General News

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31753, 9 August 1968, Page 10

General News

Earthquake Felt Another light earthquake was felt on the West Coast at 6.50 a.m. yesterday. At Greymouth and Hokitika, it made walls creak and windows rattle. In Reefton a j sharp jolt lasting about five ! seconds was experienced. No damage was reported. The tremor was also felt at Murchison and Westport—(F.O.0.R.) 1017 Unemployed The number of unemployed in Christchurch fell by 45 to 1017 in the fortnight ended August 2, the district superintendent pf the Department of Labour (Mr A. B. Tuck) said yesterday. The major categories were: labourers, 299; factory workers, 131; seasonal workers, 105; and tradesmen, 72. Eighty vacancies were registered with the department on August 2. There were 394 placements. The total on Government and other special works was 121. The number of school-leavers unemployed on August 2 was six, of whom one was a girl. Loading Of Wool The rate of loading wool at all New Zealand ports is far from satisfactory, according to Mr M. J. Slessor, shipping manager of the Wool Board. Mr Slessor is chairman of an eight-man committee which represents the main woolhandling interests. The committee recently visited South Island ports on a fact-finding mission and is due to make recommendations in October. The committee is investigating the efficiency of handling and transport from the broker's store to ship's side. Life Line Service Since the inception of the Life Line counselling service by the Methodist Central Mission in 1964, 4350 personal calls for assistance had been received, the superintendent of the mission (the Rev. W. E. Falkingham) said in his annual report last evening. In the last year 1059 calls had been received. A telephone ministry service run by the mission received 45,866 calls during the year. Since the ministry was established in 1964, 276,328 telephone calls had been received. A team of 159 helpers assisted in answering the calls on both services. Rulings Sought The Comptroller of Customs (Mr V. W. Thomas) has applied to the Indecent Publications Tribunal for decisions on the decency of five books, all published in the United States. They are “Satyricon—Memoirs of a Lusty Roman,” by Paul J. Gillette, “Francon Duclos: The Memoirs of a Paris Madame,” by the Marquis de Sade, “Ladies on Call,” by ! Lee Francis, “Lesbianism and the Single Girl,” by Roger Blake, and “My Secret Life,” 'by an unknown author.

Film Award

The National Film Unit will receive a world championship cup at the international tourist film festival at Marseilles next month for a French version of “Amazing New Zealand.” The award was offered in a competition run by the festival organisers to find the best tourist film show over the last 10 years. “Amazing New Zealand” won the festival last year. This year New Zealand received a diplome d’honneur for a French version of the film “Four for the Clouds.”