General News

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27861, 9 January 1956, Page 8

General News

Woman House-painter Although Ln insurance company would not cover her against accident, Mrs F. Grimes, of Fairview road. Mount Eden, Auckland, has spent the last 10 days on ladders and trestles, painting her large home. Yesterday, she completed the undercoat. As Mrs Grimes has still another 10 days’ annual leave from her employment as a registered accountant, she expects to complete the job before resuming her normal work. Mrs Grimes had her husband’s assistance in handling the trestles, and he also helped to paint many of the high and difficult parts of the house. Before she undertook the task, she was afraid of heights, but as the job progressed she gained confidence. She said the cost of painting the house would be about £4O. Had she engaged a tradesman, it would have cost £200.—(P.A.) Stirling Moss’s Earnings Stirling Moss, the famous English racing driver, left Auckland yesterday for the United States after assuring reporters that he would return to New Zealand next year. An afternoon’s strenuous work on Saturday earned him £6OO for winning the Ardmore Grand Prix, £lOOO in lap money (£lO for every lap he won). £125 for winning the Ardmore Handicap, and an undisclosed amount in bonuses from oil, tyre, car, spark-plug, ignition, and soft-drink companies for winning with their products. He also received, like all other overseas drivers, a payment from the Grand Prix organisation to cover his expenses. “The only snag to my pleasant stay in New Zealand was having to do a little talking to the income tax people,” said Moss. —(P.A.) University Salaries A direct approach to the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) is being made by the Association of University Teachers of New Zealand in a further effort to obtain approval of their new salary scale, which was recommended to the Cabinet last July by the University Grants Committee. Staff delegates of all four university colleges and Massey and Canterbury Agricultural Colleges attended a special committee meeting of the association in Wellington at the week-end. and decided to ask Mr Holland to receive a deputation.—(P.A.) Red Cross Secures Release Nineteen Greek children seized by the Communists during the Greek civil war in 1948 and sent ’ to Czechoslovakia left the Hook of Holland by ferry for Britain today. They arrived at The Hague by air ft'om Prague last night after the International Red Cross had secured their release. The children are bound for Canada, where their parents have emigrated.—The Hague, Jan. 7. Many Articles Lost

A wide variety of articles, among them a model aeroplane and a man’s top denture, has been lost in Christchurch during the holiday period. Money, car crank handles, bathing costumes. cameras, hats, spectacles, and diamond rings are only a few of the many items advertised as’lost in ‘‘The Press.” Perhaps the most interesting article lost over the week-end was a large model aeroplane. Mr I. M. Barker, of Glentunnel, recently assembled a new blue and orange model aeroplane with an expensive diesel engine. On Friday morning, MiBarker was giving the model its first flight, but unwisely filled the fuel tank full. When the aircraft took off, it roared into a steep climb and rapidly disappeared from sight, leaving its owner to scramble across paddocks in pursuit. A farmer five miles away from Glentunnel spotted the aircraft as he was working on a tractor yesterday morning. Apart from a fractured wing, the aircraft was none the worse for its long flight. Mechanical Bricklayer 'An electrical ly-operated mechanical bricklayer which laid 60,000 bricks an hour had been demonstrated in Warsaw, a Polish news agency reported today. The agency said the machine spreads its own mortar. It was operated by one person, and built walls of any thickness and any height. —London, January 7. Life-Saving Patrols Life-saving patrols on beaches near Christchurch will be continued until the end of the school holidays, except for South Brighton. A shortage of patrolmen has made it necessary to cease this patrol. Weka Pass Road to be Closed

The National Roads Board has given notice that the Reefton-Waipara State highway (by way of the Lewis Pass) will be closed to all traffic at Timpendean stream in the Weka Pass from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. on January 11. An alternative route is available by way of the Picton-Christchurch State highway, between Waioara and Motunau, and the Waikari-Motunau main highway. Wellington Team Ducked When members of the touring Wellington representative cricket team held a boat race on the Avon river yesterday, all were ducked. There was much bumping and interference in the race, but as there were no rules, appeals were disallowed. A fast-stroking B’ D. Morrison and A. Edgar won the race by three lengths from a floundering L. S. M. Miller in a one-man canoe. R. T. Earber and E. W. Dempster were a close third. Because of some dastardly splashing of other competitors. Miller was promptly ducked when the race finished. Barber got in the way and was pulled in, and in the general melee everyone was ducked. First Police Cadet A Christchurch youth, aged 17$, has begun work in the Criminal Investigation Branch at the Christchurch Central Police Station. He is the first to take up duty at Christchurch under the New Zealand Police Force cadet training scheme, and will learn the various parts of the work. He will not be sworn in, and so will not have the usual powers of a constable, including that of arrest. One more cadet is expected in Christchurch, and there may be two more. Navua Has Engine Trouble The Union Steam Ship Company’s vessel Navua, which left Auckland for Suva on Friday afternoon, returned to that port at 3.30 a.m. on Saturday with engine trouble. She was sailing in ballast and was to return to Auckland with a shipment of bananas. Repairs will keep her at Auckland for about a week. As the company had to fulfil the banana commitment, the Karamu left for Suva early yesterday morning. The Karamu was loaded with 200 tons of general cargo for southern ports when word came of the Navua's trouble, and she was immediately unloaded and diverted to Suva. — (P.A.) Work Stopped on Plane The Lockheed Aircraft Corporation has stopped work on a vertical takeoff plane it was building for the United States Navy. The company yesterday confirmed a statement by a Navy spokesman in Washington that the contract was terminated by agreement several months ago. The plane, named the XFVIO, developed troubles in its turbo-prop engine, which proved insurmountable at ground level, a Lockheed spokesman said.—Burbank (California), Jan. 7. Maoris Protect Fur Seal

A brown fur seal in the Waitao stream near Tauranga has been declared a protected animal by the tribal committee of tfie nearby Maori community. The seal, which is about 6ft long, appeared in the stream at high tide last week. With plenty of herrings and eels in the stream it was not short of food.