General News

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29179, 13 April 1960, Page 16

General News

Express Late The express from Invercargill, which was due to arrive at Christchurch at 7.25 pun. yesterday, did not arrive until 8.39 p.m. There had been drizzle near Port Chalmers and the rails were very slippery. This, combined with the fact that the express was carrying a heavier load than usual, caused the loss of time. The steamer express Maori waited for the train to arrive and did not sail until 9.46 p.m. Agricultural Students Degree students at Canterbury Agricultural College will not be allowed to enter the third of the four-year course in agriculture unless they have passed the four sections of the flrst-year course and three of the four sections of the second-year course. The board of governors yesterday accepted the recommendations on requisite passes by the professorial board. Surprising Gifts Members of the Opotiki Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Association were hardly prepared for the success of a scavenging expedition for goods for a fund-raising auction sale. They returned to their headquarters with, among other things, a 1951 English car in fairly good order, a milk cooler, only one year old, a hay sweep, a sheep sprayer, 14 lawnmowers and several suites of furniture. Chess Player’s Gift As a gesture of goodwill by the Singapore Chess League to the New Zealand Chess Association, the Prime Minister, Mr Nash, has been given a pair of opera glasses for Rodney Phillips, of Auckland. Rodney is the junior chess champion of New Zealand. Tan Lian Ann, 12-year-old junior chess champion of Singapore, made the presentation at Government House, Singapore. It is hoped that Rodney and Tan Lian Ann will meet at the world junior chess championships, probably at Manila next year. Forbes Library The Forbes Memorial Library at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, may be completed within a month or six weeks. The library will be opened in late July or early August by the Gov-ernor-General (Viscount Cobham). The college’s horticultural £taff is preparing for the sowing of lawns north of the building and the completion of landscaping is expected in a few weeks. The Alexander gates will be opened on graduation day (May 6) and a contract has been let for the brickwork on the fence on the highway Old Railway Station The fate of the present Christchurch railway station headquarters building has not yet been decided, according to the District Civil Engineer (Mr G. Shrimpton). He said yesterday that after staff shifted into the new building, the present station buildings would be demolished, and the site used for railway purposes. " Hospital Creche The creche for children whose parents are visiting in the Princess Margaret Hospital has looked after 229 children since its institution eight weeks ago. It is staffed voluntarily by members of the Friends of the Princess Margaret Hospital. The largest number of children cared for in one day was 20 on one Sunday. Fruit For Punters The general manager of the Totalisator Agency Board (Mr M. B. Smythe) agreed in the Arbitration Court yesterday that the board was a “genteel form of fruit machine.” He said some punters won consistently, but the law of averages was against them. Mr Justice Tyndall: “You are only a very genteel form of fruit machine?” Mr Smythe: “Very genteel, sir.”—(P.A.) Nelson Grapes Large quantities of Nelson outdoor grapes sold at between Is 8d and 3s 6d a pound in Christchurch produce markets yesterday. Mushrooms, which are tailing off in quantity, were available from Is 6d to 3s 3d a pound. Good quality sweet corn, also fron. the Nelson area, was on sale in some city shops at 6d a cob. A consignment of Hawaiian pineapples will be offered for sale this morning. S.P.C.A. Collection The final amount collected bs the Canterbury Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was £413. “One of two postal donations may trickle in during the next few weeks,” said the secretary of the society (Mr D. I. Williams). One or two minor expenses have to be met, but the final amount would be within £lO or so of last year’s collection, he said. Hills Fire Hazard Water tanks at strategic points on Scarborough hill and an extinguisher based by the end of Heberden avenue at the foot of the hill is suggested by the Sumner Residents’ Association. In a letter received by the Christchurch Fire Board last evening the association' also suggested that grass be kept under control in the area and glass and bottles “deposited there by irresponsible people” be cleared to reduce fire hazard. In addition, the association sought a conference with the board and the Sumner volunteer brigade to discuss practical details of its suggestions. The board took no action when informed that the City Council had already received a similar letter but members indicated their willingness to co-operate with the council. Boy Run Over By Truck (New Zealand Press Association) KAITAIA, April 12. A boy was killed instantly in Commerce street, the main street of Kaitaia, at 3.55 p.m. today when he ran out on to the roadway and was run over by a truck loaded with sand. He was: Robert James Staines, aged 3 years and 9 months, a son of Mr and Ms H. R. Staines, of Okahu road.