Liverpool Echo from Liverpool, Merseyside, England • 1

RECORD EXPORTS CUT Dramatic £34m. drop from £49m. to only £lsm. Plan raise motor-cycle driving age By Echo Political Correspondent Barbara the Transport Minister, to-day issued a proposal to raise the minimum driving age for motorcycles and scooters from 16 to 17 years. A statement from her Ministry said she would consult the motoring and other organisations on a recom-, mendation made to her by' her advisory committee on 'road safety.

The committee took this because research has shown that motor-cycle and scooter riders are 20 times more likely to be killed or injured than car drivers in the same number of miles in 1965, 54 per cent of motor cycle or scooter riders killed or seriously injured on the roads were under 20 years old. Triplets celebrate their third birthday Celebrating their third birthday to-day are the triplets of Mr. and Mrs. J. Davies.

of 33 Prestbury Road, Norris Green, Liverpool, and here they are at the Staisfield Avenue Nursery School, Norris Green, where a party was being held for them. Left to right, Jonathan. Elaine and Michael. SALES OVERSEAS HIGHEST SINCE RECORDS KEPT Britain's trade deficit fell to £15,000.000 in! August. compared frith £49,000,000 in July.

the Board of Trade announced to-day. Exportsi recorering strongly, totalled £440,000,000 thei highest since records hare been kept and were 02.000.000 up on July. They were well above the level recorded before the seamen's strike. Commenting on the figures, Mr. Douglas Jay, President of the Board of Trade, said: The record export figure for August shows that we are rapidly making good the losses caused by the shipping strike, and suggests that the deductions drawn from the figures for recent months were too gloomy.

"We cannot count on every month's exports being as good as this. But the trade balance is recovering from the strike, and is doing so before the Government's July measures have had time to encourage still greater export efforts." TRY EVEN HARDER, CALL He added: Firms which' certain freight and insurance cannot now sell enough at, oharges and other factors. home should try even harder, The August figures re to sell more abroad." 'provisional and seasonall' The previous highest figure adjusted; those for July are for exports was in February, revised from the previous this year, when they reached; provisional figures. £432 million. SEA STRIKE 1 Imports in August were; valued at £526 million, down I Exports increased sharply' by £1,000,000 on the July last month as goods held up figures.

Re-exports were Iby the seamen's strike were £17.000,000. The crude trade but the distortion gap was £69,000,000 by the strike less than in tinned to obscure the under- The trade deficit allows for lying trend, and imports 'were still swollen by arrivals delayed by the strike. But the trade deficit of £15,000,000 was a sharp Banks increase dollar swap moves up again The improved again on foreign exchange markets after the trade figures were Published. After rising about 1-16th of a cent. during the morning to just ander the 2.781 dollar mark WI hopes of satisfactori figures, it edged up again to Just over 2.781.

The figures were rather better than some people had been expecting. Although they are difficult to assess because of the continued distortlonary effects of the seamen's strike. there was satisfaction both In the good rise In exports and the absence of a higher import figure. The Bank of England announced to-day an increase in their swap facilities with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. and with certain 1 other central banks.

A statement from the bank 'I said: "In view of the general, unsettlement of world financial markets in recent months' it seemed appropriate that! international swap arrange-1 ments between central banks) should be increased so as to, provide a broad margin of over the figures safety more than sufficient told the two previous months. cover any foreseeable In the first eight months of I this year it averaged gencies. "The Federal Reserve a month. co of New York are announcingi with an average of £26.111.000 In creases in their reciprocall a month in the corresponding swap facilities with a number last year. of central banks.

