GENERAL NEWS

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31922, 25 February 1969, Page 16

GENERAL NEWS

Antarctic Exodus This week is a busy one for the men of the United States Navy Antarctic support force. Between February 21 and March 2 almost 700 men will be on their way back to the United States from working on the continent in the last summer. Starlifters, Hercules, DCBs, and Super Constellations are being used for the airlift. Two of the Navy’s VX6 Squadron skiequipped Hercules have already gone back to their base i at Rhode Island and the other three are being used on a shuttle service between Christchurch and McMurdo Station getting men out and taking in last-minute cargo. McMurdo Station and Palmer Station, on the Antarctic Peninsula, are the only two stations still open. P.O. Closing The post office at Wainui, on Akaroa Harbour, will close on Friday after being open since April 1, 1874. Of recent years, the office has been open for only half an hour a day, and its closing was authorised after 16 of the permanent residents had asked for an extension of the rural mail run from Duvauchelle. The part-time postmaster at Wainui, Mr P. G. Vincent, also does the mail run. Malte Brun Climb Mount Malte Brun (10,421 ft was climbed by the north face on Sunday, and it was thought to have been a new route, Ranger R. Ryan of the Mount Cook National Park Headquarters said last evening. The ascent, by Messrs P. Gough and D. White, both Alpine Instruction, Ltd, guides, was from Malte Brun hut, which is at 5700 ft, at the foot of Mount Malte Brun. (F.0.0.R.) Airport Service An airport visitors’ information centre will be installed in the terminal of the Christchurch Airport in the near future The airport manager (Mr A. I. R. Jamieson) says in the airport authority’s newsletter that the centre will be staffed to handle passenger and visitor inquiries and make accommodation and travel arrangements. If there is the demand a secretarial and copying service will also be introduced. Replacements The Post Office was replac : ing the current telephone directory on demand, the Chief Postmaster (Mr M. E. Wilson) said yesterday. Since the directory was issued in May, 1968, the Post Office had replaced about 4000 copies because of faulty bindings. Mr Wilson said anyone needing a new telephone book could get one by calling at the telephone services counter in the Chief Post Office or by asking for one to be posted. The Christchurch directory was the only one in New Zealand which was affected by the new binding machines introduced at the Government Printer’s office last year. Mr Wilson said listings for the 1969 telephone directory closed last Friday and the new book would be available about next June.

Passed In The Empire Hotel at Lyttelton was passed in at 840,000 at public auction yesterday. The two-storey building has five bedrooms and a lounge upstairs, and four bars, a bottle store and a dinning-room downstairs. The hotel was owned by the Bisman family for many years and was sold on behalf of an estate by George Anderson and Son, Ltd. There was an excellent attendance and the bidding was brisk. The auctioneer was Mr J. Dyer.