Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 263, 27 January 1941, Page 4

Local and General

Whale at Ohope. On Thursday last a whale was sighted at Ohope by local residents as it was sporting just beyond the first line of breakers. The mama.l was a large one and created considerable interest before it moved off intb deeper water. Maori Language. The insertion of an optional paper in Maori in the University entrance scholarship examination was decided upon by the Senate of the University of New Zealand on th* recommendation of the academic board this week. Maori as a subject : is already included in matriculation and Stage 1, Bachelor of Arts. Oil Reserves. Petrol tanks which went out of use at refuelling stations when the sale of super grade motor spirit was discontinued some time ago have been filled with fuel oil and sealed under Government control to ensure supplies being available in an emergency. The scheme has been put into effect in the cities and provincial towns throughout New Zealand. The tanks are owned by the oil companies and normally are rented to the resellers. Pensioner "Does His Bit." Soldiers overseas would feel that their efforts aie very deeply ciated did they know that with unfailing regularity an aged pensioner of Whakatane, on receiving his payment each month from the Social Security funds, makes his first call at an office in which a voluntary Patriotic worker is employed and passes over ffe "for tobacco for the 1 - lads." A Long-lived Cat. In a very small bar-room of a very small Nelson hotel is a cat which is Hot very small and not very young, In fact, when the troops returned from the Great War] "Nigger" was a lively black kitten. It is now 22 ye>ars old„ and recently ] broke a long- period of retirement from hunting by catching a mouse; it was never much good at the game, and is reputed to know all the rats in the neighbourhood by . name. of mince is still its daily ration, and most of its -non-eating time seems to be spent in snoozing on the floor or m a ofanir.. Stentortius breathing a«nd a slight dimming of vision are the only sigas of oM age, except ttoat -.about a month ag>o*it started to •hangci the eoloKiv of its tail and lower half to a mottled brown.

Attractive Cloud Formation. Heavjr black clouds against the ; lighter tonccl background on the East Cape made a vivid contrast last Saturday, and passengers from Oliope in the early morning remarked on the singular appearance which the sky presented.. Drink at Dances. No fewer than five persons were charged before Mr E. L. Walton, S.M., at the monthly sitting of the Magistrate's Court in Tauranga on Thursday, with being in possession of liquor in the vicinity of the Peter Pan Dance Hall at Mount Maunganui while dances were in progress, fines of £3 and costs being imposed in each'case. Game Birds Liberated. The first consignment of pheasant this season was sent from the Ngongotalm State game farm to the Bay of Plenty on Wednesday, and will later be followed by further consignments as the birds reach maturity. Others will be liberated in all parts of the Rotorua conservation district, and a certain number of young duck will also be set free in different parts of the area. Splendid 1 Maize Crops. Following the appeal of the Government for increased production and the endeavour of the East Bay of Plenty Primary Production Council to have more maize grown, it is interesting to note the splendid condition of maize crops in the district at present, and a well known Whakatane farmer, commenting on the green and sturdy condition of the crops, considers that the weather enjoyed this season has been oomlucive to something approaching a record for such produce. Unregistered! Bogs. Following a complaint by the Native Departcmnt, through Mr R. G. Burnett, for Sailing te register three dogs, Kiwi Corbett, ©£ Maketu, ; was on lined 3fys afcad costs a«t Hike Court. It- was pointed out that about the time The charge* originated sheep to fck© value o(f £-29 had been wsrried and destroyed. It* was mentioned and stressed. that there were numbers ©f *Kreg-ister%d dogs at Miaketu, and it was suggesfc-b-y the Magistrate that lo«al astti-" oritips should do more in fhe matter of controlling the *uis«n«'e. Breathless feoling is eltefe du» to fat constricting l»ng». BetfJiorii removes fat. F. G. Ma«kl«w, Whakatane.

OverhelafiK . Heard after the of "Pinocchio" recently: "Boy, couldn't this country use Jiminy Cricket for a Minister of Finance." Clansman Delayed Owing to the heavy sea running on Saturday tha Northern S.S. Co's Clansman did not leave for Auckland at 4 p.m. as scheduled, but on Sunday afternoon negotiated the bar. A Close Call The Ohope Service bus. had a close call on Saturday morning when, on the outward trip, unladen, at a fairly sharp corner near the turnoff to the golf links another car was met. The bus driver swerved and failing to straighten up soor|) enough, braked just in time to stop the vehicle going over a steep and considerable drop. The bus was brought to an even keel without any damage having resulted, although it was, when brought to a standstill, reclining at n dangerous angle; on the roadside. The Gentler Sex?

At least there is one farmer on the Plains, thinks a cow cocky's life is not all cream and butterfat. Some time ago this farmer was unable to obtain Ihe services of a man to assist with the milking in the shed. So learning that a girl w'aK available for this service the farmer employed her. The girl was good in the shed. However, after a time dissentions arose about some little detail or another. It is not suggested on which side the fault lay. Anyhow, after some argument, matters culminated on a recent morning, when the girl told the farmer to milk his own (censored) d—d cows himself, and she walked independently out of the shed, saying "give me my wages without delay." The farmer thinks he had the last word when he yelled after the retreating girl, that he fould stop a week's wages from her in lieu of a week's notice of intention to leave his employ.

Nearly a Tragedy A tragedy was narrowly averted in Clifton Road on Saturday, when a woman and a 2 year old child were lucky to escape being the victims of criminally careless driving, and the incompetent, or more likely, inebriated driver has only good fortune to thank that he has noU death or serious injury on his conscience: The woman was about to step from the footpath, fortunately having the child by the hand, when a light truck swung round the rightangled corner from the main street, and failed to straighten up, turning in an acute arc to miss the pedestrians by no more than a foot, narrowly miss the concrete wall of McLean Motors premises and career along the grass on the extreme right of the road before recovering and regaining the metal. The local p<Jlice were smartly on the scene, but owing to the startled woman being unfle to give sufficient description they were unable to trace the vehr icle. However, such irresponsibles would be well advised to-heed that the local police view such offences with extreme severity and keep a vigilant watch for such offenders.