General News

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27603, 9 March 1955, Page 12

General News

M. Upsets Court’s Plans The M.C.C. has held up for a fortnight the Arbitration Court’s visit to the South Island. The Court was to have left on March 1 for Christchurch, but the dates did not suit the advocates. The Court then decided to go to Dunedin first and to Christchurch later, but found that even three weeks ago it could not book accommodation at Dunedin because of the demand caused by the first test between the M.C.C. and New Zealand. —(P.A.) “We Are Amused” On the anniversary of the Queen’s accession, a Leicester vicar asked the congregation to sing the National Anthem ‘‘rather specially,” but two choirboys could not have been listening because he heard one say to another after the service: “What did we sing the National Anthem for today?” The other replied: “I haven’t a clue—unless it was because the Queen’s horse came in first The vicar, Canon A. W. Eaton, liked the story and wrote to the Queen about it. Today he received a reply from Buckingham Palace saying the Queen was ‘‘very much amused.” But the choirboy had not been following his turf pages very closely. It was the Queen Mother’s horse, Devon Loch, which won the race in question.—London, •March 8, Sick Youth’s Request to N?vy Sixteen-y ear-old Michael Lee, a patient in the Burwood Public Hospital, has longed to see the visiting Australian warship Quadrant, now at Auckland, but what he describes as a long term in hospital has ruled that out In a letter to the ship’s commanding officer (Captain T. K. Morrison) Michael said that ships were his hobby, and that because of his illness he would be unable to see her. He asked for photographs of her and a description. Besides being sent a full description of the Quadrant, her work, and ship’s company, Michael will get a set of eight photographs. They will include shots not only of the Quadrant, but also of the aircraft-carrier Sydney, and the fleet destroyers Tobruk and Anzac. Fire Fighting Equipment Further use of radio and the introduction of the helicopter to fight major fires were developments he envisaged, the chief fire officer for New Zealand, Mr T. A. Varley, told delegates at the annual conference of the New Zealand Fire Brigades* Institute at Greymouth yesterday. The use of light alloys to build exceptionally light-weight pumps was being developed, he said, and engine development for use m fire engines included the gas turbine and high speed diesels.—(PA.) Oil Search In Southland For the first time in more than 20 years an attempt will be made to bore for oil in Southland. Plant will arrive at Tuatapere probably at the end of this week from Greymouth. The project is understood to be financed by an Auckland syndicate. The contractors are Taylor’s Well Drilling Company, of Oamaru, who are at present drilling on a similar scheme just north of the Oamaru racecourse. A principal of the firm said yesterday that the plant to be used at the Tuatapere project belonged to the Mines Department. It weighed about 14 tons, and had been used latterly for coal testing. It could sink a bore to about 2003 feet.—(P.A.) Conscience Stricken A thief who sent back £5 to a milk bar proprietor in Hamilton East two weeks ago, returned the balance of the money on Monday in an unregistered envelope. Enclosed with the first £5 was a note saying that the thief’s conscience had been working overtime. The sum of £5 15s Ijd was received on Monday by Mr J. B. Trotter, who had to pay the registration charges because the postal authorities noticed the coins in the envelope. N. Gift to London Church The Auckland Electric Power Board is to give a stained glass window costing an estimated £lOOO, plus another £lOOO foir restoration and furnishings, to the Church of St. Lawrence Jewry, London. }This was decided by the board this week. Originally the board wanted to give a pulpit in the restored church, but recent advice said that this was being provided by the War Damage Commission.—(P.A.)