General News

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31597, 7 February 1968, Page 12

General News

Geering Trial About 1500 of the 3000 copies published last week of “A Trial for Heresy,” a booklet containing the full text of the Presbyterian General Assembly’s trial of Professor L. G. Geering, have been sold. Mr E. J. Ward, the general manager of the Presbyterian Bookroom in Christchurch, which published the book, said yesterday that orders before publication totalled about 1000 and had come from throughout New Zealand as well as from Australia. Orders since the book was published had been steady. New Bridge Open The new Whataroa bridge in South Westland is now open for heavy traffic. Light traffic, however, is still using the old bridge. The new bridge has been completed well before the contract date, and insufficient funds have been allocated to allow the approaches to be finished in the present financial year. The resident engineer for the Ministry of Works in Greymouth (Mr H. A. Grigg) said yesterday that part of the northern approach had been completed and the remaining section had been temporarily done. This enabled heavy traffic to carry loads exceeding the 17-ton restriction which applied to the old bridge. The heavy traffic using the bridge includes that engaged in sealing on the Haast highway further south. —(F.0.0.R.).

Kowhais Attacked Caterpillars of the Necyna maorialis moth are making their annual attack on kowhai trees throughout New Zealand. The effect of their attack in Canterbury is particularly noticeable on the Hundalee Hills, and behind the Sugar Loaf on the Port Hills, kowhais there being almost defoliated. The Director of Parks and Reserves in Christchurch (Mr H. G. Gilpin) said yesterday that the infestations were worse in some years than others, and sometimes killed the trees. The caterpillars also attack broom and lupin, and occasionally clover. They can be controlled with lead arsenate and D.D.T.

Wood For Australia A second shipment of West Coast timber suitable for brush handles is to be shipped from Lyttelton to Adelaide this month.. About 65.000 pieces of wood cut at the Stillwater factory of United Sawmills, Ltd. will comprise the cargo. The manager of the factory (Mr R. S. Marston) said yesterday that as this was the .second order he hoped the trade would develop.— (F.0.0.R.).

Minding Centre More than 50 children will attend the minding centre run by the Canterbury - Westland branch of the Crippled Children Society, which will open for the year tomorrow. The centre, which was established in Christchurch in 1964, includes play-centre activities. Classes will be held each morning from 9.30 a.m. to noon. The secretary of the society (Mr M. L. Bernacchi) said yesterday that more voluntary drivers to take the children to and from the centre were still needed. Samoan Stamps The West Samoan agricultural development stamp series will be on sale on February 15. There are four denominations—3 sene, 5 sene, 10 sene, and 20 sene. The cost at the Chief Post Office, Christchurch, or the Philatelic Bureau, 66a Courtenay Place, Wellington, will be 47c in New Zealand currency. The stamps to marif the twenty-first anniversary qf the South Pacific Commission will be placed on sale on April 22, not February 6 as previously advised. This set has three denominations—--7 sene, 20 sene and 25 sene—and the cost in New Zealand currency will be 65c.