General News

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29869, 9 July 1962, Page 10

General News

Birthday Holiday Servicemen at the United States Air Force base at Donaldson. South Carolina, must be very happy with the consideration shown to them by their employers. Received in Christchurch this week was a small card which read; “To . . . Since July 15. 1962, is your birthday you are hereby relieved of all duties on that date.” The card signed by the squadron commander had written diagonally across it "Happy Birthday.’’ Comment on the innovation by an American serviceman at Harewood: “Hell. I ain't come across one of those in all my 20 years' service.” Request To Moscow Representations were to be made at the Russian Ministry of Culture in Moscow to have the South Island included in the itinerary of tours by Russian cultural and entertainment groups in New Zealand, said the president of the New Zealand-U.S.S.R. Society (Mr C. E. Lewis) last evening. The request would be taken up by an official of the Ministry, who passed through Christchurch yesterday with the Moscow State Variety Theatre. No Civic Wonders Christchurch has a certain charm in its English character with overtones of the Mid-west United States or Canada. Wellington has eye appeal in its splendid harbour views, and Auckland is a nice city, but New Zealand cannot be sold as a tourist destination on the strength of its cities alone, says the publicity director for the Pacific Area Travel Association (Mr J. Gabriel) in the association's journal "Pacific Travel News.” The prices are low and the people friendly, but the big selling point in New Zealand is its superabundance of scenic wonders, said Mr Gabriel, who has just returned from a ’hree-month tour of the Pacific. Fast Grower Studies of elephant fish in Canterbury waters showed they grew remarkably fast, reaching commercial size in about four years, says the annual report of the Marine Department. The department’s research vessel Ikatere spent a month off the Canterbury coast studying the fish. There is a pronounced seasonal migration by the commercial fish, although the smaller ones remain in shallow water, the report says.

Awards For Ceramics

Twelve entries from Christchurch have already been received in Auckland for this year's design awards for ceramic ovenware or nurseryware. The awards of £720 by Crown Lynn Potteries. Ltd., include a firs: prize of £4OO Entries will close on July 21. The judges are Professor H. J. Simpson, professor in fine arts at the University of Canterbury; Mr B. Hartwell, of Wellington; chief designer for the Carpet Manufacturing Company. Ltd., and Mr D Jenkin, of Auckland, chief designer for Crown Lynn Potteries. Ltd. Building Tenders A tender of £44,065 from M. L. Paynter, Ltd., has been accepted for the erection of a two-storey, eight-classroom block at Burnside High School. The same firm’s tender of £20.975 for the erection of a single-storey manual brainimg block at Burwood Girls’ Training Centre has also been accepted. Both buildings will be of wood. Larkman Peak A Wanganui man who was engineer to Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic expedition has had an Antarctic peak named after him. He is Mr A. H. Larkman. The secretary of the New Zealand Antarctic Place Names Committee, Mr A S. Helm, said that Larkman Peak will be the most easterly of the Aurora Nunatak group, about 10,500 ft above sea level. Jerseys Of 1905 All Blacks’ football jerseys made in 1905 were made of wool, quilted, with leather collars, and sold for 5s 6d each. Three sets were made by a Palmerston North manufacturer of hosiery and other woollen garments for the All Blacks' fours of Britain and Australia, and for the side which met the South African touring team.

Mullet Fishing Fishing for yellow-eyed mullet in Lake Ellesmere increased sharply after the development of a kipperine process for them, says the annual report of the Marine Department. Studies on the effect of various mesh sizes had shown the legal mesh could probably be increased without risk to trout.