LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 15 February 1947, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wreck Of Penguin The 38th anniversary of the wreck of the Union Company's steamship Penguin in Cook Strait fell on Wednesday. The wreck, which occurred shortly after 10 p'clock on the night of February 12, '1909, with a loss of 75 lives, was the greatest disaster in New Zealand waters since the Wairarapa struck on Great Barrier Island in October, 1894. No Room At The Inn Unable to find hotel accommodation in Hastings or Napier, Mr. Sullivan (Minister of Supply) , his secretary, Mr. G. Wilson and the pilot of his aircraft, FLght-Lieut. Hanlon, found refuge with the Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club on Thursday night. They were given rooms in the wellappointed sleeping quarters of the i club, and continued their. journey to Wellington on Friday morning. "Bob" Had Him Puzzled Though the word "shilling" is usual in bids for that amount at a wool sale occasionally "bob" gets an innings. One of a number otamusing incidents at the third Auckland wool sale on Wednesday came when the auctioneer made use of the word "bob," thereby confounding a French buyer who, nevertheless, had a fairly good command of English. "What's he say?" he queried frenziedly. Auctioneer: "A bob. I'm bid a bob." A voice: "Tell him to speak English." (Laughter) . Maori Centenarian Estimated to be 108 years old, Mrs. Mereana Petere died at Wangaehu on Thursday. She had enjoyed wonderful health 4 until late last year, when for the first time in her life she had to consult a doctor. She was born at Pipiriki, but those tribal records that are still intact do not mention the date of her birth, so it is only by piecing her life story together that an approximation of the date of her birth can be obtained, but it is definite that she is well past the century mark. "Mr. Cash" Returns Through mutilation in transmission, the name of the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) , who returned oy flying-boat from Sydney this week, was appropriately given as "Mr. Cash" on the Tasman Empire Airways' list of passengers which was sent by radio from Sydney. As Tasman" Empire Airways officials were aware that Mr. Nash was on the flying-boat, they made investigations which revealed that the mistake occurred when the message was being sent from Sydney. As numbers of people saw the list before it was amended, the mistake caused considerable amusement. Trains At Easter Owing to the 'uncertainty about coal supplies, no decision has yet been made by the Railways Department concerning the possibility of running extra trains in the North Island over the Easter period. No comfortable surplus over about a current week's requirements for normai running seems to have arrived at coaling depots up the main line. No coal from the United States has been landed since just after Christmas. As the South Island coal position is somewhat easier, some extra trains will probably be run there over Easter but not a full holiday schedule. Recruits For J-Force After three days' recruiting in the Northern Military District for the J-Force, 187 applications were received at 10 offices establirhed for the purpose. Most of the recruits were obtained in the Auckland area where 119 offered their services. A noticeable feature of the campaign so far has been the number of Maoris who have responded, cfficial flgures revealing that 46 have come forward in the district. If the early stage of the campaign is an indication of the final result, thc Auckland district is not expected to have much difficulty in filling its quota of men required. The response is regarded offlcially as most encour- ' aging.