General News

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31016, 23 March 1966, Page 18

General News

McGavick’s Law

I A motion by Mr R. C. Holland, that quorums for committee meetings of the Hillsborough Residents’ Improvement Society be reduced from six members to five, was passed at the society’s annual meeting last evening. Mr W. F. McGavick, member for the Hillsborough riding on the Heathcote County Council and a committee member of the society, seconded the motion. “It seems that as television licences increase, so do quorums decrease,” he said. Oyster Catch The Bluff oyster catch this season so far amounts to 21,290 sacks —25 per cent more than in the corresponding first month of dredging last year. This is stated in a report by the Secretary of Marine (Mr G. L. O’Halloran). The number of dredging days has reached 17—four more than in the corresponding period last year.—(P.A.) Census At Sea Two officers of the Census Office, a man and woman, travelled aboard the northbound inter-island steamer Hinemoa from Lyttelton to Wellington last evening, to help the expected 301 passengers and crew fill in their census papers. Similar arrangements for taking a census were provided aboard the Maori on the south-bound journey to Lyttelton with 335 passengers. Philatelic Fame A British firm has had one of its products pictured on a new Cuban three-cent stamp. As an acknowledgement of the part the Leyland Motors Group, by supplying £9 million worth of buses, played in modernising Cuba’s transport system, a Leyland single-deck bus is shown on the new stamp. The group’s first Cuban bus order was received in 1950. Few Inquiries There were few telephone inquiries to the Census Office last evening, the officer in charge of the census in Christchurch (Mr B. D. Rowe) said. The Census Office was extremely busy answering calls until 5.30 p.m., “but. . . since then it has just died on us. We’re on top of it.” Memorial Service A memorial service for the four fishermen missing from the Wellington fishing boat Karen, wrecked at the Chathams 10 days ago, will be held on Saturday morning at the Flying Angel Missions to Seamen chapel in Wellington. The mission’s chaplain, the Rev. E. J. B. Matchett, will officiate.—(P.A.) World Weather The theme of World Meteorological Day today this year will be “world weather watch,” a new scheme for collating weather information. “World weather watch is a bold plan to gather basic observation information from some of the areas around the globe that are blank,” said the director of the Meteorological Office (Dr. J. F. Gabites). Dr Gabites said the New Zealand-American project at present being conducted from Christchurch, was providing some of the information necessary.—(P.A.). Support For Arts The Christchurch Drainage Board is in the market for a good painting to “adorn” the entrance of its new building in Cambridge terrace. A committee was authorised last evening to buy a painting up to the value of 150 guineas Mr G. A. G. Connal suggested that a picture be bought for the entranceway of the building, and said this would be an asset of increasing value, an example for other local bodies to follow and an encouragement to the arts. He said that a painting of Mount Cook by Austen Deans would be ideal. “Not by any stretch of the imagination can I see it is the responsibility of a drainage board to support the arts,” said Mr T. D. Flint before the board agreed to a purchase.