General News

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27037, 12 May 1953, Page 8

General News

Maori Request to Queen When in London for the Coronation the Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr E. B. Corbett), will put to Queen Elizabeth a special Maori request that she wear the symbolical huia feathers and a taniko headband when she meets the Maori people at Rotorua early next year. Mr Corbett was asked last night by Mr T. H. Parata to make the request. “Her Majesty is not only the Queen to us,” said Mr Parata, “but our chieftainess. Therefore we wish her to wear these ancient symbols of a rangatira when we greet her at Rotorua.” —(P.A.) Foundation Stone Laid and Lifted The singing of “The Church’s One Foundation” roused one Opawa resident from his afternoon nap last Sunday. Later he strolled over to the new Opawa Baptist Church, at the comer of Wilson’s road and Bond street, to inspect the foundation stone laid at the ceremony which had disturbed him. He could find no stone. The contractor (Mr John Calder) explained the mystery last evening. It was his custom, he said, to lift foundation stones an hour after the ceremony. Apart from the risk of damage by vandals, the stone could be defaced during subsequent construction. He usually replaced the stone after final plastering. “I know of foundation stones without buildings so perhaps a building with the foundation stone missing is an oddity in Christchurch,” Mr Calder said with a laugh. £1,900,000 Contract Signed The Mayor of Auckland (Sir John Allum) yesterday signed the controversial £1,900,000 contract with the French firm which is to carry out the first stage of Auckland’s new sewerage project—the replacing of the Ofakei outlet. Speaking at the ceremony to mark the signing, Sir John Allum said the suburbs of Glendowie and Tamaki might have a modern drainage system within two years. He said he knew of no other public work which had been so thoroughly investigated and tested. It was the biggest single contract so far to be entered into by a local authority in New Zealand. The contracting firm is Etudes et Enterprises.—(P.A.)

Milk Zoning Report Subject to its being circulated among executive members only and being kept strictly confidential, a report on milk zoning prepared by the late Mr T. H. Langford will be made available to the Canterbury Milk Vendors’ Association by the Christchurch Metropolitan Milk Board. The board made this decision yesterday after it had received a request for the report from the association. The association said it wished to see the report “for the purpose of submitting a scheme which would be generally acceptable.” It said the report would be kept confidential by executive members. Public Relations Officer “On many occasions I have been asked: ‘What on earth does the public relations officer do?’ ” said Cr L G Amos at a meeting of the City’ Council last evening, when, for the first time a report by the officer was presented. I nave heard it asked by people in high places. For the first time, I am able to give the answer to the critics. I feel tne office is on the way to doing a very good job. But where does the job start and stop? He has a real job in the realm of City Council administration.” “He has. and he has also other jobs.” commented Cr T. H. McCombs (chairman of the finance committee).

Profit from Rain on Show Day "Enough rain fell on Show Day to enable us to lodge a claim under our rain insurance policy, and it was instrumental in establishing a record profit in the show account,” said the retiring president (Mr M. D. Studholme) at the annual meeting of the Waimate Agricultural and Pastoral Association.—(F.O.O.R )

Avonside High School Art Room The Education Department’s inspectors considered that the art room at the Avonside Girls’ High School was in very poor condition and that it was unreasonable to expect any- °? e ,?° j n tt, said the chairman ,of the school board (Professor G |Jobberns) at a meeting of the board last evening. “I must say I’m inclined to agree with them,” he added. The new wing will be built over the ground on which the art room stands, ana the headmistress (Miss V F Townsend) suggested that the present art room should be demolished and a prefabricated room put up. On the suggestion of Professor Jobberns, flow®ver, it was decided to recommend to the Education Department that the present room be moved and renovated. Two Shots, Three Ducks A young shooter in the Oxford district on Saturday morning took out a single barrel shot gun and bagged three grey ducks with two shots. The ducks landed on a stream just before fe wn .l- a 2 d J h ! 0 „ fell t 0 the first shot. The third duck flew away, but in less than a minute returned and was killed by the second shot. Coronation Tree-Planting A tree will be planted in the Botanic Gardens by the City Council to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth The council last evening decided, on the suggestion of the Mayor (Mr R M MacFarlane. M.P.), to assist organisations which wished to plant trees on city reserves during the Coronation

Dance Held on Bridge Residents of Athol, 69 miles infaad from Invercargill, celebrated the opt® ing of a new bridge over the Matana river by holding a dance on the bridge after the official opening ceremony a memorial football match. Repfacfag a bridge that was built in 1908, the new 225 ft structure was offlelaty opened on Saturday.—(P.A.) ,1 Notifiable Diseases q One death from tuberculosis and 11 cases of the disease were reported fa the Christchurch district to the Department of Health last week. Alas® ported were cases of scartet JMK poliomyelitis, erysipelas, puerpea sepsis and salmonellosis. From GB® mouth one case of tuberculosis snoot case of erysipelas were reported. ® Clipper Returns to Auckland The Pan American World Airwß Clipper Lightfoot, which Vfafag Christchurch on Sunday, gave a scowl courtesy flight yesterday moraMOj fore leaving for Whenuapai to MK service on the Auckland-Fiji pfa Twenty people, mostly ChristchHfc businessmen, were taken on a wtjf sweep of North Canterbury, the SwK ern Alps and the city during att lasting about 40 minutes. Slip Holds Up Mine Work|g Because of a slip on the m.aigjp|‘ one Of the ma in'sections of '.he mMR man State coal mine was idle Mjf day. Thirteen pairs of miners iwH| for work, but they had to go W| Work was started as soon as poffiß on the removal of the debrfa, MRS was found impossible to clear the a| way yesterday morning. The cl«B was completed yesterday, and gM hoped to reopen the mine sectioi® day.—(F.O.O.R.) Two Mayors In Qnc Family S| A married couple. Mi dnd Mrt IH have become Mayors of neighboMM communities in Western France, the recent municipal elections.-flE| May 11. i