Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 104, 29 December 1939, Page 4

Local and General

Boisterous Car Parties. Car loads of lustily singing young people featured the Christmas celebrations in town, and many a quiet ly sleeping citizen was aroused b> the vocal efforts of the celebrants, whose activities in many instances did not terminate until the , wee sma' hours. Scottish Memento. The Whakatane Caledonian Society made the first of its presentations to members who leave for service overseas last Saturday when advantage was taken of the farewell gathering to present to A. J. Dean, an ex-member of the band a leather wallet. The chief Mr W. J. Symons made the presentation. Rough Seas at Ohope. Though the Bay escaped the stormy weather which characterised Christmas elsewhere, there were several heavy squalls which whipped up a rolling sea at Ohope Beach and the Heads. Visitors enjoying the surf paid further tribute to the safety of the beach from a bather's point of view, and as usual there was not a single <iase of accident or swimmers in difficulties reported. , i

Cheers for the Veterans. A happy thought on the part of the younger men "who are going away in the First Echelon from New Zealand, last Saturday was the manner in which they cheered the veterans of the last war,' when the O.C. called for three cheers in recognition of the manner in Avhich the R.S.A. had offered to stand behind them. Pohutukawas at Ohope. "Your pohutukawas present the most magnificent sight I have ever seen anywhere" said a southern visitor to Ohope when speaking to a BEACON representative. "I have seen the red bloom in and about the beaches of the North Auckland and considered them particularly fine but I can safely say that the Ohope approach this year has surpassed anything I ever remember." Some Stocking. "I want a big stocking" said a boisterous looking Maori entering one of Whakatane's better-known drapery establishments. To all the samples displayed he gave a negative shake. "What do you want it for" asked the exasperated assistant. "To hang up so I can get Santa Claus to put this in" chimed in the other holding up a hefty Xmas ham which he had held beneath the counter.

Cars on the Beach. There were more complaints than usual this year about the number of cars on the Oh ope Beach during the holidays and many parents main tain that the beach at this time of the year is getting too. crowded to allow unrestricted use of the sand by cars and motor cycles. One large ear was seen to be doing a series of circles and figure-eights in the midst of a large crowd of women and children. Christmas and Khaki. There was a definite dash of Khaki in the Christmas celebrations in and around Whakatane. Members of the First Echelon on their final leave Were to be seen in surprisingly large numbers and many people realised for the first time how welL Whakatane had responded to the call to arms. The lads in service dress were to be seen in all quarters and it was gratifying to note that the citizens generally went out of their way to make their stay as enjoyable and as memorable as possible. Piper in the Camp. Christmas Eve at the Ohope camping ground was marked by the animated scenes of hundreds of visitors busily Greeting their tents, unpacking their caratans or occupy ing the cabins. There was definitely an atmosphere of gaiety and excitement, till over the night air the shrill call of the bagpipes were to be heard. The hundreds ceased in their varied occupations. - Many rushed off to see the player and to skip to the notes of 'A Hundred Pipers.' Others made remarks which we have no intention of printing.