General News

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30938, 20 December 1965, Page 16

General News

Meat On Friday Permission to eat meat to granted to all Roman Catholics resident in the Christchurch Diocese on the Fridays preceding Christmas and New Year. This was announced yesterday by the Rt Rev. Monsignor J. Finerty on behalf of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch. Recent Vatican Council decrees have also made it possible for those who have received Holy Communion at Midnight Mass to communicate at a subsequent Mass on Christmas Day should they wish. Sky Calls The Post Office has a space programme of its own. Telephone circuits between New Zealand and Britain are being tested by partial use of the Early Bird satellite. From England, calls are carried by satellite to Montreal and the American ground station at Andover, then extended to New Zealand by Canadian microwave system and the Compac cable. It is the longest extension of satellite telephone service established. Showery Sunday Wintry conditions returned to Christchurch this week-end, with a four-degree frost at Harewood on Saturday and rain and cool temperatures on Sunday. Saturday brightened into a bright, clear day and a maximum temperature of 71 degrees was recorded at the airport at 11 a.m. Light easterly winds blew throughout the day. On Sunday a maximum temperature of 56 degrees was recorded at 9 a.m. Skies were overcast all day and light southerly winds blew. There was light rain in the morning and some very heavy showers in the afternoon. At 4.15 p.m. the temperature gauge on the Government Life Building registered 54 degrees.

Beach Playground Auckland will have a new seaside playground with the opening of the Auckland Regional Authority’s . Wenderhold reserve yesterday. Just north of Waiwera and 45 minutes' drive from the city, the 338-acre property boasts one of the finest beaches in New Zealand and is well known for its beautiful stands of pohutukawas. Wenderholm, once owned by Sir George Grey, was bought by the authority for £185,000. Car parks and launching areas for boats have been provided.—(P.A.). Want Hovercraft The Waiheke Roads Board want to see a hovercraft do a test run between Auckland and the island, it will approach the agents of the Westland hovercraft which will come to Auckland in January for the Auckland international airport opening pageant The agents will be asked to arrange a demonstration run. Waiheke is already served by ferry, launch, amphibian aircraft and the country’s first hydrofoil.—(PA.). Guide Dog A cheque for £642 to pay for a guide dog has been given to the Foundation for the Blind, Parnell, by an Auckland bus driver, Mr J. Varley. The money was raised over two years by the patrons of the private bar of the Prince Arthur Hotel, Wellesley street Mr Varley, who has been collecting money for the Crippled Children Society for about 15 years, organised the collection. Mr Varley said that five large beer jars were filled with coins. “We broke three of them getting the money out” he said. “There was £172 in one and £l6B in another.”