Local & General

Chronicle (Levin), 20 August 1949, Page 4

Local & General

iTiJarly Fruit Season. An early fruit season is likely to : follow the mildest winter for some ;years. .Most' Christmas plum trees ' have almost finished blossoming, and.peach and the later variety of plum trees are coming into bloom. In the warmer parts of Kerikeri citrus fruits are also in blossom, while those in Tauranga and Henderson are not far behind. Apples and pears are expected to blossom within the next few weeks. Priceless Gift. When Australia's ' industrial troub.es were mentipned by members of tho touring Wallabies Rugby teaai at Taumarunui, the ■ visiting - captain, T. Allan, stressed New Zealand's good fortune in haVhig a plentiful supply of coal. /is the team was about to leave ."{the Maori AI1 Black and King Country forward, J. H. Marriner,; presented Allan with a small parcel which when unwrapped revealed a lump of coal. "Thanks a lot," said Allan, "I'll take it home." Thrown Into Sea By 'Quake. Hundreds of natives on the wharf at Vavau, Tonga, were thrown into the water when a heavy earthquake occurred on August 6, said the purser of the • Union Steam Ship Company's Matua, which arrived this week. The wharf was crowded at the time and though some natives dived into the sea the majority fell in.' "The Matua bounced about as though in a terrific storm." The disturbance lasted about a minute and was followed by several smaller tremors. No one' was 4njured but native houses and stores were damaged. Retumed Disappointed. Two Auckland women, accompanied by their American husbands* came home in the Aorangi this week disappointed and dissatisfied with the United States as a place for the wage-earner. "New Zealand is a far better proposition. Here we should have something left over- at the end of the week," said one of -the women. They intend to settle in Auckland. Both women, Mrs. P. de Lellis, formerly of New Llynn, and Mrs. J. Mangum, whose parents live at Point Chevalier, married U.S. Navy men who were stationed at the naval hospital, Remuera, during the war.