Bay of Plenty Times. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20th., 1933. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 11045, 20 February 1933, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20th., 1933. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Erankton . railway employees held their annual picnic at Mount Maunganui yesterday, when a special train of twenty one carriages from Frankton carried 1350 persons. The train reached the Mount at 11.40 a.m. The weather was itleal and the surfing beach was very well patronised. Sports were held for the children. The train left the Mount at 5 p.m., and a word of praise is due to the organisers and the Railway Department on the general excellence of the arrangements.

Last 97,000 tons of butter were exported from New Zealand, and 23,000 tons were sold on the local market.

The number of accidents on Publie Works during the last financial year totalled 2210, according to a return tabled in the House of Representatives. The total cost to the State, apart, from workers’ compensation paid, was £2503,; the, total amount of compensation paid being £34,355. /

The financial membership of the Matamata branch of (he New Zealand Returne'd Soldiers’ Association now totals 146, which is a record for any year since the formation of the branch.

Ragwort is spreading in North Auckland in the same way as it la in other parts of the province. While touring in the north during January, Rev. J. H. Starnes, of Morrinsville, saw, ragwort flourishing where there was- none when he visited the north four years ago. ,

There was an exciting incident at the totalise,tor at the Rotorua races when a man went up to one of the windows and asked for a. ticket. He got it, and snatched his money back, making off into the crowd but he was not fast enough for the ticket seller who promptly vaulted ' the pounter and caught his man, returning in triumph with the money. The ticket was not a dividend payer.

“There are great possibilities in the Maoris of Taranaki,” said Bishop F. A. Bennett the other day. “From this coast came the first missionaries of the race, and it has been the birth place of many famous men even in our short history. Sir Maui Pomare and Dr Peter Buck "are two fame is world-wide.. I.pray God that some of our Sunday School children, such as those to whom I have been presenting their prizes, may be taken by God for His work. Prom the pakeha can come hope and inspiration; keep the spiritual vision clear and the material is bound to follow. There is an old Maori proverb, known long before Christianity reached these shores, that I would commend to you, ‘Let the emblem of Divinity go before and let the bearers ® food follow after.’ ”

The yacht and Power Boat Club’s Sailing race, for yachts, which was, to have taken place yesterday, was postponed owing to the lack of wind and will take place at Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui, at the week-end, when races for seven footers will be arranged.

Messrs W. Stev'ens, H. P. Butts, E. A. Entwistle and G.B. Way (Walton) left Tauranga in the launch Aranui at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday on a fortnight’s cruise. A pigeon message received from the party yesterday stated there was a fairly strong head wind and sea all the way to Whangamata and the Aranui arrived there at 7.30 that evening. The wireless on the launch was working splendidly. All on board were well. At 7.30 a.m. yesterday the launch was leaving for Slipper Island.

A strange fruit resembling a large pear is growing in ai/old orchard in the Pohangina district. made from the Department of Agriculture's fruit Inspector revealed that the fruit was a Bottan’s , plum, a Burbank product. It is said that that fruit has delicious flavour and is very juicy when ripe.

Illustrating the farmers’ burden in the course of his remarks, on the Exchange Indemnity Bill iii the House of Representatives, Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P. for Thames, gave an instance of one farmer with 50 acres of land in the Thames district, on which he ran 30 cows. His rates amounted to £45 a year, which meant that he had to find £1 10s per cow for rates before he got a penny. Farming was to-day, as it had been for some time a sweated industry, said Mr Samuel. New markets would have to ‘be found,' otherwise it was useless production.

Disciples of Isaac Walton, of all ages and both sexes, enjoyed great sport at Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui, yesterday. The shoals of kingfish were exceptionally numerous and could plainly be seen tearing about in the water in pursuit of the koheri or horse mackerel. A line of anglers extended all along the rocky shore of Pilot Bay and all were pulling in fish as fast as they could. The boys especially were having a great time. The landing 'of their catches was followed by yells of delight and much blood, which was freely spattered over the rocks and the clothes of the fishermen. The ladies, too, were not to be outdone. One apparently inexperienced gentleman landed an outsize fish and was having a hectic time with it until he was assisted by two of his friends. Old residents say they have never seen so many kingflsh in Pilot Bay as during the past week. Large shoals of kingflsh were also seen yesterday in the Bay.

The auxiliary scow Tamahae arrived from East Coast ports on Sunday morning with a load of wool for transhipment into' the Northern Steamship Company’s Tuhoe to-day. After completing discharge the Taraahae loaded nine hundred totara posts for Te Kaha. s The posts were ex rail from the Tahpo "Totara Timber Company’s mills at Putaruni. The Tamahae has been on the East Coast-Tauranga run for some months now. Quite a moderate trade appears to be developing and is no doubt the result of exploitation by shippers of the cheaper cargo routes for their trade. The Tamahae expects to leave to-night at midnight for Te Kaha.

A wide range of attractive illustrations appear in this week's issue of the “N.Z. Sporting and Dramatic Review,’’ making-it of appealing interest to all sections of readers. Prominence is given the re-building of Napier, the double pages being devoted to a series of exclusive photographs. Special interest* will be taken in the America v. New Zealand Tennis Test at Auckland, showing the champions at play. The English public school boys make up another excellent page, while local events are also plctorlally treated. A coloured supplement of the successful jockey, K. Voitre, will provide a splendid souvenir for racing enthusiasts. The stage and cinema sections are particularly attractive, and include a group of the Sybil dike Company. Amopgst them are full-page views of Holland, scenes at Bondi, Wellington Girls’ College Jubilee, new Catholic school at Northcote, Chinese wedding in Auckland, German barque Magdalene Vinnen, picnic parties at Motuihi, Te Puke Surf Life Saving team. The “Review” is on sale at all leading booksellers.*