General News

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28414, 22 October 1957, Page 12

General News

71 Years In Transit A letter posted in 1886 was discovered during renovation to Carterton premises occupied last century by the Post Office. Hidden behind a skirting board, the letter was addressed to “The Agent. Bank of New Zealand. Carterton.” It has now been handed to the Post Office authorities for delivery.— (P.A.) Big Cheque For City The Christchurch City Council’s bank balance has been swelled by a cheque from the State Advances Corporation for £48.532. The payment is for rates on the 2367 State rental houses in thl city, representing an average of £2O 10s a property. The cheque is always the biggest lump sum received by the council in a year. This year it came almost immediately after another big Government payment—£27.7ls—for airport dues at the Christchurch airport from April, 1955, to June of this year. No Collection Boxes No canvassing or collecting will be allowed at the Parade of Homes site this year, the Parade Committee decided yesterday. A collection for the Crippled Children Society had been suggested, said Mr L. Corner, but “we are inviting the public there to see the parade and if they are going to have a box poked under their noses every time they go it can be very annoying.” Antarctic Visit When Rear-Admiral George Dufek returns to McMurdo Sound late next month he will travel with a party of United States Congressmen. members of the Interstate and Foreign Trade Committee. The United States Embassy in Wellington yeterday confirmed that a group of Congressmen would visit New Zealand in the near future, but could give no details of the size of the party, the names of those likely to be in it. or the itinerary. Oil And Petrol Tender “Until some other company can convince us that it can give us better service and at a lower price, we should continue to deal with this Company,” said the chairman 'Mr C. C. Holland) when the Christchurch Transport Board yesterday adopted a recommendation to accept the tender of the Atlantic Union Oil Company, Ltd., for the supply for one year of fuel oil and petrol. The tender was of Is 8d a gallon for diesel fuel oil and 2s 11 ?d for petrol. Five other firms tendered the same prices. No rebate was given for quantity. The price of petrol has fallen Id since the tender was made. House Passed In A four-roomed timber house on a small section at 358 Madras street was passed in at £9OO at an auction in Christchurch yes- ' terday. The house was offered on account of Mrs E. A. Heaven. The section has a frontage to Madras street of about 39ft. Bidding opened at £7OO and rose by two bids of £lOO. Aircraft From India A fully Indian-designed and manufactured trainer aircraft, styled the HT2. is to be’demonstrated in New Zealand shortly. Tn general lines this aircraft is similar to the de Havilland Chipmunk. Manufactured by the Hindusthan Aircraft Company, Bangathe HT? flew first in 1950, and as the immediate requirements for trainer aircraft in India have been met. the manufacturers are seeking foreign markets. After the New Zealand demonstrations, the trainer aircraft will be taken to Australia. Expensive Watch Set in a cluster of sapphires, a watch with a bracelet of diamonds and sapphires is the most expensive piece of watch jewellery to be brought into New Zealand. It is worth £1770. There are 100 gems on the watch and bracelet It is one of a series of high-priced watches brought into the country on a sale-or-return basis to tempt New Zealanders to buy top-quality jewellery timepieces. Even this price is not considered out of th° way by European standard. According tn the agent, wristlet watches costing £3OOO are being sold overseas. Old Maori Trail Plans are being made for a bronze plaque to mark an old Maori trail that cuts through Taranaki —a famous trail that started near Lepperton and ended at Normanby. A request to clear part of the old pathway has been made to the Stratford County Council by the Taranaki Regional Committee of the National Historic Places Trust. .When the area is cleared the trust plans to apply for a plaque to be placed as a permanent record of the ti-au. The trail which was known as Wha-Vaahu-Ranai. ran what was then dense forest. It was used extensively for errands of peace and war. Woman Keeper At Zoo The Auckland Zoo now has a woman keeper. She is Miss Camille Rosenfelrit. She will work at first in the zoo hospital and in the rabbit pens, and look after the kiwis and a cage of monkeys.