The Opotiki news Monday, January 23, 1939. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 137, 23 January 1939, Page 2

The Opotiki news Monday, January 23, 1939. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Fitness Week Campaign. A public meeting will be held in the Parish Hall on Thursday night at 8 p.m. to make ararngements for a “Fitness Week Campaign” of events. The Hat Trick. Playing for Old Collegians in the Opotiki Cricket Association’s competition yesterday, Smith performed the hat trick, the players all being cleanbowled. Temperatures. North Island temperatures at 9 o’clock on Saturday morning were: Auckland, Opotiki, and Wellington, CO degrees, Tauranga, 63, Eiast Cape and Napier 66, and Gisborne 65. Ragwort in Borough. Numerous patches of ragwort in full bloom have been noticed in the borough for some time and it is surprising that no attempt appears to have been made to have the weed cleared up. The weed is mostly in isolated clumps and is also growing on the streets in places. Farmers in the county appear to have made a real attack on the weed but the campaign must be general if tlie wed; is to be successfully cleaned up.

Yachting in Opotiki. Yachting is becoming increasingly popular in Opotiki, and now that there are eight different class yachts on the river with another in the course of construction, a spirit of friendly rivalry is growing between the various crews. There is a movement on foot to form a club with the object of organising special competitions. It is understood that Mr. Jim Talbot, has expressed his willingness to present a trophy for a race between the yachts, and the donor of the trophy will have the privilege of marking out the course. Yachtsmen are eagerly looking forward to the opportunity of matching their yachts in tins race. The Wrong Spot. During the week-end hay-making operations were in full swing in a paddock in Opotiki. The spot was selected for the 'stack in one corner which could, be easily fenced and the men set to and by lunch-time had a good portion of the stack made. The workers then repaired to a shady spot to eat their lunch, but their contentment was soon disturbed. Looking above the stack, it was noticed for the first time that the power lines ran directly overhead, necessitating the removal of the stack to a more suitable spot.

The Tables Turned. A young man in Opotiki wlio tried to play a joke on a honeymoon couple visiting the district last week, had the tables turned on himself. He awoke to feel a hand being taken from his forehead and thought a joke was to be played on him. He waited for sometime but the intruders did not come back and he fell asleep. In the morning he got up and went to the cow-shed to get some milk but was rather disconcerted when his arrival was greeted' with loud laughter. On inquiring what the joke was about he was advised to return to the house and look in' a mirror. This he did and found to his surprise that his face had been blackened while he slumbered. Trouble With Bar. The m.s. Waiotahi found difficulty in negotiating the bar on Friday and was aground for most of the day, and the rudder was damaged. The vessel was brought back to the Opotiki wharf and the butter cargo was unloaded and returned to cool store. On Saturday evening the vessel was put stern first on the mud opposite the wharf and during low tide yesterday repairs were made to the rudder. The beat was! pulled off at high tide and this morning the butter was again put on board. An attempt was again made to leave port but the water on the bar was found: to be too shallow and the Waiotahi returned to the wharf. The long series of westerly winds resulted in sand being washed across the river mouth and the entrance has been made very difficult to negotiate. Despite this handicap the shipping company has maintained a very reliable service during a difficult period and it is hoped that condition? at the bar will soon improve.

Rubbish Fires Prohibited. Permits for rubbish fires will not be issued bji the Gisborne Borough Council or the Gisborne Fire Board until rain has restored the watersupply situation, and also lessened the danger of a spread of fir© through dry grass and! herbage. All fires lighted without permission will render liable to prosecution the owners of property on which they are discovered.— P.B. Herald.

Frost Reading Checked. A frost of 7.5 degrees recorded inGisborne on December 23 aroused the suspicion of the head office of- the Meteorological Department as to the accuracy of the. thermometer in use at the par ton Field weather station, and a. new instrument was dispatched to Gishorn© in order that the readings might be checked. On Friday morning a- further frost was recorded and the two thermometers showed a variation of one degree. According to the original thermometer there was a frost of 4.3 degrees, while the. new thermometer showed a frost of 3.3 degrees. Serious Dairy Losses. ‘ Many Opotiki farmers have suffered heavy losses in their dairy herds as a. 1 result of bloating. The trouble was most unexpected as it is usually during the flush of pasture growth, combined with heavy dew or rain that losses occur. The weather for several weeks lias been very windy and the ground has been fairly dry with no unusual growth-. In some cases the losses have been severe and will result in a big drop in production in individual cases from this cause. Following the serious drop in production on account of the extraordinary weather conditions prevailing this season, the losses in the dairy herds will he a severe blow to farmers. The trouble is reported to have been bad at- Waimana also and one farmer is reported to have lost 13 cows.

Radib Interference. The fault in the power system on Paerata Ridge, which was giving so much trouble to wireless owners in the Opotiki district for several days, was definitely located and fixed on Friday afternoon. It was found to be a defective connection on one of the poles on the ridge and the defect was only apparent oar very close inspection, it being necessary to make a pole to pole examination on the section where it was known the fault existed. The extent of interference to receiving sets was felt over a very wide area, complaints being reeived from W aingarara to as far as Omaio of bad interference. Although it was possible to listen to IYA Auckland in the daytime with fair results at times, this station was difficult to work at night, while nearly all other stations gave hopeless results.