Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 5, 19 January 1942, Page 4

Local and General

War Insurance The Borough Council has dccidcd to take out War Risk Insurances on its insured assets which amount to £10,800. Suggestion for Economy At this month's meeting of the Borough Council Cr J • Creeke suggested that a considerable amount of money might be saved if dog collars were restamped -with the current year date and new collars -were not purchased. Work Postponed Recently the Harbour Board sought the assistance of the Borough Council with a view to tar sealing the approaches to the wharf sheds. However, at this month's meeting the Board advised the Council that in view of the war situation the work had been postponed.

Heads Popular That the Heads was very popular with residents since petrol restrictions had prevented travelling further afield was stated by Cr J. Creeke, of the Borough Council when at this month's meeting lie suggested that the drinking well should be fitted with a noitice. It was also decided on his suggestion to attract attention with notices to the rubbish bins in that area.. Morale Cards* Some local bodies in the Dominion have had printed and distributed morale cards which appeal to the public to maintain coolness in an emergency. The Whakatane Council considered this scheme as a result of a suggestion, but the Mayor considered the morale of the Whakatane public excellent and did not think such measure necessary. Other councillors agreed that the E.P.S. circulars supplied had been all that was required as a lead to the public.

Sheep from Gisborne Several mobs of 2000 or so ewes from the Gisborne district have been driven through Whakatane County during the past week. A great influx of sheep bound for the Waikato is likely in the next few weeks. Cadets) in Camp Four members of the High School Cadet Ce.mpan.y, 2nd Lieut S. S. Pyne and N.C.O.'s G. Boswell, GWest, J. Rivett and N. Butler proceeded to Narrow Neck on Thursday for a fortnight's coursc of instruction. No Rubbish Collection By reason of the recent petrol restrictions coupled with the-few premises concerned the Borough Council has decided to' discontinue the Thursday refuse collceiion in the Strand. This decision has been put into operation and effected only three business houses. Special Matinees Special matinees of the two films classed as the best of the month are to be held at the Regent Theatre this week. "In the Navy" will be screened at matinees on Wednesday and Friday while «*Thief of Bagdad" is to be presented on Saturday and Monday at daylight screenings. Four Tons of Wool Knitted During the past year Canterbury women knitted four and a half tons of wool into comforts for men of the armed forces and merchant navy. Reporting for the comforts committee a.ti a meeting of the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Fund Council, the Mayoress, Miss F. Couzins, said that 10,31 lib of wool worth £4482 l'fc! 2d, bad been knitted up. E.P.S. Headquarters In the event of an emergency the Infant School is to be used as the E.P.S. Headquarters. The premises have been inspected and accommodation allocated for the Central Committee, messenger service, transport and traffic sections. The clinic is allocated as Headquarters for the St. John Ambulance First Aid and Medical Corps. Home Guard Appointments Three Home Guard appointments in the Rotorua area, No. 2A, approved by the Governor-General are as follows: R. H. Jones to be temporary captain and appointed assistant group adjutant; W. A* Knaggs to be temporary captain and appointed assistant group quartermatser; G. W. Mextjpd to be temporary captain and appointed group signals officer. These appointments are notified in the Gazette. Less Hay Harvested That not nearly as much hay has been harvested this season as compared with other years is the opinion of many farmers in conversation with a BEACON representative. Dry weather ha,s made crops lighter, while many paddocks intended for hay" coukl not be shut up early because of the shortage of spring feed for cattle. Many farmers, are hoping to augment hay supplies by taking a second cut off their paddocks if rain falls tot promote growth of grass. Preparing a Dressing Station When members of a northern company of the National Military Reserve (Medical Corps), pitched camp they found that they were required to set up a dressing station as quickly as possible with the only material supplied, a Public Works De-. partment tent. The carpenter of the group was set to work, and within a short time he had converted a door Into quite a creditable table. For the floor over 30 yards of building felt w r as "borrowed"' from a Public Works camp nearby. A distilledwater bottle presented a problem until someone suggested a large sauce bottle from the camp store. The dressing station was completed in the given time and the men complimented on their initiative.

German, Soldier's* Diary Writing from desert headquarters in Libya a week before Christmas, the Australian special war correspondent, John Hetherington, tells of coming across an enemy-filled hospital, which had been abandoned in haste. A German infantryman's captured diary, he states,, gives an in-* teresting sidelight on the thoughts of some German soldiers out here, although it is not pretended that the majority are as depressed as the: author of this entry: "December 5, outside Tobruk—This evening we are to withdraw. The position is said toi be serious, but not hopeless. But everyone is thinking his own thoughts. Imprisonment in British hands is said to be good. Who knows where it is best to be. Down with all warmongers."