General News

Press, Volume C, Issue 29435, 10 February 1961, Page 12

General News

“We’re AU Mad”

The solemn debate of economists from Britain, Australia, and New Zealand at the economists' conference in Wellington yesterday was leavened by a quotation from “Alice in Wonderland.” Expressing his pleasure at the invitation to attend the. conference, Mr H. D. Black, from the University of Sydney, read from “that most famous of all text-books of economics” the dialogue between Alice and the Cat Alice: But I don’t want to go among mad people. The Cat: Oh, you can’t help that: we’re all mad here. Tm mad. You're mad. Alice: How do you know Tm mad? The Cat: You must be. or you wouldn’t have come. — (FOOR.)

Heading South The 84-year-old veteran walker. Mr A. H. Reed, waded ashore from a dinghy at Puponga, near Cape Farewell, on the northernmost tip of the South Island, shortly before 2 p.m. yesterday. He had travelled from the North Island by the Wellington yacht, St. Michael, to start the South Island section of his marathon walk from North Cape to Bluff. —(P.A.)

The Horse Trade “Where, oh where, would Wellington be without Australian buyers of New Zealand racehorses, and where, indeed, would the Melbourne Cun be if not in your safe keeping?” An Australian economist, Mr H. D. Black, received no answer from his New Zealand colleagues when he put this question to them during a discussion oh Australian and New Zealand trade at the conference of the New Zealand Association of Economists in Wellington yesterday. “The New Zealand import component in the Melbourne Cup comes near to being 100 per cent., and the cup itself an unrequited export,” he concluded, amid laughter.

Meeting Expenses Money to pay for last evening’s meeting of protest against the Victory Park Board’s decision to exclude English professional soccer players from Lancaster Park in June was not in short supply. Mr N. G. Pickering said after the meeting that expenses had amounted to about £ls—hire of the hall, advertising, and use of a public address and recording system. Two hats were passed round the 100 or more persons present and for five minutes the sound of chinkling coins filled the air. One gentleman gave a guinea and several gave pound notes.

Human Scent An invention which winds like a clock and exudes human scent at 15 minute intervals for eight days has been devised in Germany and is used in Europe to scare animals from farm crops. Its maker claims effectiveness in repelling deer and wild pigs at 300 yards when it is hung on a tree.

Hearing Tests The Christchurch Department of Health’s annual programme for testing the hearing of primary-school children began on Wednesday when Mrs M. J. Hart, one of the two audiometrists of the Christchurch office of the department, tested children in the Sefton school. Mrs Hart’s itinerary for February covers several schools in the same general area. Yesterday she completed testing at Sefton and moved to Ashley.

Aid For China C O RS O, had not been able to supply any form of relief to China since the Communist Government took charge of that country, said the North Canterbury organiser (Mr G H Coley) yesterday. Information in a letter to the editor yesterday from Ralph S Wheeler was obsolete: "The Communists closed the door and we have not since been able to give any assistance.” said Mr Coley.

Demand For Oranges

There was a very keen demand in Christchurch fruiterers’ shops yesterday for the limited supply of Cyprus oranges which sold at Is 4d a pound. Sweet chilli penpers sold in shops at about 3s 6d a half-pound. Bon Chretien pears are on sale at lOd a pound.

Crowded The Registrar of the Supreme Court (Mr J L. W Gerken) was concerned yesterday when it became apparent that two juries in separate criminal trials would be considering their verdicts at the same time. A jury hearing a trial on a charge of attempted murder retired to consider its verdict in the grand jury room. The trial of another person on a charge of indecent assault began immediately. The attempted murder jury was still considering its verdict when the assault trial jury retired to consider its verdict. Mr Gerken arranged they should deliberate in his office—the only room available, as yet another hearing was going on in the No. 3 Court It was the first time within memory of Court officials that two criminal juries were deliberating on verdicts at the same time in the Supreme Court at Christchurch.

Flight To Nepal The Royal New Zealand Atr Force Bristol Freigher which is to fly two fire crash tenders to airfields in Nepal for the forthcoming visit by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will leave Singapore today Flight Lieutenant W A Barnett, of Auckland, will be captain. Flying Officer B. G Anderson, of Oamaru, navigator, and Flight Sergeant H Hammersley, of Christchurch, signaller.—(PA.)