Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 26, 23 November 1943, Page 4

Local and General

Land Mines in Africa "I would not advise anyone, to go on a motor tour of North Africa for many years, that is if it is desired to get off the beaten track," said the Minister of Rehabilitation, Mr Skinner, in an address to the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association. He said there were, literally millions of land mines scattered over North Africa. Even where fields had been cleared the work had not been done thoroughly in all case.s> and drifting sand had covered others. Heat could play queer tricks with explosives.

Thirty-three Young Sharks A ten foot shark which was caught by a fishing party off the Rarimas last Sunday was found when opened to contain no less than thirty-three young. Six Inch Dandelion > Mr C. F. Thomas who always has an eye to the unusual brought us in yesterday morning a six-inch dandelion. The freak flower measured six inches across the corolla and was supported by a stem several' inches thick resembling a broad verigated strap. The flower itself was curled in a semi-circle and presented a mass of short golden petals resembling a double marigold.

A Stray Pigeon A pigeon with a band on its leg has been at Mr W. Wagner's resilience.. Ohiwa. during the past Jew days. The bird has apparently become lost. Pied Fantail Mr .1. Marsh reports the presence of' a pied fantail on his property at liewatu. The bird he said was neat and lively and ol' a brown tone. He noticed also a shining cuckoo on the same occasion. Rationing of Tobacco? At a meeting of the Poverty Bay Drapers, and Retailers' Association •.lis.-atisfaction with the situation regarding the calling-up of girls for industrial-employment in other centres, and with the conditions for girls already called up under tlxe industrial regulations, was expressed. During a lengthy discussion it was proiiosed that tobacco rationing should be introduced as a method of meeting the stalling difficulties in tobacco manufacturing. Enormous Cost of War The war is costing the United States £843 15s every second. In the first .six months of this year the United States will spend £15,(525,000,000 on the war. This represents 10s every day for every man, woman and child. These figures, were announced by the United States War Finance Committee, which Ls organising a drive to assist the. third American Avar loan of £4,000.,000,000. In New York City alone £750,000,000 has already been subscribed. The Explanation Enclosed with a recent rate notice received by a local resident who has property in Rotorua Borough was a slip which reads: "In 1935-3(5. the 1 Waikato Hospital Board Levy in respect of this Borough was £1065 4s lOil. This, financial year the. levy has risen to £3054 10s Id. This means that the ratepayers of Rotorua are finding 187 per cent, more for hospital purposes than they were eight years ago. If your property is valued at £1000 you paid 15s Sd j eight years ago. for Hospital Rate, i This year you are paying £2 3d 4d. WHY?" Obviously the information is intended to emphasise the reason why Rotorua rates have had. to be increased. Smokers and Non-smokers The Railway Department i.s anxious to check a tendency on the part of the travelling public, to disregard definition between smoking and nonsmoking carriages and there arc frequent complaints regarding smoking in non-smoking compartments. Railway guards and ticket collectors are constantly endeavouring to detect offenders, several of whom have recently been prosecuted. For the most part, however, offences of this nature occur at times calculated to escape official observation and it is by no means easy to acquire evidence in support of prosecutions. The department, is directing- the attention of the public to its by-law prohibiting smoking in non-smoking compartments, and; similar announcements arc being broadcast over the amplifier system on railway stations.

Hawks and Lamibs Disagreement with the suggestion that hawks preyed on lambs was expressed by Mr E. F. Stead, of Christchurch, states, the Press. IVIr Stead said he. held no brief for the hawk, but if the dead, lambs mentioned had dents in the skull, the dents had certainly not been made by a hawk, because of. the shape of the. bird's beak. , New Zealand hawks were not pecking birds but tearing! birds. They killed with their feet and, if they killed lambs, talon marks would be found on the lambs' heads. They used their beak to tear out moutlifuls of flesh. Whatever made [ the dents in the lambs.' skulls referred to by Mr J. Retallick, Amberley,, it was not a hawk. It was not clear from the reported instance whether a hawk had actually been seen to attack a healthy lamb. It was; not actually impossible, but it was unlikely. A hawk would tear a dead lamb and might' kill a moribund one. It would be very rare for a hawk to attack a healthy lamb, fortunately for sheep owners, because hawks were very common in New' Zealand.