1 STRONG RECOVERY RESERVES Exports in August continuen "As part of this arrange- to recover strongly from the ment. the Bank of Englancillow June figure. The total of and the Federal clearly includes Bank of New York have agreed some shipments delayed by to increase the seamen's strike. More reciprocal swap arrangements willprobably continue to be for 750 million dollars (of' lade good in the next month which only 300 million dollars two. has two.

has at present been utilised)i In the first eight months of to a total of 1.350 million th i siyear. including the period dollars. of the strike exports averaged Apart from the 1 £409 million a month, or 54 facilities with other central. per cent. more than for the banks, the Bank of England I correspo nding months of last have still at their disposat important unused facilities yrar Over the same period arranged previously." imports averaged £507 A City correspondent says million a month, about 64 per this is the first time the cent.

more than the average Bank, which had to contend of the corresponding months with heavy pressure on sterl- of 1965. ing in July. has revealed how; much it has drawn under the! swap facilities with the! Federal Bank. With the 300 million' To-day's Close dollars now revealed as used. Northern Stock Exchange the new arrangements mean there is still 1,050 million' The earlier gains in Funds dollars available.

were held. and in one or two places improved upon. Savings' Only one comment on 3 per cent. 65.75 moved up the progress being made little further to 70 15-16, emerged from this morntogether with 3 per cent. Elec-, ing's restricted session in trie 68-73 at 774.

Meanwhile' London of the Common- Industrial shares became very; wealth Prime Ministers' quiet. but the previous conference which conness was still there, and ea; tinned discussions at tended rises occurred In I Marlborough House on B.A.T. 71s 9d. Imperial; Britain's proposals about 655. Unilever 29s 44c1' Rhodesia.

Beechams 28s. and Dunlop It came from Mr. Simon A record number of '27s 104 d. Zambia's Foreign American Insurances were and was: "I am ably more thansoo Irregular at the close, while disgusted." bombed North Vietnam banks finished under the best. Asked if he was going to yesterday, an American No further change was seen In 'speak to President Kaunda, he military spokesman said oils.

steels. or stores. Gold replied "Obviously." in Saigon to-day. mining shares lost further! For security reasons the. Mr.

Kapwepwe had not ground here or the a ll exact number of planes was finally left the conference i Anglo American Corpora- at lunch time, despite reports not disclosed. but it is being widened to lls 3d believed that more than 500 lion 19 a that he had been called back aircraft were sent on 170 Zambia. mlssions. Reports and Prices: Page 3. But twrites the Echo In widespread raids the; Political Correspondent' he fighter-bombers att a edl iis expected to go home tothree radar sites 20 miles' BANNED FOR YEAR ni ht, leaving his Finance from the capital of Hanoi and behind as the only four miles from the; lofficial representative.

major port of Haiphong. the Liverpool man drove spokesman whik unfit PUSHED ASIDE. The problem of Mr. lan Leonard Armstrong. aged Smith's break away regime 31.

rigger. of 8 Vronhill was pushed briefly aside Street. Liverpool 8. was fined after 75 minutes discussion £3O and disqualified from. this morning.

driving for one year by Mr. The Prime Ministers went George England on to, the next items on the Liverpool Stipendiary the world survey and trate! yesterday. after he applications for Commonpleaded guilty to driving a wealth membership. motor car in Stanley Road, Sir Morriee James, of the Liverpool. when unfit Affairs Office.

drink. London last night for Detective Chief Inspector Rhodesia. to explain develop- Albert Evans (prosecuting) I to the Governor. Sir said at 8.50 p.m. on Gibbs.

Constable David Johnston saw it is thought that considerathe car driven by Armstrong tion is being given by the failed to move when Minister to sending a were green in its favour and senior Minister to Rhodesia then to move off against the'at the end of the conference red light. causing another carto aequain Sir Humphrey and to brake to avoid an accident. I Mr. lan Smith of the results ..10 "iv' infnr- He was later certified by a.and British intentions. about ilrry should doctor as unfit to drivel Officials and members of communicate with pollee.

through drink. the Commonwealth Secre- 500 PLANES IN N. VIETNAM RAIDS POLICE WARNING Chemicals on stolen lorry dangerous Liverpool C.T.D. are trying to trace lorry loaded with dangerous chemicals stolen from Portland Gardens. Vauxhall Rotd.

