LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 138, 28 June 1937, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL

Pigeon Championships. The North Island ehampionship iur l-ed chequer homer (male) at the re3ent Hastings Poultry Show was won by Mr F. J. Frager (Waipukurau), and for female by Mr H. Denne. Spanish ReHet. Advice has been received by Misl E, M. King, of Napier, that the cases of clothing from Auckland and Napier sent to the League of lted Cross Societies for the Spanish children have arrived at their destination and have been distributed. Milk in Schools. Owing to the necessity of importiny, some of the necessary plant and appliances, the Mayor of Hastings, Mr G. A. Maddjson, who is cliairman of the Hawke's Bay Education Board, has been advised that the Napier Dairy Co. will not be able to supply the milk to the schools iu Hastings and Napier L'or at least two months. Exhibitors From Wairoa.. Tlie completion of a rafiway link between Napier and Wairoa will probably have the effect of greatly increasing the number of entries iu stock sections of the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Rastoral Society' s spring show, according to information giveu the annual meetiug of the society in Napier this tuorning. it was stated by the president, Mr J. H. Absolom, that, provideu sufficient entries were offering from Wairoa and the surrounding district, a special train would be arranged fco. bring entries to the show. Lecture On the Moa. At the meeting. oi the Hastings th&torical Society . which is to be held iu the Methodist Hall t'o-night. Dr. K. E. Crompton will give an address on the moa. Dr. Crompton has lor scme time been engaged in a study of moa remaiqs found in this district, and he will illustrate his lecture with a number of specimens. He will discuss the various species and what is known of their habits, and will refer to Maori traditions regarding this extinct bird, Any persons interested are invited ti be present. Cause of Oictatorships. Dictatorships in various parts oi the world were brought about largely because local-body organisation was uot brougbt ux> to date, said the Minister of Interqal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, during an address to members of the Waitemata and Rodney County Gouncils. He said he believed the foun-* dation of democracy rested upon the elfectiveness or local-body government. These statements were made in answer to a' suggestion that perhaps the Public Works Department could take over the local bodies, Mr Parry said he would not be in favoui of it. A scotsman's Beverage. When a Scottish witness was beiny cross-examined in the Auckland Police Court the other day he was asked by Sub-inspector Fox if he was in the habit of consuming beer. Before the witness could reply, the Magistrate, Mr C. R. Orr Walker, said witness' s nationality would suggest that he was a whisky drinker, and with tlns coinmeht the witness sniilingiy agreed. He said he did drink beer, but only in small quantities, and only when whisky was not available, On the night to which his evidence referred, he had been coinpelled to drink beer. £riiiiant Rainbows. To have a brilliant rainbow appearing in the east on two successive afternoons at almost exactly the same time is something rare. On Saturday afternoon about 2.45 o'clock, - a brilliant rainbow forming a compiete and pericct arc was visible over the ccoh. tronting the Marine Parade, Napier, and extending to a point near the Havelock hills, Yesterday afternoon, at about the same time another and equaiiy brilliant and perfect rainbow was visible in the 6ame area. This was followed later by one or two other bows, in which the colouring was not so brilliant nor the arc so compiete. - The Easier Way. "We use the word 'homely' in Canada to express plainness or evetf ugliness in a person," said the Rev. F. A. Robinson, of Winnipeg, when speaking at the Wellington Rotary Club's luncheori. It reminded him oi the story of a commercial traveller who happened to marry a very plain woman. She was so much the reverse of beautiful that his friends used to wonder why he always took her with him on his travels. On one occasion an old friend thought he might venture to ask the man why he was so persistent in allowing his wife to accompany him on every trip. "Well, George," said the man, "I guess it's like this; I figure it is easier to carry her round than kiss her good-bye.P The Passing of a "Moa." The "oldest living moa" has reoently died. Many travellers have passed the spot where it stood on a hillside beside the Christchurch-Blenheim road south of Ward. It was always pointed out by bus drivers as "the only liviug moa." But drivers report that the gaunt figure is no longer recognisable. It was not in actual fact a moa, oi course, nor even the skeleton of a moa. It was a tree presenting a peculiarly lii'e-like appearance of the giant bii-d. Blr J. J. W. Pollard, Director of the Soytli Island of New 'Zealand Travel Association, had iutended to have a photograph taken of the "moa,'' for use in a tourist booklet. However, he has been told that the "head" aud "tail"* are now mdssing, having apparently been torn off oy the wind Nurses From England? The Waiapu (Gisborne and East Coast) Hospital Board is faced with the diificulty of securing sufficient trained nurses, and when the 40-houi week is applied to the Te Puia Hospital the position will become more acute. •In order to overcome the problem the proposai. was made at a meeting oi the board that nurses should be secured from EngJand on a three-year contract. Even after paying the fares from England it was stated, the board would save money. The secretary suggested that the board' s greatest problem would not be wages, but accommodation. After the 40-ho-ir week came into effect .at Te Puia the board would have to face "Dullding costs. It was decided to write to the Health Department for information on the proposai to aecure nurses from England.