N.Z. news in brief

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33121, 11 January 1973, Page 2

N.Z. news in brief

Labour bill The Parliamentary Select Committee examining the Industrial Relations Bill would begin hearing evidence about the end of the month, the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) said yesterday. The committee will consist of six Government members of Parliament and four Opposition members. Mr Kirk said the Government wanted to obtain the maximum evidence possible, and to hear all points of view, but it did not want to see any delay in the bill’s implementation. Asian migrants The Government was reviewing the question of Ugandan Asian immigration to New Zealand, the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) said yesterday. When the review was completed the Government would be in a better position to see what more should be done. The previous Government had agreed to accept 200 skilled Asians. The Labour Government might consider accepting stateless Asians as part of the quota, Mr Kirk said.

Retirement One of the most astute investigators in the . C. 1.8. in Auckland, Detective Chief 'Superintendent M. Ross, re- ; tired yesterday, after 28 years as a detective. He has guided .dozens of homicide inquiries and other major investiga.tions in Hamilton, Auckland, and Northland. Mr Ross, who will be 60 today—the police retiring age—was regional C. 1.8. supervisor for Auck- : land and Northland. “I’m I happy to say 1 can pass the job on, leaving behind no major crime unsolved in the eight years I was regional supervisor,” he said. “And 1 believe we nave had 12 murder investigations and two attempted murders in the last seven years.”

Nandi rights The Fiji Government has told seven countries it wants to review the conditions under which their aircraft use Nandi Airport. The countries and their airlines are: Australia (Qantas), Britain (8.0.A.C.), Canada (C.P.-Air), France (U.T.A.), India (Air India), New Zealand (Air New Zealand), and the United States (Pan American and American Airlines). The present agreements were signed with Britain when Fiji was still a colony of Britain. It became independent in 1970. A spokesman said one of the points Fiji wanted included in new agreements was reciprocal landing rights for a Fiji national airline if one was formed in the future. Sea lion dies One of six Californian sea lions delivered to the Napier Marineland last week has died. The Marineland’s manager (Mr R. Abel) said the sea lion had had an internal complaint. which had worsened during the air and land journey from the United States. The other five sea lions are healthy. They are to be trained at the Marineland before being sent to the new Ocean Park Marineland, iin Hong Kong.

‘Quake claims About 80 claims for damage caused in Manawatu by the earthquake last Saturday have been lodged with the Earthquake and War Damages Commission. About 80 more claims are expected by the commission from the area. Most of the claims result from superficial damage to buildings, such as cracks, or from smashed household property and shop wares. However, the secretary of the commission (Mr J. L. Gill) said that one or two claims “could run into the $2OOO mark.” One claim is for damaged equipment at Massey University. Wool price Computer returns made available yesterday confirmed that Auckland on Monday enjoyed its strongest wool market for 21 years. Although the final official figure : for the sale has yet to be determined, returns from individual brokers show that the ‘average price for more than 129.000 bales of greasy wool 'exceeded 163 c a kilogram, or 74c per lb. Peach profit

A mark-up of 300 to 400 per cent on peaches sold in Auckland shops was described yesterday by the president of the Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association (Mr F. N. Horrocks) as “the height of ridiculousness.” He said two Hawke’s Bay growers saw their peaches sold on Auckland markets last week for 60c, 70c, and 80c a tray. There is about 91b of fruit to a tray. Thev traced their peaches to the shop, and found them being sold for 55c per lb. The usual retail markup on this type of fruit was 100 per cent, he said. The stone fruit committee of the association will meet to consider what can be done about the mark-ups.

Bomb protest

A refusal to receive United States ships in New Zealand for the crew’s recreation after service in Vietnam would be a positive way in which New Zealand could express its disapproval of the American bombing policy, the Labour M.P. for Whangarei (Mr M. R. Smith) told a deputation on Tuesday night. But, Mr Smith said, it would also be unfair for soldiers and sailors to be blamed for the political actions of the United States Government. Mr Smith met eight people, whom he described as a representative group of Whangarei citizens.

Coke inquiry An inquiry for 300 tons of metallurgical coke a year from a Malaysian country has been received by the Oamaru Borough Council through the Department of Trade and Industry. The Mayor of Oamaru (Mr W. R. Laney, M.P.) said yesterday that nothing official had been heard from the Government committee which was investigating the feasibility of Oamaru’s producing New Zealand’s metallurgical coke requirements. But inquiries received from i throughout New Zealand indicated that coke production by the Oamaru gasworks had a future, Mr Laney said.

Instructor dies One of the foundation instructors at the Trentham Police Training School, Chief Superintendent George Claridge. died at his home yesterday. He was 57. He had been the director of police training at national headquarters. Wellington, since 1961. In 1968 he was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal, and in 1970 was made a Member of the Victorian Order, in recognition of his work as chief planner of police arrangements for the Royal tour of that year. Mr Claridge is survived by his wife, daughter, and two sons.