General News

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29747, 14 February 1962, Page 12

General News

“Turbulent Priest” Sometimes, said the Dean of Christchurch (the Very Rev. M. G. Sullivan) last evening at a public farewell in the Civic TTieatre, he thought that when the Bishop looked at him he must occasionally have drawn from history the phrase: “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest? Turbulent isn't the right term—unpredictable, or perhaps self-opinionated, and if not that then pure cussedness, and if not even that then it might be just bearing all the defects of his Irish ancestry,” said the Dean. Marred Quiz The question to the cohtestant on a 8.8. C. quiz programme last night was: “Who is the heir to the Marquis of Milford Haven?” "The Earl of Medina,” said the competitor confidently. Immediately the gong sounded. The competitor was wrong, said the quizmaster. Right answer: “Lord Mountbatten.” A few seconds later the studio telephone rang, reported the “Guardian.” Said an indignant voice: “My heir is the Earl of Medina. The competitor was quite right.” It was the Marquis himself.—London, February 13. Sumner Fire Alarm A fire alarm point on the shopping side of Wakefield avenue had the approval of the Sumner Residents’ Association, the Christchurch Fire Board was advised last evening. The board took no action on a proposal by the association that all alarm points should be painted with luminous paint. Mr L. R. Osmond, the chief fire officer, said luminous paint had been tried years ago, but found unsatisfactory. Shearing Record Mr G. Clark, aged 22, of Edendale, yesterday broke the South Island shearing record. He began at 5 a.m. and, working in nine hourly spells until 5 p.m., sheared 441 sheep. The old record was 364. The hourly runs were, 48 49. 50, 49, 49, 50. 48. 49. and 49.—(P.A.) Frozen Flowers Pohutukawa blooms preserved in a block of ice weighing about 1001 b left Auckland by air today for Calcutta where they will be displayed at a flower show. They were put in the ice seven weeks ago. Accompanying the blooms is a mounted photograph of pohutukawa trees growing on a typical stretch of New Zealand coastline, and explanatory notes. Within the next day or two more pohutukawa blooms in ice will travel by air to New Delhi.—(P.A.) Not Yet Mated The two pairs of takahe being reared in captivity in the Wairarapa have not yet mated. It was hoped that they would have done so in the last few months. The birds, brought from a Fiordland valley, have been in captivity for about three years. "At present they are moulting and at a very uninteresting stage,” said Mr S L. Newcombe, director of the wildlife branch of the Internal Affairs Department. An officer of the branch was now down in the kakapo country studying the habits of the rare nocturnal parrot, the kakapo. Of four kakapo captured last year, three died in captivity.—(P.A.) New TV Station Work started yesterday on the 88-foot mast for Auckland’s new television station in the Waitakeres Technicians of the broadcasting service manoeuvred prefabricated steel sections into place, as work continued on the installation of transmitter equipment. The mast should be finished by the end of the week, but it will be some weeks before the 37-foot aerial Is ready for use. It must be assembled and carefully tuned. Present indications are that the transmitter will be ready for operation some time in April —(P.A.)