General News

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29108, 21 January 1960, Page 12

General News

New Colours The hull colours of all the Union Steam Ship Company’s cargo vessels are to be changed from black and buff to the green hull, yellow band and white upper structure worn by the company’s passenger vessels. Mentioning this in his annual report, the chairman of the company (Mr H. H. Dobie) says: “It was felt that the crews would welcome the change and take a greater pride in the appearance of their vessels.” Tomato Prices Drop Tomato prices dropped sharply at the Christchurch produce markets yesterday. Ideal ripening weather in the last few days has caused an over supply. Nelson tomatoes sold at Is to Is 3d a pound and locally grown from Is 6d to Is 9d a pound. This is an average decrease of Is 3d a pound on Monday’s prices. Lettuces sold from 8s to 18s a dozen, the highest price reached for three months. Cucumbers were in steady demand, selling at 15s to 17s a case. Rediscovery While the police searched and the Army made unsuccessful sweeps with a mine detector, a gold wristlet watch—reported to be worth about £350 —was washed by the tide at Takapuna Beach for 18 days until its discovery by a holiday-maker. The watch is still in excellent condition. The owner of the watch, Mr A. J. Bryce, of Diddell road. Glendowie, lost it on the beach on December 31. He searched for it without success and reported his loss to the police. They also searched a number of times' before asking the Army if a 1 mine detector might locate it. | Last Saturday the Army tried to find the watch, but the state of the tide prevented them from covering much ground. They were going to try again when Mr D. G. Mclvor, of Ellison avenue, Napier, stumbled across it on Monday and handed it in to the police. Leaks In Chapel A new crematorium chapel costing £35,000 was officially opened and dedicated at Karori Cemetery on March 25, 1959, but it has never been used, the chairman of the Wellington City Council's cemeteries committee (Cr. J. G. Churchill) said yesterday. The contractor was required to fix up minor defects before the council would accept the building. A spokesman for the contractor, 11. G. Field and Company, said the trouble was in the windows on the northern side of the building which were letting in water. Repairs had been carried out, but they had to wait for a strong northerly and rain together to test the work.—(P.A.) 1200 Tourists Twelve hundred Australian tourists are aboard the 29,614-ton Iberia which is due at Auckland tomorrow from Sydney for a two-day stop-over before sailing for Wellington and Milford Sound. The Iberia is making her first call to New Zealand.—(P.A.) Sale Day The traditional tedium of waiting for sale doors to open was relieved by the generosity of a Hastings shopowner. By 7 a.m. more than 100 women were gathered at the entrances. Then the owner appeared, wished everyone a cheery good morning and handed round ice creams for all. Unpaid Passage A small dachshund owned by Mrs E. Brown, of Narrow Neck, Auckland, went for an unexpected ride from Manly to Kohimarama after it had taken refuge from a plane which landed on Manly beach. The hiding place the frightened dog chose was under a car belonging to Mr R. L. Rogers, of Auckland. The dachshund remained perched above the axle as Mr Rogers drove back to Auckland. Meanwhile at Manly an extensive search was carried out by a large number of children. Mr Rogers later discovered the dog trapped in a bookcase in his garage. The dachshund was returned to his owner with burns across his hind legs. New Wool Process Plans to establish a new organisation to help develop new wool processes and finishes throughout the world were announced in London last night. The chairman of the International Wool Secretariat, Mr R. G'. Lund, said the new organisation, which was expected to come into operation in May, would probably be called the International Wool Development Company. Its functions would be the development of new wool processes and finishes and the provision of an advisory technical service for wool textile mills on a more ambitious scale than undertaken so far. —London, January 20. Fish Sales Increase Almost one third more fish has been sold on Christchurch markets in the first two weeks of this month than in the corresponding period last year. Retailers consider that the reasons for the increase are the unusually cool weather, which has prompted housewives to prepare hot meals instead of cold meat and salads, and . the better variety of fish available because more trawlers have been operating in early January.