General News

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31767, 26 August 1968, Page 12

General News

Visitors To Fair The director of the New Zealand Industries Fair (Mr R. T. Alston) is hopeful that attendance at this year’s fair will be a record. To Saturday night 80.083 persons had passed through the turnstiles —about 21,500 more than at the corresponding time of last year’s fair. The attendance of 18,111 on Saturday was a record for one day. If fine weather continued, said Mr Alston, attendance could exceed 125,000 when the fair finished on Saturday. The figure last year was Just over 100,000. The fair opened on August 15. Pleasant Week-end The weather was warm and sunny in Christchurch at the week-end. The maximum temperature yesterday was 60 degrees, recorded between noon and 3 p.m., and the maximum temperature on Saturday of 64 degrees, was recorded between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. There was a light northeasterly breeze yesterday afternoon and there was little wind recorded on Saturday. Native Trees Planted More than 500 native trees were planted at the Kaituna Valley scenic reserve. Bank's Peninsula, by members of the Canterbury branch of the Forest and Bird Protection Society and the public at an Arbor Day planting on Saturday. The chairman of the society (Mr T. M. C. Hay) said yesterday that a wide variety of native trees were planted, but mainly kowhais, cabbage trees, and karamus. These replace a large number of exotic trees removed after the Easter storm. He said the society also planned an intensive planting programme of native trees in the reserve throughout the season. Free To Fair As a good will gesture, senior citizens will be admitted free of charge to the New Zealand Industries Fair, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. today. They will also be given a free cup of tea. Variety Show About 1000 children and parents last week attended the free variety show at the theatrette of Mr R. H. Stillwell at 70 Selwyn Street. The show, which begins each day at 2 p.m., will conclude next Sunday. There is a working model of a monorail as well as mechanical toys from Japan, and dolls. Hospital Bombed The leprosy hospital at Itu, Biafra, was seriously damaged during recent bombing attacks by Federal Nigerian planes, according to information received by the Mission to Lepers (N.Z.) office in Auckland. There were no serious casualties among the patients but the Medical Superintendent, Dr L McDonald, was hit by shell fragments. He has since returned to his home in Scotland. Damage to hospital property was considerable and work there has been completely disrupted.