THE OPOTIKI NEWS Friday, July, 1938. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 51, 1 July 1938, Page 2

THE OPOTIKI NEWS Friday, July, 1938. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Lightning Sounds Alarm. . During the thunderstorm yesterday morning the fire siren was set going by a flash of lightning. School Re-opens PAonttay. The attention of parents of schoolchildren is drawn to an announcement in oor advertising columns that the Opotiki District High School will reopen on Monday next. Both primary and secondary pupils are expected to attend on Monday. Power Shut-down., ' Consumers are notified in our advertising columns that a po.wer shutdown will take place on Sunday next between the hours of 1.30 and 3.30 p.m. Heavy Hailstorm. A heavy hailstorm was experienced at Waiawa yesterday morning. Hailstones as big as birds’ eggs fell and the ground was well covered by the hail. The hail did not melt away for about two hours. Sale of Lend. Several areas of land in connection with the estate of the late Mrs Mary Kelly, are being offered for private sale. Lot 3 includes the homestead. Full particulars may be secured from the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd. Measles Epidemic. During the past few days the measles epidemic has spread with great rapidity throughout the district. School attendances have fallen to a low level, and the wet weather has made the position worse, many children also suffering from bad colds. Owing to a misunderstanding children at the Opotiki school were informed that the. school would be closed for three weeks. Four -Rats in One Trap. A lucky catch was made recently at one of the Opotiki hotels, when four rats were caught in the one trap. The trap is a small model of the usual type of eel-basket and once in, the rats are unable to get out. The rats were released in the street and' a dog quickly killed them. Considerable interest was shown in the unusually good catch. A “Happy Family”. Before vacating the chair at last night’s, annual meeting of the Opotiki A. and 1 P. Association, the retiring president, Mr Beg. Looney, thanked the committee for their support during his two terms of office. In returning thanks for his election to l the position of president, Mr J, Stansburv said he hoped liis term of office would be as successful as liis predecessor’s. The committee had been a happy family and he felt lie should be able to get on very well with the new committee.

Advertising Results.' That the Opotiki “News” is being appreciated in the Opotiki district is shown by the number of casual and miscellaneous advertisements being received by the “News”. Despite the fact that the operations of the Placement Office has curtailed a certain class of advertisement to a big extent, the number of miscellaneous advertisements received by the “News” for the .month of June was a record for Opotiki. That advertisers are getting results is clearly shewn by the large number of replies being received at the “News” office on behalf of advertisers. The “News” has no intention of resorting, to - the practice of inserting advertisements issue after issue with the object of making a bold show. .All casual advertising is inserted in the “News” according to instructions. Thei Weather.

The following weather forecast for the 24 hours commencing at 9 a.m. to-day was issued by the meteorological office: —The indications are for moderate to strong winds with westerlies to south-westerlies prevailing. Weather cloudy and unsettled with shower's. Temperatures cool to moderate. Seas rather rough to rough on the west coast, mainly moderate on the east coast. General situation: A deep depression is centred east of Otago. Pressure remains low over the Dominion also and several more depressions may be expected before a complete change of weather is experienced. i

Hunt Club Dance. A dance, under the auspices of the Opotiki Hunt Club, will be held at Woodlands Hall on Wednesday next. - >a v . i "- . .. v.' •. ■ ' • * - ■ •« Slips in Waioeka Gorge. Two small slips occurred in tlie Waioeka G orge yesterday afternoon. Through traffic was held up for about two hours. ' High Tides. Exceptionally high tides are being experienced in the pay of,Plenty and this morning Yolkner’s Island' was practically covered, only a small, portion at the bathing sheds showing ar bove the water. • • ... The Otara School. . The Education Board has decided to repair the Otara school, which was damaged by the recent whirlwind at Otara. The school-children are to be given three weeks’ holiday, while the school is being raised and put on new foundations. Sale of Dairy Cows. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd. announce in our advertising columns that, acting under instructions from Mr F..W. Gough (whose lease has expired), they will offer for sale his live and dead stoclc. Full particulars may be seen in the advertisement. A Long Parsnip. The depth of good-growing soil which Hastings residents are fortunate in having was proved recently,' when, much to his amazement, a gardener dug a parsnip which without taking into account the leaves measured four feet in length. ) > Clearing Sale. An important clearing sale will be held at Nukuhou North on Friday next, when Messrs Dalgety and Co. Ltd. will offer for sale by auction the whole of the live and dead stock of Mr D. Campbell. The sale will be conducted on the farm and includes 50 dairy cows and 8 springing heifers. Milking Machines. An announcement concerning the new L.K.G. milking machines is made in our advertising columns by Mr C. D. Brown. One of these machines lias been erected in the shop and MiBrown invites farmers to make an inspection and see the machine demonstrated. Mill Workers. The report that there is a shortage of mill-workers in Gisborne and that a mill at Matawai may be compelled to close down, is denied by another well-known Poverty Bay mill-owner wlio states that qualified men to fill every position in a bush mill are available. Crockery Sale. , Messrs Shalfoon and Francis advise that they are conducting a clearance sale of English crockery dnd brass-ware. Particulars appear in their advertisement. Some really astonishing bargains are being offered. Big Football Attraction. Bugby football enthusiasts are reminded of the big representative match to •be played on the reserve tomorrow afternoon, when the semifinal of the Parata Cup competition will be played between Apanui and Opotiki senior representatives. A special attraction will be the curtainraiser between tlie 3rd. grade representatives and the Opotiki High School juniors. Great interest is being taken in the inauguration of 3rd. grade football in Opotiki and* the players are showing great enthusiasm in the game and are putting up very good performances.

Outbreak of Fire. The fire sysren sounded at about 2.15 a.m. yesterday morning, the outbreak of fire being in a. large shed at the rear of Mr Martin’s blacksmith shop. The fire had a good hold at the rear of the slicfd when noticed but the brigade were quickly on the scene and soon had the outbreak extinguished. Very few residents turned -out to see the fire. One resident who turned out to the fire remarked that .the brigade lias now reached such a stage of efficiency that it is only a waste of time going to any outbreaks as the brigade has usually suppressed the fire before spectators can reach the scene This is probably the reason why such a few residents turned out on Thursday morning. Very little damage was done to the shed only the rear wall being burned, while tlie floor was- practically uncliarred. With the exception of a few tyres the. shed was empty.

Visit fry. Bombers. \ j ' The district Gisborne, O. G. Thornton, has advised tie, Gisborne Borough Council that he lias received advice from the Defence that a • flight of Force Blackburn Baffin bombiqfWchines will visit Gisborne in tl| Bnear future. The, has Meci'Jpd to co-operate with the matter. ; . . - <\ . Heavy Thunder-storm. ji A strong north-easterly gale sprang ft up yesterday morning and later sud-r denly changed to the w r est. Torrential rain fell, accompanied by a heavy thunderstorm. Water found its way into a number of buildings, owing to gutters and pipes . being unable to carry away the water. Light hail fell in the borough. The storm quickly, abated shortly before midday and the weather then became calm.'. State Housing. ' ■ The first State houses in Opotiki should be completed in a few month’s time, as tenders are now being called for the erection of six units. Plans etc. are available at the Opotiki and Whakatane post offices and tenders will close ,on July 21. Judging from the difficulty people are still having, in securing suitable houses in Opotiki,* the six houses to he built will not meet the demand by any means and it is hoped that steps will soon he taken to hav§ additional houses built.