Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 32, 5 July 1939, Page 4

Local and General

INTOXICATION A first offender for drunkenness, who appeared in the Whakataue Court oa Monday, after his apprehension on Saturday evening, Wa3 convicted and fined the amoiltit of bail. AFFORESTATION BY PLANE As part of a reafforestation programme, a number of American army planes recently "bombed" Hawaii with a ton of tree seeds, wh'ch were scattered over an area of eight square miles in less than 15 minutes. PENALTY ON PLAYER After considering the circumstances connected with the offence the Bay of Plenty Union has ordered M. Howell, Rangitaiki Sub.Union, to stand down for two playing Saturdays. Howell was ordered off in the WhakataneJßangitaiki match last month. WELL OUT OF SEASON Pohutukawa trees at Ohope are not the only things to be flowering out of season for several peach trees are ; also showing in bloom. Not to be outdone by the seaside at lea&t'i one plum tree in Whakatane is well out. Some of the wattles which are now flowering seera to be a little ahead of their usual schedule, too. BREEDING OF GREY DUCK Largely in the way of an experiment, arrangements have been made by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society with an Auckland suburban resident to breed grey duck. The society has arranged for ah initial stock of 20 birds, to contribute towards the cost of food during the first and to buy young birds. If the plan proves successful, it will probably b<developed on a much wider scale. The opinion has been formed that breeding and liberation of wild due'K will be necessary in future to keep up the supply of the birds. TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS Discussing the type of milk which should be supplied to school children, the chairman of the town's health committee said: ''What this town needs i.s a supply of clean,, fresh mill;, and we should take the bull by -he hoi*ns and demand it.*

lights go out "The electrical storm in the early hours of Sunday morning was brief but and • in its passage over the district it tripped the line from Edgecumbe to Whakatane, with the result that the town's power was o{f for about five minutes, One or two of the power board feeders were also knocked out. MURUPARA DOMAIN BOARD A 16 acre block at Murupara has been constituted a Domain, and the following Domain Board has been ap. pointed: Messrs W. H. Bird, J. White S. Whffe, H. J. Cooney, D. T. Alexander. I. Matakuare C. E. Newton, J K. Tihema, P. M. Paramore. This information is contained in the latest issue of the Gazette. WIRING WORK Mr F. Lysaght, borough electrical engineer, has his staff at work at present wiring Francis Street from the Domain to Domain Road. The main line down Domain Road from Russell Street to Francis Street will also be recoppered with heavier wire. These jobs are necessary to supply the n,c\v State houses. RAINFALL IN MAY In May Tauranga reported 206.4 hours sunshine. The rainfall was 1.42 inches, recorded in six days. In four wet days the Wairata, Opotiki, station had 3.90 in five days Wha katane had 1.76 inches, in four days Edgecumbe had 3.07 inches, in three days Ruatoki had 2.14 inches and in three days Murupara had 2.64 inchc* These figures are published in the Gazette in the review of the weathe r for May. CLOSING OF SAWMILLS Because of the unsaleabilitv of nonheart timber, all mills on the West Coast of the South Island will close on two days next month. The decision was made by the West Coast Sawmillers' Association at its monthly meeting in Christchurch, the general opinion of members being thai the disorganisation of the industry was attributable to the policy laid down for the Housing Department by the Government. The mills will close on July 7 and July 14. In the event of this reduction of milling failing to improve the position, the mills will have to be closed every Friday, according to Mr J. W. Caldwell chairman of the association.

WEEK-END RAINFALL The total rain during the week-end in Whakatane was 1.73 inches madj up to 1.03 inches on Saturday and .70 on Sunday. This makes a total lor the year of 16.94 inches. These figures are supplied to the BEACON by Mr 1 H. Mtiscutt. WHITE ISLAND AT NIGHT So cldar were the weather condi. tions last Monday evening, that a party of motorists driving back to Ohope Beach, about 11 p.nv; declare that it Ava t s possible to see White Island and its usual plume of steam as clearly as though it had been daylight. DRAWN GAME The Taneatua senior Rugby tea journeyed to Waihi on Saturday di well to play a drawn game again: the Waihi B representatives. Neith< s ! dc scored. In the second half, pa ticularly, Taneatua showed magn ficent defence and for the whole spe relentlessly broke one attack aftc another. GEYSERS ACTIVE Although it gave indications of b< coming active on Sunday, the bi Pohutu geyser at Whakarewarew failed to give a. display. Other ge* sens, however, were active, Waikiti in particular, sending up some goo shots during the afternoon. Waikorc hihi was very active at times, h" Papakura sent up no more than, il normal shots. PLENTY Qv WATER The swollen and muddy waters o the Whakatane ru.sh out violentl; these days, and the mouth and ba is now well scoured. The flood wat ei's make navigation to the Pape Mills wharf an easy matter, and oi Monday the Otimai, after discharg ing cargo there, came down to th Whakatane wharf a t low tide with out trouble. There was a good fivi feet of water under her. GOATS INCREASING However dim their origin, the smal destructive herd of goats which hav< inflicted themselves on to community and have their habitat on the Hill. :rest reserve, are definitely here t( stay. It might not be an exaggera tion to go further and.say that the} intend to make their presence fell sven more forcibly in future, fol when last counted the colony numbered no less than eleven. . NEW BANK With the foundations and strongroom of the old bank now demolish, sd work in the construction, of the new Union Bank on the George Street corner is beginning and as a preliminary the usual board fenc£ has been built round the site. Tim. ber and materials are to be stored pn nearby sections, as there is no room for them on the actual building site, STRONGROOM BLOWN UP The thud of explosives in the centre of Whakatane on Monday attracted attention. The blasts were set off to shatter the solid foundations of the CJnion Bank's old strongroom, and the tvork was under the supervision of Mr W. S. Henderson, borough foreman. Small charges were used, and i heavy iron shield was placed over the site of each shot, so as to guard against concrete chips flying across the street. FARMERS AND ATHLETICS He was a sturdy co\v-fa,rmer from bevond Nukuhou and meeting a BEACON representative, gave full rein to' his feelings on the question 3f the sports domain., 4< l don't know ivhy you fellows always assume that the farmers will be interested in your ivrietched efforts to better your sport. ng facilities. The cow cockie gets ill the exercise, he needs and more, coking after his old cows. He's not interested in sport and he's fit enough .vithout it." CONFIDENCE OF UNIONISTS A general meeting of the Whakatane branch of the Auckland Builders', General and Other Labourers" Union, at a general meeting in the County Chambers on Friday, June 30 passed the following motion unanimously: "That this meeting of general labourers publicly express its confidence in the secretary of the union, Mr T. Stanley, and in its executive commission, and further that w& are in full agreement with the union is at present-constituted, and we do not wish for, and will not tolerate. »Ny change in the present union." The mover was Mr E. Hunter and Mr TV Young seconded it. Mr G. C. Moore was chairman of the meeting. Stout men, note! Man loses 151bs in I weeks Avith Bonkora. Obtainable F G. Macklow, Chemist, Whakatane. [