Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 195, 19 December 1941, Page 4

Local and General

Important Announcements Several announcements of. importance to all residents appear on page 1. Lighting restrictions are detailed, while petrol station hours are given and new departures advertised by coal merchants and a taxi firm. Ragwort Eradication Work on ragwort control has continued in operation during the month, some 29 men being now employed. Since last report when the Rewatu area was nearing completion, Pekatahi has been completed and a start made with the cutting at Paroa. Both sides of the Edge-cumbe-Te T'eko Road to the Kolcohinau Pa have been completed and a start made on the Powell Estate j area. The effect of last year's spray-j ing is evidenced in these areas by a decided lessening of infestation. A| gang of five men has commenced work in the Waimana area. A total area of 1539 acres lias been covered to date. —Acting County-Engineer's report. Christmas Treat The local Returned Soldiers have in previous years given to every child of any person' who has served overseas in a theatre of war, either past or present, a special treat at Xmas time in the way of a free ticket to the pictures. This, year owing to any unforseen circumstances and the schools being closed at an earlier date than anticipated it' is consid•iidered that it is advisable to post-? pone this free picture until a more suitable time, possibly after the schools reopen for the New Year, and we trust that conditions will have very considerably improved by that time. A Story From Egypt This story is said to be a true one, told in a recent letter from Elgypt. A Tommy was conversing with a New Zealand trooper, and declared his intention of coming out to New Zealand after the war to take up farming, as he knew that New Zealand farmers must be doing terribly well. The Anzac suggested they might be doing fairly well, but that some skill in farming was required, and that there was a lot of work attached to it. But the Tommy was so enthusiastic that he could not be put off. Questioned as to why lie thought New Zealand farmers were doing so "terribly well" the Tommy confessed that he had overheard one New Zealander reading a letter to another. Ito this letter from his sister, the first New Zealander read out the phrase, "the old man has just paid £300 for an artesian bore." "So," said the Tommy, ' w if your New Zealand farmers can pay £300 fo>r a pig they must all be doing mighty well."