General News

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29380, 6 December 1960, Page 16

General News

Lightning Kills Cows

Five cows were killed when lightning struck a tree under which they were sheltering on Mr B. Roseman’s farm two miles north of Coroglen, on the Whiti-anga-Thames road, on Saturday afternoon. Lightning also set fire to a plantation of trees at Hotwater Beach, 21 miles south-east of Whitianga, the same afternoon. A heavy downpour of rain extinguished the blaze.—(PA.) Fruit Shipment Today

A shipment of bananas, water melons, sweet peppers, coconuts, egg fruit and taro arrived at Lyttelton from Suva in the Matua yesterday and will be offered for sale in the produce markets today. Because of the recent wet weather local new potatoes were slightly dearer in the markets yesterday, selling at 28s a case. New potatoes from Nelson were available at £1 a sugar bag. Asparagus, which has just about finished its season, sold at about 2s a bunch and tomatoes at between 2s 4d and 2s 6d a pound. Dough “When I came home from the war my father was ill and he wanted me to take over his bakery,” said Mr R. Davis at a sitting of the Motor Spirits Licensing Authority yesterday. “There would be more dough in that than a service station I suppose,” said the chairman of the authority (Mr S. C. Johnston) amid laughter.

Paparua Population The county of Paparua now has an estimated population of 16,500, according to statistics given by the chairman of the Paparua County Council (Mr J. H. Weaver) in his annual report last evening. The figure was an increase of 500 on the previous year, and 6000 since 1955. The population in 1945 was 6646. The rateable capital value of the county was now £17,317,820, said Mr Weaver. This compared with £11,330.780 in 1957, and £3,849,750 in 1953. Unemployment Figures The Minister of Labour (Mr Hackett) said yesterday that the number registered for employment at the end of November was 276 (244 men and 32 women). This was a further reduction on the total of 372 (335 men and 37 women) at the end of October. Only 175 (160 men and 15 women) were receiving unemployment benefits at the end of November, Mr Hackett said.—(P.A.) Paparua Building

Last month the Paparua County Council issued 34 building permits valued at £58,159. The highest value was £20,000 for an extension to a factory in Halswell Junction road. The permits brought the council £2OO 10s in fees.

Gift To Hall The sum of £5OO has been left to the Yaldhurst Memorial Hall fund, Cr. C. W. A. Kyle announced at last evening’s meeting of the Paparua County Council. Cr. Kyle said the money was made available under the will of Mr R. T. Crawford, who lived at Pound road, Yaldhurst. Warwick House Mr I. J. Catanach, a new lecturer in history to arrive next year, has accepted appointment also as warden of Warwick House, the former private hotel which is being converted by the University of Canterbury into a Colombo Plan students’ hostel. The name is being retained because of its university associations. Mr Catanach has previous experience with Asian students. Percival Memorial A memorial prize commemorating the long service to zoology and to the University of Canterbury by Professor E. Percival will be established by a fund which already stands at £389. The sponsors are Professor G. A. Knox. Professor R. S. Allan, and Mr C. E. Fenwick. The Canterbury University Council yesterday accepted administration of the award and the Chancellor (Mr C. H. Perkins) said that Professor Percival’s many friends would be gratified at this form of memorial. 130 ft Smokestack Because of the nearby science building of. eight storeys, the planners had been forced to go 130 ft in height for the boilerhouse smokestack at Ilam, the Assistant-Government Architect (Mr J. R. P. Blake-Kelly) told the Canterbury University Council yesterday. Had the 12-storey library block been retained, the smokestack would have had to go to the limit. First Salmon What is believed to be the first salmon of the season to be caught in the Rakaia river, was landed yesterday. The fish, which weighed 191 b, was caught by Mr Robert Happer, of Dunsandel, at the mouth of the Little Rakaia. Mr Happer is aged 74