General News

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28257, 20 April 1957, Page 10

General News

Fuel Allowance Earl Ferrers told the House of Lords of a farmer who was said, to have received an allowance of 10 gallons of petrol for a horse. When applying for the ration the farmer was “What form of transport have you?” He replied: “A Fordson Major and a stallion.” The farmer was allowed eight gallons for the Fordson tractor and 10 gallons for the stallion, Lord Ferrers said. —London, April 17, Amnesty for Motorists

Paris police today declared an amnesty for motorists because they were so good-humoured during the traffic restrictions for Queen Elizabeth’s State visit, and the traffic jams of the 48-hour transport strike. The police chief announced that in response to its goodwill he had decided to order a general indulgence to all motorists who had committed minor offences during the two days of the strike.—Paris, April 18. Dull Weather for Holiday

For the second year in succession, Good Friday was overcast in Christchurch. No rain fell, however. The spell of rain ended about 3 a.m. on Thursday, and the sun broke through occasionally that day. Yesterday, there was promise at 9 a.m. of sunshine, but the sky became overcast again. Most citizens observed Good Friday quietly. Today many sporting attractions will be held, chief being the concluding day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting at Addnigton. On Monday, the sporting programme, headed by the Canterbury Jockey Club’s opening day at Riccarton, is a heavy one throughout Canterbury.

Sockburn School Piano “By a couple of bob” the Sockburn School committee on Thursday missed raising enough money in one effort to buy a piano for the school. The committee had organised four stalls for public sale—homecraft, produce, sweets and cakes —and in a few hours had collected £96 4s OJd, just short of the purchase price. The committee is now planning to raise funds for a second piano to give to the school’s infant classes. z Lambs Lost in Flood

Fifty lambs were lost by Mr E. P. Honeybone in a flood which swept over his property just south of Cheviot on Wednesday night and early on Thursday morning. The flooding, caused by the inability of the Jed river to cope with continuous rain, covered between 150 and 200 acres. Rainfall in various parts of the Cheviot district between about 8 p.m. on Wednesday and 5 a.m. on Thursday was between 3Jin and 42in. Since a thunderstorm on March 7, which was the first rain for more than two months, more than 17in has been recorded at Cheviot. Beechcraft for Oamaru

Although it has not yet received a certificate of airworthiness, Trans Island Airways’ new American Beechcraft plane will fly from Christchurch ; on Monday to attend the Easter air pageant at Oamaru. The Civil Aviation Administration has made a special concession to allow the £23,000 plane, named Spirit of Otago, to be displayed on its home ground, where most of the funds for its purchase were collected. Conditions of the concession are that the Beechcraft is piloted by one man (Captain Brian Chadwick), carries no passengers, and is back in Christchurch on Tuesday. It is believed that approval of modifications for the aircraft is on the way from Wellington to Christchurch, and that a certificate of airworthiness will be gained next week without difficulty. Lottery Prize

For the third time in four days the first prize in a Melbourne lottery went to New Zealand yesterday. Heading the third list of results published this week was the £lO,OOO prize winner, Roadend, Dunedin. The ticket was number 27124.—Melbourne, April 19. School Committee Nominations The Canterbury Education Board will in future send out nomination forms for school committees a fortnight before nominations close. Mr C. H. F. Maynard told the board on Thursday that there were complaints in Ashburton about the short time in which papers were available. The secretary (Mr W. P. Spencer) said there could be a danger of papers being mislaid if they were sent out too early. Hats and Shoes

A writer to “The Times” complained bitterly about the number of .men who could be seen "walking about London in bowler hat and brown shoes.” It just was not done, he said. He has now received support from the editor of ‘Tailor and Cutter,” who said that brown bowler with brown shoes was perfectly all right. But anyone who wore black bowler with brown shoes should be shunned; no-one should speak to him.—London, April 19. Sunny Auckland

With a maximum temperature of 73 degrees and nine and a half hours of sunshine, Aucklanders yesterday enjoyed the warmest Good Friday holiday since 1942. (P.A.) Shorthorn Bulls For Tahiti

Four rising two-year-old Shorthorn bulls have been shipped to Tahiti by the stud stock department of a New Zealand firm acting on behalf of a client in Tahiti. All of the bulls were from the well-known “Glenside” stud of E. B. Booth, of Gladstone, Wairarapa. The shipment is believed to be the first one of Shorthorn cattle from New Zealand to overseas countries for a long period.