Bay of Plenty Times WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5th 1930 LOCAL AND GENERAL,

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 10295, 5 February 1930, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY sth 1930 LOCAL AND GENERAL,

1 hq leading fixture of the year at Katikati ,thc agricultural show, is to he held on Wednesday, February 19. Entries close on Saturdav, Bth inst., with the Secretary, Mr F. Biomquist Katikati, or with Mr S. Geo. Willcock, fauranga, on Friday February 7- Schedules may be seen at the 13ay of Plenty Times Office .

The movement of sheep from the Gisborne district to the Bay of Plenty and Waikato continues. The Railway Department has transported 28,000 head from Taneatua to Waikato in the period from Jauary 1 to February 2.

A remarkably destructive whirlwind was experienced on Mr A. Martin’s farm Woodlands, on Thursday last (says the East Coast Guardian.) Without warning, the whirlwind. with cyclonic force, snapped off punga and wattle trees in the front garden, and carried one end on the cowshed tq the back door of the house, a distance of about one hundred yards. Strange to relate, the whirlwind was not felt anywhere efse and Mr Martin, who was haymaking on a neighbour’s farm at the time was astounded on his return when he saw the damage that had been done during his absence.

The fame of New Zealand’s most noxious weed— ragwort—has travelled far. A Morrinsville resident has been showing his friends with pride a news item written by him and published in a London newspaper, headed, “Dear Little Ragwort. A Golden Friend Not Wanted,” which tells of the efforts of scientists to check the spread of the ragwort by liberating tlie cinnibar moth. By coincidence the paper has reached Morrinsville just when the weed is. blossoming. The writer expects to be paid for his contribution, and he remarks that it is the only money Morrinsville people have made out of ragwort.

At a meeting of the Matamata Chambeij of Commerce it was dcc v cd to protest to the Government regarding the great delay in dealing with properties which have been offered to the Government for cutting up In the course of discussion it was stated that there was no district more suitable for cutting up propositions than Matamata. The extraordinary output of four dairy companies wetin a six and a-half mile radius of the Matamata post o ffj cc totalled almost jf. i .000.000 last season. There were still large meadow lands which could be greatly improved by closer settlement, available at a reasonable figure.

The borough engineer notifies that the water supply will be cut off tomorrow, at 6 p.m., for a few hours, to enable work to be clone in connection with the installation of a water boosting pump.

Says the Christchurch Star, editorially: There is still one grave defect in New Zealand cricket, and that is the dropping of catches. It seems difficult to believe that New Zealand cannot produce one of the best fielding sides in the world, because this is a department of the trame in which specialisation comes from practice.

As the result of thqj introduction of the parasite known as appetinus mali, the prevalence! of the wholly aphis pest in the orchards has already been so reduced than an annual saving of about ,£20,000 to the Dominion has resulted.

Its an ill wind that blows nobody good, aud it appears that the gales which have raged in the country during the past six months have provided ample supplies of firewood for the people of Ashburton for the coming winter. In many parts of th" districts heaps of split timber ready for sawing into lengths arc to 1>" seen, forming a real glut in the market. Coal should give way to wood for fire.-, in tin- coming months, and there is ■-uch a huge ijuantilv available the price should be lower than ever.

The productivity of the land in district may be judged by the dairy returns for December month Mr J. A. Work’s herd of 55 cows, produced of butter fat for that period, which is a very creditable return. The cows are carried on too acres and the pasture was topdressed with 2f hunderd-weight of superphosphate to the acre last winter. All the stock were bred on the farm.

At a sitting of the court, yesterday, before Messrs C. Whiting and W. T. Teascy, J.P.’s young country, resident was charged with assault. Hr was convicted and ordered to pay police expenses amounting to £3.

Smoke concerts nowadays arc not very exciting affairs. Man’s ingenuity seems ta have exhausted itself as to how various events are to be celebrated, so the line of least resistance is followed, and a ‘‘smoke concert’ is decided upon. Last night’s function at the Kitz followed along the usual lines with a bright spot here and there. One of the brightest interludes was provided by Mr D. A. Ivory, who in replying to the toast of the Borough Council, pointed out that the council at times derived no little amusement from the fact that His Worship, tlv Mayor, was also secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. Freqnon'iat a council meeting he would be found reading a letter frond' the Secretary of the Chamber expressing regret at some omission of the Counciland then proceeding to expound the Chamber's views. Then His Worship would undertake to explain the Council's views, and accomplished the dual task tract creditable. How he managed it no Councillor could quite understand but it certainly lightened the dull hours of many a meeting.

The annual meeting of the Matamata Racing Club will be held on Saturday next. A number of T;mvanga sportsmen intend patronising the fixture, which is a very popular one.

Arrangements in connection with tlie Tauranga Agricultural Show arc well forward and there is every indication of a very successful' gathering. Entries close at eight o’clock this evening.

