Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 157, 8 May 1940, Page 4

Local and General

Carved Maori Gate. Many of those using the southern road at Ohope Beach have paused to admire the elaborately carved gateway and fence posts to one oi the small houses. The carving i< in typical Maori style, and present* the usual figures and traditional decorations. Lightning Display at Sea. The electric storm which passed over Whakatane last Monday evening was remarkable for the effect il created over the sea. Heavy clo'td banks bellied out over the Bay, and in the vivid Hashes, of sheet lightning it was possible to pick the outline of White Island from Ohopc Beach. The lightning display continued for half an hour. The Seventh Shot. The story is told of two country residents who laid a cunning snare for the wily hawk. They put up some portions of a sheep within range of the house and potted the birds as they appeared for their counter-lunch. One hawk, however ; fooled the assassins. Six shots they had at it, and each itme it just Uirted its feathers as though to say "mosquitoes bad to-day" and went on feeding. They were just beginning to be alarmed about the supply of bait when the seventh shot took the bird amidships and bowled it over. It appears that a hawk's body Isn't nearly as big as its feathers. Our National Song. The Government has purchased from Charles Begg and Company, Ltd., Dunedin, the copyright anc] reproduction and similar rights of the words and music of Thomas Bracken's song "God Defend New Zealalnd." The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. El. Parry, stated that, the decision had been reached to purchase the exists ing rights of the song, which had come to be regarded as the national song of the people of the Dominion, in order to remove any restrictions which might be imposed in its use by the copyright and per"orming rights, being in private nvnership. Records of the song, the Minister stated, had been made listribution throughout the country.

Twenty-five Years Ago. An extract from newspaper files of twenty-live years ago reads-: "Anyone desiring to cable monej to soldiers who have left New Zealand may do so through the Defence Office, Wellington, but th< amount of any remittance must nol exceed £10. The cost of cabling u Europe or Asia is about J 55." Coral Island Boys. Seen in Whakatane on Mondaj was a youth of fourteen or so, slim ly built and attired in shirt anc white duck trousers. He had a gur and several brace of ducks restini on his shoulder and he might almost have stepped out of the page: of "Coral Island." The fact that the gun vwas as big as the boy did no! detract from the picture. He was accompanied by two smaller lads. The Difference. Some amusement was caused in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning when a local firm sought judgment against a Maori. The claim was announced as £3 4s but defendant entered the court-room from the public seats flourishing a sheaf of papers. It was gathered that he was taking exception to the claim on the grounds that the amount owing was £3 3s 6d. Counsel for the creditor quite happily said that he would not mind the 6d difference. As tfh'e Maori had not signified his intention to defend he had to leave th)e Court. Big Game Hunting. Following on the account somfl time ago of how two knight errants pursued a mouse which had caused some annoyance to a lady in the Strand, comes the story of a gentleman dining in a hotel in a neighbouring town. His meal was interrupted by the frantic pleadings of one of the staff who wanted liim to deal with a particularly :langerous type of mouse that had invaded the kitchen. He went im* mediately and found that the mouse had put a foot wrong and had invaded the room unintentionally via a hole in the ceiling. It was lying )n the cold, hard floor suffering 'rom abrasions and shock. Warning ill weak women to stand back,,, tho lentleman flung himself upon the creature, grappled with it, raised t with both hands above his head md dashed it twice to the cold concrete. The mouse was honoured with a Viking funeral in the out> >ide destructor.

Whakatane Star Football Club. All players Seniors and Juniors are requested to be in attendance at the Domain to-morrow night at 7 o'clock, when the selection of teams will take place. Anyone absenl will forfeit the opening game. Slip on Hill Road. A large slip cams down early yesterday afternoon at the sccond bend 011 the Hillcrest Road, two or three hundred yards up from Clifton Road. fortunately the rock did not fall right across the road and there is more than a car width passage. The slip occurred where widening operations have recently been carried out and it is probable that the heavy rain on 'Monday evening contributed to it. Workmen were engaged this morning on removing the rocks and rubble. The Margarine Problem. The collection of data on supplies of whale oil, as a possib?e means of discovering whether margarine production could' stand up to greatly increased consumption for a long period, Avas suggested by Mr W. G. Macartney at the Christchurch ward conference of the New Zealand Dairy Board. The chairman of the conference, Mr J. Dunlop, mentioned that New Zealand had. sold all its butler for the dura-' tion of the war, and margarine com petition was a problem for after the war. "By that time Ave hope tliat the supplies of Avhale oil will be exhausted," he said. His optimism was not shared by Mr W. E. Hale, chairman of the board, Avho remarked that if all the Avhales killed off other substitutes would be found.