The Opotiki News Monday, May 22, 1939. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 185, 22 May 1939, Page 2

The Opotiki News Monday, May 22, 1939. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Temperatures. North Island temperatures at 9 a.m. on Saturday were: Auckland and Tauranga 56 degrees, Opotiki .46, East Cape arid Napier 53, •Gisborne 55, and Wellington 60. .Large Schnapper Caught. A very large schnapper caught off Oniaio during the week-end, turned the scales at 231 b. This is considered to be a - very lai’ge fish, although a schnapper caught at -To Kalia some years ago was claimed to weigh 271 b. Pchutukawa Flowers. Several pohutuknwa trees at Ohiwv are in. .flower, and although they are not entirely covered with bloom, patches oij red can ho seen here and there. It- is very unusual to sec pohutukawa trees flowering so late in the season. Napier-wairoa Railway. Within a month, according to information received in Wairoa and Gisborne, the Railways Department will inaugurate regular passenger and freight services on the Napier-Wai-roa section of the East Coast Main Trunk line. Shipping. The m.s. Otiinai will leave Auckland to-night and is expected tej arrive in Opotiki cm Wednesday morning. She will leave for Auckland again on Thursday morning. The m.s. Waiotabi will leave Auckland on Tuesday morning and is expected to arrive at Opotiki on Thursday. Schnapper Swallows Seagull. When cleaning fish caught off Guana. Rock, Whangarei, those aboard Mr. T. Wakelin’s launch Valencia, were astounded to find within the paunch of a 151 b. schnapper a complete seagull. The bird had evidently been swallowed whole by the “old man” schnapper. Circus Incident at Taihaps. At least one Taihape boy has leaned to appreciate the strength of an elephant. Unmindful of the keeper’s continued warning, 'he persisted in feeding dirty straw to one of the elephants until the animal’s patience became exhausted, whereupon she gently circled 1 her trunk around the offender, lifted him off the ground, and unceremoniously deposited him on the dirtiest heap of the lot.

Wt'SE's Taxsd Twice? r l’he possibility of wages'being taxed twice under the social security ,scheme, was mentioned in the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court. Under i maintenance order a husband had to pay his wife £2 10s a week for her upkeep. The husband had already liiu. the social security tax deducted and the wife is now obliged to furnish a return of her income which is portion of the already taxed husband’s wages. Her counsel said it was possible she would be required to pay a tax on the £2 10s she received but the magistrate. Mr. H. P. La wry, though not sure on the pdint. thought there was no intention on tlie' part of the Government to tax wages twice. Ro?.d Cycle Racing. New regulations hiive come into force governing the control of. road cycle races. The regulations art- so drastic that it will bo a very "difficult matter to run road cycle races over some rentes. Cue rule states that patrols .must be stationed at all intersections to be passed during the race, the patrols to carry Hags for the purpose' of signalling competitors. Patrols must also be stationed on either side or the finishing line. Paces must be -run between the hours of 2 p.m. and 4'.31P p.m. Special permission must be set lived from the Transport Department for races culculatecl to last longer than 2.V hours. Warning signs bearing the words “-Motor Traffic, Cycle Road Pacing Oh This Circuit are required to he placed at all major intersections, also beyond and lielovo the finishing line. The regulations' are so comprehensive that it can be said with certainty that road cycle races as far as Onotiki is concerned are “finished”.