Local & General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 14, 20 January 1948, Page 4

Local & General

Undoubtedly Children are realists. To the question: “Who officiates when the King dies?” one pupil incontestably answered, “The undertaker.” Visitors Win Quiz By answering eight questions on. a variety of topics a visiting couple won the Quiz at the Captain’s Cabin on Saturday night. The jack-pot had mounted to the useful sum of three guineas. New Surf Alarm ? It has been suggested that a warning siren be erected at Ohope to be sounded in cases of emergency in the water. It is understood that the Surf Club will be going into the matter in the near future. Plunket Afternoon The Ohope Branch of the.Plunket Society intends holding a “bring and buy” stall on Saturday afternoon. Local support is general and it is anticipated that funds will benefit considerably. Successful Bottle Drive The Bottle Drive organised by the Whakatane Rowdng Club on Saturday in aid of its Regatta fund met with a good response from the residents of Whakatane and Ohope. The collection of the 500 dozen bottles kept the five trucks and the collectors busy until late in the afternoon.

Court Statistics Numbers of both the civil and criminal court cases heard at Whakatane during 1947 showed a slight increase on the. figure for 1946. The 1947 total of alleged law-breakers summoned and apprehended increased to 289, compared with 242 in 1946. Civil plaints in 1947 were one above the 1946 total of 106.

Weighty Catch One evening last week, a brace of large king fish were noticed swimming about the wharf at Whakatane, so a Maori dashed home for a heavy line, which he baited with a whole herring. He was rewarded, after something of a struggle, by landing a fish over three feet long and weighing in the vicinity of 601 b.

Transit Camp De Luxe Built over three years ago at the cost of over £3000; the gaol at Te Kaha, near Cape Runaway, had its first guest last week. The name on the visitor’s book was that of a guest accommodated overnight under arrest preliminary to journeying to the less exclusive but more accessible “hinaki” at Gisborne.

Another Fish Story An angler related recently how he had tried for a long time to get the attention of a large and sportive trout in the Awahou Stream. The fish several times broke surface with his tail in the air, and casting at a venture, the fisherman caught the trout on the thick end of the tail, the hook holding fast for 20 minutes while the fish wove in every direction, eventually being brought to the bank exhausted. The angler’s;; delight at his success was greatly enhanced when he found that he had caught a 10-pounder. Peace at a Price A man walked into a police station and started talking fast to the desk sergeant. Pointing to a woman who was following him, he explained: “My wife has been nagging me, and I want to be locked up so I can get some sleep.” He got his wish.

Religion Of Golf “I do not play the game, but I think I understand its terms,” said Mr Justice Christie in the Supreme Court at Nelson when asked by counsel whether he played golf and was familiar with its terms. “F have it on good authority,” added his Honour, “that golf is not a game at all—it is a religion.” t Chou Moellier Seed Shortage

The Dominion will be 40 tons short of chou moellier seed this season. Several cables sent to the United Kingdom and various inquiries made on the continent have produced little result. As the next best thing the British Ministry of Agriculture state that up to 30 tons of thousand-headed kale might be made available.

State Private Hire Cars A fleet of six Buick sedan motor cars, which recently arrived from the United States, is now stationed ac the New Zealand Road Services garages in Auckland for use as private hire vehicles for tours of the Dominion by overseas visitors. The cars have been placed under the charge of six of the department’s best drivers, who will be available as private chauffeurs for the duration of the trip. Two of the cars began their first tours last week. ,

Tutu Poisoning ■ Found by a passer-by as he lay unconscious on a road near Rotorua, Robert Hughes, aged 15, was rushed to the Rotorua Hospital, where suspicions that he was suffering from tutu-berry poisoning were confirmed. Hughes and his companion, Jjfemes Mclntosh, of Gisborne, wereon a cycling tour to Rotorua. A small bush of black berries, on the outskirts of the town, attracted their attention, and both boys sampled the fruit. Hughes’ condition is now satisfactory.