Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 162, 20 May 1940, Page 4

Local and General

The Old Clothes Drive. At Thursday night's meeting Mr W. Sullivan reminded the men pre-* sent that an old clothes drive was being conducted and he appealed to them to give of their best —or w r orst. He added: "If my wife takes mine, I'll have nothing left." St. George's Social Club. The second fortnightly card evening of the St, George's Social Club was held in the Parish Hall on Tuesday last. There was a large attendance, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. The winners were iMrs C. E. Gibberd and Mr Atkinson. A consolation prize was won by Mrs Scraggy Can This be Egypt? "The New Zealanders are in Egypt, as everybody knows," writes a Cairo correspondent in a London daily. "The radio won't tell, the newspapers don't say. Of course, we can see their tents, but we don't 'know' where they are. The camp spreads out over the desert. There are seven miles of roads with names newly painted on signposts. Here are lorries from New Zealand, camouflaged in green, looking like em-i erald oases in the desert. Thei sturdy young soldiers are drilling, marching, doing physical jerks. No one is standing upright, no one sitting on anything horizontal, no one lying asleep in the sun; can this really be Egypt?"

(Late Arrival. Waiting for a farmer to arrive before a meeting at Taneatua could begin, brought the following comments from two of those impatiently waiting for the commencement. "Like all these Englishmen, he's too durn slow," grunted a complacent son of the soil. "Lucky you didn't say Englishwomen," was the laconic rejoinder of the only lady present. Scout Census. With the exception of Rover Scouts, all sections of the movement show an increase over the figures as revealed at the last census, reports the Dominion Chief Commis< sioner of Boy Scouts, Hector Chris- J tie, of Wanganui, in the 31st annual report of the executive committee. The grand total for the Dominion, including all ranks, has increased by 2217. A perusal of the summary indicates that this growth has been a gradual one, and is not in ajiyi way abnormal this year. In last year's figures those scouters who were also rovers were included in both the scouter and rover total. This year they have been included as scouters only. Had the census figures been completed on the samte basis as last year, the rover strength would have shown an increase of 95. Of the thirty scout districts in the Dominion, 26 have shown an increase in strength. Members of council will be gratified to learn that scouting throughout the world is making headway, and despite many counter-attractions the world figures show an increase in numbers.

Days Drawing In. By 5 p.m. these days it is quit* dark, and citizens realise with i jolt that it is not so long now be fore the shortest day. By knockins o/f time it is necessary for maw business premises in Whakatane t< have all electric lights on. Pipe Band's Display. The Pipe Band is carrying on jar intensive practice for the purpose of competing in the forthcoming competition at Rotorua on tht King's Birthday. All ranks are keer and the band should acquit itsel! well. High County Rates Alleged. By way of assisting his arguments against the suggested County levj for the Rural Housing Scheme, Mr C.' MeCready at the Taneatua meeting last Friday evening, said that the rates in Jhe Whakatane County were just treble what farmers were paying in the Waikato County. Sadly Missed. The withdrawal of the regular bus service to Ohope Beach has beer] sadly missed by residents and daily complaints from stranded persons are received at this office, the housewives finding it most difficult'to do thdir town shopping unless, they are prepared to spend a full day in town Firemen Honoured. At the last Fire Brigade meeting Superintendent F. Stewart presented the Patterson Efficiency Gup to Fireman L. Connell, who proved the most efficient fireman for the past three months. Fireman E, Morey received the donation presented by ex-Fireman J. White, for the most efficient fireman in competition work over the past year. Full of Rumours. The air is full of rumours at the present time. Not merely does this apply to the radio but to other and less grounded statements by persons about the street who claim to have received information from foreign broadcasts. They are veritable prophets of disaster, and people would do well to receive all such statements with considerable reserve. Strong Smell of Sulphur. During the height of the storm which blew in from the sea last Saturday evening, residents at Ohope Beach noticed a strong smell of sulphur. It is considered probable that the wind had carried with it some of the sulphur laden fumes from White Island which during the morning had been noticed to be unusually active. Must Answer for Consequences. The rather surprising statement that any person can practice surgery or -medicine provided he does not hold himself out as specially qualified was made in the Auckland Police Court during the hearing of a charge against an endocrinologist. "In other words," said the Magistrate, Mr C. Ori Walker to Mr Bainbridge, counsel for defendant, "there is nothing to stop you or I from taking a leg off?" "No, sir," replied counsel, "but we would have to answer for the consequences, which might be dire."

Surprise Resignation. At the meeting of the Tauranga County Council, Mr E. L. Thompson, who was recently appointed County Engineer and only took up his duties on Monday last, tendered his resignation. It was stated by Mr Robinson that he had received information on the conditions ruling in the county from a source in Tauranga prior to his departure "from Invercargill, where he was attached to the Southland County. He informed the council that his source of information was confidential, and he regretted he could not divulge it. He had now decided to relinquish his position. A Tortured Cow. Some workmen burning a large overgrown hedge on a property on the w r est side of Hastings were astonished to see a cow in a paddock performing in an extraordinary way. First she would go forward a few steps, then back with a little circling by way of variety. As if to give colour to this "Booms-a-iDaisy" performance, smoke was seen issuing from the cow's side. Hurrying to the animal ,one of the men discovered that a spark from the burning hedge had settled on the cow's cover. A hole about a foot in circumference had been burned, and a good deal of the cow"s hair had been singed before the incipient fire was extinguished. Madam! Reduce with Bonkora. Pleasant, quick, safe. No dangerous drugs, no dieting. F. G. Macklow, Chemist, Whakatane.