Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 100, 13 December 1939, Page 4

Local and General

New A.A. Sign. The Automobile Association will shortly erect a new traflic sign on the waterfront road (Muriwai road) directing persons to the Heads Park. Driftwood. The heavy sea, which has been running in the Bay of Plenty since Sunday morning, cast up a piece of driftwood at the Heads on Monday. This stick, with a length of twenty feet and a width at the butt of three feet six inches, was of a sufficient size to constitute a danger to launches. A Considerate Council. Piloted by the Mayor, the Borough Council decided at its meeting on Wednesday to depart slightly from its policy and assist.a ratepayer of Eivers' Road towards obtaining a better access. Cr Canning warned against the establishment of a precedent and asked what would happen in the event of other similar requests coming forward. Cr Shapley: "They will be given every consideration . We r.re a. very considerate council."

Date for Drawing Pensions. The postmaster advises that Old Age, Widows, Invalidity, Family Allowances, and. War Pensions will be paid on the 20th of this month instead of the 23rd. Tohcroas at Ohope. The Inspector of Fisheries at Ohope Beach has received notification from the Marine Department that the toheroa beds at Ohope are closed from December Ist until November 30th of next year. Damage is caused to the toheroas by the consolidation of sand after motor cars have been on the beach and the prohibition of digging for the shellfish will ensure that they will not be completely exterminated. Referred Back. When the Director of Housing Construction wrote in reply to the Borough Council, stating that he Avas unable to comply with its request for the rounding off of the Eastern corner at the intersection of Salonika Street, members expressed genuine regret as the access would be much improved following such action. It was therefore decided to reopen the matter with the department in a further endeavour to have the wishes of the council fulfilled.

Flag at Half-mast. The flag on the Post Office was llown at half-mast yesterday the occasion being the funeral of Princess Louise, who died last week. Purchase of New Truck. The Borough Council has decided to purchase a new V 8 tfuck from Messrs Armstrong Motors Ltd at the price of £538, of which £165 was allowed as trade-in value. Transfer of Control. The Clerk of the Court, Mr C. Morgan, Avho has been nominal head of the Social Security Department in Whakatane since its establishment transferred the control to Monday to Mr Searing, who has been acting as Placement Officer. The department will! continue to have its office at the courthouse. Storm Causes Damage. The storm which passed over the Bay of Plenty on Sunday, caused some damage at Tauranga. Quantities of plums, peaches and apples were shaken from the trees and the fruit loss is understood to be considerable. The "Altair" had to seek shelter in Tauranga on her trip North. Alterations and Improvements. Speaking on his impressions of the town after an absence of eight months in the Old Country, the Deputy Mayor, Mr S. S. Shapley at last Monday's meeting of the Borough Council stated that he noticed quite a number of improvements in Whakatane and even in the councillors themselves. From Mr A. G. Hultquist M.P. Letters from Mr A. G. .Hultquist* M.P. to the Borough Council last Monday evening, sought the council's co-operation during his absence in military camp, by the recognition of Mr A. F. Moneur M.P. for Rotorua as district representative. On the motion of the Mayor the council registered its congratulations to Mr Hultquist and extended to him its best wishes. It was also decided to invite Mr Moncur to be present at the opening of the Centennial Park.

The "Hole-Watchers." It is a fact in England, and in some parts of New Zealand too, that when a hole is being dug in a roadway, there are one or two persons who apparently have nothing more to do than watch the digging and stand for hours looking on. Though there has not been a hole dug in Whakatane for a long time (in the street) a number of watchers took up and maintained positions on Friday and Saturday morning in order to have an uninterrupted view of the erection of a new sign on the Whakatane Hotel. One of the "holewatchers" was timed to stand in one position for four hours. It is understood that this constitutes a record for the Bay of Plenty. Scouts' Camp. It is anticipated that members of the Te Puke Boy Scouts and Wolf Cubs will form part of the complement of Bay of Plenty scouts who have been fortunate in securing a camp site at Wellington during January to enable them to visit the Centennial Exhibition. District Scout master S. F. Miller, of Whakatane, has already approached scoutmasters in the Bay,, asking that information be forwarded to him as soon as possible concerning the equipment avail able for camp purposes, as well as the number of boy.'; intending to go. The whole estimated cost- per boy only amounts to £3 ss. including fare and food, and each boy attending will be insured against accident. It is suggested that the minimum amount of poekct money be 15s, fare between the camp site and exhibition 1, and admission 6d per boy.