LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 10 January 1948, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Persona Mr. H. Watts, who has been on the staff of the Otaki railway for the past eight and a-half years, leaves tomorrow to take up a position in Wellington. During * Mr. Watts' term in Otaki he has proved most efficient, and always courteous and . obliging, and his place will be hard t to fill. He will be greatly missed from. Otaki, particularly among his f^ienfis in the1 bowling world. Mrs. Watts has also proved very popular, her quiet and unassuming manner winning for her many friends. Their future home will be at Khandallah. Plums Plentiful Plums ar.e so plentiful in Otaki this season that several owners of orchards are unable to give them away. However, with an extra supply of sugar for jam there -may be a renewed demand for such fruit. Otaki Water works Attention has been paid to the Otaki waterworks during the past few 'days, and a better service may now be expected. Milk Yield The miik yield at the Rahui factory has dropped considerably, due to the dry weather. Only threequarters of the usual supply is being received. About £38 Stolen The safe which was removed by "thieves from the premises of J. E. Southgate, Ltd., Otaki Railway, during Thursday night or the early hours of Friday morning, contained about £38. Breaking Attempted A cottage in Otaki has been visited on more than one occasion recently and attempts ma'de to enter it. Attempts have also been made to force the lock of a car shed door, but it did not yield. Protection Of Magpies An Otaki member of the Forest and Bird Protection Society, writing in its journal, Forest and Bird, says: . "A bird like the magpie, which is a menace to all our smaller native birds, shoul'd not be protected, yet it is, and one watches helplessly as these viclous 'butcher birds' drive away or destroy our fantails and warblers. A few years ago, when I first came to Otaki, the big trees near us were a lovely sigjht in mornings and evenings when scores of ' fantails fluttered about them. Now not one can be seen, and instead, colonies of magpies have taken up their abode." p