member of the Senate of the University of New Zealand from 1879.—(P. A.) . Fracture in Stormwater Sewer The brick stormwater sewer in Bealey avenue, west of Madras street, was badly fractured for more than 100 feet and, because it was right alongside the main sewage sewer, it was causing concern, the works committee of the Christchurch Drainage Board reported to a meeting of the board last»evening. The board’s maintenance staff was already fully occupied on other urgent repair work, and the chief engineer (Mr E. F. Scott) had given authority to have the repairs carried out by a firm of contractors on a schedule rate basis. Blackball Miners Resume After being idle on Monday, Blackball State miners returned to work yesterday in their old places in the mine. The stoppage was reported to be the result of a dispute over places allocated on cavil day, last Friday, and when the men reported for work yesterday morning they occupied the places in which they had worked during the previous quarter, thus ignoring the result of Friday’s cavil. The management yesterday was not aware of any plans for a new cavil, and it was not known whether the men were prepared to continue for another three months in their old places.—(F.O.O.R.) Bridge at Ashley Gorge A Bailey bridge, 100 ft long, was brought into operation yesterday morning at the Ashley Gorge, and the bridge is now open for traffic. It will be about a month, however, before the bridge over the Okuku river, on the Loburn-Ashley Gorge route, is open for traffic, *as permanent repairs to it are being carried out by the Ashley County Council. In the meantime the council is endeavouring to maintain a reasonable.ford across the river. Steamer to be Sold for Scrap The Nayy has abandoned its plan to sink the 119-ton steamer Claymore, which was to have been a target for the guns of the cruiser Black Prince on exercises soon. The Claymore is to be sold for scrap steel. The Government Stores Board will call tenders for her purchase. The change of plan has been induced by inquiries which followed publicity given to the proposed sinking. The Claymore had lain in idleness at Devonport for some years, and the Navy decided that making her an exercise target for the Black Prince was the most economical way of getting rid of her and of about 100 tons of condemned high explosive. The Black Pfince’s- gunners will still have their practice, though hits on a towed target will be far less dramatic than on an explosive-laden ship.—• (P.A.) Styx Tide Gates Suggestions that the tide gates at the •mouth of the Styx river, which would soon require renewing, be erected at a new location, and that a longer sill length be provided for better low-tide drainage of the river, were made by the chief engineer to the Christchurch Drainage Board (Mr E. F. Scott), in his report to last evening’s meeting of the board. The gates were erected by the Waimakariri River Trust, and were now maintained by the North Canterbury Catchment Board. The gates were inspected once a fortnight, he said. The gates were provided to confine the Waimakariri river floodwaters, and were not to improve the Styx drainage. Municipal Car Park The Auckland City Council’s public safety committee yesterday approved in principle the construction of a three-deck parking building at the municipal bus terminal site. It recommended that the council seek the Local Government Loans Board’s sanction to the raising of a loan, and also that the Government be asked for a subsidy toward the annual costs. The total cost, including interest and the cost of raising 'the loan, will be £165,000. It was suggested that the Government subsidy should come from motor taxation. • The building is planned to house 452 cars,, and will take up to two years to build.—(P.A.) Proposed Sewer Extension The cost of a proposed extension to the sewer off Tuawera terrace, Clifton, was not warranted at the present time, and residents of the terrace who had offered to contribute £370 towards the estimated £l2OO cost of the work would be advised accordingly, the Christchurch Drainage Board decided at a meeting last evening. The extension-had been discussed with the residents by Mr R. C. Neville, the member for the district, and he reported that most of the land concerned was not in the sewer rating area and was not built on. Camps for Seasonal Workers The attitude of the Government in compelling farm workers to attend military training camps during the height of seasonal activity was described as planned lunacy by members of Otago Federated Farmers yesterday. Farmers were being .asked to increase production each year, said Mr J. E. D. Roberts (Middlemarch), yet vital labour was taken away each year at peak periods for 14 days. Military training must be corOrdinated with other demands of the country. Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa districts had had camps during May and June, said Mr Roberts, he saW no reason why this could not be done in Otago. In war time training continued throughout the winter months, and it still could now. The executive committee decided to write to the Minister of Defence (Mr T. L. Macdonald) requesting late autumn camps for seasonal workers in shearing, harvesting, and freezing jobs.—(P;A.) American Example

There was a lot of ill-informed criticism about America, Mr C. A. Smith, of Gisborne, governor of the thirty-ninth District Rotary International, told the Hamilton Rotary Club this week. On his three months’ trip overseas last year, said Mr Smith, he was very impressed by the friendliness and ideals of the average citizen of the United States. In Americans there was a strong streak of puritanism. University students, for example, were extremely well behaved, better perhaps than New Zealand students.