LOCAL AND GENERAL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 30, 28 September 1931, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion Day Holiday To-day, the 24th anniversary of the elevation of the colony of New Zealand to the status of a Dominion, will be celebrated by certain public offices, banks and the legal- profession, which will observe the day as a holiday. i Riding on Foothpaths Complaints have been made to the "Post" by residents of Ranolf Street that horsemen are damaging the footpaths in the street by riding theh,' horses on them. Not only is this action to he condemned as thoughtless, but it is also a possible source of danger to pedestrians and a breaeh of the borough by-laws and will doubtless be given the immediate aP tention of the traffic authorities. Rotary Club Luiicheon The Rotorua Rotary Club will hold its usual weekly luncheon in the Kiosk in the Government Gardens to-day. Rotarian Krogh will be the speaker and will take as his subjecv "Rhodesia and it Founder." '

J Danger of Mud Pools An instanee of the potential danger of the mud blow-holes at Waiotapu is at present in evidence. Within the past week one of these holes has thrown out a large quantity of boiling blue mud which has spattered the ground all round the^cavity. As a rule, the (boiling mud* in this crater is confined to the bottom of the hole!, and any persons unfortunate enough to be standing on the lip of the cavity when the upheaval took place would most certainly have been seriously injured. Rotorua Baths Popular The Government balneologist at Rotorua, Dr. J. D. C. Duncan, in his annual report for the year ended March 31 last, states that despite the general finaneial depression the returns from the baths and sanatorium might be considered very satisfactory. The Sanatorium had heen j very busy, approximately 9000 baths | ond 12,000 special treatments hav- | ing been given with very gratifying | results in cures and improvements. | The Ward Baths also were proving ! very popular with visitors. B.N.Z. Golf Tournament * Members of the staffs of the Bank of New Zealand will hold their annual golf tournament in the Arikikapakapa course to-day. The tournament is open to members of the bank's staff throughout the Dominion. Last year about 20 players took part and it is expected that this number will he exceeded to-day. Mr. D. George is controlling the tournament. Rotorua Tourist Revenue In view of the prolonged economic • depression through which the Domin-

ion has heen passing the Tourist Department's revenue for the past two years provides an interesting- and encouraging comparison. For the year ended March 31, 1931, the Department's receipts according to the annual report submitted to Parliament last week, totalled £38,367. For the year ended March 31, 1930, when conditions were relatively prosperous, the total receipts were £38,090, or £279 less than last year's total. Concert at Sanatorium An exceedingly entertaining evening was spent on Saturday at the Sanatorium, when a mock court was held. The characters of judge and of the lawyers were taken by Messrs. J. Turner, T. Hart and C. Scott, patients of the institution respectively, and all of them portrayed their parts splendidly. Among those chai'ged for various offences by policeman Gough, were, Messrs. F. Cawly and A. McKee. Witnesses in the various cases were, Sister Smith, Nurse Black, Nurse Pethrick, Miss McKibbon, Miss Bertlesen, Miss Pritchard, Mr. Clarkson, Mr. Eaton and Mr. W. E. Dauban. Following the court,

, items were given by the Misses Bartlesen and Grand, and Misses Clark- ■ son and Harte. A feature of the evening was a thought reading act by Messrs. • Clarkson and Scott. The entertainment was concluded with an enjoyable supper. Lake Levels Fall The fall in the level of Lake Rotorua recently commented upon seems to be by no means peculiar to that j lake. During the week-end reports were received indicating that there has been a lall in the levels of many of the other lakes in the district, particularly Rotorna and the Blue Lake, both of which are considerably lower I than they have been in recent years. Okataina also has fallen considerably since the beginning of the year. It has been suggested that the earthquakes which have been experienced intermittently ever since the disastrous 'quake in Hawke's Bay on February 3 last may be responsible of the lower lake levels, but no direct evidence either for or against this theory has so far been advanced. LOCAL Dairy Season Promises Well. A Waikato farmer, in conversation with a representative of the "Post," reported that there is every indication of another good season in that district this year. The recent warmer weather has brought the grass away well and the herd3 generally are milking considerably hetter than they were at this time last year. With the prospect of somewhat hetter prices in the immediate future, a more cheerful outlook prevails among the farmers.