Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 141, 1 April 1940, Page 4

Local and General

More Cargoes. The Northern Steamship Company's a.v. Clansman, Captain E. Cathcart,, made port on Thursday morning with 143 tons of general cargo. Discharging on ihursday afternoon, a full cargo of dairy produce was taken in on t riday and the vessel cleared on Saturday at noon. Five Children on a Horse. The elephant is used to carrying many people on liis back, l* ive fit once is really not a load for him. And making light of a similar weight was a Shetland pony seen in Commerce Street on Ihursday. It is true that they were only school children, but it is doubtful whether the pony could have work-1 cd up a gallop. Further Shocks. Following on the three successive earth tremors at 4 a.m. on Friday morning and the more severe shock at 8.11, further 'quakes were experienced at, about 8.45 and again shortly after 10 o'clock. So far there have beer, no reports received of the shakes having been felt in other centres. Further shocks were felt on Friday night and Saturday morning. Daylight Saving. Though daylight saving does not end till April 28, when clocks will go back half an hour,, a number of inquiries regarding its termination have allready been received. With Easter coming early this year, people have become somewhat confused as to when the clocks will revert to standard time,, as Easter is usually close to the time of the change. Feather for Feather. A week or so ago a girl gave a young fellow living in the same street a white feather, which he accepted Avithout mentioning the fact that he had enlisted and Avas a Availing orders to go into camp. On his first leave from camp, he Avas Availing for her, in uniform., at the corner of the street after work, and presented her Avith a parcel. "Noav,"' he said, "you do your bit, too, or take back this Avhite feather." The parcel contained a skein of avool and a pair of knitting needles, to the use of Avhich she has hitherto been a stranger.

A Parting Gift. Someone had a happy thought on Wednesday and the result was that the Matatua members of the Maori Battalion travelling back to Palmerston North on Thursday had for their refreshment en route twentytwo roaslecl fowls and quantities of potatoes. This parting gift was doubtless very much appreciated?as the journey progressed. That Wobbly Feeling. "I had a parcel on the handlebar," wrote an offender in explanation of the charge of carelessly riding a bicycle,, with which he was charged in the Magistrate's Court at Invercargill. "He had a parcel all right—it was a jar he was taking back to the brewery,'" Traffic Inspector J. G. C. Edwards told Mr R. C. Abernethy, S.M. The de- | fendant said his bicycle might have wobbled as he waved to an acquaintance, but the magistrate did not say whether he thought that that friendly gesture, or the "parcel/' had caused the wobble. Mayoral Claim Surpassed. The claim of Dr. N. G. Trotter, Mayor of Riverton, to the distinction of having held office as mayor for a longer period than any other man in New Zealand is surpassed by that of the Mayor of Hokitika, Mr George Perry, who was first installed in office on May 3, 1911, having been elected unopposed, and who has since retained office, on most occasions having been returned unopposed. In May, Mr Perry will have held the mayoralty for an uninterrupted period of 29 years. Dr Trotter has been Mayor of Riverton for 25 years. Rescue of Child. At the monthly meeting of the Opotiki Borough Council!, reference ,*\vas made to the rescue of a child at the Opotiki wharf. The action of the boj r Echvardson in jumping into tihe water while fully clothed to rescue the boy, was commended by councillors. It was stated that the little boy was held up at least three minutes before helpers Avere able to get him pulled on to the wharf. The council decided to bring the rescuer's action to the notice of the Royal Humane Society. Cr Webb also informed the Council that Mr M. Mokomoko had also recently jumped into the Otara river from Walker's wharf to rescue another child, the rescuer r in this instance also being fully clothed when diving into the river.

No Cricket. The Clarke Shield cricket matches were to have been held over the week-end were postponed as a mark of respect to the late Prime Minister. • *jfMV Postponement. Owing to the illness of Mrs J. H. Starnes, the induction of the Rev. J. H. Starnes as Minister of the Rangitaiki Presbyterian Church, which was to' take place at Edgecumbe on Thursday, has been postponed for a fortnight. Rainfall. Mr Muscutt advises that the rainfall for March, 1.39 inches, was one of the lowest recorded for that month. The wettest was in 1928, when 0.98 inches fell. Rain fell on eleven days' last month and the total for the year is 10.67. Local Babies Screened. The lirst screening of the film, showing iocal babies entered in the recent St. John Ambulance competition will take place in the Regent Theatre on Wednesday (afternoon and evening). The studies are particularly good and should create wide interest. Visit to Tauranga. Four members of the Whakatane Poultry Club visited Tauranga on Saturday as the guests of the Taurange Club. An interesting and enjoyable day was spent and in a judging competition, Mr H. R. Jackson, secretary of the local club, gained third place. Returns of Land. Furnishing a return of land is an annual duty imposed by law upon all landowners,'who at noon on 31st March, held land of an unimproved value, according to the Government valuation, in excess of £500. Forms, which have been made as simple as possible, are obtainable at all post offices. Any person failing to furnish a return, which when completed should be sent to the Commissioner of Taxes. Wellington, C.3, on or before the lltli April, is liable to a fine not exceeding £100. A Strenuous Day. A strenuous day of nearly 20 hours was completed during the early hours of a recent morning by the Hon Adam Hamilton (Leader of the Opposition), who has been on a recruiting tour of the South Island to assist the efforts of the National Recruiting Council. Mr Hamilton, who spoke at Westport on Tuesday night, left there, accompanied by his private secretary (Mr C. H. Williams), at 5.30 a.m on Wednesday and after travelling all day reached Ashburton early in the evening. He spoke at a public recruiting meeting, then attended a farewell to soldiers at Wakanui, and journeyed a further 24 miles to Longbeach, where he arrived dur ing the early hours of the morning after travelling nearly 300 miles