Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 232, 1 November 1940, Page 4

Local and General

Mud Coloured Sea. As a result of the x*ccent heavy rains the sea off the mouth of the Whakatane River has been discoloured for the past three days for a rough semi-circle fully a mile wide. Definition of a 'Boy.' One of the most enthusiastic members of Peter the Whaler's Club has forwarded a rather unique definition of a boy, which we consider can be safely applied without any fear of contradiction to the average. It is simply 'a noise with a bit of dirt on it.' Auckland Businessman's Surprise. "I have not been in Whakatane for fifteen years, and from my impressions then had always come to regard it as a backblocks town. Imagine my surprise yesterday, when arriving by service car I saw this modern little centre, bustling with business and having all the indications of a growing young city." The above remarks were made by an Auckland businessman yesterday to a BEACON lepresentative.

What to Send. Relatives and friends who contemplate sending parcels to the forces in Egypt will be interested to know just what the soldier really requires. An Aueklander serving "somewhere in the desert," writes: "The only thing that is 'hard to come by here' seems to be bandages, and so if you could possibly send a small first-aid outfit it would be greatly appreciated. Scratches and sores of all sorts seem to poison very quickly here. I have been lucky, though,, as any scratchcs I receive heal up without any bother."

Saturday's Cricket. Games to he played over the week end under the Whakatane Association will be as under: Central v Paroa at Central, P. and T. v Tancatua at the Domain. London Distress." Fund. We have to acknowledge a further donation to the London Distress Fund inaugurated by the BEACON" earlier in the month, in th;e shape of £5, from Mr A. J. Hopkirk. Rainfall for October. Mr H. Muscutt, Kopeopeo, reports that rain for October was recorded on 10 days and registered 3,31 inches against 3.97 inches for the same month last year. The driest October occurred in 1938 (.86in) and the wettest in 1926 (11.38 in). The total fall for the year to date is now 36.20 against 30.20 for the same period last year. Rainfall at Edgecumbe. Mr A. McLean reported this morning that the rainfall at Edgecumbe for the month of October was 3.89 inches, against 3.58 for the same month last year. The total for the year is now 46.27 (a marked increase on the Whakatane figure), while the fall for the same month last year was StJ.65 inches. Afternoon at Edgecumbe, Next Wednesday afternoon promises an enjoyable interlude from the usual every day round, in the form of a garden party, organised by Mrs W. A. McCracken, which will be held in the attractive ( grounds of her home at Edgecumbe. The numerous attractions, items, stalls, "etc. are the result of the combined effort of the ladies of Edgecumbe assisted by the Matata Maoris.

Progress With Stumping. Approximately 200 acres of land at Manawahe have been cleared by tl!e Public Works Department since the scheme was started some months ago. One machine and a gang of four men are employed constantly on stumping and removing the logs. The land is in good pasture, but logs remaining from a bush burn 20 years ago have proved an obstacle in cultivation, and it is these logs that are being removed. Clematis in Bloom. Clematis is now blooming profusely through the Mamaku bush adding yet another beauty to this scenic route. Although the best of it is to be seen in these areas of the bush accessible only to trampers, much can be seen from the road and the railway in large clusters of bloom. The yellow ltowhai and the cabbage tree bloomed early and profusely in the Rotorua district this season, and the abundance of the clematis is another sign of a favourable spring. According to the natural lore of the older Maoris, the early blooming of the cabbage tree is a sign of a favourable summer. Increased Price of Scrap Iron. ' The maximum selling price of cast iron issued by the Price Tribunal on June 17 was first grade £4 15s a ton and second grade at £4 per ton. It was-officially stated recently i that it appeared that scrap merchants had availed themselves of any scrap yield obtainable within an economic radius, but that the fixed prices were insufficient to induce collection at a distance. At the moment scrap dealers were unable to offer supplies. It was considered that the only way to encourage more effective collection was to increase prices. The new price order was fixed at £5 los and second grade at £5 a ton. > The World is Small. When the Second Echelon of the N.Z.EI.F. called at Capetown, one Gisborne boy was entertained by ah English resident there, and told of the hospitality in a letter to his parents* His father, who fought in South Africa, wrote to the boy's host acknowledging his good offices, and this letter prepared the situation for an incident which developed within a week or two. The Capetown Englishman was entertaining another group of war travellers from a transport* and one of the group was a nurse whps2 association with the Cook Hospital, Gisborne. was mentioned. The host remembered his Gisborne letter, and o>n a comparison of notes it was found that the nursing sister harl actually nursed the writer at the time of her selection as ia member of the Army Nursing Service/ BISLEY'S BETTER BARGAINS MASSEY HARRIS TANDEM TRACTOR DISC 28 OR 24 BLADES AS' NEW.