General News

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27988, 7 June 1956, Page 12

General News

Power Cuts

The supply of electricity to consumers of the Municipal Electricity Department will be cut off today in areas A and B for one hour between 6

p.m. and 7.30 p.m. There will be no cuts in the M.E.D. irea tomorrow. Consumers who nave no alternative means of water heating may switch on their heaters daily between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Water storage in the South Island fell 390.000 units to 79.320.000 units in 24 ho"rs to 9 a.m. yesterday. Heavy frosts and no rain are reported in catchment areas.

Faulty Speed Detector A defect in one of the New Zea-land-designed micrpwave speed detectors has caused the Transport Department to withdraw a number of prosecutions against speeding motorists. The department’s solicitor 'Mr R. T. Dixon) applied for withdrawal of .the informations in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington. Others will be withdrawn in the Lower Hutt Court today. Mr Dixon said that the machine was found to be defective when it was given a routine check before the prosecutions were brought to Court. It was out by a range of four miles an hour at 50 miles an hour and this was adverse to motorists, he said, but at 30 miles an ‘ hour it was in favour of the drivers. All the motorists who were stopped, he said, were exceeding the limit by at. least 10 miles an hour, but the department considered it fair to withdraw all the prosecutions involving the machine—(P.A.) Steak for Honolulu Mr Otto Groen, an Auckland restaurant proprietor, is shipping a further 5001 b of New Zealand steak to Honolulu. It is being sent in the freighter Maria Ines to Mr J. Jennings, the owner of a garden cafe in Waikiki, where New Zealand T-bone steaks were proving popular with Americans. A sample of 700 steaks was sent to Honolulu on April 6. Theft at Motueka Bundles of bank notes totalling about £350 w’ere taken from a safe in the Swan Hotel, Motueka. on Monday evening in what was described by police as an “audacious theft.” The money was stolen from the safe in a store room near the bar and kitchen. The safe was left unlocked for only a short period between 8 and 10 p.m. It was not until later in the evening, when money was being deposited, that the notes were found to be missing. Detectives from Nelson are investigating.—(P.A.) Government Measures “There comes a time in the history of every company when the directors

recommend a dividend that is not entirely acceptable to the shareholders,” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr E. H. Halstead) in an address tQ. the annual rfieeting of the Canterbury-Westland division of the National Party last evening. “That is the position, perhaps, which New Zealand is in now. The Government has taken measures which are not completely palatable to all its shareholders. but it is hoped that the fruits of „ these measures will be enjoyed by the ' people of the country.” Preferential Voting The introduction of preferential i voting would be retrograde, said the Postmaster-General '(Mr T. P. Shand) in an address in Wellington last night. • “If preferential voting were intro- . duced. New Zealand might end up the same way as France, where there ■ is a gr'eat number of.political parties , which seem able only to form a ‘ coalition government.” he said. — > <P.A.) Dark-yolked Eggs Unpopular t “Eggs with dark yolks were down- . graded this season.” said Mr J. M Powell at the annual meeting of the ? Canterbury-Westland Registered Poull try Keepers’ Association last evening. L “Yolk colour sells more eggs than any- ? thing else, and the public does not like i the dark ones. As an industry we will have to face that, and sell the people I what they want.” But poultry keepers who had to give their birds more green

’ feed to obtain the lighter-yolked eggs 1 might .call for seme consideration be- ; cause of greater production costs, he said. Heating in Coal Mine B Work for miners and truckers at , the Liverpol State coal mine at Rewanui was cancelled* yesterday aftere noon because of a recurrence of heat- .. ing. Shiftmen worked to seal off the area affected. This is the third stopv page at the mine this year as the rer suit of heating.—(F.O.O.R.) * Big Crowd to See Rugby , Many persons, drawn by the fine day I and the prospect of a good Rugby e game between a New Zealand fifteen and a South Island team, flocked to a Lancaster Park yesterday. Most of II them, however, left it rather late, and a a large queue developed outside the =* gates. The Assistant Traffic Superins tendent of the Christchurch City f Council (Mr H. W. Birdling) said last night that there were no traffic probo lems out of the ordinary. Nine traffic officers were on duty at the park yesterday. y Rail Traffic From Coast

A record tonnage of goods since the opening of the line 32 years ago was transported through the Otira tunnel last month. The freight, mostly coal and timber, totalled 105.027 tons. A record for goods transported from the West Coast in one week was achieved last week when the total was 28.657 tons—33 per cent, above the normal average.—(F.O.O.R.)

N.Z. Book Wins Award

“Trout at Taupo,” a New Zealand angling book by O. S. Hintz, published in London last year by Max Reinhardt. Ltd., has been chosen by the National Book League in England as one of the “100 best-produced books of 1955.” This means that it will be displayed at a number of special exhibitions of well-designed books whicli the league is organising throughout the world. In making its selections, the league has regard to the general quality of a book, typography and illustration. The Rein; hardt production of “Trout at Taupo" was enhanced by Minhinnick s sketches and a number of fine photographic reproductions. 1 The book, which was first published in London in October of last year, went into its second printing in April. The publishers regard it as exceptional for a I ook of a specialised type to run into two printings within six months (P.A.)

Seagulls Take Hint

“Though seagulls are puddling into ’ mud sports fields in other parts of New Zealand, so far this winter they i have soared Scots College.” said the acting headmaster (Mr A. C. Francis). “The seagulls must have taken the hint.” said Mr Francis. “We never got around to shooting any seagulls last vear. No- shots were fired, but the seagulls have not troubled us anywhere near as much this year.” While the shooting was being considered last : winter as the only way of getting rid i of the birds, they had taken wing and ■ had never returned in the same ; numbers, said Mr Francis. “But they made a frightful mess of our No. 3 field- and it is still out of action.” he said. v This field has had to be resurfaced.” . /