Friday, August 26, 1960
Bridge on Batiri -Nabavatu Road
The Naua Bridge is one of four on the Batiri-Nabavatu section of the road being built by the Public Works Department on the north coast of Macuata. Work on the 200ft bridge - four spans of 50ft each - was started in April. Two spans have been completed and the other two are expected to be completed within the next two months. The bridge is about five miles from Dreketi and about 38 miles from Labasa. One of its number, the Vuinakata Bridge, has been completed.
Pope's gift to seven missionaries
(AAP-Reuter), ROME
Pope John yesterday presented crucifixes to seven missionaries from New Zealand, Tonga, Jamaica, Thailand, Ceylon, the Gilbert Islands and the Fiji Islands it was learned yesterday. Among the missionaries were the Rev Thomas Williams of Wellington, New Zealand and the Rev Petero Mataca of The Fiji Islands. They were about to leave for their missions when the presentation was made at Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence.
1960 Olympiad Opened with vivid ceremonies
(AAP-Reuter), ROME
The President of the Italian Republic (Signor Giovanni Gronchi) opened the 17th Olympic Games ina colourful ceremony at the magnificent new Olympic Stadium at Rome yesterday.
The off-white marble stadium, which cost more than 1,000,000 pounds sterling to build, was packed to its capacity of 100,000 for the start of the biggest Olympic Games since the modern Games were founded in 1896 at Athens. More than 5000 competitors from 86 nations were taking part. So numerous were the entries that for the first time in Olympic history, the athletes in the parade had to be limited, only 4200 being able to take part.
More cane fires
Fire burned 30 tons of cane worth 90 pounds, the property of Om Prakash (s/o Ajodhya Prasad) at Drasa Lautoka between 9pm on Tuesday and 4am yesterday. The owner is the son of the secretary of the Fiji Kisan Sangh. The police have arrested a man in connection with another cane fire - at Asiasi, Tavua about 1.30pm on Wednesday, when five tons of cane worth 15 pounds was burned. The owner of the cane was Girhara Singh (s/o Dullah Singh). Another fire at the CSR company estate, Legalega, near Nadi airport about 10.50am on Wednesday burned 10 tons of cane worth 30 pounds. This brought the number of fires to Legalega to nine - 9110 tons worth 27,330 pounds. The three fires mentioned above and five others on Tuesday and Wednesday burned 364 tons of cane worth about 1092 pounds.
Young man hurt in road accident
A young Fijian, Aminiasi Matewai suffered head and other injuries in an accident in Edinburgh Drive yesterday morning. He was operated on and his condition yesterday afternoon was reported to be quite satisfactory. An eye-witness in a motor-car said that Aminiasi on a bicycle, had passed him at high speed near the top of the road and had tried several times to pass other vehicles.
Near Island Industries, the youth pulled out to pass a vehicle and as he passed, he wento into a skid. While skidding, he crashed head on into a bus, the driver of which had seen what was likely to happen and had slowed his vehicle. Aminiasi went under the bus which had to reverse off him.
Tofua takes 7414 cases of bananas
The Tofua yesterday took 7414 cases of bananas from Suva to New Zealand. The number of cases rejected was 345. These bananas were mainly thin and immature. From 1955 till 1959 the cases of bananas shipped to New Zealand due mainly to hurricanes in Fiji declined as follows: 1955, 400,000; 1957, 309,000; 1958, 148,000; 1959, 74,000. This year, 120,000 cases have been shipped so far.
New Zealand, according to Mr C Vasey, the agricultural produce inspector which consumes about 1000,000 cases of bananas annually, can take more than Fiji is supplying at the moment. Mr Vasey said that he expects to ship more 200,000 cases of bananas this year. Mr Vasey expects the Matua to take 6000 cases to New Zealand on September 17.
Fijian Growers' Message
A message has been sent to the Governor (Sir Kenneth Maddocks) that Fijian cane growers in the North-Western Division are agreeable to harvesting their cane on the terms agreed on July 24. A message signed by Isikeli Nadalo describing himself as spokesman for the Fijian delegates, was handed to Mr CA Hughes, District Officer at Sigatoka on Saturday for transmission to his Excellency. The message said that the Fijian canegrowers affirmed their acceptance of the agreement reached on July 24 and that their willingness to harvest their cane which they had already notified to the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, still stood.