A very happy occasion for the Earl Morcom family of Wauchope and Port Macquarie was the recent 21st birthday of their youngest daughter Beth.

Over 100 guests attended the home of Mr and Mrs Gary Wincote, of Port Macquarie, to celebrate the happy occasion. Guests came from Sydney, Canberra, Tamworth and Wauchope as well as locally. Beth is a computer operator with a large Sydney firm.

Town full for May vacation

Although the May vacation is of short duration (10 days), most accommodation in Port Macquarie has been filled.

Real estate agent Merv Green said that all his large accommodation had been booked out, but he still had some one bedroom flats left. Nothing has come of representations to the Minister of Education to have the holidays standardised at two weeks, he said.

All the flats on Roger Dulhunty's books have been filled. Some of these are for a week. Many are re-booking from last year. The Caracamp Caravan Park doesn't take bookings, but Mr Lawler has a crowd of about 3,000 at the park.

Mr Robert Pead, of the El Paso, said that the motel was booked out for the holiday period. In his opinion the May vacation is a good one because of its shortness. People who usually go further up the coast stay in Port Macquarie and save the two day's driving.

Heads and tails

Gales of laughter swept the latest meeting of the Port Macquarie Motels Association when a reply on the association's protest against the council's multiple pedestal charges was received from the Minister for Tourist Activities, Mr E. A. Willis.

The Minister said; "The nature of the charge by the Municipal Council does not seem to fall into the category of a "head tax" referred to by Mr McCusker regarding passengers arriving or departing from an aerodrome." Voice from the back: "No this is more in the nature of a bottom tax."

Car wash

An American designed machine which enables a car to be washed really clean in about ten minutes has been installed at Mr Bill Hales' Caltex Service Station in Lord Street.

The washer, a Mr Top, sprays water at high pressure onto the car. Detergent is mixed with the water for the first few minutes, then fresh water to rinse the car.

A long hose ensures that the person washing doesn't get wet. The warm water removes mud, stains and grease with ease. It is even possible to wash the motor of the car.

Mr. Hales says that this is its main attraction for him. He is able to clean cars and for whom time off the road means money lost. At 40 cents Mr Top represents a quick and cheap means of having a sparkling, clean car.

Shifting War Memorial

Port Macquarie RSL Sub-branch executive officers have been invited by the Municipal Council this week to inspect the proposed new site for the town's war memorial.

The municipal engineer, Mr E. F. Grogan, has pegged out the area on the waterfront green adjacent to the end of Horton Street where, the council has undertaken to relocate the memorial before June 30.