Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 33, 25 March 1942, Page 4

Local and General

Home Guard Engineers Members of the- Home Guard Engineers are reminded that their parade will be at Commerce Street at 7.:U) to-night. Dog Collars as Usual Reporting to the Whakatane County Council the clerk stated that dog collars Cor the current year were to hand and it was resolved that dog tax for the current year be the same :is lor the; previous year and that Mr Carling be appointed dog tax collector. Artichokes in Bloom Crops of artichokes now in flower make patches' of bright yellow on some farms in the Whakatane district. The blooms, which resemble miniature sunflowers, are perhaps worthy of a place in a flower garden, however the purpose of these l artichoke paddocks is to provide tubers for pig food in the winter. Easter Holidays On Ge.od Friday, the 3rd April, and Easter Monday, the 6th April, the Post Office will be closed in all branches except the Telephone Exchange which will be open continuously. Outward mails will be despatched closing at 7 a.m. only. A clearance of street receivers will be ''made on that day at 6 a.m. Cheese Production on the Plains The Pupuarulie cheese factory near Whakatane had its milk supply diminished by dry weather of late, but the volume of milk collected each morning is still sufficient to keep nine vats in use, this represents a big daily production of cheese as part of the Rangitailci Plains' war effort. Slaughterhouse Licenses In a letter to the County Council the Agricultural Department advises that regulations had been brought down, the effect of which was that no renewal of slaughterhouse licenses or rural slaughterhouse licenses would be required during the currency of the-regulations. The Clerk reported that the nine holders of county slaughterhouse licenses hkd been advised accordingly. Playing at Bandits Inspired by a bandit film three boys, aged 16, 14 and 12 years, at night time recently placed wire and sticks across the railway lines at Waipukurau and put oil on the rails to see what the effect would be on a railcar. No damage was caused, but the matter w T as aired in the Children's Court, when possible serious consequences were pointed out to the boys by Mr Miller, S.M>. A Melbourne Complaint The acute shortage of firewood from which Melbourne is suffering at present is attributed to Government interference. Two years ago it fixed prices for wood fuel, and these still operate despite a shortage of labour and high wages, and higher cost of petrol and limited supplies. Many suburban retailers have gone out of business because they cannot procure stocks, and millers declare that they cannot supply wood at the prices fixed. Dewberry and' Teasel Replying to council's letter the Department of Agriculture stated that Dewberry and Teasel were not oil the 2nd Schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act. Such weeds could be added to the 2nd Schedule by Order In Council, but it had tci be proved to the Department that these weeds were prevalent in and a menace 1 to any district. If these weeds were added, to the 2nd Schedule, any county may place them on the Ist. Schedule by resolution of the county. It was recommended that the Agricultural Department be asked to investigate Dewberry and Teasel In this county—that the investigating Agricultural Department officer be referred to Cr McCready.