General News

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28835, 4 March 1959, Page 12

General News

Twin Prefects Seventeen-year-old twins, Jennifer and Judith Shields, have been appointed as prefects this year at the Avonside Girls’ High School. This follows a pattern reported by other secondary schools in the South Island. Twins have also been appointed at King Edward Technical College (Janice and Lois Hamilton) and the King’s High School (David and Peter Strong) m Dunedin and at the Waitaki Boys’ High School (I. H. and D. O. Fox). The rector of Waitaki (Mr M. Leadbetter) said recently it was rather unusual that three sets of twins should be made prefects this year.

Exactly A special correspondent of “The Times” supplies the following “flower of circumlocution” from the National Insurance Bill now before Parliament on the grounds that it should not be born to blush unseen: “For the purpose of this part of this schedule a person over pensionable age not being an insured person shall be treated as an employed person if he would be an insured person were he under pensionable age and would be an employed person were he an insured person.”—London. March 3. Lyttelton Rates Only £1894 was outstanding in rates due to the Lyttelton Borough Council when the period for payment without penalty closed on Friday. The total amount levied was £28,554. Danger To Tanks Among the 132 weapons surrendered at the arms office at the Greymouth Police Station under the Government’s arms amnesty was a 20 millimetre anti-tank rifle, a souvenir of World War One. The gun belonged to a resident of South Beach, and it had been used inactively for service with the Home Guard during World War Two. The owner also handed in several revolvers, of interest to a collector of firearms.—(F.O.O.R.) Tourist Hotels Several Government tourist hotels might switch to a system of a bed-only tariff and meals a la carte as the result of a successful trial at Eichardt’s Hotel. Queenstown, where the system was introduced last December. A decision on extending the system will be made after a full summer season. This winter the Chateau Tongariro will offer a choice of meals a la carte or on a self-service cafeteria plan. Reservations will be made on a bed-only basis.

Savings Bank Cheques Only few organisations have yet taken advantage of the Post Office Savings Bank’s offer of cheque withdrawal facilities, it is understood. The system came into operation yesterday. Shunting Engines The first of 18 400-horsepower diesel-electric shunting engines which the Railways Department is importing from England arrived at Auckland at the weekend in the Hertford. Two more of the locomotives have left England, and are expected to reach Auckland by the middle of April. It is hoped to have all the engines in use by mid-1960. The engines, which are being specially built for New Zealand by a firm in Rugby, will be used for heavy shunting duties in the larger railway yards.—(P.A.) Harbour Bridge The navigation span of the Auckland harbour bridge is nearing completion, with the erection last week of twice as much steelwork as had been expected. The gap in the steelwork of the span shrank by 100 feet during the week. An average of 50 feet a week is normal. Work was impossible last Monday because of bad weather, but since then steel erectors and .the deck construction squad have worked long hours to take advantage of fine weather and long hours of daylight. The gap in the concrete decking has diminished to 850 feet. A total of 3340 feet has already been laid on the bridge proper and on the approach viaducts.