LOCAL AND GENERAL NEW

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 617, 23 August 1933, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEW

Whaka School Grounds Advantage is being taken of the school holidays to effect improve.ments to the Whaka.- School ground. Eive relief workers are employed felling some of tiie old trees, cutting np firewood and generally cleaning up the area. Train Delayed The departure of the afternoon train for Hamilton yesterday was delayed owing to a steer in a truck load getting down. It took about half an hour to restore the truck to travelling order. A Big Eel . Whitebait netters in the Te Henui Stream (Taranaki) recently landed an eel 4ft 6in long, 19iin in girtli and 251b. in weight.

Government Confidence . "If the Government has no confidence in the country, heavens alive, ypu cannot expect the people to have any," remarked.the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. Bitchener) last evening when replying to a deputation. Mr. Bitchener was explaining the Government's reasons for decid-. ing to stimulate huilding by means of the Unemployment Board's No. 10 scheme subsidy. Gpossum Trapping Opossum trapping at Stewart Island was pursued with extra zeal this season on account of the better price for skins (states the correspondent of the Southland News). CJose on 2000 skins are reported to have been taken and prices average 6s to 7s. Over 700 skins came from the Mason's Bay district, where they_ appear to, be breeding rapidly, and* spyeading along the coast and inland for many mile'srr The little animals do no harm whatever and their increase is viewed with satisfaction locally. A good feature is that the skins seem to preponderate in blaclc colour, which is the most prized. A Sure Wxnner "Laugh and the world laughs with you" is a truism, and a North Island chemist says that he finds the use. of a little sensible humour (in places) a valuable aid to collecting stale accounts. His footnote to a sporting client reads like this: "Dear sh,— I know why you haven't paid your last account. You were afraid that I would splash the money, on the Grand National. But that meeting is now over, asd it is quite safe for you to bring along your cheque. Thank you." It is a sure winner every time. Useful Buildings "Mr. Bloodworth remarked to me in Auckland that he did not mind what buildings were put up so long as they provided work. Well, I do. 1 think that they should be useful buildings," said the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. Bitchener) in the course of his reply to a deputation which waited upon him in the borough council chambers last evening. Basketball Tourney A good entry of teams from throughout the Bay of Plenty has been received for the Rotorua Basketball Association's open tournament to be held at the Government Ground at the end of next week. The question of hillets for the visiting players is still proving a problem and the assoeiation would be pleased to receive assistance in this direction. Quick Business Trip Carrying a businessman who had urgent business to transact in Rotorua, a gypsy moth aeroplane, piloted by Mr. Gerrand, made a quick trip of one and a half hours to Rotorua from Hastings yesterday morning. The visiting plane remained ■ at the municipal aerodrome for a little over an hour and returned to Hastings via Wairoa. A. and P. Show Assn. Tenders Tenders in conneetion with the provision of a supper room, furniture, and the leasisg of the Rotorua Agricultural and Pastoral Association's show building, closed yesterday and were considered by the executive of the assoeiation last evening. After a long sitting it was announced that definite decisions in regard to the tenders had not been made, further discussion being deferred until another meeting to he held is a few days.

j Payment By Results | "As far as I am personally con- | cerned, I am in favour of letting all ! possihle work by coritract. I have ! been a contractor myself, more or j less for many years and I honestly believe in the principle of payment by results," said the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. Bitchener) last evening when replying to a deputation from the Rotorua branch of the Amalgamated Society of Csrpenters and Joiners which waited upon him in conneetion with the rates of pay being drawn by carpenters working on the completion of the Blue Bath'.. Wild Cats on Stewart Island A feature of the trapping of opossums at Stewart Island is the number of wild cats caught, showing that they also are increasing rapidly, states the Southland News' correspondent. It is rather disquieting from a bird life point of view as they must account for many of the feathered tribe especially at nesting time. One fisherman stated that he actually saw one attack and kill a weka, and occasionally dead wekas have been found with the heads eaten. This. must he done by cats as they eat. the heads only of mutton-birds also. One cat caught at Mason's Bay was opened and the intestines examined. Traces of rats, small birds and a quantity of lizard remains were found. Perhaps the Bird Protection Society could help with some practical solution to rid the island of wild cats. David and Co., High-class Fruiterers in Rotorua*

