Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 219, 30 September 1940, Page 4

Local and General

Road Improvements. Motorists travelling to Ohope Beach will appreciate the improvements carried out on some of the dangerous sections, where widening and banking operations have beeu executed. Heads and Tails. "We cut 5 per cent off the dog's nose by way ol extra tax and tack it on to his tail by giving a 9 per cent rise in wages," said Mr J. A. Lee when addressing an audience of about 1800 at a meeting called by the Democratic »Labour Party. "But thousands of people do not get this rise becausie they are on fixed incomes or pensions," he added. Lake Yields its Treasures. People are said to throw away their money at race meetings, but they do not do so in the lake at Wanganui racecourse. This lake,- a reproduction in miniature of tli-2 Serpentine in Hyde Park, has been drained and cleaned by the men of the Ist Battalion, Wellington Regiment, encamped at Wanganui. It yielded up a penny and a halfpenny and a wrist watch from its depths. Now the men use it for a swimming pool. It is also used, as a repository for social offenders against -unofficial laws of the rank and file.

Cartage of Milk. In an item appearing in this column on Friday it was stated that where farmers made no charge for carrying neighbours' milk to cheese factories their heavy traffic licences were riot affected. Some confusion might arise and the ruling of the Commissioner of Transport should read that, in the circumstances outlined, the TRAFFIC FEE PAYABLE by farmers is not affected.. The position with farmers and traffic fees is that where- a vehicle is used solely for farming purposes only liallf the fee is imposed on classes A to F inclusive. Signwriting in the Dirt. It is amazing the attraction presented by a dust-covered motor-car to those with sign-writing propensities. Perhaps it is the curbed desire to become an artist that is re-< sponsible.) At any rate, a Whakatane motorist who returned from a long trip with his car covered in mud arid dust found that his vehicle was a magnet for subdued artistic talents. Someone with a uni-v que sense of humour fingered the adjective 'Dirty' and since then various caricatures, and representations of dogs, cats, horses and politicians have found a temporary easel. Waioeka Collision Sequel. A sequel to a collision in th? Waioeka Gorge on July 4 was heard by Mr E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Gisborne Magistrate's Court, when two Auckland motorists were charged, each with two alleged offences. Frank Leopold Townsend was charged with failing to keep as far a s possible to the left of the road, and with driving without due care and attention. Bruce Wellesley Lindeman was charged with driving at a dangerous speed and- with driving without due care and attention. After the evidence had been heard, Townsend was lined £1 and costs £2 ; 3s 6d for failing to keep as far as pos sible to the left of -the road, the other charge being dismissed. Both charges against Lindeman were dismissed.

Planing and Grading. It was noted by the County Engineer in his report to the council that the two Deisel tractors are now satisfactorily carrying out the plain ing of areas formerly done by three planers. The grader had commenced operations in the Otakiri area of the Tarawera Riding. A Freak Lamb. Freak limibs have not been altogether uncommon in the Waikato, but a- freak lamb recently born on a farm near Hamilton would take a lot to equal. Flirst of all, it had two heads, the extra head being more or less balanced by the fact that it had six liegs. A pair of tails completed the monstrosity. The lamb was alive when* born and its actual body was reported to be normal. Staff Problem. • The Wliakatane branch of the Loan and Mercantile Agency has suffered more than most through members of the stair departing for military service, both overseas and in New Zealand camps. Since the outbreak of hostilities nine members have been enrolled in the forces, leaving but a skeleton sitaff to carry on the main volume of business. The chief difficulty arises from the fact that the men are experienced and present a problem in replacement. An advertisement in to-day's issue indicates the new position which lyis* arisen since the callingup of Territorials. "No More Wasteful Country.'' "I do not suppose there is a more wasteful country in the world than New Zealand, " said Mr A. G. Williams, in a reference to waste reclamation and collections by schools at a meeting of the Christchurch Technical College Board. "I think we should look further than collections of a few bottles and odds and ends and should "try to educate young' people firs't of all on what has been wasted in New Zealand." If they could be made to realise the true value of what was-wasted even to-day, and if parents' support could be enlisted too, much of real and permanent value would be achieved, he said.