General News

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31724, 6 July 1968, Page 12

General News

Ice In Sounds Ice covered the sea in many bays in Kenepuru Sound yesterday morning. Reports of its thickness varied from “a film” up to a quarter of an inch. According to a launch skipper, Mr F. Orchard, the ice was the thickest he had seen in the Sounds and it was only the third time in 50 years the sea has frozen over. -(PA.). Driving Breaches Traffic checks showed that 15 per cent of drivers disregarded speed limits, stop signs, and other regulations, the Assistant Commissioner of Transport (Mr B. Campbell) said yesterday, speaking to the agricultural section of the General Contractors’ Federation in Christchurch. Mr Campbell had been asked to comment after several speakers had complained about the restrictions placed on over-width vehicles. One contractor said that most drivers were responsible, and it appeared the restrictions on certain types of vehicles during certain hours were made because of a minority group of bad drivers. In quoting the percentage of drivers who disregarded the regulations, Mr Campbell said that in spite of this minority, the department was obliged to enforce regulations for the benefit of the majority. Appeal For Funds The largest number of collectors to canvass for a sports appeal will visit thousands of homes throughout Christchurch today for funds to assist Canterbury’s athletes selected for the Mexico Olymnic Games in October. About 700 collectors, mainly sportsmen representing the Canterbury Amateur Sports Federation, are expected to take part in the appeal. This was 30 to 40 per cent more than the number collecting for the Empire Games appeal, said the secretary-treasurer of the federation (Mr G. R. Towart) last evening. Too Cold Seventy-six soldiers from the Ist Battalion Depot at Burnham were to take part in two exercises in the Tekapo area next week—so in battlecraft training and 26 in a mortar shoot. Yesterday the battalion depot announced that because of the severe weather and snow at Tekapo both the exercises had been cancelled. Training exercises will go on as planned for two Army groups at Little Malaya and on Banks Peninsula next week. Oldest Member The oldest man to attend the apprentices’ night held by the Christchurch Club of Printing House Craftsmen on Thursday was Mr James Stout, who celebrated his ninetyseventh birthday last Saturday. Mr Stout was a foundation member of the club 21 years ago, and is a past-presi-dent of the- Christchurch Master Printers’ Association and former vice-president of the Master Printers' Federation of New Zealand. He was also the first official printing instructor in New Zealand at the Christchurch Technical Institute. Before he retired Mr Stout was head of the printing department of Weeks, Ltd. “Fortunate” “We are the most fortunate board in New Zealand in the co-operation we receive from the councils in submitting for our consideration the plans of subdivisions where drainage might be a problem,” said Mr A. T. Bell at a meeting of the North Canterbury Catchment Board yesterday. “Other boards complain that they can’t get these plans.” Record Speed The Hagley High School board of governors last evening set a speed record which has never been approached by other Christchurch high schools. The chairman (Mr H. R. Peers) moved through four items of routine correspondence, a financial statement and a half-page headmaster’s report in 20 minutes. There was another short item in committee. High school boards usually take an hour to 90 minutes for their meetings. World Weather The Associated Press reports the following world weather:—Rome, 66deg minimum, 91deg maximum, sunny; Paris, 68, 71; partly cloudy; London, 54, 66, sunny; Berlin. 57, 68, overcast; Amsterdam. 50, 68, sunny; Brussels, 62. 77, sunny; Madrid, 57, 82 sunnv; Moscow. 55, 72, clear: Stockholm, 62, 79. sunny; New v ork. 69, 80. cloudy; San S ’ranotsco. 54, 61, clear; Tokvo 66, 79, cloudy; Mexico City, 19, 75, cloudv: Buenos Aires. 40. 66 rai": Johannesb”rg, 50 64. fine: Fong Kong, 75, 84. overcast: Svdney. 45, 64, fine. —London, July 4.