General News

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28159, 24 December 1956, Page 10

General News

No Paper Tomorrow “The Press” will not be published tomorrow, Christmas Day. Lightning; Starts Fire

A small grass fire was started on the hillside at the rear of 124 Huntsbury avenue yesterday afternoon when lightning struck a clump of gorse. The fire was put out easily by units from headquarters and Sydenham. There was no damage to property. Breath in Tax Tale In his 40 years of service the retiring Commissioner of Inland Revenue (Mr F. G. Oborn) has heard many pitiful, even heartrending stories by hard-up taxpayers. Speaking at his farewell, he told his favourite story. It came in the form of a letter, which read: “I find difficulty in paying my taxes. I am hard up. In fact, I am so hard up and the wolf at the door is so close that I can feel his hot breath through a hole in my trousers.” Journey Not Necessary British Railways today put on a special train to get a football referee. Tom Jepson, and two friends to Old Trafford after they had arrived late at Manchester because of fog. The three were the only occupants of the train But when they arrived, they found that the first division of the English League soccer fixture between Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion Had been postponed. The West Bromwich Albion side was stranded in the fog 50 miles away.— Manchester. December 22. Christmas Pudding for 200

Housewives who have been wrestling with the family Christmas pudding should spare a thought for the cooks at H.M.N.Z.S. Philomel. They have been making a Christmas pudding for 200. Here is the Philomel recipe: 7 Jib flour, 7Jib suet, 121 b currants, 121 b sultanas, 7Jlb raisins, 121 b breadcrumbs. 7Jib sugar, 30 eggs, IJlb mixed peel, 121 b. ground almonds, 20 lemons. 12 tins milk, 21b cherries, lib spice, 21b almonds. All these items are readily available. The last and most naval ingredient may not be. It is half a pint of navy rum. Cut Liquor Prices

The 1956 Christmas liquor trade in Greymouth has resulted in a minor war between hotels. One of Greymouth’s leading hotels has for some time been advertising spirits at prices much below those charged by other members of the trade. About a fortnight before Christmas another hotel announced that the best brands of Scotch whisky, case brandy and London gin could be bought at very much reduced rates. The latest hotel to enter the fray is one which announces the sale of the best brands of Scotch at 22s 6d. French brandy at 23s 6d. and English gin at £l. Wines and sherries are at corresponding decreases from the usual. While whisky drinkers are reaping the benefit of the “cold war,” they are at a loss to know how a publican can sell genuine Scotch at 22s 6d. No Pride in Tax Collection

The retiring Commissioner of Inland Revenue (Mr F. G. Oborn), the man who was responsible for collecting £167.000,000 last year, confessed at a farewell ceremony in his honour that he was far from proud of all the taxation his department collected. “Speaking as a taxpayer, i think it is a tremendous sum of money,” he said. “But don't blame me for it—l only do what I’m told. If the Minister rings up and says he wants another .£ 10,000.000, I have to carry out his orders.” North-Westerly Christmas Christmas Day will be fine with a clear sky, north-west wind and associated temperatures, according to a report from the Weather Office at Harewood yesterday. The weather today is expected to be clear with moderate temperatures increasing to the hot and dry north-west type temperatures tomorrow. Expenditure on Defence In no field of production does the Defence Account cause interference, says W.R., writing in the latest economic bulletin of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. Defence purchases amounted to just 1 per cent, of manufacturing sales in 1952-53 and to about 2J per cent, of building and construction. Even in imports, the percentage is not more than 3 per cent., W.R. says. Vandals Kill Terns A colony of nesting terns on the Waitangi spit, south of the Tutaekun river mouth, near Napier, has been wiped out by vandals. During the last week, hundreds of birds have been killed, eggs broken, and chicks trampled to death.—(P.A.) Precaution Against Low Flying Because it considers low-flying topdressing planes an increasing menace to its installations, the Waitemata Electric Power Board has decided to supply all topdressing firms with route maps of its high-tension lines. The chief engineer (Mr C. M. Gray) said at a board meeting in Auckland that on November 30 a topdressing plane had flown into lines near Wayby. The pilot was not injured and the plane was not damaged, but the Kaipara Flats feeder service was put out of service for a night.—(P,A,)