Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 53, 2 March 1945, Page 4

Local and General

Bible Course Opens Those who read their Bibles will be interested in the free Bible course it answers many of the perof today's issue. An enlightening couhsc it answers many of the. perplexing questions of our day. Red Cross Financial Year Owing to an alteration in the constitution of the N.Z. Red Cross Society the financial year of the subcentic now ends on February 28. Members are reminded that the annual meeting of the Whakatane Branch will be held on Thursday j March loth at 2 p.m. in the Borough Council Chambers. Last Niglht's Rainfall Some explanation for last night's flooding is afforded by the ! fact that no less than 4.47 inched were recorded in Whakatane for yesterday's' rainfall. On the Plains the fall was even greater, ' no less than 5.16 inches being ! measured. It appears that the ' irain was not so heavy in the ! hack country, Galatea and ManJawaht" as it was in the low-ly-ing belt. N.Z. Exotic Forests New Zealand had made some effort to replace the forests which had been stripped from her hills,, de--1 clared Mr W. L. Chairman of the Rivers. Control Council, at last Wednesday's conference. Approximately one million acres of 1 exotic forests had been replanted but this had been mainly sponsored by commercial interests rather than from the soil conservation point of view. Philippine Currency The changing fortunes of the Philippines are illustrated in three pieces of paper money received by an Aucklander from an American serviceman. One note for 50 cen- ' tavos was issued by the Japanese when they invaded the island and a two-peso 'note was used by the guerillas during the Japanese occupation. The third note is for one peso and is the new American victory currency issued in the Philippines. In his letter the serviceman described the Filipino guerillas as "tough guys who did some good work." Public Reserves When Mr Rutledge, of the Waikohu County Council raised the point of public river reserves and riparian rights to coastal and lake boundaries Mr McMorrin UnderSecretary for Lands, explained that there was never any possibility of these reserves being relinquished. If the Government failed to leave this access open, it would be failing in its duty to the public. Only by this means were, the natural assets of the country such as sea beaches, lakeside reserves and river approaches guaranteed for the general usage of the public as a whole. Warning to Bathers Bathers who are in the habit of frequenting the 'old swimming 'ole' at the old wharf should note the fact that from the point of view of health, it is extremely unwise to swim here at any other time than on the incoming tide. Butchers' and fishmongers' drainage outlets empty into the river only a short distance above the wharf and when the tide is ebbing the effluencc from these is carried down and swept in to the bend where considerable quantities lie exactly in the spot used by bathers. It is therefore wise to note the time at which the tide is due to turn, and leave the. water immediately it starts to flow out. Good: Trick ! A sailor brought home a parrot ( from the East, and took it with him ( to a provincial music-hall. A juggler ( was performing. "That's a good trick" said the sailor, every few '9 " minutes. "That's a good tricky" said the parrot. "I wonder what he'll do next," said the sailor. "I wonder what he'll do next," said the parrot. The sailor lit his pipe 4 and threw the lighted match through a "sidedoor, where gas was escaping. The . theatre was blown sky-high. When ] the debris, settled, the parrot, shorn of its feathers, was perched on a telegraph pole two streets away. r "That's a good trick," said the par- j rot. "I wonder what he'll do next."