General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24913, 28 June 1946, Page 6

General News

Lack of Facilities at Lincoln College “SJo doubt ether institutions would like extensions and improvements, but it seems that you are right on the breadline here,” said Mr W. Horrobin. deputy-chairmsn of the New Zealand Wool Board, when he visited Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, yesterday/ Mr Horrdbin said that it was unfortunate that the college which (apart from instructing students and farm trainees under the rehabilitetion scheme) carried out general research wor.k. seemed to have facilities which were quite inadequate. Staff shortages, inadequate accommodation, and inadequate general appliances were mentioned by Mr Horrobin as. matters which should be corrected as soon as possible. , Recommendations for Honours An explanation of the method followed by the Government in making recommendations for inclusion in official lists of honours was sought in the House of ' Representatives yesterday by Mr ,R. .M. Algie (Opnositiori, Remuera). He gave notice of a question on the point to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser).—(P.A.) Hagley Park Memorial Gates The recent announcement of a legacy to the Christchurch City Council of a sum of money for the construction of memorial gates at one of the entrances to Hagley Park recalls that the Christchurch Domains Board has plans in hand for the erection of a set of memorial gates at tfie Armagh street entrance. About 10 years ago the board received under the will of Mrs A. F. J. Mickle a legacy of £lOOO for the construction at Armagh street of gates in memory of her husband, Dr. A. F. J. Mickle. The secretary of the board (Mr P. C. Browne) said yesterday that the plans had been prepared, but because of the great deal of filling necessary on the park side of the bridge the cost would be considerably in excess of the sum provided. War conditions had prevented the board giving the project serious consideration in the last few years. Auckland Harbour Ferries Plans for building two new vessels for the Auckland trans-harbour ferry service were announced yesterday by Sir Ernest Davis, chairman , of the Devonport Steam Ferry Company; Ltd. The first vessel will be completed next year and the other in 1948. He said the construction programme would involve all the company’s liquid resources if not more, Shore facilities would also be improved.—ip. A.) Earthquakes and Clocks Yesterday morning’s earthquake did not disturb by a second the timekeeping of the Christchurch Post Office clocks —all of them governed by a master electric clock under a synchronome system. This claim was made yesterday by officials ot the Chief Post Office in Christchurch in spite of the wyward behaviour of the clocks on the tower above the Chief Post Office. Those clocks, although almost universally known as “Post Office clocks,” are in fact unconnected with the Post Office. They belong to the Christchurch City Council, which also maintains them. The Post Office clocks are all electric, and all were yesterday undisturbed by earthquakes. The official reason given for the unusual behaviour of the big clock over the Post Office was that the earthquake had shaken loose the pinion controlling the escapement lever of the 1 minute hand, leaving it free to race round the dial—as it did once every two minutes until 8 o’clock yesterday morning. Shortage of Pig Iron Pig iron is again in short supply The next shipment cannot arrive before eight weeks, but existing stocks will last for only another two to three weeks. “The situation is very critical,” said the president of the Ironmasters’ Association in Dunedin yesterday. “Unless further supplies can be obtained from Australia shortly the trade will be in a very serious position. A suggestion has been made to the Government to charter an over, seas vessel, but as far as I am aware nothing has yet transpired.”—(P.A.)

School Children Visit Achilles Yesterday was reserved for the visit of school children to the cruiser Achilles and many hundreds of Christchurch school children, undeterred by the wet weather, made their way to Lyttelton and were conducted over the warship. Every train in the morning and early afternoon was crowded with children and a special train was also run. The Achilles will leave Lyttelton at 9 o’clock this morning for Timaru. Officers tor J Force Trained to be officers in the second relief draft for J Force, which is expected to leave for Japan towards the end of next month. 54 volunteers passed out at a ceremony at Trentham camp. The Chief of the General Staff. Major-General N. W. McD Weir, inspected the men on parade and took the salute at the march past and later addressed them. Among them are 18 former officers demobilised from the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the Fleet Air Arm, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.-—(PA.) Whitebait in Buller River Small quantities of whitebait have appeared in the Buller river during the last week. With the absence of snow on the high country and the river being free from flood water, the season, which opens on August 1. should be a good one. Several larger shoals of whitebait heve been seen in the Mokihinui and Orowaiti rivers this week. Break in Sumner Water Main Because of a fall of rock at Clifton corner, where the main road to Sumner is being widened, the Sumner water supply was shut off at 6 p.m. yesterday, as the result of a breakage in a four-inch cast-iron water, main. Although precautions had been taken to prevent damage to the main while blasting was in progress, they were insufficient to protect the pipe when the fall occurred between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Workmen were engaged in clearing the rubble and repairing the break last evening, and it was expected that the supply of water wpujd be restored by 8 o’clock this morning. Ketch Viking Reaches Wellington The ketch Viking arrived in Evans Bay at 6.50 p.m. yesterday, completing the voyage from Auckland in 8 days 6 hours. She was brought into harbour in tow of the launch Bahemo, which had picket her up about 3 p.m. halfway across Palliser Bay, where she had been becalmed since 7 a.m. the previous day.—(P.A.) Tow to China Abandoned The steamer Koolein will sail from Wellington for Shanghai to-morrow evening without the former interisland steamer Maori in tow as had been intended. The owners of the two vessels have changed their' plans because of the approach of the typhoon season. The Koolein, formerly the Yarra, was purchased in Australia by the United Corporation of China, and sent to Wellington to pick up the Maori, which the company had purchased also, and renamed the Hwalein Various circumstances have caused the delay in the commencement of the tow. The Maori will remain at Wellington indefinitely .-r-(P.A.) Eyaps Bay Development “In view of possible developments of passenger and mail air services, any major work of development at Evans Bay by the Wellington Harbour Board will be designed to allow for the installation of facilities that might be required for flying-boats.” said the chairman of the board, Mr W. H. Price, at the annual meeting. “The rapid development that has taken place in aerial transport, particularly in trans-oeean flight, must be considered in any development work contemplated by the board,’’, said Mr Price, “There appears to be a divergence of expert opinion as to the type of aircraft that will eventually be adopted for ocean crossings, and in view of the extensive use made of the flying-boat, and the advance in its carrying capacity during the war, the gossibility of a base for flying-boats eing established at Wellington must be kept in mind.” —(P.A.)