during the night. Tir nstratinn number of phicle is Kr. a nd it Is t-ton Flathack Bedford with Pure Chemicals of on doors of cabin Police say the load of IP ffrtim, And 20 oer bags of ellpnl h- danlerors in hlne n' children WORST RECORD Britain is the only Western European country which permits persons under 18 to ride motor-cycles and scooters and the U.K.'s accident record among this group of road uSers appears to be the worst Europe. It is now believed that the low minimum age has contributed substantially to the High casualty rates. It is being stressed that at, the moment the change is! only a proposal.

on which the Minister will be seeking full reaction from the organisations concerned. The British Cycle and I Motor Cycle Industries' Association said to-day that they were "astonished and appalled" by the proposal. The industry plans to seek the aid and support of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. the R.A.C. and other organisations in opposing the proposals.

WAS DISORDERLY Said to have refused to move away when told to do so by a and to stood shouting in the middle of AVilbraham Street. Birken- I head, Ronald Anthony aged 19. of 28 Caldwell Drive. 'Birkenhead, was fined £5 with 10s. costs at Birkenhead 1 'Magistrates' Court yesterday.

charged with being drunk and disorderly. He pleaded ON OTHER PAGES Hospital Services may be Page 16 The Jumbo Page Eight War of the Page Two Boy on murder charge; new docks Page Seven 15 Dance Mass for opening of Mr. liarpe and Or Rt. Rev. Augustine Harris.

Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool. pictured at the Press ceslierenes6 new Cathedral Details of the main events celebrating the opening next May. of the Roman Catholic Cathedral in, Liverpool were given at s( Press conference in the city, this morning by Mr. Bill, Harpe, who was appointed, artistic director last' November for the opening ceremonies. Mr.

Harpe said that his principal idea would be a choreographed version of the Mass for double chorus and orchestra by Cavalli. This will be performed in the Cathedral for ten rformances. beginning about a week after the actual consecration of the Cathedral on May 14, Whit Sunday. Mr. Harpe said that the I music, the Messa Concertata.

would be played by the Northern Symphonia Orchestra. conducted by Raymond Leppard. who discovered the work in Italy and who recently conducted its first performance for 300 years. There would be 80 singers, with eight soloists and 40 dancers. lie emphasised that the dancing would not be a' one was going to appear in tights, and the: details of the costumes had not been worked out.

The dancing would be of the modern serious style, with dancers drawn from the new London School of Contemporary Dance. Auditions would start in November. ROUND ALTAR Since the new Cathedral isi circular in form, with a central altar, the dance would take place around this. There was plenty of room, as the actual area was comparable in size to the full stage of Covent Garden. The dance would symbolise the reactions of a congregation to a Mass.

Seating in the Cathedral would be slightly tiered, in a way that could later be' I used for other musical or dramatic presentations. There would be room for between 2.300 and 2,500 people at each performance. (Confined on Back Page) DRILLING RIG ADRIFT IN THE DEE A drilling rig in the Dee estuary off Greenfield broke away from its anchors in heavy seas day and began drifting towards Parkgate. Wirral. Boring has been taking place from the rig as part of a survey for the proposed Dee barrage across the estuary.

An official said this afternoon that unless they were able to anchor the rig the survey work could be held up for a considerable time. It was intended at low tide to use a tractor to try and secure the rig before it was again caught by the high tide and taken further out. Earlier to-day Rhyl lifeboat and a rescue helicopter set out for the rig after distress flares had been seen. were recalled after it was reported that the men on 'the rig had been landed at Mostyn by a tender. RHODESIA PLANS: I AM DISGUSTED.

SAYS THE ZAMBIAN DELEGATE tariat were, it was learned, preparing a draft corn- hlunique for this afternoon's restricted session of the conference. Wear a cap, long-haired men urged More young men are getting their hair caught In machines at work, Mr. R. 3. Christy (Chief Inspector of Factories) said at a Press conference In London to-day.

