General News

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30541, 9 September 1964, Page 16

General News

Weddings Too ‘The Press” building in Cathedral square has become what is. probably the only newspaper office in the world where marriage ceremonies are performed. The registrar of births, marriages, and deaths (Mr J. Miller) moved his office from Hereford street to ‘The Press” building on Monday and he has already performed two marriages there. Unlucky Weed New Zealand should design her trading symbols to attract the millions of the Asian market, said a Malayan businessman, Mr P. G. Robinson, in Wellington at the weekend. At the moment New Zealand butter was being sold in Singapore under.the green fernleaf symbol. “To the Chinese the fern is a weed and green is an unlucky trading colour,” said Mr Robinson. Firm Grip A Customs officer had an involuntary early season dip in Auckland Harbour on Sunday night. He slipped as he was leaving the frigate Taranaki, and fell into the harbour, clutching a bag containing taxes collected from the ship’s company as duty on their overseas purchases. While a rating tossed a lifebelt over the side, Lieutenant Commander J. P. D. Hall dived into the water and supported the officer until he was hauled on board. He still had a firm grip on the bag. Second Hydrofoil The Kerridge-Odeon organisation has decided to buy a second hydrofoil, considerably larger than the Manu-Wai, Sir Robert Kerridg'e said yesterday. Referring to tlie Withdrawal of the Manu-Wai from service for modification to its rudder,, he said with two hydrofoils there would be no interruption to the Waiheke island service for such an occurrence.—(P.A.) Potash Arrives The Greek ship Pegasus has arrived at Port Whangarei with the first shipment of raw material for the Northland Fertiliser Company. She will unload 6000 tons of potash and the new fertiliser works feed belts will be in use for the first time. The shipment comes from Long Beach, California.—(P.A.) Buller Whitebait Although there were no big catches, whitebait have been running a little more freely in Buller streams in the last three days. One fisherman in the Buller river caught 2tlb in two dips on the back tide on Sunday and other catches of up to 81b from the Orowaiti river were reported. The price is still 9s a pound on the river banks. University Frontage The Ministry of Works has given notice of its intention to take two acres and a half of land at 45 Clyde road for the Ham campus of the University of Canterbury. With this section included the university’s southern boundary would follow the stream throughout and there would be a straight line for a sewer. Cook Wanted The New Zealand Antarctic party for the coming summer is without a cook. Although the job had been and was still being advertised extensively, the sole gap in ranks was for a cook, said Mr G. W. Markham, superintendent of the Antarctic Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Australian Girls Population statistics show that 1964 should be a good one for the female population of Australia. Girl babies born this year can expect a life span of just over 72 years as against 66.1 for the male of the. species. Women are again outnumbered in the total population by 5,592,000 to 5,498,000. —Sydney, Sept. 8. £lm. Savings Deposits in the Bay of Plenty Savings Bank are expected to reach £1 million to-morrow-three months and three days after the opening of the bank This will equal the record set by the Canterbury Savings Bank.—(P.A.)