General News

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29984, 20 November 1962, Page 14

General News

Blackbird In Church

St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church had a visitor from the heavens on Sunday morning. At the beginning of the service a “penetrating chuckle” came from high in the scaffolding erected for renovations. Later, announcements were punctured by "delighted cries.” The anthem caused even greater pleasure. A blackbird listened with rapt attention, first from a perch above the choir, then from the pulpit rail and finally the lectern where, to the delight of the congregation, it remained until the organ notes died away.

“Au Awful Fright”

A particularly bright flash of lightning in Greymouth yesterday morning was followed by a very loud clap of thunder. Two Gteymouth trotting trainers, Messrs G. W. Nelson, part-owner and trainer of the trotter, Free Return, and T. Rooney, were standing beside a young horse which Mr Nelson is educating at Victoria Park. “We got an awful fright. The flash of silver appeared to strike the wires or pole nearby, and shot into the ground between us. It made a lound bang and I thought it was the end of the world,” said Mr Nelson. He added that the horse with them stood and shook for about 15 minutes. — (F.0.0.R.) Check On Dust Snow on the mountains of Tongariro National Park will be examined today to see if any of the red dust carried across the Tasman from dust storms in Central Australia has fallen upon them. The chief ranger. (Mr W. Mazey) said last night that a ranger was going up the mountains on another job and would make a close inspection to see if any dust had fallen. "There is no sign of any dust through binoculars, so if any has fallen it will probably be only a slight sprinkling,” he said.—(P.A.).

Struck By Lightning

A Hillsborough resident’s 40ft radio aerial disappeared with a flash about 4.40 p.m. yesterday when struck by lightning. All that was left was a few inches of wire and a shattered insulator. The resident, Mr L. Watts, said the aerial was disconnected, and it was probably the insulator that saved the house from more serious damage than scorched paintwork. Where the wire had been connected to the house “it looked as though someone had been using a blowlamp on it.” * The house is in Bishopsworth street, and the house next door differed slightly from the same flash, which cut off its telephone. Apart from that there was, apparently no damage. Santa’s Corset The beckoning and moving finger on the huge replica of Santa Claus outside the Farmers Trading Company Building in Auckland appears to have a bandage on its joint. But this is really an outsize elastic corset, made specially by a well known Auckland brassiere and corset firm from material that usually goes into women’s girdles. The idea is that an electric machine extends the finger; and the tension on the corset pulls it back. The Santa Claus figure has done duty for three seasons now, and each time the corset is replaced.

Scheme Completed More than 68 miles of sewers have been laid, 14 pumping stations have been constructed and are in use, and more than £l2 million has been spent since work began on the Auckland drainage scheme in November, 1954. A ceremony to mark the completion of the major works of the scheme will be held at the Auckland Metropolitan Drainage Board’s treatment works at Mangere on Thursday. The Minister of Health (Mr McKay) will unveil a plaque.—(P.A.).