Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 214, 18 September 1940, Page 4

Local and General

Saturday's Big Dance. The Winter Show Hall will 1)0 the venue for Saturday night's big dance. Staged in aid of comforts for Territorials in cfmp, the function will have the benefit of Mrs K. Armstrong's orchestra. Popular prices | will rule. A Fifty-Fifty Basis. ''Maoris will be on 50-50 basis in the Home Guard—they have their kumara patchcs to defend," replied the Minister of National Service, the Hon.. R. Semple, when asl<ed if Maoris could join the movement during question time at a meeting held in Hamilton to discuss the formation of a Home Guard. Waste Metal. Large bins prominently labelled "Non-Ferrous Metals" have been placed in conspicuous spots in the city of Wellington. One hundredweight of zinc, 4c\vt of lead, of brass, 3c\vt of aluminium and 2 cwt of copper were collected during the first week's collection of nonferrous metals by the Wellington branch of the organisation for saving Avaste materials.

A Pet Fowl. A certain little girl of seven summers in this district owns a pet fowl which is so tame that it will allow its small owner to carry it about in very much the same manner as a kitten. It has not the least fear of human btings. Last Sunday however Biddie, had a rather noval experience for her small owner insisted on taking her for a paddle in the waves at Ohope,. For the first time in her life Biddie suffered the pangs of fear and lost considerable faitli in her mistress's ability to take care of her. Concern Expressed. Many single men who have volun-. teered for military service and who have been declared unfit have expressed concern that their names should appear as conscripts in the lists, that will be published in the newspapers and gazettes. The ister of National Service, the Hon. R. Semplc, has slated in Wellington, however, that power has now been taken to exclude men Avhom a medical board pronounces to be permanently unfit. It would not be possible to do this before the first ballbt, stated the Minister, but it would be done so as to exclude the men from subsequent ballots.

Radio Licences Increase. "At the end of July last," states the Postmaster-General (the Hon P. G. Webb), "there were 346,441 paid radio-receiving licenses in force in the Dominion compared with 302,519 in July 1939 —an increase of 43BM2, or 11.5 per cent. This il-gure exceeds the peak reached in March last by 701." Stock Sales. Farmers arc reminded that the South Bay of Plenty Jersey Breeders' Club will stage its annual sate of stud bulls in the A. and P» Showgrounds, Whakatane, on Friday, October 4th. With a catalogue of 112 Butterfat Jersey Bulls on account of prominent breeders, the sale is scheduled to commence at 11 a.m. sharp. Superstition's Hold. Superstition has an \ftflftffat>Te hold on most of the general public. For some time yesterday morning a workman, engaged in repairing pari of the Post (Mice roof, had a ladder propped against the wall over the entrance steps. It was noticed that ninety per cent, of those having occasion to clear their boxes were careful to avoid walking under the ladder, preferring to step over the butt. No Delivery. In that ponderous and telling manner peculiar to the city fathers in conclave, the question of the purchase of the neAV water pump for the Whakatr.ne Borough plant was under heavy discussion. One observant brain suddenly asked what would happen if the works from where the pump <vvas ordered (England) were blown up by a bombing raid. Without batting an eyelid and with a face like a sphinx came the reply from across the table: "Well! then, we don't accept delivery." Yet so deep were the councillors in their subject that not even a smile broke the weighty calm, and only an occasion head nodded wisely in agreement.