At a meeting of the general commitec of the Bay of Plenty Sports club at Whakatane, the programme of sports as arranged by the Programme Committee was approved. It provided for 158 for the. athletic and bicycle events, including for the gift handicap. The secretary Mr 11. G. Rand, read a letter he had sent to the Secretary of the Northern Athletic Union in respect to the championship race it was proposed to include on the programme. The Union intimated that the Club could inaugurate a 120yds, flat race. Those present did not favour the idea as there would be no champion to defend the title. It was left to the Programme Committee to decide whether it would run a 120yds championship or not.

A large number of local people intend being present at the Te Puke Agricultural show, which is to be held on Saturday next. The horse and cattle sections will be the leading features, and given fine weather the exhibition should be highly successful. In connection with the show, the usual 2.20 p.m. Tauranga-Tanea-tua train will be delayed and will leave Tauranga at 4 p.m. and the Strand at 4.5 p.m.

The Auckland Star, in its comments on the Hamilton Regatta, says; ‘‘With nine men out in the single sculls handicap, the liandicappcrs efforts hrst caused a lot o discussion. The limit was set at one minute, but Gra ham could have been given more. Dean (255) and Davies (20s) also needed more. The others, the handicapper placed well. Winks, the diminutive llamiltonite, on 20s gained the day by half a canvas from the Taurangaitc Haua (ss). Winks sculled well throughout, and would have been unlucky to lose. He struck the last buoy, but instead of upsetting him, it seemed to spur him on. Haira again proved what a hard man he is, while Turner, the; Dominion champion, in getting third place, put up a fine performance, especially when he had such difficulty in getting through the big field. He could have even then finished up closer, .but there was no necessity. Both St Clair and Molesworth have gone back. Is it any wonder, after the years of racing the pair have had? It'was a pretty race, and seldom have such a number of scullers been so close together at the finishing line.”

An effective method of dealing with the hungry shag was described at a recent meeting of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society’s council. The birds are always attracted by and will alight on a post. One enthusiastic enemy of the shag, taking advantage of this habit, chose a post in a stream that he knew the birds frequented, split it wide enough to insert a repeating rifle, muzzle upwards, and tied it up securely. To the trigger he attached a string which led to convenient cover on the bank of the stream. When a shag alighted on the top. of the post (actually the end of the rifle), the watcher in ambush pulled the string and the shag was blown to eternity. And so on.

A human tablet, in place of the usual red disc in the metal frame, was carried by the engine of the south-bound express train from Dromorc to Ashburton the other morning. When the train arrived at Ashburton the engine had a third occupant. bearing on his left arm a broad red, band, on which was the word “Filutman.” The explanation was that the tablet was lost at Dromore on the preceding evening, and under the tablet system a man has to replace a lust tablet till such time as a new one is released on that particular line.

Many a good story is told about smoking and smokers. The latest comes from Auckland. A bricklayci was called sharply to account by hi; foreman for smoking “on the job.’ 1 ‘T’m not smoking,” he replied. “But your pipe is in your mouth!” bawled the foreman. “That’s right,” said the bricklayer, “and my boots arc or my feet, but I’m not walking.” Tht foreman gave it best. By the way ii you are looking for something special in the shape of baccy try- the New Zealand (grown and manufactured by the National Tobacco Co. Ltd., pioneers of the N.Z. tobacco industry) Unlike the imported goods, which are more or less full of nicotine these New Zealand brands are practically free from nicotine. This is because they are toasted, and the toasting destroys the injurious nicotine and also develops flavour and boquet. These arc not only the purest but the most delightful of all tobaccos. 'They can’t harm you. They are toasted—the oulv ones that are Ask for Riverhead Gold (mild), Navy Cut or Cavendish (medium), or Cut Plug No. ro (full)

The Fire Brigade's first run of the third quarter for the Randle Cup ■ was run last night; when nine men competed. The result was; Fireman F. Bickers i; Deputy Superintend ~ ent S. Snowden and Fireman C. Haua tie a. Fireman W. Griffiths 3.

A five hundred card tournament, in aid of the Citizens’ Queen, will be held in the Bell tea-rooms to-mor-row evening at 8 o’clock.

The Farmers’ Co-operative Auction coring Co., Ltd., notify that the date of their next Katikati sale has been altered from Wednesday 12th inst to Thursday, 13th. inst., on account of the Tauranga Agricultural show.

Word has been received in town that the dwelling on Mr W. A, Tedder’s property at Minden has been destroyed by fire. No particulars are available.

Several small earthquakes were experienced at Otamarakau, near Tc Puke, on Monday morning. The residents were not alarmed and no damage has been reported.

The Government Meteorologist wired to-day; The indications are for south-easterly moderate to strong decreasing winds. There is a prospect of fair to cloudy weather with scattered showers but improving. Barometer rising slowly. Seas rough off shore but decreasing; tides good.

Another important step in linking up the East Coast Road has been taken bv the Public Works Department, which has called tenders for ~ bridge over the Haparapara Stream When this bridge is built motorcars will have, an all-weather road to Tc Kahn, 25 miles from Opotiki.