Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 28, 30 November 1945, Page 4

Local and General

Rep Cricket Players All players picked for the two rep. games against Rotorua are requested to attend a practice on the Whakatane Domain next Saturday, December 1 5 at 1.30 p.m. Evidence The last remaining grim evidence of what looked like a battle between fruiterers was noticed in the Strand yesterday. Lying in the gutter in one particular spot was quite a collection of bruised and battered apples., oranges. pears etc. and bits and pieces thereof. Grass Afire On Tuesday, shortly after midday. a patch of grass along the river bank at the rear of the Post Office .caught fire. Several local businessmen who noticed the outbreak attempted to suppress it by beating it out with sacks, but they were unable to cope with the blaze which spread rapidly. The alarm was sounded, and firemen extinguished the flames in a few minutes with bucket pumps. There was no damage to property, the several trees which had been surrounded also escaping without injury. The cause of the lire is not known. Swimming Popular The continued very hot weather has obviously placed single .thought in the collective mind of children of all nges and that is to get into swimming togs and into the water, as shortly after the final school bell as possible. The Old Wharf as ever, ie proving to be a popular 'ole, and every afternoon from 3.30 p.m. onwards hears the surroundings echoing to the happy voices of often as many as twenty or thirty youngsters, as they dive and -plunge and swim about in the cool water (much to the envy of the many adults who often pause in passing to watch the proceedings for a few minutes. Animals Definitely pumb The preparation of "guaranteed silent" mules, properly camouflaged, lor jungle warfare in Burma was described by Mr A. D. M. G. Daing, M.R.C.V.S. in an address to the 9 New Zealand Veterinary Association's conference at Massey Agricultural College. He said that the de'voicing operation entailing the removal of portions of the animals' vocal chords was fairly successful, •? and a "guaranteed silent" mule, was obviously desirable for jungle warfare conditions. Trials of special dyes for grey and white animals for camouflage purposes resulted in the old and Well-tried potassium permanganate in one per cent solutions being found the most lasting under rainy conditions. Noxious Weed Control During the past month 48 settlers have been instructed to clear ragwort blackberry or dewberry in the following districts: Te Teko. Matata Pikowai Poroporo, Waimana Taneatua and Opouriao. Most settlers are making a genuine effort to clear the ragwort from their properties, but some are being held back by the limited stocks of sodium which are available at present. The Supervisor of the Ruat'oki Native Scheme Mr J. Merritt. states "* ' 9 i that each unit holder has been supplied with 10 bags of sodium and lime and are treating the ragwort on their oAvn units. At present he is out of supplies of both sodium and lime.—lnspector Carling's report to the County Council last week.