Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 54, 18 May 1942, Page 4

Local and General

Substantial Almond Crop e The owner of a lrage almond tree in the Borough has this season reaped what he declares to have beer a record crop. Nearly three bushels of nuts have been collected. 5. When Sign Boards Clattered ! The most eerie experience at the height of Friday night's storm—was according to the night Avatcliman who patrolled the Strand, the resounding crashes of the shop sign f boards as they clattered to the pavement undes stress of the strong wind, e Hall a dozen, fell in all. Blown Over A well known resident who was walking home late on Friday night relates how a sudden gust of wind threw him completely oft' his balance with the result that he slipped and fell heavily on the pavement. Fortunately he was unhurt apart from a few bruises. Bottle Tops Scarce On top of the rise in prices of beer comes word that no more small bottles will be available in future. The reason for this ].? said to be a •shortage of the tin used in crown tops. By concentrating on large bottles, a considerable saving in tops will' be effected. Awake N.Z, Social Evening The first social evening under the auspices! of the Whakatane Committee of the Awake New Zealand Campaign is scheduled for Sunday next. May 24th. Details of the initial programme are fast taking shape and it is hoped to make the proceedings as interesting as possible from start to finish. Home Guard Enthusiasm Members' of the Medical Corps of the Home Guard have been putting in a considerable portion of their spare time on the construction of the 4-berth ambulance trailer which has been financed by the Awake New Zealand Committee. It is hoped to have the vehicle available for use in the near future. Tame Tuis •'Around Ine township of W'arkworth there are a number of small areas of natural 1 bush which have been preserved by the owners,'' writes Mr E. T. Frost, the representative of ti:e Forest ami Bird Protection Society, at Ivaila;a. fn these remnants of the bu.-.ii there are numbers of tuis "which have become so used to human society lhal they can be approached to within a. few feet." Ho saw as many as a dozen at one time on a couple of pchutukawas, and states that the lu.s have been observed to "rest in gardens in close proximity to 'he houses of their hosts."

Ohope Popular The warm sunshine after the gale of Friday and Saturday brought quite a number of visitors to Ohopt yesterday. The school holidays have 3 been responsible for a number oi . families taking up temporary resi--1 dence at the beach, which yesterdaj 5 was dotted Avith picnic groups. The Wairere Falls The volume of rain which fell or Friday night transformed the Wai- ~ rere falls into something approaching its original 1 volume some 25 year; ago. Throughout Saturday mornjfng the water thundered' over the lip ol the falls, making a spectacle whicli it Avas Avorth Avhile going out of one'? Avay to see. Spirit of Malta The following message from the ; Association of Ex-servicemen of Malta has been receiA'ed by the NeAY Zealandl Returned Services' Association in reply to greetings sent to Malta: "Your cablegram is much appreciated. All here are determined to win through. We. greet our NeAV Zealand comrades engaged in the common struggle." Relief Map of Dominion The staff of the Dunedin Museum has; commenced a large model relief map of NeAV Zealand, Avhich when finished, will be the most accurate in existence. Airmen and mountaineers respectively have helped to correct parts of the topography oA r er Avhich they have flown or walked. The model is more than 20 feet long and about lour feet in Avidth, ancl, as the process of colouring the map I has j,ust been commenced, it Avill be at least a month before it, is completed. Binoculars for Forces Considerable' Avorlc is being done in overhauling and repairing the binoculars supplied by citizens for the use of the armed forces. Of the total! of about 12,000 received, ful'.ly a thousand were found unsuitable and about 0000 Avere in good order and ready for immediate use. The remainder have been Avithheld for repairs and adjustments. The mar jority are of standard size and most suitable for service Avork. It is estimated that about 25 per cent of the binoculars Avere used in last Avar, some being taken from German and other prisoners.