Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 110, 26 May 1941, Page 4

Local and General

Land Drainage Work. Willow trees Ivive been cleared from the Orini Greek alongside the Whakatane-Matata Road in readiness for the Lands Department's Ruston Bucyrus dredge to l continue its work of deepening the Orini and the Eastern Drain. This work will give greatly improved drainage to much low country LeUvecn Paroa and Thornton. Kumi Kumi Harvest. Heaps of Kunvi Kumi of all sorts of autumn shades are to be seen in the vicinity of farmers' piggeries, or lying out in maize paddocks, indicating that the harvesting of the stock pumpkin crop is proceeding as a means of supplementing the food supply of the district's pig population now that the slum milk supply is getting low. Life in Sumatra's Jungle. Life in the jungle of Sumatra. 30 or 40' miles by river or track from civilised life, was described to a reporter by Mr A. J. L. Wfcnink, a Dutchman, from Sumatra, who is visiting Ghristchurcli. He works for the Netherlands. Pacific Oil Company, and leaves his home for four or live months at a time, living sometimes in a houseboat, sometimes in a drilling camp on the chosen site of test bores, usually with half a dozen Europeans and 60 of 70 natives. "The coolies are very nice to work with. You don't hit or swear at them because they have child minds. Not that they ari small-minded, they are broad-mind-ed, and when they deserve it they can take it. They are very intelligent and you can teach them to be useful with tools in three or four weeks." Mr Wcnink said that in his work lie had been carrying refrigerators about, sometimes on the backs of coolies, sometimes irs boats, and they were giving service anywhere in the jungle. "The company provides all your needs. 41] you have to take for yourself "is' working clothes and tobacco, and lots of good humour."

School Resumes. Primary schools resume their studies this morning after the May holidays. Cull Cows on the Trek. The season for disposing of cows culled from dairy herds is at hand. On Saturday a drove of about 200 cull caws set out from Whakatanc across the Plains en route to Te Puke on the first stage of the journey to "the works." No doubt this beef on the hoof will be in cansi for overseas consumption before long.. I "That's the stuff to give the troops." Why ? In a letter to the Whakatanc Beaton a correspondent appears; to be anxious to know why some of the members of the Whakatano Caledonian Pipe Band a/re so anxious to I get to Opotiki.. Probably the answer is that the members' of the band thoroughly enjoy their visit here. They have certainly been made very welcome and their visits are greatly appreciated by Opotiki people.—Opotiki News. Speech in Three Languages. To be addressed in their own lan guage was the pleasant experience for the Netherlands Ministers who were welcomed recently during a brief visit to Rotorua. On behalf of his countrymen in Rotorua, the Rev Father T'. Wanders spoke for a shor? time in his native Dutch tongue. He continued in English, and concluded in Maori after announcing that as New Zealand was his adopted country, and the Maoris were the original inhabitants,, he regarded himself, as a Maori.

Overseas Appeal Board. The Overseas Appeal Boao-d sits at Whakatane on Wednesday .and Friday of this week. Heads Popular. . Sunday's sunshine in the afternoon found the Heads very popular, and in the middle afternoon the car parking accommodation was well taxed. Rush ai Post Office, The rush of ti*xpayi.rii m:«: 1 motor cat owners continues unabated . al the local Post Office, where at any hour of the day many are lined up in front of the counter awaiting their turn to "part up." Home Guard Marksmen. Further good marksmanship was displayed by members of the Thornton Home Guard on Saturday when another platoon carried out musketry practice at the Rangitaiki Rifle-Club's range. The firing off of live ammunition has increased the interest of guardsmen in their training after weeks of less attractive platoon and company drill. Many Sideshows. Applications from sideshow me£have exceeded the expectations of the Winter Show Committee both in numbers and in quality. Only licensed showmen are permitted on the grounds and those who have reserved space include vaudeville, wire walking, trapeze work and many others which offer great variety.