General News

Press, Volume C, Issue 29682, 28 November 1961, Page 16

General News

Desolate Scene Describing a meeting of the : works and traffic committee of the Christchurch Transport Board since the boerc! has reduced the committee from nine members to five, Mr R. H. Stallwell said at the board meeting yesterday: “It is a scene of utter dejection. Only four of us present in I this big room, with our general manager. Mr Fardell. Five empty chairs, and no debate or discussion. And 'to complete the desolate scene, two dejected, lonely, empty reporters’ chairs.” A board member, sotto voce: “Empty reporters!”

Political Potatoes The Social Credit Political League has gone into the market garden business *o raise funds. It has had a 10acre area known as the Whakatiki Street Reserve. Upper Hutt, planted in potatoes. The Upper Hutt Borough Council gave permission to use the land. It expects the area to yield about 100 tons of potatoes and has begun to accept orders at £1 10s a sack. If this yield is realised the league will make more than £l5OO. Delivery of the vegetables is promised in March of next year.

Numbers Down The revenue for the Christchurch Transport Board from Carnival Week was £684 less than the corresponding week last year, said a report tabled at the board's meeting yesterday. The board’s takings on the Thursday were £224 less and on Show Day itself £263 less. It had been noted that there had been a fall-off in attendance at several of the recent race meetings, the report said. Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon said this fall in attendances at shows and race meetings was general throughout New Zealand.

Fish Plentiful Fish, particularly bream, was plentiful in Christchurch yesterday and good supplies are expected today. There was only 1501 b of West Coast whitebait in the markets and it is selling in the shops for 16s to 18s a lb. Tarakihi and groper yesterday were 4s a lb, gurnard, ling, and bream. 2s 6d, and flounders and soles. 3s. University Arms The University of Canterbury has opened negotiations with the College of Arms about the design of a new coat of arms. The present arms of Canterbury University College do not conform to all the requirements of heraldry. A new design submitted a year or two ago was not favoured by the council, and discussions have been reopened in view of the forthcoming autonomy for the new university. Women Support Loan Nearly half the individual subscribers to the £lO million Government loan had been women, said the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) in a broadcast talk last evening. During the talk in which he appealed for support for the loan, Mr Holyoake said the. response by women was most encouraging. But there was a less encouraging aspect. Subscriptions from trading companies so far were considerably less than for the last loan.— (PA.)

Fresh Pumpkins The first of tihe new season’s pumpkins from Nelson are expected soon in Qiristchurch produce markets. The season is almost over and triamble pumpkins from Tauranga sold yesterday for 126 s a sack-. They are selling in city shops for Is 6d a lb. Good supplies of new potatoes from Nelson were available and sold for 6d a lb in the shops. Work Stops At Port Continuous rain which fell at Lyttelton yesterday stopped all cargo work on the waterfront. Labour for. two vessels, the Waimea and Pateke. was ordered back for overtime work, but the rest of the ships in port dismissed their labour earlier. Normal routine work aboard the steamer-express Hinemoa was carried on.