Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 140, 11 August 1941, Page 4

Local and General

Medical Examinations. Men who have previously been b«s fore Territorial medical boards have also been classified as to thensuitability for overseas service sit those boards, stated an Army office official, and consequently those men, hOAv called up in the fourth ballot for overseas service, will not be required to undergo another medical examination. The only men required will be those who have not yet been called in any ballot or who have been classed as temporarily unlit at previous examinations.

The Rangitaiki River,

The Rangitaiki River is the longest in the North Island to flow into

the Pacific Ocean, making contact with the ocean approximately 'J5 miles from its source. The Whakaane is also amongst the long rivers on this coast flowing through (j0 miles of country. The longest river

in the Dominion is the VVaikato which is 220 miles in .length and which, it is estimated, discharges 800,000 cubic feet of water per minute. The CJutha river in the South Island is the onl)* - other over 2( Jh miles in length, being 210 miles from its source to the Pacific./

Booklet for Returned Men. After the Repatriation Bill, which is to be introduced in Parliament this session, has been passed, it itproposed to publish a booklet for issue to all discharged men from the three services, setting out briefly what arrangements are in existence to assist returned men. This will deal with war pensions, social security provisions, and information dealing with State advances, the Returned Soldiers' Association, National Service Department, Lands Department, Navy, Army and Air Departments, and will include information about the Government's repatriation scheme.

Sitting of Court,

Tjic monthly sitting of the Whakatane Magistrate's Court will place to-morrow.,

lis An 111 Wind.

Disorganising everyone's plans, and movements from one part of the town to the other. Friday's steady rain at least favoured the taxi proprietors who found their cars in constant demand throughout the day. The weather cleared in the late afternoon and workers Avere able to return to their homes without receiving the "ducking" indicated earlier In the day.

Farmer Alleges City Bias,

'"Wellington has a population of about 150,000 people, of Avhicli it ia reasonable to suppose there are at least 16,000 boys," said a well known North Taranaki stud dairyman u> ceilfcly. "When I advertised in a newspaper published in that city for a youth to be trained" in farming, I received one reply." "This," fie added, "shows how definite is the anti-country bias that seems to exist throughout the Dominion."

Longer Days,

In recent weeks the lengthening of the daylight hours has become particularly evident and enthusiastic gardeners have been able tc sfpend a short time in their sections on returning home after ceasing work at 5 p.m. To-day the sun is due to rise at 6.39 and does not set until 5.13, giving one hour and 6 minutes more light than at the same date last month. Compared with July 11 the sun rises to-day 23 minutes earlier and sets 23 minutes later. The position on the eleventh of next month will be different, however, although the day will lengthen to the same extent —G6 minutes. In September, the sunrise will be at 5.."8, 41 minutes earlier than f o^:lay 7 while the sunset will be at 5." 8 only 25 minutes later than this ovrning.

Scow Aground.

When coming d f wnstre<im after discharging cargo at. the Whakatane Paper Mills wharf on Friday tlie scow, Clansman, was slightly late on the tide and touched a sandbank about midway, to the main wharves. No ■difficulty was experienced, however, and after a short wait the incoming tide floated the vessel off the bank.

Treat Seamen as Heroes. "Treat them as heroes for they are heroes," said Mr J. S. Hickey, chairman, at the annual meeting of shareholders of the Opunalte Dairy Company, when a request was received from the National Dairy 'As Gociation that the company should give £2 2s to ensure that every sailor leaving New Zealand, from the junior apprentice to the captain, should receive 21b of butter to supplement the ration of his family in England. The company granted £5 5s to the fund, and another £5 r>s to the New Zealand seamen's fund.