General News

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30118, 30 April 1963, Page 12

General News

Pshaw

"Pygmalion poppycock” was Mr R. C. Neville’s criticism of a comment in a report on a two-tier system of local government presented to a meeting of local bodies last evening. The clause to which he took exception said that if the drift to the North Island was to be slowed down the South Island centres should become more progressive, and that a first essential was some reorganisation of local government. Did the reorganisation of Auckland boroughs and city attract any more people? Mr Neville asked. "Nonsense.” Bathtub Crossing Four students yesterday succeeded in crossing Otago harbour in bathtubs. The trip, which started outside the Vauxhall Yacht Club and finished at the Otago' Harbour Board’s punt in the basin, took three hours and a lot of bailing. The craft was made of two bathtubs bolted together with inflatable rubber mattresses inside each for comfort.—(P.A.) Poor Fishing Unwanted dead fish, thrown overboard from trawlers and polluting the bottom of the seabed, are probably a large contributory factor in the serious decline in the catches from Wellington vessels, according to the managingdirector of New Zealand Fisheries, Mr R S Alward. He said his company, during the last few weeks, had been forced to lay up its 150-ton trawler, Hautapu, because high operating costs, allied with poor results, had made it uneconomical to retain the vessel in commission Mr Alward said that about half the fish caught in the trawl were thrown back over the side—(PA.) Limited Faster Hauled for the first time by diesel-electric locomotives. both the North and South-bound Limited expresses made the 420-mile journey between Wellington and Auckland on schedule on Sunday night. The Wellington - Auckland train reached its destination in 13 hours 18 minutes. Under the old timetable the journey took 14 hours. The run south from Auckland was completed in 13 hours 35 minutes. compared with 14 hours 15 minutes allowed under the old schedule.— (PA.) Marmalade Oranges A small consignment of the first of the season’s New Zealand marmalade oranges was sold at auction in Christchurch produce markets yesterday. The oranges were quite well advanced in colour and probably not as green as some which can be expected before the peak of the season in September. The oranges sold at about 50s a case. The recent colder weather has had an adverse effect on the supplies of tomatoes but has boosted supplies of mushrooms, a late run of which is now on sale. “Rowed” Ashore A naval tradition of rowing the retiring captain ashore was given a twist at H.M.N.Z.S, Tamaki yesterday when Commander A. V Kempthorne was towed on a trailer behind a tractor from the training establishment to the beach. Commander Kempthorne has been appointed drafting officer ora the staff of the Commodore. Auckland. A settee was placed on the trailer. At the beach was another surprise, for, instead of travelling to Auckland by launch, Commander Kempthorne found an amphibian aircraft waiting. His fellow officers had provided the flight.—(P.A.) x More Fish The biggest quantity of fish for some time was on sale in Christchurch shops yesterday. Large catches and good trawling weather in most areas have caused the increase in supply No word had been received yesterday of further supplies of oysters Prices were: gurnard and Akaroa cod 2s a pound, flatfish 2s 9d. kingfish, blue cod and tarakihi 3s. groper 3s 6d. Cocos Stamps Next month for the first time Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean will have their own stamps. The Cocos stamps will be issued by the Australian Postmaster-Gen-eral’s Department. Commemorative flight covers on which the stamps may be used for the first flight after their issue- have been designed Covers w’ill be available from Qantas and T.E.A.L. offices. — (P.A.)