Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 149, 1 September 1941, Page 4

Local and General

Peach and Plum Blossom;. Early varieties of peach trees are now bursting into pink blossom and making a pleasant contrast) with the snow-white plum blossom. Calm sunny days are needed during the next few weeks to ensure a good crop of stone fruit. Plenty of Bobby Calces. There are plenty of bobby calves i'n the pens on roadsides all over the Whakatano County on "bobby calf days." The rush of new cows continues steadily on all farms, and will not slacken off for a few weeks. On some farms every calf is nowbeing sent away as a "bobby," because the required number of heifer calves to be reared has already been reached. . Mechanic's and Blacks mill's Shop. Urging that investigation be made of the running of the Mechanic's and Blacksmith's shop, at the annual meeting of suppliers.' to the Rangitaiki . Dairy Company, Mr Lambert said that figures showed that they did not appear to be an economic service. The chairman 'aid. that the directors were already considering this matter and it would be investigated. Visitor Praises Band. An Auckland visitor to Whakatane last Friday was full of praise for the Boys' Band, Avliich paraded the Strand during the afternoon. Me declared that there were only two other such organisations in the province and that Wliakatane should be justly proud of the fact that a town of its size was capable of equipping and maintaining the band. Dairy Company's Pig Farm. "The fact that the Company's pig farm account shows a smaller profit than it did last year, in spite of the vast increase in buttermilk which was supplied, does, I think, need some explanation," said Mr Lambert at the meeting of suppliers of the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company on Thursday. The chairmni*!. Mr W. A. McCracken, said that many difficulties had occurred during the year, the, chief of which was the shortage of labour.

£2000 Refrigerator Plant, Re/erring to the improvements io plant during the year Mr W. A. MoCracken at the annual meeting of suppliers to the Rangitaiki Dairy Company, said that the bulk of the figure shown on. the balance sheet went towards the cost of the installation of a standby refrigerator and compressor plant which entailed an expenditure, of £2050. He emphasised the importance of refrigeration in the presenL instance when so much depended upon the. ability to store stock. Special License Cancelled. \ A special oil fuel license held by the organiser for the National party, Mr Norman Dey, of Hamilton, has been cancelled, reports; a Hamilton correspondent, who adds that Mr Dey has been asked by the district oil. fuel controller to return the license. This puts him oil the same footing as the average car owner in respect to petrol, instead of having an allowance of 40 gallons a. month, and prevents him from carrying on the organising work in the country districts on (he lines hitherto adopted. The fuel controller, Mr A. M. Rosie, said that he had received instructions from Wellington that no special license was to be granted to any political party. Florence Nightingale Wednesday was the 31st anniversary of the death of Florence Nightingale, noted hospital Born at Florence in 1820, she spent most of her childhood in England. Later Miss Nightingale visited many hospitals, both at home and abroad, with the idea of qualifying as a nurse. At the outbreak of the Crimean War she was given the opportunity for which she had systemfit ically prepared herself. With a' staff of 38 nurses Florence Nightingale arrived at Scutari in time to attend the wounded from Balaclava ind Inkerman. Under her. capable management, the military hospitals ivere vastly reformed. She became the. nation's heroine. After her return to England she established various institutions for the training of 'mrses. At the age of 87 Florence Nightingale, received the Order of Merit. She died three years later. She had devoted her life to the allegation of pain and the raising of nursing to the status of a profes- 1 sion.