General News

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31087, 16 June 1966, Page 14

General News

U2 Flight

The American U2 high-altl-tude reconnaissance plane at Christchurch Airport is expected to make its first flight from there today. In the last 48 hours the Lockheed technical engineers who are part of the Project Hicat team have been checking the plane’s instrumentation systems. Others of the team have been attending co-ordination sessions with representatives of the Department of Civil Aviation, the airport authority, and the Meteorological Department. Reprieve Rabbits on uncharted islands in Lake Bemnore may frolic until it has been decided who is responsible for their extermination. The secretary of the South Canterbury Mid-Canterbury, and North Otago Rabbit Boards' Council (Mr W. A. L. Leech) said yesterday that he had been advised by the Mackenzie Rabbit Board that its area did not include that part of the river bed, and that the islands created after the lake was filled were the responsibility of boards further south. Mr Leech has written to the Omarama and Benmore rabbit boards to resolve the matter. A big poisoning campaign is scheduled to begin next month.—(F.O.O.R.) z Cool Day

A fresh south-west wind and overcast skies brought showers to the Port Hills and some parts of Christchurch yesterday morning. By early afternoon the weather had become fine. Temperatures were cool. At Harewood at 6 a.m. the temperature was 40 degrees. At 9 a.m. it was 41 degrees, and by noon it had risen to 48 degrees. A maximum temperature of 50 degrees was recorded at Harewood, and the Botanic Gardens at 3 p.m. The temperature gauge on the Government Life building registered 48 degrees at 4.30 p.m. The forecast for today is for fine weather. Blood Unit The- mobile unit of the Blood Transfusion Service will visit Rangiora today. It will be stationed outside the Presbyterian Church hall between 9.30 a.m. and 3 p.m., and will collect blood from regular donors and any new donors. The blood bank in Christchurch will be closed for the day. Maori Delayed The inter-island steamer Maori, with 250 passengers, reduced speed when she met strong head winds and rough seas on her way south on Tuesday evening. Speed was increased south of Kaikoura. She berthed at Lyttelton a few minutes more than an hour late. Labour Surplus There has been a labour surplus on the Lyttelton waterfront for- the last week. On Tuesday 300 men were idle and yesterday their num ber increased to 369. Only 303 men were engaged when work began at 7 a.m. The surplus is expected to continue for the rest of the week. Tank To Go Up A 2000-gallon concrete tank will be mounted on a steel stand 24ft high at •'Holly Lea” at 123 Fendalton road this morning. The tank, which will supply water for the home, will be swung into place by a crane about 9.30 a.m. Manufactured by M. J. McKendry, Ltd., the tank will replace an iron tank on a wooden stand. Pinch At Oxford Oxford University is experiencing a severe strain on its available space and the student roll is expected to exceed 10,000 in 1967, Dr. T. J. Seed, of the University of Canterbury, said in a refresher leave report. At present the undergraduate roll is about 7600, of whom 67 per cent are taking arts and 33 per cent science. Of the 2200 reading for higher degrees, 55 per cent are taking arts and 45 per cent science. Scow Sold The 131-ton scow Echo has been sold again, and her new owner, Mr R. A. Mason, of Spring Creek, plans to use her for cruising in the Marlborough Sounds. The vessel, which was last year withdrawn from the WellingtonBlenheim cargo run, will be based at Picton.