General News

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28162, 28 December 1956, Page 6

General News

Cruise Liner’s Visit Many roast turkeys, sucking pigs, and other delicacies went uneaten at the gala Christmas dinner on board the cruise liner Himalaya on her stormy passage from Hobart to Wellington, where she arrived yesterday morning. Bad weather kept a percentage of the 1153 passengers away from the dining rooms. Many of the passengers left yesterday morning on sight-seeing tours in the North Island. The Himalaya sailed at night for Auckland, where the overland tourists will rejoin her, and will return thence to Sydney. —(P.A.) The Thrift of Scots Statistics compiled by the Scottish Savings Committee enhance the Scots’ reputation as a thrifty nation. In the quarter ended September 30 this year Scots living in the major cities deposited an average of about £ 1 5s each a week in savings accounts. In England and Wales the figure was about 13s 3d. Aberdonians were the thriftiest savers, depositing £1 12s 6d each a week during the quarter. Then came Dundee with £1 9s sd. Edinburgh with £1 ss, and Glasgow with 14s Bd.—London. December 26. Teeth Under Tractor As Chief Warrant Officer Victor Young, leader of the American tractor train carrying building materials for the Marie Byrd Land station, pulled alongside a tractor driven by Willis Clem he saw something pink fall from Clem’s shirt pocket as he reached out to receive some sandwiches. Young tried to grasp the object as it travelled along the tractor tread but the entire track of the 37-ton tractor passed over it before Young and Clem stopped and Young dug in the snow to recover it. It was Clem’s upper dental plates still quite undamaged. One Christmas Boy

There was a boy born in Christchurch on Christmas Day, but there is still a majority of 10 girls. Further inquiries show that a boy and a girl were born at Burwood Hospital. The girl was born in the mornnig and the boy at midday. Quiet Fruit Markets

Christchurch fruit and produce markets had a quiet morning yesterday, with few buyers in attendance. For the most part, preChristmas prices held, with small rises for some lines. Potatoes sold at 6d a pound, with the price in shops at 7d. This slight rise has been caused by the holiday taken by diggers over the Christmas period. The only other rise, caused by lack of sun in the last few days, was noted in the price of tomatoes, which were up to 2s 8d a pound. Cherries were marketed at 4s 8d to 5s 3d a pound and retailed at 6s a pound. These are mainly pickings from the south and Horotane Valley areas. Shops are now selling raspberries at 3s a punnet. Dutch Barrister Admitted A doctor of laws of the University of Leyden. Holland, Mr Ludwig Friederich Heinrich Johann Scholer. was recently admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, before Mr Justice McGregor on the motion of Mr R. Hardie Boys. Mr Scholer, who became a British subject in October this year, served in the former Netherlands East Indies for more than 25 years as a member of the judiciary, and was subsequently principal officer and legal adviser of the Department of Economic Affairs in Batavia. After Indonesia became a republic Mr Scholer resigned his post and returned to Holland and practised as a lawyer. He came to New Zealand in September, 1951. Work for Taxis Taxi drivers report that Christmas Eve was rather quieter than usual for taxi business in Christchurch. Christmas Day is always a day of steady business for taxis, with many persons travelling to relations’ homes for Christmas dinner and tea. A driver working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. had a steady stream of engagements during that time. Boxing Day, in contrast, was a quiet day for taxi drivers. With no local race meetings or large carnival gatherings, the day was very like a Sunday for taxi business. Although normal business hours were observed in the city yesterday, business for taxis was again quiet, but today, with shoppers stocking up household supplies ready for the four-day period when shops will be closed, taxi drivers expect that they will be kept busy, and also through the New Year period. Breakdown in Square An early model truck chose a bad time and place to break a rear axle in Christchurch yesterday afternoon —2 p.m. and the middle of Cathedral square. The truck, which had been travelling south past the Cathedral and just beginning to turn round the bus terminus to the Chief Post Office, stopped when the axle snapped, and slowed down traffic going past it. A woman who had been travelling in the truck appeared, in the absence of the driver, to be less embarrassed than amused.