General News

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30348, 25 January 1964, Page 14

General News

Whineray ‘Marooned’ The All Blacks captain, W. J. Whineray, has been invited to choose the eight records he would like to have with him if he was marooned on a desert island, writes T. P. McLean, sports editor of the “New Zealand Herald,” who is reporting the tour. The invitation came to Whineray from the 8.8. C. which broadcasts a weekly radio programme called “Desert Island Discs.’’ The marooned personality can also take one luxury item. Members of the All Blacks’ team have offered Whineray considerable advice, but he is keeping his choice quiet. The only indications he has given are a religious anthem or song, perhaps from Handel, for one of his eight records, and a technical book for his luxury item. H.M.N.Z.S. Endeavour The supply vessel for New Zealand’s Antarctic operation, H.M.N.Z.S. Endeavour, is expected to arrive at Lyttelton from McMurdo Sound on Tuesday morning. She will then load the balance of the supplies and equipment needed at Scott Base next winter, before sailing for the Antarctic again. Record Pea Crop Given good weather a reccord commercial crop of more than 10,000 tons of peas will be harvested in Hawke’s Bay this season. Some 7000 acres of the fertile Heretaunga Plains in the Hastings district are planted in peas. Most of the crop goes to the foodprocessing plants, to be canned or quick-frozen. A large proportion of the product is exported. Oscar Dies Oscar, the octopus, who was seen by thousands of visitors to the Hawke’s Bay Aquarium in Napier during the holidays was found dead in his big tank this week. His companion, a slightly smaller octopus, had committed unintentional suicide by climbing over the top of the tank and falling about 7ft on to a concrete floor. The curator, Mr G. L. Dine found them dead when he arrived in the morning. He believed they must have been fighting, though he could find no beak marks to account for the death of sft Oscar. A Day To Forget An Auckland family is not now going to Matamaita for the Anniversary Day weekend—and this is the reason. . . . The wife badly sliced her thumb while preparing vegetables for dinner. The injury was attended to by a daughter, a trained nurse. Another daughter was then taken to hospital with stomach pains. Her appendix has now been removed. A teenage son’s car was dented after a collision involving a motor cyclist after the car had been taken out of the drive to clear the way for his father’s dash to hospital with the daughter. But the weekend had already been called off by the Matamata host because of the death of a near relative. Closure Of Ward The Lyttelton Casualty Ward would close on March 31, the secretary of ttie North Canterbury Hospital Board (Mr J. G. Laurenson announced yesterday. Fishing Rivers The North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society reported yesterday that only two rivers, the Ashley and the Selwyn, are clear and fishable. The Waiau is very dirty, while both the Waimakariri and the Rakaia are dirty. The Hurunui is discoloured.