General News

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30498, 21 July 1964, Page 12

General News

Bright Lights It was warmer in Cathedral square than in Colombo street two blocks away yesterday—if the temperatures shown in large Illuminated figures on the new Government Life building and Beath and Company’s city store were accurate. At 6 p.m. the new building in the Square was flashing a temperature of 50 degrees. Two blocks away the store showed 47 degrees. Both buildings also show the time. Here they agreed. Poison Deaths About 500 sparrows, found dead or dying in Wellington city reserves 10 days ago, had been poisoned with yellow phosphorus, similar to that used in rabbit and rat poisons, the Wallaceville station of the Agriculture Department reported yesterday. The mass deaths looked like deliberate poisoning, a station spokesman said. —(P.A.) Ships Delayed For the first time since the new wharf was built at Onehunga, seven ships have been tied up at once as the result of bad weather. They are the Onehunga, Tawanui, Maunganui, Hotunui, Moanui, Mamaku and the Holmwood. The Onehunga and Tawanui are expected to leave today. This is also the first time that five ships from the Northern Steam Ship Company have been in one port.—(N.Z.P.A.) Heavy Frost After 13 degrees of frost at Harewood, 9 degrees in the Botanic Gardens, and 1.5 degrees at Mt. Pleasant. Christchurch experienced cool weather yesterday morning. The temperature at Harewood at 9 a.m. was 29 degrees, rising to 46 degrees by midday, and reaching its maximum of 49 degrees at 2 p.m. The temperature in the Botanic Gardens at 3 p.m. was 49 degrees, and it was 50 degrees on the Government Life building at 4 p.m. The day’s maximum temperature at Mt. Pleasant was 48 degrees. The weather was calm and clear until 10 a.m., but there was a light easterly wind and increasing cloud for the remainder of the day. Spoil Dropped “The committee is concerned at the amount of spoil dropped from contractors' trucks on to streets in the city,” the traffic committee told the city council last evening. “In some instances the roadways become very slippery after rain. It is understood that most of the spoil is iammed between the dual rear wheels on large trucks and becomes dislodged as vehicles move along the streets.” After agreeing that officers should take steps to eliminate the problem, the council decided that contractors be required to indemnify the council against public risk liability. Traffic In Towns The Christchurch Metropolitan Regional Planning Authority is making good use this week of the short film “Traffic in Towns” borrowed from the Ministry of Works. The film will be shown at 13 sessions, including two lunchhour sessions in the M.E.D. theatrettte for the general public today and tomorrow. The authority expects to have its own copy of “Traffic in Towns” (which is based on the Buchanan report) by October. Olympic Appetites Officials estimate that athletes competing in the Olympic Games at Tokyo will eat 251 tons of meat. 85 tons of fish, 235 tons of vegetables, 13 tons of butter, 24 tons of cheese, and 950,000 eggs.