General News

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30365, 14 February 1964, Page 10

General News

Young Smokers Children playing with matches are a not infrequent cause of fires in Christchurch. There were two cases last month. Last evening, the chief fire officer . (Mr L. R. Osmond) told his board of a case when children had gone further. “Children smoking in car ignited upholstery?* was the cause of one December fire. ' There To Learn Three stockbrokers were among 33 persons who went to the first lecture in a six weeks’ course of evening lectures on stocks and shares that was started in Christchurch this week. Others came from banks, accountants’ offices, and business houses. Forty persons have enrolled for the course, the first of its kind held in Christchurch. Light Winds Light easterly winds and sunny skies, with some high cloud, prevailed yesterday. The temperature was 55 degrees at 6 a.m., 64 degrees at 9 am, 70 degrees at noon, and 71 degrees at 3 p.m. A peak of 72 degrees was recorded in the Botanic Gardens at 3 p.m. The temperature had dropped to 70 degrees by 4 pm. Aerial Noah’s Ark A United States Air Force Hercules was recently turned into an aerial Noah’s Ark. An airlift of more than 10.000 miles began in India where the Hercules was loaded with pigeons, ducks, quad, storkes, • flying foxes, pelicans, leopard cats, arid a 30001 b rhinoceros and her 4001 b calf. The 300-odd specimens were the largest shipment of birds, animals, reptiles, and other creatures ever delivered to the National Zoological Park in Washington. When no commercial air service could handle the unusual cargo, the Air Force was asked to carry the valuable shipment to Washington, and a Hercules participating in joint British-American defence exercises in India and soon scheduled to return to the United States, was diverted.

Aircraft Returns A United States Navy Hercules which left Christchurch for McMurdo Sound at 9 am. yesterday was directed to return after' it had been flying for about two hours, because of bad weather in the Antarctic. The aircraft, which had returned to Christchurch this week for routine maintenance, will leave with cargo for McMurdo Sound this morning. School Attendance An attendance officer for schools in the Christchurch metropolitan area will be appointed soon by the Canterbury Education Board. The Education Department has decided that in such areas these new officers should serve both primary and post-primary schools, Saved Trees A plaque commemorating that Geoffrey Edward Roy ds, an early owner of the Burnside High School site, fenced and thus saved the historic clump of cabbage trees now embodied in the school crest has been given by his family and will be fixed on the seat now surrounding the trees. The trees are in the school’s ground at the corner of Memorial avenue and Greers road. For Air Display The six United States Air Force FlO5 Thunderchief fighter-bombers that will take part in Air Force Day at Ohakea on Saturday, February 22, are expected to arrive at Ohakea from Guam this afternoon. They will be _ accompanied by four KBSOJ aerial refuelling tankers which will land at Christchurch.—(P.A.) Frigate At Penang The frigate Taranaki will arrive today at Penang to begin a four-day goodwill visit Her visit will coincide with the celebration of two important days in the Chinese calendar; the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya, a religious observation.—(P.A.) Tidal-wave Warning If the civil defence authorities require to issue a warning of a seismic sea wave, the Christchurch Fire Brigade will use its siren to give a series of five or more long blasts. The Fire Board was advised of this by the New Zealand Fire Service Council last evening.