LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Million Pounds Appeal. Napier contributions to the £1.000.000 Appeal now total £5162. Cricket Match. In a cricket match played at Featherston on Saturday, the local team beat Taratahi by two wickets. Featherston made 100 and eight for 68. and Taratahi, 68 and 97. Coal Production. If shipping transport from the West Coast to the North Island could be made available. the enormously increased demand for coal for industrial and electricity expansion would be met, said the Minister of Mines. Mr Webb in an interview at Christchurch yesterday. He expressed confidence that, with the co-operation of industry, full supplies would be available. Auxiliary Fire Service. An Auxiliary Fire Service, independent of the ordinary fire services, is to be established by the Government on a similar basis to the Territorial Forces. Members will receive territorial pay. and will wear distinctive uniform and design suited to their duties. Wellington will have 450 of these auxiliary firemen, who will be equipped with proper fire-fighting machinery. Noxious Weeds. An investigation of the spread of noxious weeds on Banks Peninsula is being carried out by Mr R. McGillivray, fields superintendent of the Department of Agriculture in Canterbury. At Little River, in conjunction with Mr W. H. Montgomery, representing the Wairewa County Council, he has made an inspection of the areas chiefly infested, especially the native reserve and Okuti Valley. Mr McGillivray said afterwards 'that the problem in Little River was not nearly sol bad as in other parts of Banks Penin-j sula. It is understood that when this* weed survey is completed a meeting! of members of local bodies will be i called and a discussion will be held on means of combating noxious weeds.

Poisoning of Dogs. For some months a person has been poisoning dogs yvith strychnine according to a report to a recent meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The society is very anxious to discover the culprit, and with this object in view, it decided to advertise a reward of £5 for such information as yvill lead to a conviction. It was stated that one particular case reported, where the culprit did not succeed in his attempt, was that of a dog discovered on Helmore’s Road recently, in a state of agony after being poisoned. It was attracting yvidc attention by its screams. The animal ambulance was advised by telephone and arrived promptly. Immediate treatment was administered and the dog removed. It fully recovered and has been placed in a good home. Old Coffee Pot. Among the metal article handed to the Akaroa County Council is an old coffee pot which from its appearance is more than 100 years old. It stands more than 12in high, is made of copper, and instead of the usual looped handle at the side has a wooden handle protruding straight out from the vessel. Its ample dimensions indicate that it was made for service when families were big. Its capacity is not far short of a gallon. It yvas handed in by Mr A. R. Haylock, a member of the County Council. Though he has no definite knowledge of its origin, Mr Haylock thinks that it yvas brought to New Zealand by his grandfather, Mr George Haylock .of Ashdon Hall Farm. Essex. Mr Haylock came to Akaroa in the Monarch in April, 1850, and built a flour mill in Grehan Valley, where it worked for many years. The council decided that the coffee pot was too important a relic to be melted down. and Mr C. B. Thacker, Okain's Bay. has been given possession of it. The pot is I very well preserved.