General News

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28540, 20 March 1958, Page 10

General News

One Of Ours The announcer at 3ZB, Christchurch, was broadcasting the loss of a motor-van yesterday morning. After giving the make, number, colour, the announcer went on to read a further point of identification. “On the door panels,” he said, “are the letters N.Z.8.5.” Then, in the same breath, but in a quite different tone, he added: “Goodness, it’s ours.” Police said last evening that although a report had been received that the van had been seen in Mosgiel, it had not yet been recovered. Dismissal Notices The Royal New Zealand Air Force has given notice of dismissal to some of its 26 civilian trade instructors. The men affected are temporary employees, some of whom have been serving for seven years at various stations A spokesman for the Air Force said .last night that the men had been employed on the understanding they were only there until servicemen were sufficiently trained to take over the duties. The cessation of compulsory military training was also releasing service personnel for other jobs —(P.A.) Naval ChieFs Visit The new chief of the Naval Staff (Rear-Admiral J. M. Villiers) will make his first official visit to Christchurch on April 11. He will arrive in the afternoon by car from Dunedin, and in the evening will inspect H.M.N.Z.S. Pegasus, headquarters of the Canterbury division of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve. On April 12, he will inspect H.M.N.Z.S. Pegasus ship's company at a parade in Cranmer square. Admiral Villiers will be accompanied by his wife.Dunsandel Crossing The installation of warning devices on the Dunsandel railway crossing has a rather low priority the Transport and Railway Departments informed the Canterbury Progress League last evening. There had been only one other accident in addition to a fatal one last year, and that a minor one, said the letters. Mr C. A. Inch said many minor accidents _ had not been reported. Motorists did not have a view south through the railway yards of approaching trains. Prices Compared When Mr Hartwell Carter, a businessman from Hawaii, who is in charge of one of the bigges* estates on the island, was in Christchurch this week he asked the average price of a steer in the market here. He was told that a 6001 b steer would fetchabout £32. “I expect to get at least £9O when I sell them in Honolulu.” he said. New Police Helmets The issue began yesterday of 157 white' plastic helmets at the Christchurch Police Station. Except for an issue of white, canvascovered helmets which proved unsatisfactory in rain, it is many years since the police wore white helmets with their summer uniform from November to March. The helmets are stout in construction but light in weight and have the appearance of a fine, light leather. But it may be next summer before they are worn. Publicity Appeal Both the South Island and the North Island Publicity Associations have filled their quotas of £lOOO and £2OOO respectively and the New Zealand Travel and Holidays Association’s revenue has consequently been increased to £lO,OOO which will enable it to draw, for the first time, the full Government subsidy of £lO,OOO. Giving this information last evening the president of the South island Publicity Association (Mr L. Christie) said he hoped the response of the public would be maintained so that negotiations could begin for an increased subsidy. Up to yesterday the South Island appeal had raised £1093 Tiddlywinks Any tiddlywinkers interested in attending the first world conference for tiddlywink enthusiasts should make plans to be in Cambridge. England, on June 11 and 12. A letter has been received by the Canterbury University newspaper “Canta” from Messrs L. C. M. Howells, and W. M. Steen, of Christ’s College, Cambridge, inviting representatives of tiddlywink clubs to attend the conference. The two players suggest that those interested could write to the conference if the expense involved in sending a representative was too great. The “minor differences regarding the mode of play” should be reconciled at this meeting, the sponsors claim Diagnostic Station After an address by Professor J W. McLean, of Canterbury Agricultural College, on the question of animal diagnostic stations in the South Island and the facilities at Lincoln, the Canterbury Progress League’s council decided last evening to seek the co-operation of all interested bodies in establishing a station Lincoln. Men At Work Persons who like watching men working on the streets have a new attraction in Cathedral square. There was a group on the south side of the Square yesterday afternoon to see workmen of the Municipal Electricity Department remove seme of thv heavy metal standards which will not be required now that underground wiring is being installed for street lighting. The heavy poles were extracted from the ground with the ease of a dentist’s pull by the department’s mobile crane. Borer From Borneo A cargo of timber brought to Auckland from Borneo in the Japanese ship Tozai Maru will be fumigated because the Forest Service has found the timber infested with a half-inch-long borer type beetle. The timber has' been imported for fence posts. When the ship was unloading on Monday a Forest Service inspector discovered the beetle and a specimen was sent to the Forest Research Institute at Rotorua for identification. The senior fores! ranger in Auckland. Mr F. O Buckingham, said that all timber unloaded from the Tozai Mam would have to be fumigated. He added that occurrences of this nature did not happen very often.