"It is stupid to allow loose hair or loose clothes to dangle about in the proximity of moving machinery." he said. His advice to longhaired young men was: "If SOU cannot cut it off, wrap it in a cap. A peaked cap is a good thing. because the peak hits the machine first. I once recomniended to a lad that a piece of blue ribbon would look nice." The failure to achieve any significant reduction of accidents to young Persons was one of the most distressing aspects of the accident figures.

said Mr. Christy. BIRKENHEAD VISIT William chair- Iman of the Shipbuilding 'industry Board. is to visit the 'Birkenhead shi pyard of Cammeil Laird and Company Shipbuilders and Engineers). on Friday as part of a fact-finding tour of Britain's industry.

ISOTOPE SEARCH The search continued to-day for a radio-active isotope missing from the Eastern Gas Board's plant at Cadwell Lane. Hitchen alerts) since Friday. Police have warned that the isotope, which was in a sealed 'container, could be highly dangerous if It belonged to a firm of contractors who were erecting piping at the Cadwell Lane plant. SPACEMAN TO CLEAN SHIELD Astronaut Richard Gordon climbs out of his Gemini-Eleven spacecraft later to-day for a 107- minute walk in space. He will move about on a 30- foot umbilical cord, using a hand-held jet gun to manoeuvre.

in the most exhausting challenge in space so far. Astronauts Gordon and Pete Conrad awoke brighteyed and four hours early at 07.55 B.S.T. to-day from their first sleep in space. Immediately they began preparations for Gordon's walk. MLWOR PROBLEMS Flight directors later reported two minor problems had developed aboard the spacecraft, but neither was serious.

0. The spacecraft has a slightly' soiled windshield and its instruments are not showing that the Agena target satellite responded to commands from the spacecraft. The satellite and spacecraft are docked together. Gordon will take care of the first problem. He will clean the windshield when he takes his spacewalk.

Singer hurt in crash with police car Vocalist Danny Purches was badly hurt early to-day when his car was in collision with a Bootle police patrol car in Church Road, Litherland. At Walton Hospital this afternoon. Purches on this week's cabaret bill of Litherland Theatre said Ito have a severe head injury and to be seriously. ill His home is at Shepperton, Middlesex. Three Bootle police officers in the police Bert Farran, who was driving, Sergeant Terence Anderson and Constable Graham injured and taken to Waterloo Hospital.

Constable Carrigan was not detained, but Constable Farran and Sergeant Anderson were kept in until this afternoon. The crash occurred at about, 5.20 a.m. at the junction of Church Road with Kirkstone Road. Litherland. Anyone who witnessed the accident.

or who has any information concerning it. is asked to contact Seaforth Division Police Headquarters. SOUTHPORT DEATH An inquest is to be held at Southport on 79-years-old Beatrice Louisa Bennett. of Riding Street, Southport, who died in the town's Promenade Hospital yesterday after a fall at her home. TEMPERATURES TODAY Temperatures recorded or the Meteorological Office of Liverpool Airport to-day were: To-day Yesterday 9 a.m.

56.8F..15.0C 59.0 14.8 58.6F...16.6C 61.9 The maximum overn9ht temperoture was 14.3 (57. F) ond the minimum 12.0 153.6 Night will be fine The Meteorological Office forecast for the Merseyside area to-day was: As the day goes on showers will become more isolated and the periods between them longer. There will be a blustery north westerly wind and the temperature will reach 15C (60F). The night will be fine and the wind will decrease. To-morrow is expected to start fine, but much of the day will be cloudy with occasional rain.

Do you know your Merseyside? Where is there a replica of the Liverpool Castle ruins? (Answer on Page TRADE GAP Vorster: I'll go further on Verwoerd's path Mr. Balthazar John Vorster, strong man of South African polities, was elected Prime Minister to-day, and declared he would continue the course set by Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd. One week after Dr. Verwoerd was stabbed to death in Parliament, Mr.

