LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 1, 16 January 1937, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

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Consoience Money. The Secretary of the Treasury acknowledges the receipt of the following amounts forwarded by persons unknown as conscience money to the New Zealand Government: — 5/- and £2 forwarded to the Customs Department; 2/6 and £4 forwarded to the Railway Department; 16/- forwarded to the Public Works Department; 8/-, 1/3, 10/-, and £1 forwarded to the Treasury. Flying Ants, Flying ants, which eonstituted themselves something of a pest last season to outdoor workers and pleasure-seek-ers in distriets around Auckland, have Ugain made their appearance. The bites of these insects are both painful and lasting in their effects, and when flying in ewarms, as is their habit, they, are a decided menace to motorists and cyclists, being liable to be caugjht in the eye and so cause accident Hastings citizen's Bana, Sorpething new in the way of an evening concert will be given by the Hastings Citizens' Band at Cornwali Park on Sunday. Last Sunday evening's concert at Windsor Park proved such a success that it was thought a night performance in Cornwali Park would prove to be very popular. A good programme has been arranged, and a collection will be taken in aid of the band's contest funds. Trout in Central Taranaki. All the rivers in Central Taranaki are well stocked and are fishing well this season. The upper Maketawa stream is considered particularly popular for rainbow trout. It has been decided to liberate about 130,000 year(ings in rivers of the Inglewood district in early March for the purpose of replacing some of the loss and damage . brought about by the flood last February. Although no outstanding fish have yet been lifted this year, one angler took a 5lb. trout from the Waiongonaiti stream recently, Written in Pebbles. To see her name standing out boldly on the terraced formation of the Waiotapu Reserve, Rotorua, was a surprise experienced by Miss Jean Batten, the 1 New Zealand girl flyer, when she visited the reserve a few days ago. Miss Batten previously visited the reserve in August, 1934, when her name was spelled out in peebles and placed on the surface of the terrace over which there is a light flow of silicated mineral water. When she visited the reserve again the pebbles were still there. In the period of a little over two years they had become firmly cemented to the terrace formation by the petrifying action of the water. World's Oldest Coins. The most ancient coins in the world are not, as commonly supposed, Greek or Roman, but Chinese. Visitors to the wonderful exhibition of Chinese art at the Auckland War Memorial Museum see the world's oldest coins made oi bronze and resembling scarabs, belonginp| to the Shang-Yin dynaBty of about 1750 B.C. In the same collection, lent by Captain G, Humphreys-Davies and the Auckland Museum, are a "Pu" or eloth money issued between 475 and 221 B.O., lmife money issued between 670 and 221 B.C., a cowrie shell cut to serve as a tokeh and dating back to the third milleninm, B.C., and perhaps most surprising of all, an elaborate bank note for 10,000 "cash7' issued be-

tween 1368 and 1398

Auckland's Mosquito Pest. On account of the preventive measures that have been carried out during the past few years, the mosquito is by Uo means so prevalent in Auokland as it was a few years ago and this summer there has so far been an absence of the pest in most parts of the city. In recent years the Auckland Mosquito Control Committee, in cooperation with local bodies and the Health Department, has wagjed an incessant war on the mosquito. The elimination of standing water, the drainage of marshy lands the clearing out of water courses and rubbish dumps where stagnant water was likely to accumulate, the introduction into ponds in the city of a species of fish which is known to devour mosquito larvae, and the recent spell of wet weather have been responsible for re>lieving the annoyance. Fight With Shark A thrilling fight with a large mako shark from a small dinghy was experienced ^recently by Messrs. E. T. Frost and W. Wheeler, of Parenga, North Auckland. They were fishing in the Parenga Harbour in a 16ft. dinghy, when Mr. Wheeler hooked a shark, which made the usual quick dash. Mr. Wheeler called to Mr. Frost to take the line, as his hands were injured with the running line. Before Mr. Frost becarne properly balanced the shark had pulled him overboard, and Mr. Wheeler immediately regained possession of the line. Mr. Frost lost no time in returning to the boat. The fish was then played for an hour, (|.iring which time it towed the dinghy and its two occupante a considerable distance. Eventually the shark was manoeuvred into shallow water, where it was grounded. It measured 9ft. in length, and 7ft. 6in. in girth, and is estimated to weigh 4001b. Natlve Housing Soheme. The procedure for the obtaining of advances under the Native Housing Acfc is laid down in regulations publiBhed in the Gazette. Applications for loans are to be made to the Maori Land Board of the district in which the land to be built on is situated, and the board, after investigating the application, will forwai'd it together with a recommendation to the Board of Native Affairs. The latter body will decide whether or not the loan shall be granted and will communicate its decision to the land board, which will in turn advise the applicant. Unless the Roard of Native Affairs otherwise directs, when security is given over any interest in property there shall be included in the insti'ument of security a personal covenant by the proprietor or owner of such interest for payment I of the auiount of the advanco and i»- | terest thereon.