General News

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30396, 21 March 1964, Page 12

General News

Out To Grass “Professor A. G. Davis, retiring professor of law in Auckland, is a great man in this country and my country,” said Professor W. Barton Leach, of the Harvard Law School. “Why in hell a man like that is allowed to retire I don’t know. Maybe there are rules on retirement, but to put Davis out to grass seems to me a wicked waste.” Timaru Gasworks The statement by the secretary of the Canterbury Gasworkers’ Union (Mr M. W. Rhodes) on the closing of the Timaru gasworks was contrary to fact, the Mayor of Timaru (Mr C. E. Thomson) said yesterday. The chairman of the gas committee, in accordance with authority granted him by the City Council, had a meeting with the employees after the decision in January to close the gas undertaking, and at that meeting he informed the employees that when the works were closed they would be given employment in other departments of the City Council, the Mayor said. —F.0.0.R. “My Uncle Jim” In the middle of inspecting the boys from Hauraki Plains College, at Ngatea, the Gov-ernor-General (Sir Bernard Fergusson) halted beside a boy with a broken arm. “What is your name?” he asked. “Christopher Foote,” said the boy. “You didn’t begin that fencing-off roads, did you?” asked the Governor-General. Christopher explained that the Hauraki farmer who had fenced off the road in connexion with his dispute with the Ministry of Works was his Uncle Jim.—(P.A.)

Rare Books Sold t< A second edition of the rare “Birds of New Zealand,” by Sir William Buller, was sold for £l5O at an auction in Auckland. The books, which were originally the property of Lady Ranfurly and were presented to her by the author, were described by the auctioneer as “the best set ever offered in Auckland.” The price paid is believed to be a New Zealand record for the two volumes and supplements.

Unmatched Professor W. Barton Leach, Story professor of law at Harvard, admits that he and his bride of three months are not well matched for flying. Mis Leach likes “big planes with plenty of engines,” and adamantly refused a skiplane landing on the glaciers at Mount Cook. Professor Leach is determined to make one. “I’m a general in the Air Force (‘Reserve,’ said Mrs Leach) and I’ve flown in every size of plane. I started operations research in the war and I had the most wonderful war any man had.”

Cable Trenches Telephone cable trenches at Cashmere, said at the Heathcote County Council meeting on Thursday to be badly filled-in, were the responsibility of a contractor, the Post Office divisional engineer (Mr D. M. McFarlane) said yesterday. Investigations were being made, and if the allegations proved well founded appropriate action would be taken. Mayor Exalted The Mayor of Wellington (Mr F. J. Kitts) has been exalted again in his civic capacity. The Mayor of Osaka, is sending Mr Kitts a present, addressed the gift and the note with it to Mr F. J. Kitts, Lord Mayor of Wellington. Kennedy Fund The sum of £3B has been given in Christchurch so far to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Fund. The fund, which opened three months ago, will be closed on March 31.

Fishing Rivers The Ashley and Selwyn rivers were reported clear and fishable by the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society at 9 a.m. yesterday The Waimakariri and Rakaia mouth were discoloured, the Rakaia gorge dirty, and the Hurunui slightly discoloured. The Waiau was reported to be very dirty.