General News

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27859, 6 January 1956, Page 8

General News

Weather Change Predicted After enjoying hot dry weather for more than a week, Canterbury could expect a southerly change about Saturday, said an officer of the meteorological office at Harewood last night. The hot weather continued yesterday, but the temperatures were not as high as those of Wednesday. The maximum temperature recorded at Harewood yesterday was 86.5 degrees, compared with 90.4 degrees on Wednesday. However, the humidity dropped to 28 per cent., compared with 40 per cent, on Wednesday. The northwest wind at Harewood yesterday averaged 22 miles an hour. The maximum temperature recorded at the Magnetic Survey in the Botanic Gardens yesterday was 86.6 degrees. Regrettable A newspaper notice with a difference followed 16-year-old Rita Lingham’s engagement to 18-year-old Tony Butler at Northfleet, Kent. Rita’s mother put this announcement in the local newspaper: “It is with very much regret that Mr and Mrs Lingham, twin sister, Edna, and relations, learn of Rita’s engagement to Tony Butler.”— London, January 5. Water Consumption More than 20.000,000 gallons of water was used in Christchurch on Wednesday, and yesterday’s figure is expected to be as high. This was the third highest figure ever recorded in Christchurch. On December 4 last year 20,730,000 gallons was pumped, and the previous day 20,412,000 gallons. The city* waterworks tengineer (Mr A. H. Jecks) said yesterday that the department was still within its capacity, and no restrictions were expected in the meantime. 100-Square Mile Iceberg The icebreaker U.S.S. Glacier, flagship of the United States Antarctic expedition, today passed an iceberg in the Ross Sea bigger than the city of Washington and considerably quieter, said an American Associated Press report from aboard the icebreaker. The flat white monster covered an area of about 100 square miles. It rose 150 feet above the water, towering above the ship’s bridge, and was estimated to have another 900 feet under the sea. Rear-Admiral Richard Byrd, the expedition’s leader, said the squarish iceberg, encountered at the western end of the Ross Sea, was one of the biggest he had ever seen in his five Antarctic expeditions—New York, January 5. Luggage Problems The luggage department at the Christchurch railway station handled more than 500 big trunks for holidaymakers over the Christmas-New Year period. An official of the department said that six extra men were employed to help to handle the luggage over the holidays. He said that many elderly women called at the luggage counter for gift parcels without knowing where they were from’ or what was in them. “We had one woman on Christmas Eve asking for a parcel from ‘somewhere down south.*” he said“We found the parcel after an hour’s searching, and she had it in time f«r Christmas.” Illiterate Recruits Some National Service youths reporting at the Brighton Army , recruiting centre could not spell their name, recruiting officers said today. Among original name spellings were' “Edwie” (Edward) and “Alexzarnder.” The recruiting officers noted 20 different ways of spelling Germany, including “Jermuny,” “Gremany,” “Germuney.” and “Jemmany.” The word “flower” produced such new spellings as “folower.’ “flour,” “flarer.” and “flar.” —London: January 5 Lyttelton Still Short of Water Houses on the upper levels at Lyttelton were again without water for part of last evening. Cr. F. Barrett, chairman of the borough council's water supply committee, said last evening that it had been necessary to shut off the water from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. to build up storage in the reservoirs in case of fire. The shortage on Wednesday night was partly caused by a break in the main at Heathcote, said Cr. Parrett. It might become necessary for the committee to enforce the restrictions on the use of water for gardens. A by-law restricted the use of water for gardens to between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., but this by-law had not been enforced in recent years. Price of Wrapped Bread An extra id can now be charged by shopkeepers selling wrapped bread, according to a Price Tribunal order which came into force late last month. The charge for a lib wrapped loaf is 4sd, a 21b loaf Bd. and a 41b loaf Is 3jd. The order says that if the extra charge is to be made the bread must be completely wrapped. Many retailers who offer bread only partly wrapped cannot charge the extra id. Bleak Weather in Auckland

The most persistently bleak Christmas and New Year weather in the Auckland province for more than 20 years has spoiled the holidays for tens of thousands of people. There is still no sign of a general improvement, but the winds are moderating. Since December 29 Auckland city has had a little more than seven hours of bright sunshine, although only 11 points of rain has been recorded.—(P.A.) Inter-Island Sea Traffic Inter-island passenger* traffic by sea during the Christmas a‘nd New Year holidays was’exceptionally heavy, and the numbers carried by the Union Company’s three vessels in the service are believed to have set a record. Ilk the fortnight from December 21 to January 4 inclusive, 30.636 passengers travelled between Wellington and Lyttelton and Picton. The Maori and Hinemoa carried 12.780 passengers from Wellington to Lyttelton, and the Rangatira took 4952 across Cook Strait to Picton—a total of 17,732 for the three ships. In the same period 12,904 passengers travelled from Lyttelton and Picton to Wellington.—(P.A.) Theft from Amputee A mean theft was perpetrated at Corsair Bay yesterday afternoon. A young woman amputee, who is a student nurse, went for a swim, leaving 8s in cash and her watch concealed in hei artificial leg in a dressing shed. She returned to find the money missing The watch had not been taken. Petty thieving is prevalent in both the men’s and women s dressing sheds at Corsair Bay. Health Stamp Sales Health stamps worth £17,453 12s had been sold in Christchurch up to December 31 last year, said a Post Office spokesman yesterday. During December sales totalled £583 5s lOd. The figures for the previous year—which are not comparable because of the new postage rates —were £14.436 4s 9d and £6Ol 17s Bd. The campaign will close on January 31. Territorial Jet Crews About 12 pilots from each of the four Territorial air squadrons in New Zealand will be put through a conversion course on Vampire jet aircraft beginning at the Fighter Operational Conversion Unit, Ohakea, in April, and qualified ground crews and technical staff will be introduced to Vampire servicing. Unqualified men will be given special courses. More than 20; Vampires, most of them single-seaters, are based at Ohakea.