Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 193, 15 December 1941, Page 4

Local and General

Pension Payments Pensions for family benefits, war veterans' and universal superannuation may for this month be drawn on the 19th, not the 17th as stated in our last issue. Pohutukawa Blooms Heralding the Christmas season at least one pohutukawa tree at the Heads has burst into blossom and its mingling of red with the green leads the way to the rugged cliff Faces reaching the peak of their season's beauty. W.W.S.A. Mechanics All candidates of the Whakatane W.W.S.A. who sat for the mechanics examination set by the Institution of Automobile Engineers were successful, the entrants being as follows: Mesdames J. Dallas, J. Winstone, C. Fraser, B. Woods, Cattanach; Misses S. and J. Baker, J. Bullard, Cannell, M. Marks, C. Mikkclsen, A. Morgan, Tait.

Skedaddle Bags "Our skedaddle bags are bags or parcels of clothing, usually the warmest we can find, and are kept handy to our lifebelts," writes a member of the Fleet Air Arm to his uarents in Christchurch. Many souvenirs find their way into these bags for if the boat is in danger of sinking lifebelts and skedaddle bags can be gathered quickly and much valuable time saved. Ammunition Shortage "We have been reduced to using a keresonc tin and a stick for starting our races, and I have even heard of a rat-trap being used," said Mr N. McKcnzie (Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay) at the annual meeting of the N.Z. Amateur Athletic Association in Wellington. He was referring to the difficulties facing centres in procuring suitable ammunition for starting races. The Rev. Father Cleary (Wellington): Have you any more tins? The meeting decided that the association should apply for a license to import sufficient ammunition to meet the requirements of all centres.

Home Guard Parade The Infantry is to parade at the Domain to-night at 7 o'clock. Royal N.Z. Air Force Men desirous of becoming Airmen Pilots, Air Observers, and Wireless Operator/Air Gunners should interview the Chairman ot the Selection Committee as advertised in this issue. Tramline at Cheese Factory Permission has been granted by the Whakatane Harbour Board foi the cheese factory to instal a tramline from the factory to the wharf at the Paper Mills to facilitate the loading of crates on to the scows which make their way up-stream to obtain cargo. Positions Reversed Since the outbreak of war in September 191*9 many farewells have been held in the Whakatane district and figuring prominently at most •,vas the Rev. Wharetini Rangi who either spoke on the platform or acted as an interpreter between Maori and Pakeha. On Saturday at the official farewell he was in a reversed position—instead of being on the official platform he was amongst the khaki-clad guests of honour, and being farewelled instead of farewelling. Mr Rangi is now "Padre" with the troops having entered camp with the last reinforcements. Hundredth Parcel Recently the 100 th parcel was despatched to the boys overseas from the men and women of Tunnicliffes Mill at Pongakawa Valley. Each fortnight for the past 18 months the men have made voluntary contributions and approximately every two months the womenfolk have carried on the good work by packing large parcels for their relatives. Many letters have been received from England, the Middle East, Suva, and "somewhere at sea," expressing appreciation of this community effort. During the winter months several fortnightly dances were held at the Mill, the proceeds of which were handed to the secretary of the Patriotic Zone Committee.. A. New Cus-tom !

' Whether old or new as a custom j In banking annals a' procedure "was adopted at a local trading bank not far from the centre of the town on Wednesday which caused no little interest to the public, great amusement to the staff and some embarrassment to- a sweet young thing who has taken up a position in the institution. Carefully following instructions given by one of the more "waggish" of the male officers, she promptly at 10 a.m. swung the doors open and vigorously ringing a large handbell declared the bank open for business. She was not to knoAV that the "lad" had borrowed the bell from an auction mart for the purpose of furthering his wont for "leg pulling," but she must have wondered when , several clients -wished to know if the bank had some cheap notes for sale. Wedding Incident While he was being married in the Hastings registry office, -which is in the same building in which a sitting of the No. 4A 1 Armed Forces Aippeal Board was held, a reservis! who had been appealed for by the Director of National Service heard his name called. He answered the call from the registry office across a passage. The wedding ceremony was- just at an end when the case was callted, but as the employer had not appeared the appeal was stood down, and the bridegroom had an hour's wait before it was called again. In the meantime, his bride waited outside. When the case was finally called, with the employer concerned still absent, the reservist informed the board he had not intended to appear himself, and his presence -was entirely due to the chance calling by a constable of his name while' lie was still in the registry office.