Briefs

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 3

Briefs

Bank lowers interest

Westpac Banking Corporation, Ltd, has become the latest lending institution to drop its interest rates to farm borrowers. After similar moves by the BNZ, National Bank, ANZ and Rural Bank in recent weeks, Westpac will now lend off a first mortgage rate of 15 per cent, down 1.25 per cent. Seasonal finance will be provided from a base rate of 17.25 per cent. The rates will apply only to new borrowing and only to farmers able to provide first mortgage security. Police break up fight Several police patrols were called to break up a fight in a Linwood house early yesterday. The fracas erupted between members of the Mongrel Mob just before 5 a.m. at a Mathesons Road address. The people involved would not lay complaints. No arrests were made. Appeal raises $5300 There has been a big response to an appeal launched in Auckland this week for a gifted young Epsom musician who is expected to die within four years unless she has a bone-marrow transplant. Anna Keegan’s Life Trust has collected $5300 in the last few days. A trust spokesman, Mr David Belcher, said the response had been terrific. A number of schools had organised mufti days and car washes. The trust needs $350,000 to pay for the surgery, travel and accommodation in the United States. Money could be deposited for the trust at any ANZ branch, Mr Belcher said. — PA. Women’s Refuge Week Providing a safe place for women and time to think are the most important roles of women’s refuges, said this year’s appeal co-ordinator, Ms Scotia Boelee. Women’s Refuge Awareness Week will run from August 1 to 6, with a street appeal on August 4. The proceeds from the Christchurch appeal will go to the national pool and then be divided among all the refuges in New Zealand. Ms Boelee said the refuges were being used more, mainly because they were more publicly acceptable and also because the public was more aware of their existence. Christchurch Women’s Refuge runs a 24-hour telephone service as well as three refuges, West Christchurch, Otautahi and Christchurch. Each was run by a collective and money was needed for “practically everything,” said Ms Boelee. Talks on incontinence A Sydney surgeon specialising in incontinence will be guest speaker at a public meeting on Monday. Mr Richard Millard, a Sydney urologist, is one of two guest speakers at a meeting organised by the Association of Continence Advisers. The meeting will be held at the nurses’ education unit, Hagley Hostel at 5.30 p.m. The other guest speaker will be a senior lecturer in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Otago Medical School, Dr P. D. Wilson. The head of urology at the Christchurch School of Medicine, Associate Professor Ted Arnold, said incontinence was a big problem for New Zealanders. Probably about half the people in nursing homes suffered from incontinence, he said.