Bay of Plenty Times. THURSDAY APRIL 18th, 1929. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LVII, Issue 10052, 18 April 1929, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times. THURSDAY APRIL 18th, 1929. LOCAL AND GENERAL

The To Puke Motor Cycle Club will hold a sports meeting on Sunday, 2Mh mst. Events will consist of beach races, acceleration and bending tests.

Messrs C. H. Clinkard, R. Wilson, A. J. Mirrielces, J. G. Green and H. M. Martin (members of the Tauranga Harbour Board) and Mr Goudie. of Rotorua, inspected the Tauranga Harbour Board’s plantation at Matakana Island to-day.

The bathing period officially closed for the season at Caroline Baylast week, but although the bathing facilities are not now open, there are still those who take their morning dip, and they intend to continue doing so throughout the winter months (reports the Timaru Herald). Included among the dailybathers is a Timaru lady of "I summers, 0110 of the pioneers oi South Canterbury, who enjoys her daily “dip” in the ocean, which she takes as cheerfully as she did her pioneering work in the early days of the province,and to it sirattributes her general good health and vigour of body and mind.

“It would appear that young ducks hand-reared and raised in captivity lose part of their wile instincts,” states the annual report of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. “Several cases have been observed where young birds liberated in swamp country have, within, a few days, made for the nearest habitation for food, proving that the young birds have not acquired the habit of foraging for themselves.”

Consideration xs being given by the Railway Department to a proposal to take over the bookstalls at railway stations, which arc at present leased to private individuals. The existing leases, which are for a term of five years, will expire shortly. It is understood that the suggestion has been the subject of reports, but no final decision has yet been reached-

“Once again public taste seems to be taking a turn,” remarked a Wellington music dealer the other day (says the Evening Post). “There is an increasing number of records being issued of music that, while not ‘highbrow,’ is not jazz. Strauss waltzes and other music of a similar type are greatly in demand at present and although fox trots and other dance mu§ic is always wanted for its own purposes I notice a definite trend . toward the light, yet good, type I have mentioned.”

“In India there are thousands of towns and villages in which the Salvation Army is now firmly established,” said Commissioner Korkins (late of Western India) at the Wellington Town Hall the other evening. “There are no fewer than :!000 paid evangelists spreading the Gospel throughout the country, and there are tens of thousands of soldiers, who have been won from raw Hinduism, from idolatry, and from other gods.”

“Are you a Christian?” asked Sergeant Sivyer of a Chinaman about to be sworn in at the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court the other day. The Chinaman returned a stolid look which was construed as an assent, but from further questions ho did not appear to understand the nature of the oath which was being administered, whereat someone suggested lighting a match. This, apparently, was also a unfamiliar procedure for the Chinaman, for, a match being struck, he immediately blew it out, without waiting for the sergeant to pronounce accompanying verbal formula. “Have you got a rooster about you ?” asked Mr V. B. Willis, but inquiries as to whether the services of this bird were required were not pushed further as, in the absence of an interpreter, the attempt to swear in the witness w r as abandoned.