General News

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28743, 14 November 1958, Page 12

General News

Hoop-La A Dutch Communist member of Parliament today blamed hula hoops for holding up house building all over Holland. He told Parliament, during a debate on economic affairs, that there was a shortage of plastic pipes for new houses because the materia! was being used for making hula hoops.—The Hague. November 12. Penguin Airlift Portland, Oregon, is waiting eagerly to see the second batch of penguins being brought back by its zoo director (Mr Jack Marks). • “The Press” yesterday received a , radio-telephone call from Mr Rolla Crick, a Portland “Oregon--1 Journal” reporter who was in the Antarctic last summer, to ask how the airlift was going, and when Mr Marks was expected to 1 take off from Christchurch air- > port with the Globemastcr full of caged birds. Worn Out “Taking in a movie” is no ■ longer a pleasant pastime for the , 18 men who have spent the win- , ter at the South Pole. Their stock of films has been screened repeatedly for two years, the extreme cold has caused the colours to blur, and there are innumerable splices in the films. A radio report from‘the Amundsen-Scott ; I.G.Y. Pole station to the American base at McMurdo Sound says it is doubtful whether the films can be used again. A new stock of films will pro' ’’bly have to be provided for the men who will spend next winter at the Pole. Peaceful Lying asleep in its pen at the show yesterday was a large sow, oblivious to all the hustle and bustle. It lay sleeping while the Governor-General, Viscount Cobham paused during his inspection of the pig pavilion and looked at it. The busy round of public engagements must be tiring because His Excellency commented before moving on to the next pen: “Sometimes I wouldn’t mind changing places.” Vegetable Supply Good quantities of most varieties of vegetables were available at the Christchurch produce markets yesterday. The price of cabbages and cauliflowers dropped by 3s and 3s to 5s a case respectively oh the previous day’s price. Sold in the shops, Cabbages were Is to Is 3d and cauliflowers Is fid to 2s each. Local spring beetroot, in better supply- was sold at the market for 6s ro 12s a lt was selling in the shops for Is 9d. Soaked Two Quests at the Dominion Hotel Ihsi-. evening were made aware in nrhre ways than one that thefe was something untoward going on. V£ith others, a man and his wife had rushed on to the street, and were standing on the footpath east of the hotel watching the commencement of firefighting operations, when a fire hose running across the footpath suddenly punctured, and shot a tremendous jet of water right over them. They were soaked. An earlj’ re-entry to the hotel for a change of clothing was necessary. Purses w Were Safe Many of the dogs in the Canterbury Kennel Club’s building at the Show Grounds yesterday did a double service for their women owners. Besides being paraded in the dog ring, they stood guard over their owners' purses and valuables. Many of the dog owners left their valuables in the dog cages under the care of their dogs. Massive Great Danes and grimlooking German shepherd dogs must have discouraged anyone looking for easy pickings. Wigram Visit A small party of civic leaders will be invited to make a conducted tour of the R.N.Z.A.F. station. Wigram, and have lunch at the officers’ mess later this month ‘‘to see where the taxpayers’ money is going.” This, it is hoped, will be the first of a series of regular monthly visits by groups from business and professional organisations, sponsored by the Christchurch branch of the Air League. Churchill Paintings Thirty-five paintings by one of the world’s most distinguished amateur artist's, valued at £40,000 will arrive in Christchurch by air from Sydney tomorrow evening. They are some of Sir Winston Churchill’s paintings which the Government has arranged to be exhibited in the four main centres. The paintings which are packed in 12 crates weighing nearly a ton will be flown to ' Wellington on Sunday for the North Island exhibition. They will be exhibited in Christchurch > on December 1.