Around The World

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 April 1950, Page 5

Around The World

Hunting Whales From Air Britain is experimenting with a new whale-hunting technique _of bombing from a helicopter. A British Westland Sikorsky helicopter next week will test the new harpoon bomb off Cape Espichel. The bomb, which will be dropped from 50ft, inflates the whale with compressed air after killing. The helicopter has no bomb hatch, so the bomb will be thrown from the side door by a harpooner. —London, March 31.

Letter Sorters' Headaches The Postmaster-General (Mr Ness Edwards) has made a plea to letter writers in Britain to take pity on the postal sorters. It has been found that multi-coloured airmail envelopes—prized by stamp collectors as “surrounds” for their best stamps —give postal sorters eyestrain and headache. Therefore Mr Edwards has _ asked manufacturers to stop production of that type of envelope.—London, March 30.

Family Benefit In Australia The Federal Parliamentary Labour Party and the Australian Council of Trade Unions are in conflict on the party’s attitude to the Federal Government’s Bill granting an endowment of 5s a week for the first child in all families. It is learned that the party may be forced to withdraw its opposition to the Bill. Already the Government has received many protests against the Labour Party’s attitude. These have been backed up officially by the Australian Council of Trade Unions. —Canberra, March 31. Prevention Of Cancer

The prevention of many types of cancer was now possible, said Dr Alton Ochsner, president of the American Cancer Society, yesterday. ' “The disease usually begins in previously abnormal cells which, in themselves, are not malignant,” he said. “Such pre-cancerous conditions have no immediate significance, but if allowed to persist and progress, they undoubtedly will result in cancer. The detection and correction of these conditions, however, will prevent the development of cancer.”—New York, March 30.

Survey Of Europe The United States State Department said today that the Secretary of State (Mr Dean Acheson) had ordered a new independent survey of the European economic situation to determine its effects on American foreign policy. Mr Acheson had assigned Mr Herbert Feis, a prominent economist, to the task. Mr Feis was adviser on international economic affairs in the State Department from 1931 to 1943. He served periodically as special consultant to the Secretary of the Army from 1944 to 1947. Mr Feis was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University before his new appointment.—Washington, March 30.