LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 3 September 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Lost Artificial Eye An unusual claim came f before the North Canterbury Hospital Board. The finance committee reported that an artificial eye belonging to a patient had been lost, and recommended that it be replaceti at the board's expense. Members agreed without comment. Unusual Visitor The sight of an Australian kookaburra flying round their home was a surprise for some residents of Arapohue, Dargaville. Their attention was first arrested by a strange cry, which they thought was that of a kookaburra-. On going outside they. found their poultry in a great state of excitement, and then observed the strange bird. Church Windows Broken Vandals were busy at the week-

end when several panes m a rfwmdow of the Lutheran Church, in Church Street, Palmerston North, were smashed. Windows of this church have been smashed on previous occasions, and the ' ones broken at the week-end had only recently been replaced. The matter has been placed in the hands of the police for investigation. Ruapehu Affected Dairying In addition to a fall in output of 115 tons to 511 tons of butter, the Kaitieke Co-op;-, Dairy Co., Taumarunui, reports that ash from Ruapehu caused" a loss by reduction in the average grade of butter pro^ duced in the season ended May 3X The directors propose to approach the Government upon the question of a grant from the National . Disaster Fund for reimbursement due to the eruption. . «

M.P. Flies Own Plane Flying his own high-wing monoplane, Mr. H. T. Morton, M.P. for Waitemata, visited Sou'th' Ca'nter-' bury last week accompanied by his son. Landings were made at Temuka and the Saltwater Creek airport before Mr. Morton visited Fairlie, where a landing was made in a large field near the home of a Fairlie resident. Mr. Morton has flown regularly since purchasing his aircraft eight years ago, althought his flying was interrupted during the war with Japan.

"Sure Winners" Masquerading on several occasions as a traingr or owner of racehorses, James Leonard Thurlow, truck driver, gained people's confidence by giving them "sure winners" and obtaining money from them to back horses on their behalf. However, the money was not invested and Thurlow appeared before Mr. Levien, S.M., in the Auckland Court oni eight charges of obtaining money. totalling £85 by f alser pret^dos,;v ^ppeais .. Jtom. your 4ist'Jqf prbyi^M ^dnyrqt^diisp this sort of thini ; : main occupatiohs," 'Sa^fthe Magi^p trate when imposing twblve monthS' reformative detention. Generous Gift to Band A generous act which is to be commended is the donation of £25 to the Levin MunicipaT Band on short notice for the purchase of a tenor trombone. It was prompted by the fact that the band was in urgent need of such an instrument, having been compelled to return a trombone which had been held on loan. It was essential cor the band's combination to have the trombone and Mr. C. H. Nelson made it possible to procure one on short notice by ofiering to pay the cost of it, the band having insufficient funds to do so. The band has not .yet a fuli complement of instruments, a euphonium being . needed urgently. No Gas In Palmerston North "We are getting a touch of Auck- ; land, now/' said Mr. J. Learmonth, manager of the Palmerston North gasworks, in answer to a query last evening regarding the gas position in the city. There would be no gas from 6.30 last evening until 7 o'clock this morning, he said, owing to the non-arrival of coal from Wellington yesterday. All small coal stocks in the district had been scoured to keep the supply up but they, too, had been exhausted and now there was no coal whatsoevfer in the bunkers at the works. The supply had had to be cut off at 6.30 last evening in order to conserve enough pressure to enable hojusewives to cook breakfasts to-day. There was no sure indication that coal would be on hand to-day. The Levin branch of the Homeservicemen's Association is holding a social evening in the Druids' Hall to-morrow evening commencing at 8 p.m. A good programme of entertainment and dancing h?,s been arranged and all members are requested to attend.