General News

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30945, 29 December 1965, Page 10

General News

Another Christmas

New Brighton shops were yesterday the first traders to handle the problems of exchanging ill-fitting or otherwise unsuitable Christmas gifts. Shopkeepers did not appear to mind and were as rushed with new business as they were on, the busiest days before Christmas. Shop staffs were depleted because of holidays. So many cars had reached New Brighton by 1 p.m. that most parking places were occupied within a quarter of a mile of the centre of the shopping area. Top Store A casual remark by an Australian tourist visiting the Cape Regina lighthouse has proved profitable for the three children of the head lighthouse-keeper, Mr R. Sears. The tourist told the children: “You would do well to start a drink stall.” Jeffrey, aged 10, Robyn, aged seven, and Ngaire, aged two, set about making two large flagons of fruit cordial. Then they set up a drink stall on the veranda of the tiny schoolhouse at Cape Regina. In four hours Jeffrey and Robyn, with help from Ngaire, had collected almost £l, although they charged only 3d a drink. Tourists were generous with tips. Young Tourist Last Christmas 10-year-old Lauri Blanpied, of Melbourne, made up his mind he would spend this Christmas holiday with relatives in Auckland. For the last 12 months he has been selling copies of the “Melbourne Herald” around Melbourne for 16s 6d a week, most of which he saved to pay for his trip When he arrived at the Auckland international airport he said his desire to travel began several years ago when some Auckland relatives, Mr and Mrs D. J. Penberthy, of Remuera, visited his home in Melbourne. He will spend two weeks in New Zealand, during which time Mr and Mrs Penberthy will take him to Wairakei, Rotorua, Pakatoa and Kawau Islands. Cruise Ship The cruise liner Himalaya brought 1285 passengers to Auckland yesterday from Hobart and 1027 of them set off on coach tours to Waitomo Caves and Rotorua and local scenic trips. One tour will last two days and take passengers to Rotorua and then north to the Bay of Islands, where they will rejoin the ship. The Himalaya sailed for Russell at 11.30 last night —(P-A.) Fluoridation Mechanical equipment has been tested and everything is ready for calcium fluoride to be introduced to the Auckland water supply by the middle of next month. Mr C. W. Firth, water supply engineer for the Auckland City Council, which is acting as agent for the Auckland Regional Authority, said three of the four filter stations were prepared for the fluoride. “It is now just a matter of some control tests,” he said. “The water should be fluoridated by mid-January.” New Trawler The Southern Seas, a 70-foot stern trawler being built at Bayswater Auckland, will be launched soon as a factory ship which will go to sea for two and a half weeks at a time. Fishing will be mainly for snapper, which will be packaged at sea and taken to port by high-speed launches towed out by the mother ship. Two ships are to be built. The packaged fish will be sold in Australia and New Zealand.