General News

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28010, 3 July 1956, Page 12

General News

Recordings of Bird Songs Mr Carl Weismann, a Danish scientist who will arrive in Auckland on August 17, will spend six months making recordings of the songs of imported birds in New Zealand. In the course of his endeavours to gain recordings of 25 different varieties of European birds to check whether their songs have changed over many generations, Mr Weismann may spend some time in the forest and plantation areas of Canterbury. Equipped with a small van carrying the recording gear, he will spend most of his time in the field, with his headquarters at the Dominion Museum, in Wellington. Students’ Life A London University student will spend part of his summer vacation travelling round London and winding up clocks—some 300 of them. His is one of the more unusual jobs found by the National Union ot Students, which expects to fill about 5000 Vacancies in the holidays. Much of the work is mundane, but there are interesting possibilities. One fortunate man is to spend the summer in Majorca. He has to meet aircraft passengers and take them to hotels. Another is escorting parties to Salzburg and yet another with fluent German is taking a tour round Switzerland and Austria. One student will go to the Channel Islands to look after a child actor in a yacht for a film company. The oddest job of all—and one filled without trouble—was one offered by a London newspaper. The student, equipped with a car, has to go round the coast arranging beauty contests. — London. July 2. Snow at Arthur’s Pass Snow fell to a depth of six inches on Arthur s Pass between the Otira Gorge and the Pass yesterday afternoon, and the Association (Canterbury) advises that the use of chains is essential. The association has a patrol operating from Bealey to assist any motorist who is in difficulties, and the association’s officer at Greymouth will also be available. Burwood Sections Auctioned More than £4OOO was paid for seven Burwood building sections which were sold by public auction in Christchurch last evening. Nine sections—all of them under 30 perches in area—were offered for sale from the Goodacres subdivision in Goodman and Irene streets. Two corner lots, each of 28.5 perches, sold to one man for £6OO. Two sections of 28.8 perches went for £550 each and three lots of 28.7 perches were knocked down for £590, £565, and £550. Riccarton Road Improvement An application to the National Roads Board to have Riccarton road imoroved is to be renewed by the Riccarton Borough Council. The Mayor (Mr E. J. Bradshaw) reported to a meeting of the council last evening that he had discussed Riccarton road with members of the board last week, and it had been suggested that the council should renew its application in writing to the board. Property Gifts for Springboks Members of the Springbok Rugby team may become owners of New Zealand property. The Buller Rugby Union has decided to purchase deeds of one foot of ground in an area at Cape Foul wind at present owned by the Westport Junior Chamber of Commerce to present to members ol the South African party. It was thought that property at Cape Foulwind—the first part of New Zealand sighted by Abel Tasman—would be an appropriate gift for the tourists.— (F.0.0.R.). Zoo Casualty The Sumatran golden leopard at Wellington Zoo last week-end mauled her surviving female cub, now 15 months old. Treated in the zoo hospital, the cub is making good progress. The cub was the survivor of a pair, said the curator (Mr C. J. Cutler) yesterday. Eight months ago, the male cub of the pair was found in its pit cage with a fishing spear used by underwater spear fishermen embedded in its skull. An offer of £2OOO for each cub had been received shortly after their birth from Tokyo Zoo. They were believed to be the only/ golden leopards born in captivity.—(P.A.) Heating in Coal Mine

Heating has occurred at the Strongman State coal mine and the mine was idle yesterday and will probably be idle again today. The heating is in the underground area known as the Old No. 2 South. This is not the same place that heating occurred in earlier this year and which caused an explosion. Shiftmen and truckers are engaged in sealing-off the affected block.— (F.0.0.R). Lodgings for Olympics New Zealanders intending to go to Australia for the Olympic Games who have not yet arranged accommodation are urged to uo so now by Mr M. J. Harkins, Director of Accommodation. Olympic Civic Committee, Melbourne, in a letter to the Tourist Department. Only a few thousand applications for accommodation have been received from the 27,000 individuals outside Victoria who have applied for tickets on the opening day of the games, he said. A rush of last-minute bookings could mean disappointment for many. School Assembly Hall

Tenders for the erection of an assembly hall at the Christchurch South Intermediate School have now been called. This is the first school under the Canterbury Education Board to receive such an addition in Christchurch, although a hall was provided in the contract for the Heaton Street Intermediate School. The Christchurch South Intermediate School has long had plans for a hall, but construction was delayed through the concentration on new classrooms. When policy on assembly halls was eased, the school was assured of priority.