THE OPOTIKI NEWS Friday. November 17, 1939. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 260, 17 November 1939, Page 2

THE OPOTIKI NEWS Friday. November 17, 1939. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Temperatures. North Island temperatures at 9 .o'clock yesterday morning were as follows : —The temperatures reached the highest level reported for two weeks, G 7 degrees being recorded at- Napier, with 00 at Castlepoint, G 3 at EastCape, 61 at Auckland, 60 at Wellington , Cape Campbell, Gisborne, Opotiki and Tan range.

Tea Shortage. That the. existing shortage of tea in Now Zealand had been accentuated considerably by useless panic buying and bearding by the public was emphasised by a leading Dunedin importer when commenting oil the position of the tea merchant. “This hoarding,” lie said!, “lias rendered it absolutely essential for retailers to bring rationing into operation to protect their regular customers, and has added to the difficulties under which importers and packers are already labouring.” Butterfat Production. In commenting on the effects of the severe winter on dairy stock in the Bay of Plenty Power Hoard’s area, the engineer-manager, ‘Mr. J. D. Dicker, informed the hoard at the monthly meeting that up to the end of September, revenue from dairy sheds was lielow that of the same period of the previous year. Mr. Dicker stated that the hoard’s revenue figures were close to the estimates and they still had the two best periods of the year to come. Supply of Ranges. The unfairness ef the total prohibition of the import of electric ranges, while gas ranges hud been only restrict ly tei 50 ncr cent, was stressed by Mr. <T. Mitchell at the monthly meeting of the Hay of Plenty Power Hoard. Mr. Dicker informed the board that the total ranges, that could he manufactured, in New Zealand—provided supplies of raw material were available —was only sufficient for the Dominion’s replacement purposes.

Fire at Exhibition. The first outbreak of fire in the Centennial exhibition after its opening occurred in a. fish and chips stall in Playbiiii.! two* hours after the gates were opened to the public. . A gas jet blew back on soon* woodwork, which was ignited. The exhibition fire brigade sent its engine to the stall, which is near the cabaret, and extinguished the flames with bucket pumps. The woodwork of the huddling and the floor were damaged and the stall has been put out of business temporarily. "While the fire engine stationed at the exhibition was attending the fire it was replaced at the station by one from the Wellington South station. Other outbreaks of fire have happened in the exhibition since the* brigade was established there, the most recent being in the assembly hall. Sewing Cotton Problem. As a result of the import restrictions a shortage of sewing' cotton has become increasingly apparent in recent weeks and Opotiki shops are limiting sales to one or two reels of any particular kind. It was stated last week that many lines that previously had; been imported direct by Auckland shops had been prohibited or restricted. .Some of these cottons were now not obtainable. The central New Zealand agents who handled a. considerable proportion of supplies were limiting trade purchases to a. monthly quota >ased on normal buying. Through tears of sh.ortage public buying had leaped to two or three times the usual quantity, with the result that numerous lines were at times cut of stock. Frost Strikes Again. The story .of the Wainirapa gardener who planted out some of the more delicate vegetables in. the hope that the frosts were finished is one that has been retold this spring to the point of monotony. For the past four weeks in the Wairarapa spells of fine, warm weather have been broken at regular intervals by disastrously heavy lrosts, and Monday’s visitation was one of the worst s<> far experienced. A heavy westerly which blew across the plains on Saturday suddenly switched to the south-east on Sunday, bringing very late falls of snow to the mountains. Late on Sunday night the sky cleared and the ground 1 , well damped by falls of rain, froze hard. The mortality ns potatoes, tomatoes and beans was high, and long after sun-up the ground crunched .with ice underfoot.

Dental Clinic Stall. At it meeting of the Opotiki Dental Clinic committee, it was decided to bold a stall t<* raise funds to improve the finances. The expenditure each year exceeds the- normal income and to avoid the necessity of increasing the charge ft r treatment, which is probably the lowest in the Dominion, it was docidodi to make an appeal for funds by way of holding a stall. The still! should be well patronised by residents to assist the committee in keeping the cost of treatment at a low figure. The stall will he held on. Friday, Ist. December and further particulars will be advertised sit a later ditto. Hospital Building.-Costs. That the suggested maternity hospital to be erected in Opotiki will be a very costly building is shown by the estimated cost of seven-bed hospital to be erected at Taupe, by the Waikato Hospital Hoard. The Taupe hospital is estimated to- cost between £IO,OOO and £12,000.. Tlio proposed .maternity hospital at Opotiki will have more beds than the Taupe hospital. Gisborne’s Cosily Photograph. After -Gisborne’s experience in Centenary Exhibition publicity, Opotiki local bodies can congratulate tliemselv.es on the fact that they abstained from making any contribution through the Auckland Provincial Committee, a representative of which visited Opotiki in tlio course of an appeal for funds. In Poverty Bay the Gisborne Blorough Council contributed- £201), Of ink County £l6B, Waiapu County £llß, Fawn County £4l. The Waikoliu County refused to contribute. In sharing the opinion of Gisborne’s Mayor. it Gisborne resident expressed the opinion that it lmcl been by far the most eoktly venture, so”far as tangible results were concerned, that Gisborne was ever let in for. It would have boon cheaper to have the district painted in oils bv a first-class ait'st, anil then buy space at the Exhibition for its display, lie stated. Gisborne’s reward for its expenditure is the inclusion in the relief map of New Zealand of a picture of n> portion of Gisborne town. The Auckland Provincial Committed is now faced with the embarrassing position of explaining why. the smaller communities have received so little return for their contributions. Apart from lack of funds, the Opotiki local bodies were of tlio. opinion that small centres would be left well in the background l in any provincial display?*, and this opinion has proved to he well justified.