LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 49, 20 November 1937, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

Leara to Swim. At yesterday 's meeting the H.B. Education Board decided to hav.e a survey made of the children in their schools who can swim„ and also the facilities for teaching thoso who cannot swim with a view to co-operating in the national ''Learn-to-Swim" week. Broadcasting Station Site. A Gazette notice published this week proclaims the taking under the Public. Works Act of the land at Opapa required for the transmitting site for the new Hawke's Bay broadcasting station. The proclamation is to take effect as from Monday next, November 22. Native Land Court. A session of the Native Land. Court is scheduled for Hastings on Tuesday next, November 23. Two applications are to be heard, the first being by the Hawke's Bay County Council to determi*ne compensation payable to owners of land in the Poukawa district for parts of land taken for the purpose of a quarry and road. The second is by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. Semple, to determine compeisation payable for land taken as a quarry near Whawhakanga. Inventor of High HeeQs. Women-folk partial to high heels.may be interested in their origin. According to Dr. G. J. Hucker% the American authority on mammitis, they are an invention of his country. When speaking at Norsewood this week, he referred to his love of his country and what it had achieved. Ono invention that Ameri,cans had always claimed credit for, he "said, was that of the high heels. They had the feeling that high heels were invented by. an American girl who was kissed constantly on the forehead! Minute's Silence Asked For. "Just let us have one minute's silence," called out a member of a country branch of the Farmers' Union a day or two ago. The president looked astonished, and. said it was not Armistice Day. "Oh, no, but just listen to that lovely lain; let's near it properly^" was the surprising reply. 4 4 Oh,* ' said the president, 4 4 you can li.e in bed and listen to that." "But," came the retort, "it will be too late then." So for a ininute the farmers listened in to the glorious patter on the iron roof. The shower did not last long, and the meeting proceeded as before. Forty Million Silver Coins. It was stated at a recCnt meeting of the New Zealand Numismatic Society that since New Zealand adopted her own distinctive coinage in 1933 approximately 40,000,000 silver coins had been imported into the country. The threepence is fne^most popular coin^ over 13,000,000 having been mihted. The sixpence comes second, totalling 8,000,000. Over 7,000,000 shillings^ ireariy 6,000,000 florins and just over 5,000,000 halfcrowns complete the tally. The new George VI. coins are expeeted earJy next year. Teachers' Library in Napier. A grant of £100 towards the cost of the re-establishment- of a teachers' , library in Napier is to be sought by the Hawke 's Bay Education Board from the Education Department. At yesterday's board meeting, a deputation from the Teachers' Institute asked if the board could help to restore the library idestroyed in the earthquake, and offered to submit to a levy of 2/6 each, estimated to produce £50, toward the cost. The chairmant Mr G. A.' Maddison, thanked the institute for its offer, and moved that the department be asked for the grant. The Napier Borough Council is to be asked if books may bo lxoused in the Napier Public Library. Opening Maorl King's House. A decision to • send invitations to tribes throughout New Zealand to attend the ' opening of the new house, Turongo, which is being built at Ngaruawahia for King KorokD was made at a largely-attended meeting . of nauves at Ngaruawahia. The opening was fixed for March 18, 1938.. The work of construetion is nearing completion. The earving is well advanced, and mats and other fioor coverings are being woven. It is expeeted that the gathering at the opening ceremony will be the largest of its land hold at Ngaruawahia for many years. Long Walk Planned. With the intention of walking from Land's End to John o' Groata, Mra K. O'Sullivan, who is known as "the modern New Zealand grandmother, " will leave for England early next year. lu 1933 Mrs O'Sullivan^ then 54 years of age, walked from Spirits Bay to the Bluff, the distance, being 1466 miles. She took 57 walking days .on tpe journey. Her average was 30 miles a day, With a maximum of 40 miles. In the following year she cycled over the same route. She then went to Australia, and walked from Melbourno to Sydney, a distance of 600 miles, and took 1SJ walking days on the trip. Mrs O'Sullivan claims that a slcnder waistline is the basis of good health for a woman, and walking is the best exercise. In England she proposes to lecturo on New Zealand and its attraetioms.

Swimming Fostponed. Disappointment awaited a number ot swimming enthusiasts at the Maddisou Baths, Hastings, last evening, when u last-minute postponement of the opening of the Heretaunga Club's season was made owing to the inclemeat weather. Accused Mislaid. When the proceedings were timed to commence this morning in the Napier Court, tho J.P., three detectives, a Court official and a reporter solemniy filed into the Court but looked in vain for the accused in a theft eharge. Jf,_ was realised then by the detectives that owing to some misunderstanding. he had been mislaid. The Court was adjourned while the prisoner was brought up from the watchhouse. Rare Flower on Exhibition. At present on exhibitiop. at the .Auckland War Memorial Museum is a specimen of a rare member of the lily family known as Xeromena. This plant, which has a magnificent red bloom of several hundred flowers hanging in clustens, each flower rather like a toothbrush in appearance, is common on tho Poor Knights and Taranga islands, but has hitherto not been successfully grown on the mainland. It was first found in. 1924, and since then many attempts have been made to cultivate it, • this being the first case on iecord of the full flower having been developed. Numerous plants are at present under cultivation, but so far Mr Kealey, of St. Helier 's, who grew this specimen, is the only one to d&velop the full bloom.