LOCAL AND GENERAL

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 271, 15 December 1939, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Shipping. Tho o.v. Otimai left Opotiki this morning for Auckland. The o.v. A\ aiotahi is expected to leave Auckland on Monday morning. Temperatures. North Island temperatures at 9 o'clock yesterday morning were as follows:—Auckland, (J I degrees, '1 a until ga 75, Opotiki Co, I'-hst Cape 61, Gisborne CO, Napier 0-1, Wellington 59. Tim Opotiki temperature on Wednesday was GO while that at Tauranga was 70 degrees. » The shade temperature on Wednesday reached! the highest figure recorded this year to date, being 70 degrees. Shortage of Tar and Bitumen. The difficulty experienced by the Opotiki Ito rough Council is finding availahle supplies of road-sealing mateiial is general throughout the Dominion. It is now announced that roading work throughout the Gisborne, district, will he seriously curtailed! during the present season as a result of the shortage of bitumen for surface sealing. Supplies are stated to he unprocurable. and muc.li work is being held in abeyance. Mr. K. F. Jones, engineer for the Cook County, stated yesterday that the prospects at present appeared hopeless in regard to bitumen 1 supplies.

Convent' Dance, try • -i A grand dance in jijcl of the Convent will be held in the Lyric Hall on Monday. Monte carlo*• and streamers will be a feature, while musical item# will also he contributed. Two. Calves. An interesting event occurred on the farm of Mr. Hodgson, Woodlands, cm Wednesday, when a cow gave birth to its second calf this season. The first call’ was horn on October 7, and both calves were normal and well developed. ) ‘ Medical Examinations. ■v The Army Office, Paoroa, has advised the News Office that medical examinations will take place in the Opotiki district between 'December 24 and January 4. All volunteers are asked to s tap cl by for examination. Auckland Mosquitoes. The issue of a reprint of the-report on mosquito life in the Auckland district. which summarises the results of three years’ scientific research carried out by Mr. David H. Graham, is timely at this season of the year, when the mosquito pest is beginning to make its appearance felt again. The pamphlet places on record what has been ascertained, about the lile history of 11 species that have been found in the North Auckland area', aivcll supplies a basis for action against this pest to human beings and stock. Among other facts, Mr. Graham has established that live mosquitoes arrive at Auckland from overseas, that introduced mosquitoes have been breeding on the waterfront, and that conditions in North Auckland arc suitable for their establishment. Mr. David Graham is a son of Mrs. E. Graham, of Opotiki.

Wonderful Tomato Crop. A remarkably fine crop of hot-house tomatoes is to he seen at present at Mr. T. G. Johnson’s nursery. r J here are approximately 400 plants under glass, the vines are hearing a very heavx crop, many of the tomatoes being over half-a-pound in weight. The crop is entirely free of disease, all ol ihe leaves being remarkably healthy and with no sign of leal: curl. Ihe Hay of Plenty orchardi instructor examined tlie plants a few days ago and expressed astonishment at the freedom of disease- and also the heavy clusters of tomatoes. The crop commenced to ripen only eight weeks alter planting and tomatoes arc being picked. in increasing quantities every, day. in addition t„ the tomatoes under glass. Air. Johnson has over two thousand outdoor plants. The nursery also contains rows and row s of peas for the Christmas market.