Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 285, 19 March 1941, Page 4

Local and General

Police Court. A statutory first offending inebriate, Albert William Adams was convicted for being found drunk on Saturday and bail of 10s was estreated by Mr G. R. -Kent, J.P., at the Court on Monday morning. Never Mind the Rain. It is an ill rain that brings nobody good. Thus it happened that a drover from Gisborne taking cattle to Te Puke remarked to a Rangitaiki Plains settler one showery day last week: "I don't mind the rain. I don't care as long as it is raining in Gisborne.". A New Style Army Song 1 . The tempo may be the same, but the words are different, in "Sons of the Diggers," by Ernest Armstrong (ex-Sergeant First N.Z.E.F.), the first song of its type to appear during this war, says the Rotorua Morning Post. The words are' right away from the conventional and are probably exemplified by the lines, "And what our fathers did before us, We can do again." The air, o catchy yet unusual sequence of notes, is easy to remember, and to hear it once is to want to hear it again. Published in a popular key, "Sons of the Diggers" is written with a simplified accompaniment that makes it suitable for quite inexperienced players to read and play at sight and, although on sale as a march, it is an excellent fox-trot. Good though this march may be, its spirit is even better.

What a Cow ! It may be that one local hotel is noted for its steaks and for the size of them, but it was not general that the chef should find himself faced with a whole cow in his kitchen. But that has happened, and judging by the rapid exit the said James made from his culinary stronghold, he doesn't appreciate a pair of horns even is there is a kind face under them. Strawberry, for the want of her real name, seeking fresh fields, or perhaps being tired of life and in search of a knife, or maybe even ir.%lined to go on the scoot, but missing the door to the bar, ambled through this pub and proceeding through the kitchen out the back door. It is a matter of conjecture whether or not she had a dislike for chefs (in anticipation of her becoming a number of veal cutlets) but in any' case according lo those who watched the cook on his way for the wide open spaces she would have had no show of catching him.

Pension Payments. The Post Oflice notifies that Age Benefit Pensions will he paid tomorrow and all other pensions with the exception of family benefits on Friday. Proposed Ohope Road. Petitions ar:? on the round at Ohope to request the County Council to refrain from cutting a road through Mr Runnerstrum s garden and from cutting down the two very large pohutukawa trees at the western end. Welcome Rain. After a long dry spell rain fell to greatly benefit the countryside on Friday and Saturday and although the week-end was line there was a downpour on Monday when 2.35 inches were recorded. Since Friday the amount of rain has been 3.82 inches. B-athurst Burrs on Roadsides. Now is the time for Bathurst burrs to flourish, and these bushes with their spines and burrs are all too plentiful on main highways— near Whakatane. The burrs attach themselves to the wool of sheep, and so the Avesd grows freely along stock routes, and then invades adjoining paddocks, especially those cultivated for maize. School Children's Effort. To-morrow the Red Cross shop in the Strand will have a large and varied, range of attractive goods to r.tfe-r the general public and will be stocked by school children. The youngsters have worked keenly to provide attractive goods for sale, to assist the War Effort and it is to be hoped that the full support of the general public will be given. Golden Artichoke Flowers. "Local colour" is now being imparted to some paddocks on the Rangitaiki Plains where artichokes for pig food are in bloom. The mass of golden flowers similar to those of miniature sunflewers stands out in contrast to tlie j*:ur.< '-•ounding green. No doubt quite a few passers-by who are not well versed in farm crops will remark . "Look at the ragwort in flower." Patriotic Dance. Saturday marks the commencement of a series of fortnightly dances to be held in the King Street Hall organised by the Patriotic Entertainment Committee, which has been recently reinforced by several young and energetic members. The next dance will include a fairly large proportion of Old Time dances to cater for father and mother. A good cause is served by iliese functions so it is hoped that the support will be enthusiastic, Letter from Egypt. Amongst the many letters that are being received from overseas is one from Trooper E. A. Backhouse who is with the Middle&East Forces. He writes to members of the AVaimana Young Farmers' Club and congratulated them on their prowess. He states that he is shortly to go on leave to Palestine and Avill be very pleased to leave the sandj'" wastes. "We have had only a few light showers of rain since we landed here," he states, "and those only recently."