Vorster was swiftly and unanimously elected by a caucus of the ruling National Party. His only rival, the Transport Minister. Mr. Ben Schoeman. stood down at the last moment, in the interests of party unity.

In an impromptu speech to several thousand cheering people. Mr. Vorster said: "You ask me what course I will follow. My course is to go further on the road which Dr. Verwoerd followed.

"What do I believe in? I believe in the National Party and its principles and the full Implementation of them in every respect. whatever the consequences." HATES COMMUNISM Mr. Vorster has built up a reputation as a determined man with a hatred of Communism and world liberalism during his five years in office as Justice Minister. He is the author of South Africa's stern security laws. He is not expected to make any immediate drastic policy changes, though opposition 'political commentators 'believe his leadership will mean a hardening of South Africa's attitude to the critical outside world.

Mr. Verster WAS INTERNED Mr. Vorster started his career as an attorney In the Cape. During the war years he was a leading member of the Ossewa Brandwag, an Afrikaans organisation which showed sympathy towards Nazi Germany. He was interned from September.

1942, to February. 1944 for his pro-German and anti-British views. After the war he narrowly lost a 1948 election in the Johannesburg constituency of Brakpan. He reached Parliament as member fora nearby constituency in 1953. LIGHTER SIDE But there is another side to Mr.

Vorster's grim public image. He has a keen sense of humour, and is one of the sharpest debaters in Parliament. He is also a keen man and golfer. He encourages judges and leading members of the prison staff to take long-term African convicts, preferably murderers, as servants in an attempt to rehabilitate them. Last year, denying an accusation in Parliament that he was hungry for power, he said I cannot use it to play golf, and I cannot eat it.

He added: "It is because we have to deai with people who do not play the rules, and with dangerous people who will not stop at anything, that we have to promulgate measures we do not like and which we would not have in ordinary circumstances." SPAIN PROTESTS Spain to -day protested sharply to Britain, alleging that British military aircraft repeatedly violated her air space, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Madrid. A formal Note was handed to the British Embassy in Madrid this morning, the spokesman said. It is understood to allege recent and repeated violations of Spanish air space by British military aircraft near Reuter. HUNT FOR BRITISH YACHT Ships were watching today for a British yacht missing with six people on three the Bay of Biscay. An Shackleton reconnaisance plane at St.

Mawgan (Cornwall) was standing by in case help was needed, said a Ministry of Defence spokesman in London. The yacht, the trimaran Highwayman, left the Brest Peninsula on September 3 bound for Spain. The Ministry spokesman said shipping had been alerted to keep a lookout for her. Inquiries about Highwayman were also being made in the Channel Islands, and French and Portuguese naval authorities had been asked if they could provide any information. As well as Mr.

Ravenscroft's wife and three children there are an Australian and a Canadian aboard. DYSON 1N CRASH Former Tranmere player's lucky escape Barry Dyson. signed last night by Crystal Palace from Tranmere Rovers, bad a itickv escape to-day when his car was involved in a collision at Eastham as he was on his wav to his new club in London. Mr. Dave Russell, the Traitmere manager.

said that he had sent one of his assistants. Mr. Norman Wilson, to help Dyson. The car was taken to a nearby service station, and Dyson later called for it and was able to continue his Journey, The Liverpool Echo telephone number is MARitinee 2000. Tele-Ads (for Classified Adrertisioe) Maisano STOP PRESS Uslatiot-op: 0.4 sm.

to 4.12 GAD. tide: Mob waft at Uvlopoel 10.11 (6ALT.) 211.11 ft. EQUITY DECISION S7okesman for Equity said in London members would not work for any enterprise in which Mr. William Donaldson. impresario behind failed revue, Dial Liverpool Royal 5183-4," is involved, unless and until he clears his debts.

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