THE OPOTIKI NEWS Friday, May 13, 1938. • LOCAL AND GENERAL

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 33, 13 May 1938, Page 2

THE OPOTIKI NEWS Friday, May 13, 1938. • LOCAL AND GENERAL

An Opotiki Win. '.Advice lias been- received by six young men in Opotiki, that they have won the sum of £2so| in an Australian sweepstake. A White Pheasant. v When shooting at Maromaku, a North Auckland sportsman brought down a white pheasant. The' bird, which was not quite fully fledged, had a .few touches of red on the breast. The Hunting Season. The hunting season will open in the Opotiki district on "Wednesday, 25th. May. After the ceremony at the kennels the hounds will move to the Woodlands grounds. A dance will be held tiia same evening at the Woodlands Hall. Thei Weather. The following weather forecast for the 24 hours commencing at 9 a .in. to-day was issued by the meteorological office -.—The indications are for variable and moderate breezes. There is a prospect of fair and mild weather. Barometer little movement. Seas smooth to moderate.

Jubilant Businessmen. Many of the Opotiki businessmen view the outcome of the half-holiday poll with evident- satisfaction, more especially in view of the. fact that Saturday lialf-holiday has been carried in Whakatane. Several ol' the local tradesmen are now locking for ward to increased business from . Nukuhou and Waimana districts. Car Strikes Pheasant. Whiie travelling down the Kukumoa hill towards Opotiki a motorist had the rather unusual experience of striking a cock pheasant with.his car. The.blow was a heavy one and the pheasant fell to the ground apparently dead. However, when the motorist backed his car to collect the “bag” the pheasant quickly recovered and flew into a nearby maize field. Many Full Bags. On the opening day of the shooting season a large number of sportsmen hi Opotiki were successful in shooting the limit- number of pheasants and in spite of the unfavourable weather good bags have since been secured. Pheasants seem to be much more plentiful than they have been during previous seasons and the frosty weather should have the effect of driving the birds into the open. Ducks seem to be taken in even smaller numbers than last year, and the large amount of water that has been lying about has made conditions difficult. Gisborne Mails.

All outward mails from Gisborne for southern districts will he dispatched via Gpotiki and Taneatua for an indtdinito period. This arrangement lias heon made owing to the flood damage to the Gisborne-Napier highways. Lately first-class mail, both inward and outward, has been carried by aeroplanes for quick dis patch, but the Gisborne Post Office advises that this service lias ceased for ordinary, mail. The daily service to Wairoa will not he affected by this, nor will tlia regular air mail dispatch he discontinued. Gap2 Runaway Rainfall. The rainfall experienced at Rultuhanga station, Cane Runaway, during April presents a remarkable contrast to the figures for neighbouring East Coast areas. Cape -Runaway saw little of the exceptionally heavy rain that fell on the Coast as far north as Micks Ray. The recorder reports that evidently Cape Runaway was on the edge ol the storm that caused- so much damage from Hicks Ray flown. Cape Runaway’s total for the month was 7.55 in., as against Hicks Ray’s IG.Cvlin., Tdkomaru Ray’s 17.00in.j and Runngarelui’s 18.4 Sin. The heaviest single day's rain at Cape Runaway was 1.13iu. on April 17. Last- year the station gauged G.23in. on 17 days for April. Eor the first four months cf the year Cape Runaway recorded 26.92 in., as against 26.62 in. for the same period in 1937.

Hospital Representative^ Notice is given in. the advertising columns that an election will- be held on Wednesday, 25th. May, for the purpose of electiing one representative on the Opotiki Hospital Board for the County of Opotiki. Nominations ivill be received up till uoou to-morrow for such office.

Election Announcement. . There was a very small crowd outside the borough council office on Wednesday night, to • await the results of the council and half-holiday polling. The night was very cold and those interested found it rather" unpleasant during tlie waiting time. The number present was in striking contrast compared with the previous election when interest was at fever heat and the street was practically blocked by the big crowd. Half-Holiday Figures. The number of votes cast for Wednesday and Saturday combined at Wednesday’s poll was 555. This number is well below the figures for the previous poll, when 828 electors cast their votes for the two days. The figures for 1935 were: Wednesday, 422,- Saturday 406. Majority for Wednesday 16- The majority in favour of Wednesday was increased this year to 51 on a much smaller poll.