General News

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31830, 7 November 1968, Page 10

General News

New ’Flu Virus A new strain of influenza virus spreading through the . northern hemisphere was certain to reach New Zealand by next winter, the National Health Institute's virologist (Dr W. Hamilton) said yesterday. The strain was so markedly different from other recent strains that there was little immunity from it, he said. —(P.A.) “Roaring” River The New Zealand Electricity Department will be asked if it can in future delay the raising of the water level in the Tekapo River until after the opening of the lakes fishing season. This was resolved at a meeting of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society after a letter had been received from an angler saying that on Saturday the river was “roaring madly down on its way to Benmore” because the water level had been raised and then lowered. The complainant said the society should demand to know who ordered the raising and filling of the river, why after six weeks of quiet flow it was decided to rush water down the river at the week-end.—(F.O.O.R.) Visit To Ship The commander of the United States support force in Antarctica (Rear-Admiral J. L. Abbot) visited the interisland passenger steamer Maori at Lyttelton yesterday afternoon as the guest of the Union Steam Ship Company. Ltd. He was shown over the vessel by the Maori’s chief officer (Mr H. E. Williams) and accompanied by the Union Steam Ship Company’s Lyttelton manager (Mr R. A. Kearns). Blast On Mt Misery Reporting on lightning damage to the South Canterbury Catchment Board’s repeater station on Mount Misery recently, the chief engineer (Mr T. L. Fancourt) told the monthly meeting yesterday that the entire top section of the aerial was blown off, and the heavy cables melted. “It was so bad,” said Mr Fancourt, “that an electric light bulb was blown from its socket.” Damage to the installation could exceed $2OO, he said.—(F.O.0.R.) Hospital Service The new accident and emergency department at the Christchurch Hospital will open for the public next Thursday morning. From that date, these services will cease at the temporary premises, and patients will be dealt with at the new department, just inside the main entrance bff Riccarton Avenue. " No Lottery Draw No Golden Kiwi Lottery will be drawn this week, according to the organisers, Hammond and McArthur, Ltd. World Weather The world’s weather on ' Tuesday, as compiled by the 1 Associated Press and Reuters, was: Rome 43 degrees minimum, 61 degrees maximum, overcast; Paris 38, 50, partly cloudy; London 37, 48, clear; ' Berlin 41, 42, cloudy; Amster- ’ dam 41, 50, sunny; Brussels 1 43, 52, cloudy; Madrid 26, 54, < rain: Moscow 37, 45, overcast; 1 Stockholm 21, 46, sunny; New ' York 47, 56, cloudy; San Fran- 1 cisco 50, 58, cloudy; Tokyo 56, ] 70, cloudy: Montreal 28, 48, I cloudy; Chicago 44, 52, I clpudy; Buenos Aires 59, 74, | sunny: Johannesburg 58, 85. 1 fine; Singapore 75, 86, dull? 1 Hong Kong 68, 75, cloudy; I Sydney 61, 71, cloudy.