Bands Visits Hospital Last Sunday afternoon the PL Boys' Band visited the King r Y. Hospital and played a nutt items. The fine recital provide the thoughtful action of the m of the band was greatly apJ by the patients and staff 0f t stitution. "Like the Rest of Us" "He is just like the rest oi he has no money and he cann it unless he goes to Cabinet Any responsible Minister mus vince Cabinet that money is sary before it is granted," Sa Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Works, when replying to a d tion last evening. Mr. Bitchen{ replying to a suggestion th Minister for Na,tive Affairs Sir Apirana Ngata) might be j raise money withont going tc inet for it. Representative Rugby Advice was received yesteri the secretary of the Rotorua Suh-Union (Mr. W. Henderson the Matamata senior represen will be available to meet a B representative team at Rotoi Saturday. The match has been ed and. with radical changes are being made in the persoi the Rotorua side, it is considen a strong team will be fielded t the visitors. Providing Parking Space .. Rotorua Borough Counqil v( are at present levelling & por land between the roadway a gates of the Rotorua Golf house. It is intended to gra _area to provide for drainage face water, and to surface pumice as a parking area for ists visiting the golf course, TI is expected to he completed i for next week's tournament. Unchanging Seasons "Personally I do not thin any records can show that o sons have changed to any gr tent. In my part of the worli often told that our weath changed but personally, I don1 so, whatever we may have the way. of cutting down hush tree planting,.." said the Min Public Works (Hon. J. /Bit when .replying to a deputati evening. Cycling Handicaps The following handicaps ha declared for the Rotorua A Cycling Club's 81! mile road be held on Saturday afterno Melton, A. Beckett, scr; L. l!min; J. Montague, S. H Head, 5min 15sec; W. New min; H. Freneh, B. Martin, 9

Extensions to Churcli | The growing attendances, larly during the tourist sea services in St. Luke's Churc papa Street, has made the ni larger church very apparent f time and a decision was made to provide amenities noi ed in the present huilding. W therefore eomnienced this v extending the western end building 20 feet, and in hui choir vestry. It is expect^ these additions will be comp about three weeks. The electr ing system will also he re-i when the additions to the are completed and it is proba at an early date a heating will he installed in the buildii No. 10 Subsidy Scheme "I considjer that there h> nothing better introduced Zealand than the No. 10 huilding subsidy. It has gh to all classes of artisans ar is certainly nothing better t been done with the unemp money," said the Minister o: Works (Hon. J. Bitchener) r plying to one of the dep which' waited upon him in ' ough council chambers last Govt's Confidence Cromwell Flat Interest in mining in Oroi experiencing a decided lulL due to the fact that for sonie reports have been received in trict of new finds of gold, those mines in which wash ready been struclc work is lai'i fined to the development of ti in preparation for opening o' extensive scale (states the Daily Times). At Ihe Df Point claim work has been n ed by a rise in the Clutht which flooded the open cut Lomax and party found the r pect at the end of June. As a large quantity of gravel i was brought down on top oi ner in which the men were Their purnps were buried anc es the sides of the cut have c It will probably be severn T fore the cut has again beei out, and in the meantime n sensational returns can be_ It is stated that no action wi en by the syndicate to ew option over this area unti results of the geophysicai have been mado known. , ported that the amount ^ the option has been consioe duced. Not an Engineer "I do not set myself up gineer — I learned my less"1 many years ago," said ® of Public Works (Hon. J. ^ when replying to a depu a borough council chambers j ing. "Years ago, when 1 my seat upon a county c0 Minister coixtinued, that iall the ratepayers m appeared to know more a_ than the engineer. The c reply told me that if I the hest thing I could do J out, or sack the engineer.