Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 130, 1 March 1940, Page 4

Local and General

Chances Nil. Speaking on air raids in the Parish Hall on Monday night, "Dr. J. L. Frazcrhurst said someone had once made the remark that the chances of being gassed in an air raid were about the same as the chances of winning 'Tatts'. Clarification. In the report of the County Council's discussion on the conscription issue it was stated that *Cr Lux ton indicated he would resign his riding if he could not secure the support of the ratepayers he was representing in favour of compulsory service.' Actually, lie said, inter alia, "I will stand or fall With my riding seat if I cannot get support for conscription." A wrong impression is caused by the words selected in condensing the report. For Long-distance Calls. A direct telephone circuit of the "carrier" type, so highly satisfactory for long-distance toll callSj was brought into service between Gisborne and Tauranga this week. In referring to this on Tuesday, the Postmaster-General, the Hon. F. Jones, recalled that, towards the end of last year, two new "carrier" circuits were provide.d between Auckland and Tauranga, so that for toll calls between Auckland and the Poverty Bay district the new Tau-ranga-Gisborne circuit would provide a suitable alternative route to the existing direct Auckland-Gis-borne circuit. In addition, the new circuit would be the means of considerably improving the toll service 'between the Bay of Plenty and the Gisborne districts.

Game Bird Liberations. Liberation of pheasant and mallard duck are now being made from the State game farm at Ngongotaha. The first consignment of the season, one of 100 duck, has been made to Wairoa, and a number of pheasants have also been despatched. In the lake districts of Rotorua, birds have also been liberated, and this will continue lor the next six weeks or two months. No Button Polishing. Australians who sign up for service are luckier than the New Zealanders in one way, they have none of that button polishing which is the bane of the soldier's existence. Pointing this out in a letter to an Auckland friend, a member of the Second Australian Imperial Force said that their buttons were oxidised a dark brown colour. This was the case in all fighting units which did not include the "militia," as the second A.I.F. men were tlie only ones who had actually signed up for overseas service. "Somewhere Near Opotiki." At the monthly meeting of the Whakatane County Council on Tues day, the Chairman, Mr J. L. Bur* nett, informed the Council that a picture of Ohope Beach had been forwarded to the Centennial Exhibition as some representation of the j district. Cr Luxton said he thought that as the County Avas essentially an agricultural district it should have been possible to put something better before the public. "We have enough trouble with Ohope as it is," he added, amid laughter. The Chairman said it had been suggested that the picture should have borne the inscription, 'Ohope. Beach—Somewhere near Opo tiki.' : ' >i.i '"•%*; 1

"Rather Look at 'Gee-gees!" When an invitation from the Har hour Board to attend the annual picnic was read at the Whakatane County Council meeting on Tuesday one councillor observed that he could not be present as races were on at Tauranga on the date mentioned. He said he would rather look at the 'gee-gees' than be sick on a launch. "You'd rather lose money than catch fish?" asked the chairman. Birth Rate Increases. A steady increase is being shown in the New Zealand birth rate. For the fourth year in succession an increase was shown in 1939, the number of births being 28,,833, against 27,249. The rate of 18.75 per 1000 population is the highest record since 1930. and the number of births registered the highest since 1922. The death rate last year recedcd from the high rate of 1938. The number for the year was 14,158, as against 14,754 the previous year, the rate being 9.21,, compared with 9.71. Accordingly the rate of natural increase showed a substantial improvement, rising to 9.54 per 1000 population from 8.22. In 1938 infantile mortality was high, being 35.63 per 1000 live births, but the 1939 figures are down to 30.90, the details being 891, as against' 971 in 1938. The 1939 infantile mortality rate is the lowest recorded in New Zealand. The statistics exclude the native race.