BIG FIRE AT COVENTRY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29008, 24 September 1959, Page 13

BIG FIRE AT COVENTRY

Car Factory Damaged

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

COVENTRY, September 22.

A fire in the main assembly plant of the Rootes car factory at Coventry was brought under control after about three hours’ intensive fire fighting tonight. Firemen continued dampingdown operations. At least 30 fire engines tackled the blaze. A company spokesman said tonight that the effects of the fire were not as serious as was at first feared. The fire had affected about eight production bays out of a total of 24 in the affected block.

The fire was brought under control after about three hours, but firemen continued dampingdown operations. About a quarter of the 300 ft by 400 ft building was thought to have been badly damaged by the blaze, which could be seen in the night sky for many miles around. A spokesman for the Warwickshire fire brigade described it as “the biggest blaze we have ever tackled?’

A Rootes spokesman said: “The factory is the group’s main assembly plant for cars and light vans.” Rootes produce Hillman, Humber and Sunbeam-Talbot cars, and a range of commercial vehicles.

Two firemen were overcome by smoke and fumes and taken to hospital by ambulance. Night shift" workers were not in the factory when the fire started. The fire started in the roof of the engine receiving bay, and fanned by a wind, spread to a finishing store containing large quantities of rubber and seating material. The store was badly damaged.

HUGE SUM OWED

Jasper Firms’ Debts

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 23. The £l2 million State Building Society revealed last night that it had lent “considerable” sums to the Jasper group of companies, and that £3.900,000 was still outstanding, the “News Chronicle” reported. It had been ordered to surrender all its books and accounts to the Registrar-General of Building Societies, it was announced at the end of a board meeting of the society’s directors. Dealing in shares of 15 Jasper group companies was suspended by the Stock Exchange on Monday. Mr Harry Jasper yesterday ordered a firm of accountants to investigate the affairs of his 15 public companies, the newspaper said. A statement issued by the State Building Society last night said the advances to the Jasper group were “secured by first mortgages on freehold and leasehold properties owned by companies associated with Messrs H. Jasper and Company.” Instalment of capital and interest payments in respect of “certain of these mortgages are more than two months in arrears, and the board is taking steps to safeguard the society’s securities.”

No U.N. Debate On China

NEW YORK. September 22

The United Nations General Assembly today voted not to hold a debate on the question of Communist China’s representation in the world organisation. An amendment proposed by Nepal, which would have reversed a recommendation by the Assembly's steering committee and brought on such a debate, was lost by <1 votes to 30, with 11 abstentions. The vote meant that an Indian-sponsored item on Chinese representation in the United Nations would not be included on the Assembly’s agenda. Laos urged the General Assembly not to admit the Peking regime as a member. The Laotian Foreign Minister, Mr Khamphan Panya, charged that the present hostilities in Laos “would not have occurred if People’s China had not furnished arms, equipment and leadership to the rebels.”

LONDON, September 23.

Field Marshal Lord Ironside, Chief of the Imperial General Staff at the outbreak of World War 11, died in London Military Hospital last night, aged 79. Earlier in September he was admitted to the hospital after suffering a thigh fracture at his Norfolk home. Lord Ironside had been preparing his war-time diaries for publication this autumn. He was the first British officer to land in France in 1914. Lord Ironside was a skilled secret service man. Just before World War I armistice he commanded Allied troops in northern Russia fighting Bolsheviks. For these services he was made ■ a major-general and knighted. Other posts included Governor of Malta, Quartermaster-General in India and Inspector-General of Overseas Forces. He was created a baron in 1940. The barony passes to his son.

Panda Fooled

Everyone

LONDON, September 23. >

It took three eminent zoologists and a sheaf of panda diagrams to prove that Chi-Chi, the giant panda at London Zoo, is no lady. The “Daily Mail” said that ChiChi had fooled everyone—the Chinese Government, his first owners, had accepted him as a female. So had the Austrian animal trapper, Mr Heini Demmer, who sold ChiChi to London Zoo for about £12.000 last year. His keepers thought he was a girl, too, the newspaper said. Even the name Chi-Chi meant “naughty, mischievous little girl.” But doubts arose when Chi-Chi began behaving like a "naughty, mischievous little boy”—throwing his 15 stone 21b about the cage, knocking the stuffing out of large rubber tyres and playballs like an all-in wrestler in training.

Diagrams were brought along by three zoologists, and they found Chi-Chi was a male, the newspaper said. A zoo official said: “It is really terribly difficult to tell whether pandas are male or female. I suppose they know themselves, but the differences are very slight and no-one knows anything about their sex life.”

Chi-Chi’s boisterous energy was doubly surprising, the newspaper added. The last male panda at the London Zoo was slow and lazy.

Big Strike In Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Sept 23. Economic activity in Argentina ground to a halt a| midnight as nearly 100 unions began a 48-hour general strike. The unions staged the walkout after the Government rejected a list of grievances which it termed political rather than constructive.

At the last minute the powerful Railroad Union voted not to join the strike. The decision came after the Government decided to grant emergency increases to railroad pensioners. Railway workers struck for 24 hours last week to enforce their demands. Police arrested a number of labour leaders in surprise raids yesterday. The Administration alerted police and armed forces units for emergency duty but made no moves to prevent the workers from striking.

President Arturo Frondizi's Government charged that Communists had a big hand in the strike. Unions that support former Dictator Juan Peron were also involved.