General News

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28531, 10 March 1958, Page 8

General News

Mayor’s Tumble Minister of Housing (Mr (Fox) was diverted from his explanation of the Government’s 3 per cent, housing loan at the opening of the Parade of Homes on Saturday when the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) fell off the platform. The leg of Mr Macfarlane’s light cane chair worked towards the edge of the two-foot dais, and with some agility he jumped clear as it overbalanced. There was a surprised laugh from the audience. Mr Macfarlane picked himself up’ from the unsealed and dusty footpath, and Mr Fox also rose to the occasion. “I did not know that I had such a powerful voice that the vibration would shake the Mayor off the platform,” he said as Mr Macfarlane stood up.

Tempting Fate A deer which ran across a ridge within 150 yards from the mound at the Te Kinga rifle range on Saturday was probably braver than it intended to be and luckier than it deserved. Deerstalkers from Nelson, Buller and the Westland area were assembled at the range for their annual shooting competition, but they were so surprised to see the deer on the range that none was quick enough to fire a shot at it. The animal had been disturbed by a man mustering sheep on a neighbouring farm.—(F.O.O.R.) Variable Weather After fog had covered part of the South Island from Kaikoura to Dunedin fon nearly three hours on Saturday morning, disrupting air services and closing both the Christchurch and Taieri airports, Canterbury sweltered in brilliant sunshine for the rest of the day, with the temperature steadily rising during the afternoon. By 3 p.m. it had reached 80 degress and shortly after 5 p.m. reached the maximum of 85 degrees. Warm conditions yesterday continued. with a maximum of 70.7 degrees at midday. Later in the afternoon, the sky clouded over and light showers of rain began to fall, making the air oppressive and humid. By 8 p.m. the temperature had fallen to 64.3 degress but the humidity was a steady 80 per cent. About four points of rain had fallen by 8 o’clock last evening. Cream Hosed From Road The Christchurch Fire Brigade had to use thousands of gallons of water to wash about 20 gallons of cream off Victoria street early on Saturday morning. The cream, in three cans and valued at about £25. fell from a truck belonging to Canterbury Dairy Farmers, Ltd. when the vehicle swerved to avoid a collision near the intersection of Victoria street and Montreal street. Traffic Congestion Many motorists travelling to Christchurch by the Main North road early yesterday evening found' themselves caught in a slow-moving queue of traffic returning from the air pageant at Rangiora. At the peak of the congestion, about 5.30 p.m., cars were driving bumper to bumper from Kaiapoi through to Belfast. A‘ times the lines of traffic came to a stop, and motorists wishing to enter the south-bound traffic from side roads frequently had a long wait. Crowds See Homes More than 4000 persons went to Rowan avenue, Aranui, yesterday to inspect the Parade of Homes. Although some rain fell, conditions remained reasonably good. About 1200 persons went through the homes yesterday morning, and about 3000 during the afternoon.

Canadian Challenge The world’s champion beer drinking countries, Australia and New Zealand, would soon have their supremacy challenged, reported the “Daily Herald’’ today. Canadians were stepping up consumption at such a rate that they would be drinking half as much again by 1970 as they were drinking now, said the newspaper’s diarist. It will give them a drinking rate a head of 15.2 gallons a year. Australians were said to drink 25 gallons each and New Zealanders 22 gallons.—London, March 8. Harewood Closed By Fog Christchurch airport was closed for two hours and a half on Saturday fnorning when a solid bank of fog covered the field. The fog bank extended from Kaikoura to Dunedin, and the airport was closed from 6.33 a.m. until just after 9 o’clock. Three outward flights and one inward flight were held up and the Viscount airctaft did not leave for Auckland until 9.11 a.m. instead of its scheduled time of 7.50 A flight from Wellington to Christchurth was delayed for 48 minutes, and the aircraft was held on the ground at Paraparaumu. Hutt Valley Sewer New Zealand’s largest sewage siphon, which cost £ 12,500, and which spans the Hutt river at Silverstream was successfully tested at the week-end, bringing to a successful close three years work in the Hutt Valley Drainage Board’s scheme to provide the borough of Upper Hutt with a modern sewage disposal system. The whole project cost more than £165,000. Within a few days the first residences will be connected to the new system. The town has in the past been served by septic tanks and night-soil collection. — (P.A.) 1400 At Feast A bullock and a half and 25 large pigs were cooked in a hangi for a tribal feast attended by 1400 Maoris and pakehas at the opening of the meeting house at Takipu, near Ekaraka, Gisborne, on Saturday. Even the hangi—the ancient Maori earth oven—was modernised to cater for the large number of guests. Instead of being placed in baskets and covered with flax mats—the customary method—the food was cooked in large cylindrical metal tanks.— (P.A.)