50 years ago
■ Advice to people who wish to have a good view of the royal family during their road journeys in New Zealand has been given by director of the visit, Mr P. J. O’Dea. He recommended finding a good vantage point along sections of the routes marked as ‘‘ceremonial drives’’. In New Plymouth on March 20 the royal couple will take a ceremonial drive to the Criterion Hotel, via Brooklands Park Drive, Brooklands Rd, Victoria Rd, Carrington St, Vivian St, Robe St, Powerham St, Robe St and Devon St West. During the ceremonial drive the car transporting the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will be driven at about 5 m. p.h. The Queen is always seated on the right side of the car.
■ Damage caused by an earlymorning blaze in a Midhurst sawmill is estimated to ‘‘run into a good many thousands of dollars.’’ The mill, in Standish St and owned by Len Caldwell Sawmills Ltd, was destroyed. Mr Len Caldwell, managing director of the company, said the future of the mill had yet to be decided. Flames at the mill could be seen from a mile-and-a-half away and smoke from Stratford, four miles south of Midhirst.
■ About 60 dairy farmers supplying the Ha¯wera-based Kiwi Dairy Company have dried off their herds and the number could rise to 200 this weekend. The numbers drying off have been considerably more than in the same period last year. Apart from its own milk, the company is receiving 600,000 gallons of milk diverted from two other companies to make cheese for the Japanese market. A company spokesman said it appears milk supplies would be virtually finished by the end of March, but the directors had reaffirmed the policy of keeping permanent staff on during the off-season.
■ Movies: The Canadians (Regent, Stratford), The Killing of Sister George (State), The Lion of Saint Mark (Mayfair), No Way to Treat a Lady, starring George Segal (Everybody’s Opunake).
35 Years Ago: In what is easily the heaviest newspaper poll ever taken in the region – 7009 valid votes – 6048 people voted to retain the name Mt Egmont, compared with only 961 who wanted the change. The proportion of those in favour of the status quo should lay to rest any doubts as to what the people of this part of the country really want. In the ‘‘Reasons’’ section of the voting coupons many Mt Egmont adherents stressed that the name of their choice was known worldwide. They also alleged that a change would cause confusion and be costly and claimed that too much attention was being paid to the demands of a Ma¯ori minority. Most of the Mt Egmont proponents made comments based on logic and freedom from prejudice, but more than 200 expressed sentiments either bordering on racism or well over the border.
■ The price of copies of the The Daily News and Taranaki Herald brought over the counter or from honesty boxes will be increased to 30 cents a copy from tomorrow. While a number of daily newspapers in New Zealand increased their prices to 30 cents some months ago, Taranaki Newspapers Ltd decided to hold the present price for as long as possible, said the company’s general manager, Mr R. J. Avery. However, recent dramatic changes in the price of newsprint had meant that the increase could be delayed no longer.
25 Years Ago: The New Plymouth District Council has finally given the completion of its controversial civic centre the green light. After years of debate, the full council has now decided to call for public submissions on a proposal to finish the final stage of the complex at a cost of $2.897 million. The proposal is considerably slimmed down from the original $4.8 million octagonal concept proposed in the late 1980s and further cut back from the revised square-shaped $3.3 million version rejected last year.