Local & General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 6, 12 December 1947, Page 4

Local & General

Field Day Abandoned Meeting at Awakeri this week, the Rangitaiki Plains Calf Club decided unanimously to abandon the field day this year. A suggestion that it be held in conjunction with the A. and P. Show was not favoured.

Wrong Sale Last issue of the Beacon accidentally advertised a tractor trailer with dual wheels for sale by the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Co. Ltd. at the Te Teko sale. Actually the trailer is for sale by the Farmers’ Auctioneering Co. at the Edgecumbe pig sale on Monday.

Hospital Statistics There were 33 births and 3 deaths at the district hospital during Noven ber, and the number of patients in the institution at the end of the month was 97. The daily average throughout November -was 97.066. Five major and 32 minor operations were performed. Congratulations At the Borough Council meeting on Monday night it was decided to send a letter to No. 35 Squadron of the A.T.C., Whakatane, congratulating them on having won the Kings-ford-Smith Cup for general efficiency. Councillors remarked that the achievement reflected credit on the town as well as on the boys concerned. Service !

It was during that hectic rush for. petrol whicli followed the ahnouncement that in order to help Britain in her hour of need New Zealand would have to cut down on her petrol consumption. A very big shot filled a forty gallon drum and asked a pal what he should do with it. “Bury it of bourse,” was the reply. So the Very Big Shot gave instructions to his gardener—who in due course reported back, “I’ve buried the petrol, Sir. Now what shall I do with the drum?”

Calf Judging Competition* Recently members of the Thornton Young Farmers’ Club were guests of the Thornton School at their annual Calf Club Field Day. Y.F.C. members judged the calves to compete for the Aotea Challenge Cup which was donated by Mr A. H. Adams. Mr Neil Carter of Whakatane, judged the competition and awarded the cup to Mr Trevor Shaw. Although the number of competitors was small the day proved very interesting and instructive. Council’s “Get-Together” Following Monday night’s meeting of the Borough Council, the Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, invited Councillors and Borough Officers to. share a short social interlude,' during which the usual end of year compliments were exchanged. The evening passed merrily with jest and story,' helped along with an informal supper. Mr Barry told new members of the Council was not.the usual sequel to a meeting, but that he was glad that such an opportunity had offered for them to “shake "down” with, their colleagues. Lion On The Line

During a cricket match at Nairobi, a batsman drove a ball towards the boundary. Just as it was going over the line a lion sprang out of the bush and started playing with it. The fielding side claimed “Lost ball” but the umpire would not allow that «

as the ball was in full view. The two batsmen went on running until enough men had arrived to chase off the lion and to retrieve the chewed remnants of the ball. Can All Animals S wim ?

Though many animals rarely display their ability to swim, nearly all "four-footed creatures do so. when necessity, arises. The tiger, for example, is not usually regarded as & swimmer, but he has been known to cross not'only rivers, but an arm of the sea a mile wide in the Singapore Strait. Elephants are well'known swimmers, and can cross the mile-wide Brahmaputra;, a kangaroo has been known to swim two miles; and even hares and" rabbits have taken to the water in cases of absolute necessity. A study of the. subject seems to lead to the conclusion that all animals have inherited the ability to swim.