The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1946 Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 62, 12 April 1946, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1946

Local and General

Huge Eel Caught An eel weighing 431 b was caught by Mr B. Walker, of Palmerston North, when he was cleaning the Whiskey Creek, in the Kairanga. The eel was 4ft. 6in. long and had a girth of 23in. It is the largest eel that Mr Walker has seen in many years of drain cleaning.

English Golf Balls “There will be an ample supply of English golf balls available for players in New Zealand,” said a Wellington importer when commenting on a recent report that Canadian golf balls were not being allowed into the country, although they were available,. states a Press Association message from Wellington. “Stocks have already begun to arive,” he added. The Way To Die The subject of fishing caused a laugh at a meeting of the Southland Presbytery. There was a solemn pause while mention was made of the unexpected death of a man while he was sitting on a river bank fishing. The Rev. C. J. Tocker, who is widely known for his piscatorial enthusiasm, interjected: “Brethren, what better way could any man die?”

Desolate Darwin

Darwin is still a very disordered town, with civilian inhabitants only just beginning to drift back after the Japanese raids, reports a Christchurch soldier who visited the town on his way to Japan with the advance guard of the occupation force. Many buildings are still demolished, and most of them show signs of bomb damage or bullet holes from Japanese machine guns. There are still over 2000 troops in the area, dispersed in untidy-looking camps. The New Zealander added that he listened for a while to the trial of Japanese war criminals, but said that it was “pretty dull.”

Clocks for Hospital

The Whakatane Hospital Board has authorised the purchase of two clocks (one for each kitchen) or installation in the local hospital. Fall From Bicycle As the result of a fall from his bicvcle, [Mr Don D/loko, of Waimana, was admitted to the Whakatane Public Hospital suffering from cuts and bruises. His condition is not serious. Fall From Moving Car

As the result of a tumble out of a moving car, Michael Dally, 2£ yeais old son of Mr and Mrs C. R. Dally, of Edgecumbe, was admitted to the Whakatane Public Hospital earlier in the week, suffering from head injuries. The infant who was riding in the back seat of the car alone, opened one of the x’ear doors and tumbled out. The accident occurred at the Awakeri railway crossing. The child’s condition today is reported to be not serious. No Rain at Heads

In connection with the thunderstorm, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, an account of which appears elsewhere in this issue, we learn that no rain was experienced at the Heads. Thus the line of the storm seems to have been almost exactly seven miles in width, for when rain was falling in sheets at Awakeri, fairly heavily at Kopeopeo, and moderately in town, none at all was falling at the Heads.

Road Fatalities Increase

A report from the Transport Department shows that a serious upward trend in road accidents occurred during the first quarter of 1946. For the three months'ending March 31, a total of 49 persons throughout New Zealand were killed as the result of road accidents. For the corresponding period in 1945, there were 27 fatalities. The Commissioner of Transport, Mr G. L. Laurensen, states that the increased percentage of accidents is higher than the increase in traffic.

William’s Cup Cricket Team •the* following Whakatane team will defend the Williams Cup in a challenge match against the Kahukuru Club (Rotorua) next weekend: Rigden, Fisher, Cameron, Crawford, Roach, Guptill, Le Pine, J. Moore, Reid, N. H. Rigden and Parks.

Hospital Figures The following hospital statistics for March were placed before the meeting of the Board on Thusday by the Medical Superintendent, Dr. E. Tewsley Dawson: In hospital as at March Ist 76 (37 males 39 females); admissions 157 (48 and 1Q9); deaths 5 (3 and 2); discharges 121 (37 and 84); remaining in at March 31st 107 (45 and 62); births 43 (24 and 19). Operations major 13, minor 45. Daily average occupied bed 93.33. Mouse Delays Condon Traffic

“I was very amused this week to see a little mouse suddenly streak out from under a barrow and begin to run across Piccadilly (by the Green Park), and was still more amused to see an Army officer rush out and hold up the traffic for the mouse to reach the other side,” writes a Londoner to a relative in Auckland. “We are a queer race, aren’t we? We have to be seen to be believed,” he adds.

Not Favoured

“How would you be affected by the appointment of a Secretary Man ager,” asked the chairman of the Medical Superintendent (Dr. Dawson) at Thursday’s meeting of the Whakatane Hospital Board. “I’m not keen on it,” rejoined the Doctor. “At the recent conference this subject was discussed and it was pointed out that in some instances there is the danger of the secretary using the big stick and insisting on everything going through his own hands often to the detriment of the smooth running of the hospital.”

Motoring Expenditure Some interesting facts on how motoring expenditure dropped in Great Britain, Canada and the United States during the war period were recently given in a report to the combined Production and Resources Board from a special committee Comprising members from America, Canada and Great Britain, states the Dunlop Weekly Bulletin. In 1944, the consumer purchases of petrol in Great Britain were less than 2 per cent, of pre-war level, while in the United States and Canada they were 60 to 70 per cent, of the 1939 figures for private cars.