General News

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27277, 18 February 1954, Page 10

General News

Abuse of Sick Leave Alleged The British Post Office is carrying out a full-scale check on workers who have been taking what is called “excessive sick leave,” says the “Daily Mirror.” Records of 335.000 employees are being examined and a staff reorganisation is likely as well as the dismissal of hundreds who have been “swinging the lead.” Already 25 temporary telephonists in the 'Manchester area have been dismissed and six have resigned &s an alternative to dismissal. A Post Office spokesman in London said: “There is a need for an urgent inquiry to comb out leadswingers and those who have been taking excessive leave. One estimate of Post Office absences is that 4,652,000 days are lost by the permanent staff—representing the normal year’s work of 12,750 employees.”—London, February 17. /. School Building Programme “By 1956 there should be not only the 19 post-primary schools aimed at but in all probability there should be 28 of them, ’ said the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie), speaking of the Government’s school building programfne when he opened the new engineering block at the Timaru Technical High School yesterday.— (F.0.0.R.) Uglis and Ortaniques Uglis and ortaniques, citrus fruits from Jamaica which have not been procurable in Christchurch since about 1939. will probably be on sale in city shops in a week or 10 days. The ugli, which is similar in colour and size to a grapefruit, has a sharp, lingering flavour and is ah effective thirst-quencher. It is used extensively in Canada with cocktails. The ortanique resembled a large tangerine and has a similar taste to the mandarine. Both these fruits peel and section easily. Uglis and ortaniques were obtainable in the North Island last year, but because the quantity which came into the country was so small it was decided then not to spread them to South Island markets, as this would have put up the orice excessively.

Wairakei Bore to Be Blown The fourth of the deep eight-inch bores that have been drilled at the Wairakei geothermal steam project will be blown on Friday afternoon. The Minister of Works (Mr W. S. Goosman) and the Commissioner of Works (Mr E. R. McKillop) will travel from Wellington to watch the blowing of the bore, which is the last of the deep bores drilled by Works Ministry employees. It has been sunk 1830 ft. The inner casing of eight-inch diameter has been sunk 1486 ft. A temporary lining has been inserted in the top 20ft of the casing to prevent any corrosion which may occur while initial debris is being discharged.— (F.0.0.R. ) Blackball Coal Mine Idle Because the stocks have caught up the mine storage facilities, the Blackball State coal mine will be idle today. This is the first occasion this year that a Grey district coal mine has had to lose working time. There was no possibility of disposing Of the surplus stock of coal before today and , the management declared a compulsory “holiday” for the employees. A . combination of lack of orders for i Blackball Sack at the moment and [some transport problems has brought I about the position at Blackball. The situation at other mines is better, [though there are day-to-day difficulties I in relation to orders, transport and bin I storage. Shipping schedules have been! i irregular lately and apart from onei [col ier now loading for Port Whangarei. it is not likely that there will be any shipping before next week at the earliest.—(F.O.O.R.) a A Fishing Story A 4uuib groper marooned a fisher- ! man on an island in the crocodile- j infested McArthur river bv towing I awav the man's canoe. The man. David' htl u7n le - W 3 S ,elt high and dr y in ■ rhe middle of the river 150 yards from ; the bank. He had been fishing -for ■ groper and had landed on Whiskv ‘ sland to boil the billy when a groper '•Ook the line attached to the canoe/ towmg it away. Nightingale roped two logs together, straddled them, and i made downstream on the ebbing tide J ♦£ he « a iP- oe ’ *’ hich was anchored t when the fishing line fouled a snag i«J d <l th^ canoe - paddled ashore i and landed the hooked groper.— Darwin. February 17. B H

Telephone Booth Signs i Telephone booths in Petone are to | nave metal signs above them, designed to make the booths more easily seen [and to carry national advertising. The i Petone Borough Council has author|L?ed a private company to erect the , ugns. and the company has the sup- , port of the Post and Telegraph Department. Revenue from the advertising will go towards the provision oi additional telephone facilities. Progress of School Band

The Papanui Technical High School brass band, which was formed on February 8, played its first programme tune yesterday. 10 days after its inauguration. Tributes were paid to the band and to its instructor (Mr T Kirk-Bui nnand? at a meeting of the school’s board of managers yesterday. The achievement was considered remarkable because of the bands 51 members all are beginners except four. The band comprises 25 brass players, four clarinettists, a drum corps of 13, and 12 buglers. The principal (Mr L. B. Newton) said that Mr Kirk-Burnnand’s plan was to concentrate this year on first-year pupils and to build the band up over a few years

Bare-footed Mountain Climb The two Stratford men. Messrs W. Dorflinger and B. Foley, who climbed bare-footed to the top of Mount Egmont during the week-end, took every precaution before they made the attempt. They trained for six weeks to harden their feet, and on the climb they carried their boots so that they could put them on at any time. Mr Dorflinger did this when he reached the top. Both men have had considerable climbing experience, and Mr Dorflinger has been to the summit of Egmont about 100 times under all conditions. They made the climb bare-footed to see whether they could do it, and had not done so to create the impression that the mountain was a “cake walk.” Mr Dorflinger said in New Plymouth, when replying to criticism by the Egmont National Park Board.

Flying-boats Delayed Both Wellington-bound Tasman Airways flying-boats were delayed for several hours at Sydney yesterday because of bad weather. The Aranui, originally due on Tuesday, but later scheduled to arrive yesterday morning, reached Wellington at 3.30 p.m., and left for Sydney at 6 p.m. Yesterday morning’s scheduled Solent, the Aotearoa. arrived at 5.40 p.m., and left on the return journey at 9.45 p.m.—(P.A.) Mount Cook Climbing Record

The first ascent of Mount Cook in the present climbing season has produced a record, established by the well-known mountaineer. Guide Harry Ayres. At the end of last month, in company with Mr BrUce Gillies, of Oamaru, he made the ascent by the Zurbriggens Ridge, thus becoming the first person to have climbed every ridge on the mountain. Before this, the two climbers made the first traverse of a rock ridge between Mount Haidinger and Mount Douglas. Then they made the Mount Cook climb, descending by the Linda glacier. Bath Water for Garden An Auckland City Council inspector, noticing a man hosing his front garden. asked the householder whether he knew that hoses were banned at present. The man replied that he was well aware of that, but that his plants had to be kept alive. Just as the inspector was taking his name and address the man asked the officer whether he would like to see where the water was coming from. The hose was rigged to siphon water from the bath upstairs in the house. Unusual Fish Caught A fish caught in 30 fathoms off Waikawa has been identified at the Southland Museum as being a sandpaper fish, or a roughy. Its name is derived from its skin, which is as rough as coarse sandpaper. Only one other specimen of this snapper-like fish has been recorded as being taken alive in New Zealand waters, but it is a wellknown deep water fish of the Australian coast. The one caught at Walkawa was 7in long and reddish-brown in colour.