The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1946 Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 47, 8 November 1946, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1946

Local and General

Outsize Egg

An outsize hen egg was ‘gro\vn’ by Mr E. Arnel, of Haig Street, recently. The egg, which came from a 4-year-old White Leghorn was laid on the first day of this month, and was six and three-quarter inches in circumference. Measuring three and three-quarter inches from tip to tip, it balanced the scale at three and a half ounces. (The ancestry of this particular hen, we'understand, can be traced directly .back four thousand years to a moa).

Thornton Scout Rally

Growing interest centres round the first district scout rally to be held in the Whakatane area, which takes place at Thornton on November 30. Troops from Whakatane, Edgecumbe, Awakeri, Otakiri and Thornton will participate in a number of competitions based on scouting training. The award for the aggregate points over the whole day will* be the handsome carved Maori trophy known as the Big Brother Trophy which was donated by the Thornton Young Farmers’ Club.

National Savings

Last week, 301 places throughout the Dominion, including all the principal centres, obtained their national savings quotas. The number of , areas obtaining their, allotted amounts each week remains at a consistently high level, the latest results showing 68 more local attainments' than were recorded during the corresponding week of last year. Hamilton and Whangarei are the latest additions to the list of postal districts in which the full year’s quota has been obtained. ‘

Cub Rally Planned At a recent meeting of the district Scout Local Association, it was pointed out that in the past, the Cubbing or Junior section of Scouting/ had been .sadly neglected. By way of stimulating this very important movement, it was decided to stage a special Cub rally to be held, if possible at Edgecumbe on December 14. Steps have been taken to draw up a suitable programme, and competitional games,, and from what we have seen of it, the whole event should be a popular and successful one.

“Calling sll Cars!” \ Vehicles equipped with radio are freely used in Victoria for the purpose of picking up information concerning power faults and such matters, according to Commissioner G. G. Jobbins, chairman of the State Electricity Commission of Australia, who with Commissioner A. H. Henderson, met members of the Auckland Electric Power Board recently. By this system officers travelling round in their own motor cars frequently picked up information and were able to go to the afrected locality and ■ attend to the • trouble. The idea behind it all was quick restoration of supply, with no loss of revenue. Telephones were also freely used, and if electricity officers called up even a doctor in the early hours of the morning ,to inquire into' the power situation in the area the doctor never growled, because he felt he was contributing to the common good. “If we can do that, you. in Auckland can do it five times better,” Commissioner Jobbins said. A voice: No, Sir!

Co-operalion A former Aucklander now living in the United States tells of an interesting example of co-operation between & bird and an animal in a letter to a friend in New Zealand. Oh her way to breakfast at a restaurant she was‘’attracted by loud cries from a.ravan in a tree. On investigating she found that the raven, which was building a nest, was being assisted by a squirrel'. The squirel was picking up pieces of paper from the ground and carrying them up the tree to the raven. Several people stopped to watch the operations but the squirrel ignored them and went on with its good work. 1 >

Ohope Spotlight

Soft lights and pleasant song were the order on Saturday night at the Cabaret, when cleverly “doctored” vocals brought forth hearty applause from the many gay parties present. Among those dancing we noticed Mr and Mrs Whittaker, Mr and Mrs Robinson, Mr and Mrs West, Mr and Mrs Corbett, Mr and Mrs Hay, Mr and Mrs M. Lees, Mr and Mrs Thomason, Mrs Jordan, Nola West,- Betty Dean, Madaleine Murrdy, Janet McLeod, Sybil Thom, Maurine Brown, Hazel Thomason, Nova Ranby, Sally Eivers, Nancy Goldsmith, Shirley and Beryl Winters, Margaret Miller, Marie Rickitt and Miss Cottrell.

Advertising Landmark Demolished For the past ten years, the large substantial hoarding above Messrs. Brabant’s garage, Commerce Street, advertising Super Plume Ethyl has serve,d as a prominent landmark to denote the position of the' town. From Matata, Manawahe, and all intervening districts, the sign on the Hillcrest cliff face can be easily picked out. Today, we note that the sign is either being demolished deliberately, or has been stripped by one of the playful zephyrs which occasionally hurl themselves along the Commerce Street boulevard. Remembering something of what the, ex-GoVernor-General, Sir Cyril Newall had said regarding the specific hoarding, we are wondering if the obliteration has been due to some more sinister activity of the local Beautifying Society under the sponsorship of Vice-Regal direction.

Story of ‘Lili Marlene’ The little-known yet exceedingly interesting story behind what may be judged as the song typical of the second World War, namely ‘Lili Marlene’, is the theme of an excellent short subject which is to be screened at the Grand Theatre during the weekend. It is a widely known fact that'soldiers of all countries, friend an enfemy alike, sang ‘Lili Marlene’ using their own words in their own language, but always the same tune, full of meaning and depth. The film concerns the full story of the song, from the time the first words were born in 1923, till the tune was written in 1938, and after, when it was used extensively by the enemy as propaganda, and later by the 8.8. C. in a very clever manner, as propaganda against the enemy. It is an educational picture, but at the same time one of absorbing interest. Many scenes depict the North African desert and troops, both British and German, behind the- lines, where the refrain of ‘Lili Marlene’ is ever-present. We understand that part of the programme selected for the opening of the Young New Zealanders Club at the Grand Theatre on Saturday afternoon is built round this film.