General News

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29829, 23 May 1962, Page 12

General News

Overdue Bill The Christchurch Drainage Board made a loan of £32 to a Christchurch houseowner in 1929. It has received no payments since 1930 and in the meanwhile the interest has risen to £36 0s 6d. Now the man’s widow proposes to pay oft the loan, which was for a sewer connexion. The board agreed last evening to write down i the interest to £5. Capacity The Grand Canyon typified the United States, Mr C. M. Driver, plant breeder of the Crop Research Division ofthe Department of Scientific and Industrial Research at Lincoln, told ' Canterbury members of the Institute of Agricultural Science. “While I was there, I had the feeling that if they hadn’t got the Grand Canyon, they could i have easily built one,” he ! said. Snell Came To Dinner The American actor, Gregory Peek, was directed by P G. Snell, in Los Angeles—on training methods. Peck’s eldest son, John, is a promising runner, having run a half mile in Imin 54sec, at the age of 17. Snell, who was invited to dinner by the Pecks, discussed the possibility of the youngster coming to New’ Zealand for training.—(P.A.) Natural Fibre The one tie that the chairman of the New’ Zealand Wool Board (Mr J. Acland) possesses that is not wool was given to him on his recent I trip to the United States. Of black silk with blue sheep embroidered on it, the tie is one of a special order made for a carpet manufacturer in the United States. “It’s a natural fibre,” Mr Acland said. Claim Refused The Christchurch Drainage Board last evening found it was unable to help a woman who had stumbled when crossing a side channel and cut a knee on the edge of a manhole protruding several inches above the ground. It was asked if it had power to assist the woman in some way “so that her daily household work can be done for her.” It seemed more a matter for the reading authority than the board, the w’orks committee commented. Speculation Rife Speculation is rife on the West Coast concerning the ■outcome of the intensified i exploration operations by Shell B.P. Todd Petroleum ; Development. Ltd. Within an hour of being unloaded from the coastal ship. Totara. at | Greymouth yesterday, a drilling rig W’as in operation at Kumara junction, 12 miles south of Greymouth. Mr B. Northwood, the party leader in the field, said that the group was a seismic reflection party, including four technicians. whose duties entailed geophysic investigations. These would embrace country 'between Greymouth and Hokitika, though the present activities were centred betw’een the sea and the main highway not far from the south bank of the Taramakau river. The party would- be on the Coast for at least three months and possibly six. he said.—(P.A.) Responsibility “The best jockeys are often in the stand where they have no responsibility.” said the Minister of Works (Mr Goosman), wh-o is a keen racegoer, at the annual conference of the New Zealand Catchment Boards’ Association in Timaru yesterday.. He | said that often the “best” 'engineers on catchment ! boards were those who did • not have the responsibility ! “There are many differences I about what is the best ‘ scheme." Mr Goosman added “Personally. I am prepared to take the advice of the engineers who have to take the final responsibility. They stake their reputations on it ’’ -(PA ) Bridge At Sea Free bridge tuition will be offered to first class passengers on two cruises to the Mediterranean in the P. and O. Orient Line ship Orsova this year. Mr M. Gardener, director of the London School of Bridge, assisted by his wife, will devote one hour and a half before lunch to beginners and an hour after lunch to players of intermediate calibre. The tuition will include talks on theory, practical play, and question-and-answer sessions