Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 82, 18 June 1943, Page 4

Local and General

Competition Winner The winner of a box of chocolates which was raffled in connection with the; raising of funds for the new basketball courts on the Convent school grounds at King Street, was J. W. Law. Gorse in Borough "There's, a section in Victoria Avenue absolutely overgrown with gorse," said Cr J. G. Mulholland at the meeting of the Whakatane Borough Council last Monday. The matter was referred to the inspector for action. Hospital Taxation In acknowledgment of the council's letter protesting against the rising incidence of Hospital taxation, the Minister of Health has written the Whakatane Borough Council advising the decision of the Government to increase, the Social Security contribution from (>/- to !)/- per bed per day. No further relief would, be possible during the war period, ran the letter, and local bodies would no doubt welcome the Government's action in stabilising the position on a basis which ruled before the introduction of Social Security.

I A Fallacy Explained | Thrush-blackbird hybrids never j occur in the 'natural state, says a writer in "Forest and Bird." Some amateur gardeners have written to the Press stating they have seen such a hybrid on the lawn, but this can be explained by the fact that the female blackbird and also the young male are not black but are a mottled umber brown. The Mimicking Tui When our family settled in the bush country 50 years ago, states a (contributor to "Forest and Bird," we always noticcd that the tui changed or varied its song every month, about the time of the new moon, and on one occasion lor some weeks all the tuis about our homestead Avould repeat quite, correctly seven bars of the latest tune which we youngsters Avould be whistling. Publicity Does the Trick "We had such a run on rat poison alter the Beacon had given the matter publicity that we are now right out of stocks," said the town clerk, Mr D. V. Saunders, at the Borough Goun-cil meeting last Monday. A quote from Sharland and Co. for a further supply was considered by the council, the. matter being finally left to the town clerk to obtain quotes and place an order on the council's behalf.

No Funds For Conservation The suggestion was recently made to a 3*ouiit>" native bird and forest preservation enthusiast, says "Forest and Bird." that lie apply for the vacant earetakership of an important sanctuary. The wage was £2 lOx a week with a free wliare. The proposed applicant declined to apply tor, lie said, "1 am getting £8 a week at a sawmill for helping to destroy tlie forest and have a mother to keep, who never let me starve and L am not going to let her s'lslrve." The Native Crow The probably extinct North Island native crow or kokako. says Mr W. At. Fraser of Whangarei in "Forest and Bird" used its feet more than its wings and when disturbed would run from tree to tree. Neither the music of the bell-bird nor the rich and. varied notes of the tui could ✓be compared in quality to the voice of the kokako. Although the notes of this bird were uttered softly, they could be heard at a distance up to about 20 chains on a still morning, and sounded like: "Kokako, ngo.ong, ngo-ong, ngo-ong," and Avcre repeated every ten minutes or so. Polecat Attacks Opossums Two opossums each witli half its tail stripped to the bone and the end missing, were recently caught in a box trap bj r a contributor to "Forest and. Bird." Search and enquiry failed to reveal the presence in the district of any steel traps which might have caused such terrible injuries but the special trap later caught a very hefty polccat. Apparently this animal, knowing the opossums would put up a tough fight if attacked head on, seized them by the tail as they endeavoured to escape, up the bole of a tree. They did escape, but minus half their tails.